I do not own 'The Hunger Games' or anything related.
That boy was dead the moment he stabbed the 11. In a split second the girl drew her bow and fired her arrow through the 1's neck. He made it worse by pulling it out, blood pouring from his neck as he fell to the ground. After killing him, the girl went to her ally's aid, even though there was nothing she could do.
"Rue! Rue!"
"Haymitch."
I could see her. Maysilee Donner, lying in a pool of blood. It's all she can manage to say with the hole in her neck. I fell to my knees. The girl took her ally's hand, just as I took mine, comforting her in her last moments as I did mine. It was all I could do, keeping eye contact with her. I didn't even realise she was dead until the canon fired. But the girl did more than I did, placing her head on her lap, brushing her hair. The 11 asked her to sing. After coughing and swallowing, the girl sung, a song that I knew as 'Deep In the Meadow.' She had only got through the first couple of verses before crying, but she managed to continue. Once she was done, the Mockingjays took up her song.
That voice. That high, clear singing voice that made the birds sing! I shouldn't have been surprised, given what the boy told me, but I wasn't prepared for how alike it was! It had been a long time since I heard that kind of voice. A voice that I thought I'd never hear again.
"Tragic, isn't it?" A tearful voice asked.
I looked at Effie, who was in tears. I wondered why she was looking at me like that, before I realised that I too had been crying.
"Ahem, yes," I wiped away the tears from my face with my sleeve, "Very tragic."
I was also furious at the girl for keeping something like that from me! Could you imagine if I had gotten her to sing during her interview? I would have had no problems getting her sponsors after something like that! I wouldn't even have needed the who star-crossed lovers plot, which paled in comparison to that voice!
The canon fired, signalling the 11, no, Rue's death. The girl pressed her lips onto Rue's forehead and gently place her head onto the ground. I thought back to my own actions after Maysilee's death, staring at her body, at loss over what to do. So I decided the only thing I could do, the best thing I could do. Closing her eyes, I placed her hands on her body, straightened out her legs, even lifted her head so that I could tidy her hair. After doing so, I continued to look over her body, thinking that there must be something else to do, but what? What? I then noticed her Mockingjay pin, and I remembered where I saw it before.
It was at Mel's old man's funeral. I remember how a woman with her head covered tried to creep in without anyone noticing. Then after his coffin was lowered into the ground, Mrs Everdeen sang 'Deep In The Meadow'. She faltered after a couple of verses, but her son grabbed her hand and they finished it together. It was bad enough hearing one Everdeen sing, but two of them singing together (with the Mockinjays repeating their song afterwards)? I did my very best to hold back the tears. Later on I saw the woman who came up late approach Mel's mother. Even though her head was covered, you could tell from her skin colour that she was Townfolk. Mel's mother seemed startled to see her, then the two women cried and hugged each other. They seemed to know each other, probably hadn't seen each other in years, only bringing this reunion with a loved one's death, but how could a merchant woman and the wife of a miner know each other? Later on, I saw Mel's mother give her something. I couldn't tell what it was at the time, only that it was round and gold coloured. But it couldn't have been real gold. There was no way someone from the seam would have gold on them. The townfolk yes, but the seam? I noticed that the townswoman was reluctant to take it, but Mel's mother pressed it in her hands anyway. Eventually, reluctantly, the woman accepted it.
Now I understood. What Mel's mother gave was this Mockingjay pin, and the woman she gave it to was Maysilee's mother, later on to be worn as a token. As I heard the hovercraft approached, I realised that I didn't want them to touch this pin. Taking it off, I pinned it on myself. I looked down at Maysilee. I'll win, Maysilee. I'll win for both of us.
After taking the packs from both her victim and her ally, the girl should have started moving. But she couldn't stop looking at Rue. I wondered if like me, she couldn't help but wonder if there was something more she was supposed to do for me. But what else was there?
Going into the woods, she gathered a bunch of wild flowers and decorated the body with them. I understood what she was doing. And I was more proud of her up to that point than I had been.
"Bye, Rue," She said, making the gesture they give at funerals in District 12, the same gesture given to her when she volunteered.
After leaving Rue, the girl seemed directionless, without any care about any threat. This worried me, wondering that over Rue's death she had made herself vulnerable. But no one was nearby. I felt sorry for the girl, for losing her little ally so soon, when I still had mine at this point in the games.
