Chapter 5
It was easier to get to the tree, but to that we had to pass by the place where Foxface died, but Hustler didn't question me about her death, which seemed odd since she died of nightlock. The very berries that started the whole rebellion. But from whatever reason we kept on toward the tree.
The man, whose name I learned is Gilden and he doesn't ever talk because of, Gale said a trauma that turned him into a mental Avox, took point, then Hustler, then me, then Gale bringing up the rear. The small moment of complete comfort and familiarity from the Cornucopia has been replaced with an invisible wall again. A big part of me is still resentful towards Gale, which adds support to the otherwise extremely shaky wall, and then there's the girl, untouched by the Games and all its brought wishing for Gale to put an arm around me with a genuine "Hey Catnip" and a smile. But that girl is such a small part of me now.
Once on the way to the tree I thought Gale had tried to talk to me, but it was probably just that, a thought. I might have missed the tree entirely to if not for the map because there was no indication of a shattered tracker jacker nest anywhere, but the tree had been marked with the Capitol symbol, showing its significant importance. Once I saw the symbol and realized it was the tree, everything started to look familiar. We stopped and I turned to Hustler for further instructions.
I was handed a knife and asked to leave my bow and arrows and climb the tree. I didn't want my protection out of reach, but I silently took off the quiver and handed it to Gale without complaint, who after a second nodded and put it on, then he took the bow.
I climbed the tree all the way to where I thought I had sawed the limb off. It was hard to tell now, the limb's grown, but I think I've just spotted it when I hear a soft hum. The hum that cannot be mistaken and can only be identified as the hum of tracker jackers. I look up into the tree alarmed, afraid I'll find a new nest of the tracker jacker's that I had destroyed their home and they would recognize me and attack, but I don't see anything. I look across, into the tree that had once held the fragile Rue, but there's nothing there either.
"Get out of there now Katniss." Haymitch's voice almost causes me to lose my grip on the tree.
"What? Why?"
"You're in a tracker jacker community, and you're right at the heart of it. Get out fast and quiet. Don't disturb them."
"Ok." I say as I start to descend.
"Katniss?" Hustler calls up.
"Shhh!" I do as loud as I can or dare to.
When my feet touch the ground, Hustler is in my face demanding answers from me, "Why did you come down? I didn't tell you to come down and we didn't get any footage of you talking about your experience!" He says almost yelling.
Gale puts a hand on his shoulder slightly pulling him back, "Mac, calm."
"You want something on my tracker jacker experience?" I snap. "It hurts, like you wouldn't believe, and the hallucinations are horrible, you can't define reality," I say in harsh whispers. "My hallucinations were mainly of me and my sister and my father and mother dying in horrible ways. Prim died in those hallucinations, and you know what," I state again, my tone grows softer and I almost feel like crying as I speak of Prim. "She did die." A hardness creeps into my voice. "So my tracker jacker experience was hell, it was reality." I finish looking at the ground a tear slipping from my eye.
"Cut!" Hustler says. I wipe my eye angrily and look up. Good he got what he wanted. "Wonderful, wonderful."
"We have to leave; we're in the middle of a tracker jacker community." I push through the middle of them and start walking. "Stay quiet." I warn in over my shoulder. I realize I'm still gripping the knife in a tight fist, so I slip it in my belt.
"I knew that." I hear Hustler say. I roll my eyes. Wouldn't surprise me. "Um, where are you going Katniss, where Rue died is that way." I look back at him and see him pointing to the left. Without a word, which I had a few choice I could have said, I change direction and keep walking, not caring when or if they'll catch up.
It doesn't take long. Gale catches up to me and hands me back my bow and arrows. He's silent, but I can tell he wants to say something.
"What?" I ask. He shakes his head. "Come on Gale, I know you're wanting to say something." He shakes his head again and I stop, grabbing his arm. "What Gale?" He looks at my hand then at me. I remove my hand and cross my arms, awkwardly since I'm still holding the bow.
"It's nothing Catnip, I already have my answer."
"Well, I don't. What was the question?" He looks at me then sighs.
"The question was why you hadn't shared some of these things you're sharing now with me, but you're sharing now in the open. But my answer is it's a part of the Games, so it's secret until needed." I stare at Gale shocked.
"Gale, I never talked about any of it because the Games are a- touchy subject. I wish I could forget the Games completely. Believe me Gale, if it had been you, you'd do the same to me." I reason.
Gale shakes his head, "No, I wouldn't. I would tell you everything that had gone on because I know the Capitol would have twisted it or left something out." He pauses. "I saw your entire Games, from start to finish while I was in Two, uncut. Then I saw the uncut of the 75th. You never told me about the interview, about what Peeta said." What? He already knew what Peeta said in the-Oh, but not from the 75th Games. No one but those that had been there knew that. But in the Games Finnick played the pregnant card time and again and I'm sure people figured it out. But Gale, he had to find out the explanation from an interview the reason that his "best friend" was supposedly already married and pregnant. "And little Rue, you never told me about her." He saw the Games. What about Rue is there left to tell? "I would have enjoyed hearing about your friend that saved you from the Careers." I unfold my arms and look away.
