Chapter 3
Months dragged on heavily like the thick snow on the pavement outside. It was so gray out, like the weather was feeling about as depressed as everyone in the District. No one wanted the victors to go- to be sentenced to their deaths. Finnick came over a few times, but only to check up on Annie. I had so many things to tell him, like how thankful I was to have him in my life, how grateful I was that he took care of Annie, & most importantly my true feelings for him. But I didn't. And now I've lost my chance since at this very moment he's on the Capitol train with Mags to face their fate - to go fight for their lives once again. I guess I just wished that maybe I would never have to tell him those things because there was still hope in him returning. That he would fight & kill & win like he did his first time in the arena. He could do it too; most of the tributes are old by now & could never be as swift as he is.
His only real competition was probably just Johanna Mason & Katniss Everdeen. Johanna was strong; I didn't even have to watch her dominant the Hunger Games to know that. I've met her in person before & one of the only tributes that I actually got along with, since she was the only girl my age. Her specialty is throwing axes, since she is after all from District 7, the Lumber District. While Johanna could take down anyone, even with her small figure, Katniss was just as deadly; or maybe even more. She had aim, speed & wit. She was swift & quiet; you wouldn't even know she was near until her arrow had shot right into your heart. She could also climb, & heal, which no one really how she learned all these crucial tactics; seeing she was only from District 12, the Coal District. Everyone in District 4 saw them as pretty much a joke considering how useless coal mining was in the Games compared to our Career training & resourceful surroundings. We were all put in our place though, after the famous Katniss Everdeen dominated last year, taking her fiancé, Peeta, with her as the first two people in history to both be victors in the same Hunger Games. That is a completely difficult & long story, though.
Each long & dreaded night I dream up the 75th Hunger Games: the first 18 being slaughtered by the remaining 5 - Finnick, Mags, Johanna, Peeta, & Katniss in the first few terrifying days. The next is always them all hunting each other down. Finnick & Mags walking through the jungle at a reasonable pace; Peeta & Katniss through the dirt & mud navigating through & plotting their kills; & then Johanna, running fast & determined up hills & mountains, fierce & bloodthirsty. I don't know why I always dream Johanna alone, I guess because she just isn't a protective person like Finnick & Katniss. Eventually they all reach each other - usually at the same time. Sometimes Katniss pounces on Finnick & slits his throat, while Peeta rings Mags' neck. Johanna usually charges through the vines by then & slices Peeta's stomach open; spilling his blood & organs on the jungle floor, or dirt. With one quick & effortless movement Katniss shoots an arrow through Johanna's head, in fury & remorse for Peeta. That's usually how my mind plays it: sometimes Finnick wins, or Johanna, & the worst is when Mags is left alone with everyone else killed in a pool of their blood, cackling in hysteria. She then returns home to finish me off for asking her to suffer through all of it. She knocks at my door, & foolishly I open it, not knowing her intentions. I see her same toothless grin but with an insane twist at the ends. I stand with the door wide open as she shuffles towards me, her slow frail legs inching closer with her wrinkled bony arms outstretched. As always, I see it as a hug, as a cry out for comfort, so I let her wrap her arms around me, but instead she reaches for my throat & tightly grips it, cutting my supply of oxygen off & leaving me gasping for air like a fish out of water. I try to shake her off, try to plead, try to apologize, but nothing comes out. She only stares with her sunken eyes & crazy smirk. That's when I jolted awake in a cold sweat.
As if my life wasn't messed up enough already dealing with Annie & my own love life, now I have to sit & wait as my own soon-to-be father in law plans the sick & twisted ending of my best friend. I sometimes get lost in my own imaginary world without the Hunger Games, without hatred & restrictions & food for everyone- & the only murder would be a single one. The hanging of President Snow. I know that it will never happen, though.