The next day, we were really rationing the food at this point. Even though she objected, I convinced Maysilee to have more of the share than myself, assuring her that I would be fine, that I've been hungry before. By the time we were once again directed out of the maze and into the woods we noticed that it was getting cloudy. Meaning it was going to rain.
"I don't know how you've been collecting rainwater, but I've just been using a bowl."
"Just a bowl?" I asked incredulously.
"Well, not all of us were able to get our hands on the best stuff in the cornucopia, you know."
"But didn't a couple of the other tributes have any water on them?"
Maysilee shook her head. I felt somewhat guilty. Thanks to my containers, I had plenty of water, and she only had a bowl, which meant she had to consume the water the moment it was raining, and only a while after. I wished she had told me, I would have given her a larger share of the water than me! But then I knew how she wanted to appear tough.
"I just left a few containers out to collect the rainwater."
"I was just thinking there has to be a better way to collect the water."
"…You're probably right. Leaving a bottle out to let the rainwater fall in is probably not the most effective way. If only there was some way to collect water with a much larger area and let it all pour into a large enough container and ensure that none of it is lost- what?"
Maysilee was smiling at me.
"Haymitch, you're a genius!"
That's twice now I've been complimented, within three days.
"Not just a pretty face, am I right?"
"Not as pretty as mine, but you make up for it."
I gave her a friendly frown. Friendly…it just occurred to me that I should be behaving more like an ally than a friend. Maysilee took out a plastic sheet from her backpack, and we came up with an idea to tie it to four close trees in a way that the water collected would pour from one end and into the bowl Maysilee had been using, as that had more chance of collecting the water. The problem was once it was full, the water had to be quickly and carefully poured into another container, while another container replaced the bowl.
"You should pour the water into the containers. You're much better at that kind of job yourself," I told Maysilee.
"You didn't become so bad yourself, you know, at the end of training."
"True, but I don't think I'm that good compared to you. I'll just keep an eye on the bowl and give it to you when it's full."
Another problem was that we were going to have to be stationary for a while.
"I'll watch out for any nearby tributes," I offered.
"No. I have longer range. You keep an eye on the clouds and on the sheet when it starts to rain."
"Where did you even get those blow darts anyway? I didn't think something like those would have been available."
"Oh they were. But I had to find the poison elsewhere."
"Where?" I looked around, "Oh, that's right! You dipped them in the fruit and the poisonous water! I don't think the gamemakers ever expected anyone to do that!"
"Well I just had these blow darts and the poison was just there, and I thought, why not?"
I couldn't help but smile.
"You're pretty smart yourself. For a girl who worked at a sweet shop."
"Oh, you think sweet shop girls aren't that smart, do you?"
"Not at all! I was just saying you're more than a pretty face yourself."
I felt myself blush.
"Ahem, I should probably keep an eye on the sheet."
I quickly turned away from Maysilee.
"Right," She quickly said.
It was a mistake to say that. Aside from already having a girlfriend (If the arena didn't kill me then she likely would when I got back home for flirting with another girl!), there was no future between us. Not that you would expect a future with every girl you might flirt with, but here in the arena it was a definite no no. Friends was bad enough, but lovers? What is the matter with me? Why am I suddenly thinking of us as lovers? We're allies, nothing more, not even friends.
"Sorry," I quietly said.
"There's no need to apologise," Maysilee said.
"Oh, um, actually I was apologising to my girlfriend," I told her, who was likely watching this with the rest of Panem.
"Oh!" It was now Maysilee's turn to go red, "Oh. Right."
Now she quickly looked away.
"She's a lucky girl."
That's three times I've been complimented in such a short amount of time! Mind you, I didn't think she was lucky. She was better off with some other guy, yet she chose me.
When the rain came, and I made sure that the water was being collected into the bowl, I gave it to Maysilee after replacing the bowl with one of my containers. As she carefully poured the contents into a carrier, once again I checked the sheet, but I also had to watch out for any nearby intruders.
