Fixed the goof in and updated the D1 chapter in THNOP. Thank you for encouraging me to finish this chapter. The motivation helped a ton.
Chapter 24: Seeder
Day 1
Found this notebook and pen lying beneath some rocks. One of the workers' left by accident if I had to guess. Whole bunch of words and numbers I can't understand. Not gonna use them as a weapon. Don't want no trouble with the Gamemakers.
The arena is hot again this year. Not like home hot. That mess is humid. This hot is dry. 'Desert', the word the survival skills instructor used back in Training to describe land like this. Ain't so bad till you remember you in the Games. The Ten boy shared a smile when we rose up from the Stockyard. We know how it is to be hot. Them other folks don't. He's dead though. Ribbon from Eight dead too. Stupid girl try and attack a sponsor at Showcase. 'Stop touching me!' she kept on screaming. Gamemakers sent mutts after her when night hit. I know cause I saw her survive the bloodbath and only one cannon went off after it was over. You could hear her screams from every corner of the arena. Every day at lunch I told her she too bold. She ain't no Career. She ain't listen.
Imma listen though. Struck gold at the Cornucopia and ran for my life. Backpack with three full, large water packs, three protein bars, one of them hunting knives, and a slingshot. Ain't got no reason to venture out and explore. Don't look like nothing out here anyway. Desert to my left, desert to my right. Curiosity killed the cat, and this little kitty gonna stay in this cave till the Gamemakers say otherwise.
Wonder if I could just sit up here and eat these nasty bars till the Games over? That would be the day.
Nine are dead. Eight in the bloodbath and Ribbon. Hope Hominy's okay. Don't want him to find me, but I hope he's alright.
Day 2
Hominy found me this morning. I tried to hide but he heard me move. He was looking bad, crazy already.
'Seeder, please! Be my ally! Me and you got the same home'.
'How you live this long just wandering bout?'
I was tryna make sure he wasn't part of no trap.
'I had a bag but Twelve stole it from me. Please! You gotta believe me!'.
I told him going in I didn't want no allies. Things get too complicated, and what's an eighteen-year-old gonna do with a fifteen-year-old who ain't even shot up yet? I was keeping my word. But seeing another Eleven pitiful like that, I couldn't say no. Plus he was yelling and I wanted him to shut up before somebody heard him. He better be lucky for district loyalty.
Gave him my slingshot since he ain't had nothing else. I tell him I have water and food. He doesn't know how much. Reason is he ain't even had the sense to pace himself on the little bit of water and protein bar I gave him till I told him so.
Panem, I hope I ain't made the wrong choice.
Nobody died today. I'm happy bout that. I shouldn't be cause it's competition, but least they get to see another day.
Day 3
Hominy won't shut up! Like, what is there to talk about when we're in The Hunger Games? I don't care bout your mama. I don't care what plantation you work on back in Eleven. I play along cause I know it's to keep him calm. It's only so much I can take though. He opens his mouth again and we're gonna be found! Somebody better shut him up before I do it.
The Five boy died today, plus a Career. The Four girl with the weird L name. Wonder what happened to her? All the other Careers are still alive. Well, better luck for me. Hominy too, I guess.
Day 4
Got kicked out the cave. Woke up to big black bugs with pointy tails right in my face. Had us running out yelling and screaming. So we've been on our own since. Took up shelter before dawn under a big rock not too far from the cave. Checked it out before we entered. No Tributes or animals with a good amount of shade. So glad I didn't skip the survival course during training. I'd be dead without that old lady's advice.
1 and half protein bars and 2 water packs left. We need food and water soon. The Cornucopia had other items besides water. Must mean there's a source somewhere. Hope so. Me and Hominy ain't got no sponsors, so we're on our own. All in all I've had it good in here. Still alive and no other Tributes cept Hominy. More than what most Eleven Tributes can say. I am worried bout how close we are to the Cornucopia. A mile at most. We haven't seen the Careers yet. Any second now, I know that's gonna change. Not ready for it. What's a girl with a knife and a boy with a slingshot gonna do up against five people trained to kill?
