Authors Notes:
Hi all what did you think of the last chapter? Questions concerns...As promised here is Chapter Five... I hope you all enjoy it. Let me know how I'm doing, drop me a line, or comment her or on my tumblr page.
PS Italicized stuff is a flash back
See the end for some notes.
PS...don't own the Hunger Games or it's characters.
From the ship above the Lost Boys could hear Snow's crew laughing and cursing down at them. The pirates won and they were tossed into the cold watery depths, hands tied, but thankfully not their feet. They slowly floated to the surface of the still water. The strong swimmers like Thom could see the Pirates leering down at them.
Gale stood helplessly on the plank watching the boys struggle to stay afloat.
"Sweet dreams."
"Look at them," Another shouted down laughing. "They're like drowned rats."
"No better yet, they're shark bait!"
There was laughter shared amongst the men, until they bored of the sport and disappeared from the edge of the ship. Gale looked up, the seagulls squawked at him from way above. He watched them dive and pick at the fish guts the men had thrown overboard.
He swallowed as he understood what fate Snow had for him. Gale was out of dust, and he could not fly. A younger looking Pirate named Cato jumped on the wooden board. He was a muscular with thick arms. Gale was not pushed; he was thrown off the plank, like unwanted garbage, being tossed into the ocean. He only had a few minutes to align himself so that he could dive into the water. He could hear Cato laughing at him as he descended into the water.
They did not bother to listen to the splash as Gale's body sliced into the water.
The moment Gale's was submerged in the cold salty water he fought every instinct to fling his body about. He remained calm, like Katniss taught him. He looked around to see if he saw any of the boys were unable to swim to the top.
Finding none, Gale pushed himself up to the surface. In the chaos he could hear the order called out to raise the anchor. The men aboard began the tedious task abandoning the fun they were just having with the boys in the water. Gale looked about calling his friends by name. One by one they responded.
"Boggs," Gale called out.
There was a struggle to his far left.
"Boggs," Gale swam out to where he saw the rippling water, he saw Boggs punch out through the exterior of the water.
"I'm okay," Boggs called out as he surfaced and took deep breaths all the while coughing. "I'm okay."
Gale questioned "You sure?"
"Yeah," Boggs voice sounded young but determined. His body finally found balance on the water. "I just don't know where Thresh is."
"Thresh," Gale called out concerned he lost someone. He was grateful the mermaids kept the deadly sea creatures from this part of the water or else they would have attacked the boys. The only one they had to fear was that old crocodile Coin. She showed up at the dandiest times and this was not the time for her to make an appearance.
Silence greeted him.
"Thresh?" Gale yelled out. The boat began to move.
No one responded. Gale swam away from Boggs searching for Thresh.
"Thresh?" Gale hollered becoming antsy.
"Here, he's here with me." Thom said finally he was holding Thresh afloat.
He was furious with the outcome of his game. He had planned this game to be a testament of his ability to lead and plan. Unlike the rest of the boys his hands were not tied down. He removed his hidden dagger and quickly cut the boys hands indicating for them to swim to shore. None of the boys could fly their dust was washed away by the salty water.
It was a fortunate thing Katniss had taught the boys how to swim and survive the water with their hands tide. She taught them how to survive on this island. One by one the boys began swimming until they made it to the Never Shore. Exhausted they lay on the shore.
The sun was setting and it was a wondrous sight.
Gale did not care as he sat up, his arms braced on his knees as he breathed in deeply. He could see the frigate sailing away in the sunrise. He hung his head low. As the Pan he was a failure.
Jo was right he should not have played war with the Captain. The lesson was well learned. The next confrontation would be worse. In the pit of his stomach he felt Snow was not finished playing the game.
That man was out for blood.
Gale was well acquainted with death. He had seen it often as the plague wiped out whole villages. His own family was a casualty of it. If not for Katniss he would have died. She rescued him brought him here where he played and slowly forgot the horrors but today
"Gale look," Boggs called out toward the ocean.
The boys stood on the sandy beach in as the boat looked like it was skipping over the ocean it sails were full of the current air and suddenly it lifted up in the air.
Gale felt his heart fall to the floor.
"What does that mean?"
"JO!" Thom shouted.
There was a mad rush then, toward the tree house, as their tiredness was forgotten. All of the Never Creatures great and small were skeptically watching the Lost Boys flounder about.
The island stayed mysterious still. It was normally teaming with life. The leaves on the trees and the fauna that lined the floor of the forest were rolled up, curled as if it was readying itself for a freeze or a long night.
The boys ran through the forest toward where they had last seen Jo. In their minds they could still see the ship lift it self out of the water, and only Jo had the ability to make things glide through the air. Gale remembered it well. It was several years past, to many to count. Gale recalled the balmy island of Jamaica how it felt, and seeing all of the ships moored or docked off the island.
The Past...
Katniss was at her best she had been pranking the crew and their ship for weeks. They thought it was a paranormal specter coming to haunt them.
The Dutch Flute lay nestled by in the bay of the Port Royal. It was the middle of the night when Katniss, Thom, Gale and Jo snuck aboard the ship. None of them intended on taking the darned ship with them. But Katniss was dared to add the juice of the sleeping berries to the wine the men had on board.
"Come on Katniss I think I hear some one coming." Gale whispered.
Katniss was slowly pouring the contents into the wine barrel she had seen them drink from that day. It was then she heard the sound of Thom's bird call. The warning the three sailors were coming back.
She grabbed Gale and hauled him into a corner of the ship. Jo was safely tucked away in Katniss pocket.