That was probably why he chose that moment to strike, because from out from behind one of the trees, a tribute raised his weapon and-
Suddenly a message appeared on my screen. This wasn't out of the ordinary, as sponsors often sent gifts to be used. However this didn't come from a sponsor. I saw that it was a transfer from another mentor. This was unusual, as mentors don't usually send each other gifts, at least for another tribute. Opening it up, I saw that it was a basket of bread. And a message. "Gratitude from the people of District 11." I looked up, and saw in their both Chaff and Seeder were looking at me, tearful. I understood. This was meant for Rue, but after her death, after what the girl did for her, they wanted her to have it. Smiling, I nodded in Chaff and Seeder's direction, sending the gift to the girl.
As the end of the day approached, I turned my attention to the boy. Given the state of his wound, and how he was limping, and how much he was lying down and how much he wasn't eating, I gave him several more days to live. The thing is, I could send him the medicine now, and that would heal his wound, but that would leave very little for the girl, who was the one I had chosen to save. Anyway, by tomorrow it wouldn't matter. Gifts become expensive as time goes on, and by tomorrow the medicine will cost more than I am able to spend.
"Haymitch. Haymitch!"
Peeta was calling for me, barely conscious, lying in the muddy bank. I had a rope, which was the only thing that could save him. But if I give it to him, then I won't be able to give it to Katniss.
"I can't," I shook my head, "I'm sorry!"
Peeta sank into the bog. Bubbles appeared, before finally disappearing. Suddenly the bog burst open, and Peeta's corpse jumped at me with teeth and fingernails. I screamed as I sat up, protecting my face. It took me a moment to realise that it was only a dream, and that I was in my bed.
"Peeta. Peeta!"
I mean the boy, the boy! Why was this so hard? It's not like I haven't lost tributes before, even those I tried to help, or sent to their deaths, so why was this one affecting me so much? I thought about this boy, this baker boy who knocked my drink out of my hand after the useless advice I gave him, how even though I was annoyed how impressed I was that he stood up to me, how well we got along when I was coaching him for his interview, telling me all about his life, how he confided in me that he liked a girl. How angry I felt when the girl pushed him, how I saved his life when he threw an urn at the force field, who shared with me his grief over the girl he loved thinking his expression of love was just an act, how upset he felt when he told her he wanted to be more than a piece in the games. But what was it? Why was this boy one of the few people I got along with? Why whenever he's hurt does it make me want to rip apart the person who harmed him? An answer came to me.
It's because he reminds you of someone.
But who? My first thoughts came to me. You wouldn't have thought so, given that our backgrounds were so different, but like me the boy knew what it was like to be abused, and has that same self-deprecating humour he used to shield himself, like I do. He also favoured the knife, as I did. Then I thought of Maysilee, the only other townfolk I've ever gotten close to, was capable of just as much compassion as her even though he never let it go too far. But it wasn't enough. Wasn't enough to make me feel for this boy like I do. So who else was there? Who else reminded me of this boy who wanted to help me out on the first day with no thought of reward, who was willing to do anything to protect someone he cared about, more than his own life-
And that's when it hit me. Who else he reminded me of. Mel. He reminded me of Mel. Both likeable. Both compassionate. Both thought of others before themselves. Two people too good for this rotten world!
I covered my eyes and my mouth to stop the tears and to prevent myself from crying.
The next day, the girl seemed to have trouble doing the simplest tasks, only lying there. I asked Effie how long she had been doing that and I was told since she woke up a couple of hours earlier. That was not good. As painful as what had happened to Rue, she needed to get a grip on herself, if not for herself, then for her loved ones back home. Eventually, however, she was able to do the tasks, one at a time. After going through Rue and the boy from District 1's (Whose name I think was Marvel) supplies, and hiding the boy's weapons under a rock, she resumed hunting. She seemed a bit lost after the wandering she did yesterday, but she managed to get her bearings and head for the stream. Returning to the unlit fire, she killed a few grooslings and cooked them. I had a feeling that she wanted the boy from District 2 to come find her, which was confirmed when she overcooked the grooslings.
Another uneventful day, and I worried what catastrophe the gamemakers would unleash to drive them all together again, when Claudius Templesmith announced at the end of the day that an amendment had been made to the rules, that two victors would be accepted if they came from the same district. It took me a moment to process what he had just said.
I can save them.
I can save them both!
As if voicing my own thoughts, the girl screamed the boy's name.