No deaths today. Could have been us up in that sky.
Day 6
Thought long and hard before writing this. Hominy said it'd help me get over it.
I killed the boy from District Twelve.
There. I said it.
It happened yesterday afternoon. We were sitting under the rock. Hominy was going on and on bout nothing as usual. Then I heard movement from above.
'Shut up Hominy!' I whispered. Instead of shutting up, he screamed. 'He's back! He's back!'
I caught look of him and I screamed too. Twelve looked awful. Bruised and wounded. Limping. Crazy eyed. He looked like he done walk through all twelve districts twice. Twelve raised his metal bar, forgot about his limp, and jumped down right at us. Hominy started hitting him with rock after rock, but it ain't do nothing to him. The boy kept after me. I was scared. I couldn't move, until the bar hit my face. I gained my footing, got my knife from my pocket, took one swing, and jumped back.
His chest and neck. All them chickens Daddy kill back home couldn't compare to the blood. I wiped the red on my pants and shirt. That made things worse. Not thinking clear, I grabbed a water pack to wash it off. I felt a hand on me. I jerked around, knife at their throat. Hominy stared at me, terrified and words shaky but standing his ground.
'Don't. We need the water.'
After a few seconds, I put the knife away and crumpled to the ground. Hominy backed away from me, watching with pity and terror.
The blood is still on me. My hands, my face, my clothes.
I killed someone yesterday.
I am a bad person.
I don't wanna kill again.
Day 7
We're out of the protein bars.
'We can do without food,' I told Hominy. We used to starving.'
We still have enough water. Long as we don't use up our energy, we gone be okay.
Day 8
The boy from Eight is dead. I saw the Careers kill him. When we spotted them (thank Panem we saw them first), we hid for cover. Hominy refused to move, the quietest he's been since we were Reaped. I couldn't help but look.
From my distance, all except District One looked rough. Four looked the worst: his right arm slung in a tourniquet and dirty all over. The pretty girl from One, this year's favorite and self-proclaimed leader of the pack, drew out his death for an entire thirty minutes. I can still hear his screams, his begging. A show for the audience. District Two showed mercy and put an end to it. A fight nearly broke out between One and Two. Four tried to calm his allies down, but they literally shoved him to the side. Only a silver parachute got them to shut up. It landed right at One's feet. There was a small tug-of-war with the package between the Ones. 'It's for me!' I heard the girl scream. I couldn't make out what it was, but she seemed really happy to get it. The others looked ready to kill. Slowly, the lackeys follow their leader away from the scene.
The Career Alliance ain't doing so well this year.
'A-are they gone?' Hominy whispered once the silence came back.
I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding in. 'Yeah. They're gone.'
'I don't ever want to be that close to them again Seeder.'
Me either Hominy. Me either.
Day 13
I killed the girl from District Ten.
The two water packs I'd been sharing with Hominy ran out last night.
'We gotta get some more Seeder. What should we do? We will die without water Seeder. We gotta do something!'
'Shut up!' I shocked myself with my tone. He crumbled up in his seated position, wrapped his jacket extra tight around, and said no more.
I could tell him about the other water pack. I should tell him about the other water pack. It would be easier to stay put and sip off the last bits of water until one of us gets out of here. But we've been in this Arena for thirteen days. What if we're in here longer? What if the Gamemakers dry up the water to spice things up. Then what?
I did not tell him about the other water pack.
This morning, I told him we have to go find water. He didn't argue. We slowly walked away from our hideout, another rock formation offering us shade and bushes to make us disappear. The place was good to us, but we need the water.
Sweat dripped from our bodies, wasted water we can't afford. Big black birds flew in the sky, their sounds background music to our search. I tried recalling the survival skills advice: take higher ground, look for birds and insects. Hominy and I were on high alert; not only were we wide open, but just one death, the Six boy, happened in five days. A bored audience means trouble for us Tributes.