"If you've watched the Games you already know as much about her as I do."
"But I'd rather hear you talk about her."
"But I can't Gale, I couldn't. Even now it hurts to talk about the Games." Gale's brow furrow and his voice rises.
"Then why are you? Why do you still do what they want? Why are you still a piece in their Games?"
A piece in their Games. Still just a piece in their Games. I feel so stupid, being another stupid piece in their Games and this time it's Plutarch and Haymitch's. Haymitch's.
"That idiotic damn drunk did it to me again."
"Katniss?" Gale asks.
"Haymitch I want a ladder now." I say furiously.
"Sorry sweetheart, not till you're completely out of tracker jacker territory. A couple more yards should get you there."
"Haymitch just give us the ladder, this arena adventure is over."
"Now hang on sweetheart, it isn't until you and Peeta get your nightlock shot."
"No! I can't and don't want to do this Haymitch!" There is silence, and in the silence I hear Hustler and Gilden approach Gale and me.
"Alright sweetheart. Give us a minute." Haymitch says quietly.
"Thank you." I look at Gale who hearing my half of the conversation nods. The thank you was for both him and Haymitch, though Haymitch and I are going to talk when I get on board.
"What's going on?" Hustler asks.
"We're leaving the arena, the propos are over." Gale replies.
Hustler start's to shake his head, "This is unacceptable. The plan was not carried out."
"It's ok Mr. Hustler, you can pull clips from the Games." I tell him, not really caring.
"No child, not that plan. The Great Plan." He approaches me slowly, back straight. "It is with no regret I carry it out either." He pulls out the earpiece he's been using to communicate with Plutarch and reaches into his pocket. When he brings his hand out it's with blinding speed and I can only register the sharp pain and the evil Snow-like smile that spreads across his face as he rips out the knife. He goes in for another stab but Gale and Gilden jump forward grabbing him. I grab my side, the shock subsiding and pain of the stab setting in and I fall to my knees.
"Don't bother getting up Mockingjay; the poison my father used to stay in power is now coursing through you." Father? My mind seems to be muddled. Poison? Power? Oh. My mind seems to put it together. This is Snow's son. But why the different last name?
"You're his son?" I slur.
"I'm his mutt." He spits. "Never called son. He never wanted one." Snow turned his own son into a mutt and denied him.
"Mac?" I look at Gale who looks at Hustler betrayed.
"Don't worry; you'll be mayor of District 12. Assuming you'll go back now she's dead. The Capitol will be restored to its former self and I will be the new President of Panem now that the two leaders of the rebellion will be dead." My insides feel like they're on fire and it's spreading.
"Hustler, you help her right now!" Gale yells.
"Sorry my friend, I don't have the antidote on me. She'll be dead in a couple of minutes." He looks right at me grinning. "I gave her a lower dose, to make sure it was slower." Hustler struggles and takes out a small rectangle with a blue button and presses it. Nothing happens.
"Alright sweetheart ladders coming down grab on fast." Haymitch's voice has panic in it.
The ladder appears and I try and reach for it but I can't move. Hustler, laughs then in a moment of surprise, elbows Gale and Gilden causing them to let go and he runs to the ladder and latches on just as it starts to retract.
"Enjoy the mutts." He says as the ladder rises.
I don't remember ever falling on my back, but when Gale rushes to me he is lifting me off the forest floor and pulling me into his lap.
"Come on Catnip, you've been through too much to die now." I can't remember if I've ever seen Gale cry, but tears are rolling down his face now. "Please Catnip don't." The burning has spread throughout my whole body now. I'm once again on fire. I feel my pulse begin to slowly stop and my mouth is dry when I speak.
"Gale, about Prim, I forgive you." Gale's tears come faster as he pulls me close. "Tell my mother I love her, and when Peeta wakes up I love him." I feel myself slipping. "And I love you to Gale."
"Stop talking like that Catnip. You can't die."
"You'll be alright sweetheart. Hang in there." Haymitch.
"Haymitch tell the team and Effie thanks. And thank you for everything." The ladders appeared again and the edges of my vision begin to black out. The ground begins to rumble and soon I can hear the growls of numerous beasts.
"Mutts." I tell Gale weakly. He gathers me into his arms and starts for the ladder. "Don't forget my bow." he grunts and bends awkwardly clutching me to him to grab the bow then he grabs the ladder and we're frozen. I'm able to make out the twenty two mutts running to the spot we just left, where Gilden still is. They'll be on him in seconds. The ladder makes it inside and I see a cuffed, unconscious Hustler on the floor. When we're released some medics are there to take me from Gale. I try to keep hold of Gale but my grip is easy to break and I'm losing consciousness.
"Fight it Catnip." Gale keeps saying to me over and over, his voice cracking a few times, but by the time we reach the room with all the machines, I'm gone. My heart has stopped and I've slipped into the black unknown. Katniss Everdeen, the Girl who was on Fire, the Mockingjay, who's survived many times though she shouldn't have, is finally dead.