Then, I heard them before I saw them.
Big, crazy laughs hit us from behind. At once, we swung around to the noise. Two furry, spotted things that looked like hairy dogs. They walked slowly towards us, cocking their heads to the side. Rows of teeth bared for us to see.
'Don't-'
The moment Hominy ran, they leaped forward. I ran faster than I did at the Cornucopia. The ugly mutts were right behind us, their awful laugh drowning out our screams. I didn't even realize we had found water till I heard our feet splash in something. I was about to shout for joy till I saw someone appear on the other side of the pond.
The girl from Ten had been chased here by the same mutts. Our two had stopped chasing us and stood perfectly still, silent but staring at us. The girl's look of terror matched mine.
They wanted a fight.
I did not want to kill. I swear I did not.
But I couldn't give up the water.
I just couldn't.
I got out the pond and charged at her. I didn't even think about it. My feet just moved and I went with it. She had a knife like mine but she kept dropping hers. She didn't know how to use it. I knew how to use mine.
The cannon rang in seconds.
'Get over here', I barked at Hominy. He crept over slowly, shaking and crying. I ignored him, threw him a pack, and told him to fill it up. I washed whatever I could of the blood in the pond and lead us back to safety.
Two people have died because of me.
I am not just a bad person.
I am an evil person.
I don't know if I deserve to live anymore.
Day 14
We have been in the Arena for two weeks.
The Games should be over now.
It's been a week since we had food. I feel lightheaded, real dizzy. I trip over myself, dropped a water pack once. A little spilled before I picked it up. It's harder to get Hominy up in the mornings. I had to shake him twice for him to wake yesterday
'How long we gone be in here Seeder?'
'Don't know,' I murmur, cold in the desert night.
Things between us have been tense since yesterday. Don't know if it's the temperature, the hunger ,Ten's death, or how long we've been in here, but something changed between me and him. He doesn't talk as much, watches me when he thinks I'm not looking. I've never been sweet on Hominy, but I've gotten more short-tempered lately, ain't even bothering to hide him annoying me anymore.
Maybe we've been this way cause our alliance should be over by now. Either one or both of us dead. The end is coming soon. Just don't know when. Or how.
Day 17
The Career Alliance ended today. Four strong, scary faces in the sky cept the quiet girl from Two.
It's only me, Hominy, the Two girl, and the two from Seven who bragged about their alliance.
Hominy and I didn't talk the entire day.
Day 18
We're out of water.
'I can't do without water,' he said and turned back around, facing against me. The way he said 'I' made me nervous. Does he know about my other pack?
Day 20
Hominy is dead. 'I know about your third pack bitch. Give it here!' I wouldn't let him. It was my pack. Not his. He choked me. He put all his weight on me and choked me. I tried to push him off, tried to talk to him. He wouldn't let up. My vision got blurry. I was scared. I thought I was bout to die. I reached in my jacket pocket and...I don't wanna say it. I've been sitting in this corner under the shade since. I can't move. Can't drink water. Can barely write this. I think I might kill myself tonight.
Day 21
I couldn't do it.
Day 22
Hominy is still here.
Why haven't they moved his body?
Day 23
I left the shelter. Hominy's body started to rot. Too scared to push it away. The Arena is dead silent. No animals, no wind. Nothing.
Day 24
My knees gave out under a big prickly plant.
I'm out of water.
Day 25
I'm gonna die in this Arena.
My eyes open. Bright light forces me to shut them back. Cool air hits my body. I feel a dull sense of pain in both my arms and stomach.
"Open your eyes Seeder," a voice, calm and kind, says to me. Their accent is not Capitol but it's not from home. "It's okay. You're safe."
Slowly, I open them. I'm in some kind of hospital room. Needles have been stuck inside me, lining up with a bag of liquid. A small, thin tube runs into my stomach. Beige liquid pumps through it. Juan Miguel stands a close, but safe distance from where I lay, a warm, tired smile on his face. Maple, Redwood, Kelso, Mags, Viridi, and Dawn are further away, edged close to the doorway, wary stares my way. All eight look like they haven't slept in days.
"I told you guys she wouldn't need the straps," says the Victor from Ten, still smiling at me.
"Where am I?" It hurts to talk, voice croaky and strained.
Juan Miguel is the only one that speaks. "The Training Center. The underground gymnasium to be exact."
"Did I win the Games?"
"Are you still alive?"
I smile, letting out a long sigh. "How long?"
"Twenty-six days."
Tears roll down my cheek. "I can't believe I did it."
"Me either," mumbles Redwood. Maple knocks his wheelchair to the side before adjusting it back in place.
"We rescued you from the Arena Seeder," Juan Miguel tells me. "This year was meant to be the longest Games ever, but not this long. On the twentieth day, something happened. We're not sure what but something big went down. Maximus rushed into the Mentor's Lounge and told whoever was around to go as fast as we could to the gymnasium."
Viridi. "There were screams and gunshots coming from the Control Room and outside."
Mags. "It was madness."
"We and a few Peacekeepers were shut up here for days. There is plenty down here to keep us comfortable and weapons to keep us safe, but we were scared, confused, and a little stir crazy," Juan Miguel chuckles.
I try to sit up. The act is exhausting. Juan Miguel shakes his head and motions for me to rest.
"On the third day, we realized the Games were still going on. At first, no one else was willing to leave the Training Center to save you all." Juan Miguel says the last part with a hint of judgement. Those at the doorway bristle at the remark.
Dawn, my escort-mentor, speaks up, voice gruff and weary. "Eventually, the ones in this room save Redwood came around and made for it. Maximus and Enrique protested. We didn't care."
"And Viridi and I couldn't let these outliers show up the Careers," Mags says with a wink.
"It was a tremendously stupid thing to do," Kelso speaks between puffs of his cigar. Juan Miguel gives him a look. He ignores it. "But the gymnasium was dreadfully boring."
Maple walks towards my bed, arms folded. "It was a suicide mission for sure, but we couldn't leave Tributes to die. Plus, you kinda remind me of me," she smirks and continues.
"We strapped up weapons, headed for the nearest hovercraft, and made our way to your Arena. It was pandemonium on the streets. People running, screaming. Gunshots. Whole buildings on fire. No other hovercrafts in the sky thankfully. We had to fly fast so not to get shot down."
"Fucking awesome if you ask me," chuckles Dawn. "Flew that baby like I was back in The Enlightenment. Took me back."
With a brief look of judgement towards the non-Victor war veteran, Maple continues. "With Dawn flying and the Arena close to the Capitol, we got there in no time. You were alive, but barely. Couldn't say the same for Cassia and Arachne unfortunately."
She places a rough palm on my shoulder and smile. "You won The Hunger Games with your hunger. How's that for irony?"
I look each in the eye and smile. These people risked their lives for me. For a murderer. "Thank you," I say between tears. "Thank you so much."
After a few minutes, I gain my composure and turn towards Juan Miguel. "I'm sorry, for Fernanda."
Hand finds my own. He gives a small, sad smile. "You did what you must."
Suddenly, rapid footsteps shoot through the quiet room. All of us go on guard. A few draw knives.
Crys bursts through the doorway, the excitement briefly wiped off her face when she sees the weapons. "Put down those toys and turn on the television! You have got to see what's going on."
Putting her knife back in her ankle sheath, Maple reaches for the television. A hologram appears, a distressed newscaster with a blaze blowing behind her.
Gasps fill the room when we read the big text. Crys squeals in delight. Kelso's cigar falls from his mouth. Mags faints.
"The Snows and many other government officials have perished in an explosion at the Snow estate, including President Amandus Snow," the newscaster shouts. "Other victims include prominent citizens such as Victor Westley Seabrooks. More bodies are being identified at this moment."
"I repeat: President Amandus Rinaldolfo Snow and his family have perished in an explosion. There are no survivors reported at this time."