"We bring you recruits, tributes, for your service." A pirate with silvery peppered hair pushed three children forward. Katniss eyes grew grand she bit her lounge from speaking, at the sight of the boys. Two of them looked like brother and they had to be around ten, one of them was a baby really he was only around three or four.
"Well but down below, I am sure we will either take sport in them or use them as bate for dinner." Captain Snow was bored.
"Good thing."
All three watched as the little ones were pushed downstairs.
"Now let us crack open some wine." Snow invited. "The odds are with us tonight."
Slowly the crew began to sleepily yawn. Each seeking their corner, to drink and sing and tell tall tales of victories past, seeing the opportunity Katniss and Gale flew over the side of the vessel. Jo slipped from Katniss pocket.
"Go see." Katniss commanded quietly.
Gale and Katniss floated in the shadow of the ship. Until they saw Jo's little light floating back to them.
"They took the barrel of wine and have passed out cups, Katniss." Jo informed "It'll be a matter of moments." Katniss said, rubbing her hands.
Within the hour all of the Pirates were in a deep sleep.
"What are you going to do?" Gale asked Katniss as she flew to go below deck.
"I am bringing them with us." Katniss said as she searched the interior of the vessel. She found the boys huddled in a dark corner of the bowels of the ship. She floated in the air and sat with her legs crisscross.
The boys gazed at her with open wonder.
"I am Katniss the Pan, would you like to fly?"
"I'm Mitchell," the little one exclaimed. He shot his hand up in the air waiving it happily. His little fingers were dirty, and he looked as if he had not eaten in days.
"To do this," Katniss stood up in mid air, and placed her hands behind her back as she paced in the air speaking. "You must have a wonderful thought that brings you joy." She leaned down on her knees in front of the boy who did not look to be a day over three. "Do you have a happy thought?"
Mitchell's face frowned as he concentrated. Katniss turned to the others. "What are your names?"
"I'm Castor and this is my brother Pollux, he hasn't spoken since our mom died. We don't have many nice things to think about."
"Your mom can be a nice thought," Katniss suggested. "Maybe the way she smiled at you or some special treat she made you."
Pollux smiled and nodded.
Castor affirmed, "Our mother it is."
Jo stood by on a crate waiting to see what Katniss would do.
Katniss turned to Mitchell, "Did you have a happy thought?"
Mitchell rubbed his belly, "Bread."
"Well I think that counts what do you think Jo?" Katniss questioned her friend. She grinned at the boys reactions to Jo as she flew around them.
"Oh no I have to sneeze," Jo choked out scratching her nose as she stood on Katniss shoulder.
Katniss attuned to Jo panicked. "No."
When a fairy sneezed, all sorts of foolery happened.
"I can't help it…." Jo started saying but stopped mid sentence when she sneezed mightily. Her dust settled on the entire interior of vessel. It flowed out from the cargo hold out to the dry exterior coating the ship in a fine mist of gold. The combined happiness and trust of the children caused the ship to sway back and forth. It began lifting out of the water.
The boys were floating as well and squealed with delight.
Katniss came topside then crowed like a rooster by what had ensued.
"What happened to quiet?" Thom questioned rather sarcastically.
"Well I guess we'd be pirates tonight!" Katniss said taking the Captains hat and tossed it to Gale, who put it on immediately.
The twins and Mitchell became part of the Lost Boys that night. Though Gale had never been able to forget what he did and saw. He had never seen anything so beautiful, as the ship covered in golden fairy sneeze, flew in the night sky.
They had not seen anything like that since.
Many of the occupants of the Island of Jamaica to this day tell of the haunted golden ship that sailed through the air right before the great quake. It is a ghostly tale, a warning many say because of the song from the unearthly female voice that was heard weeks prior, as it haunted the vessels that sailed in and out of Jamaica. They say that was the beginning of the end of for the carefree days of the buccaneer's life.
The golden ship has never been forgotten by man or by the Lost Boys.
The Present...Lost Boys Running to Find Jo..
Gale recalled the blast he and Thom had blast running around the ship as Katniss steered it to Never Island. Those were the early years, fair untroubled days, but today was it was different matter.
Today as they ran through jungle, he had seen the same ship fly though this time there was something odd about it but he could not put his finger on it. Gale turned his head to make sure the others were keeping up. Mitchell's little legs couldn't run as fast as the others. Bristol was holding his hand, but he still wasn't fast enough.
"Thom run ahead I am going to get Mitchell."
"Sure thing."
Gale turned around in direction of where Mitchell and Bristol were coming.
"Hurry Mitchell climb on my back."
Bristol let go of Mitchell's hand and helped Mitchell climb on to Gale's back.
Gale felt Mitchell's small arms wrap around his shoulders.
"Hold on tight Mitch."
"Okay."
Gale took off he could see Bristol well ahead of him. Gale pumped his long legs faster. Despite the extra weight he was able to catch up, all the while making sure Mitchell was safe and secure.
"JO." The boys cried out through the forest as they neared the tree house.
"JO."
The boy's voices could be heard echoing in the near silence of the rapidly darkening wilds of the island.
"JO!" Gale shouted as he burst through the clearing.
The other boys appeared to his right and left all crying out their beloved fairy's name.
Jo did not respond.
Gale's heart once more dropped from its purchase in his chest and landed toward his feet. He breathed harshly. If something happened to Jo it would be his entire fault.
The boys slowly approached the motionless seemingly tranquil home they all lived in. It was then they came to hear the silence that surrounded them.
It was eerie.
No one said a word as they stood gawking at the tree. The clouds gathered from high above with dark intent. It was as if malevolence was descending on the island.
"This is a bad sign," The twins spoke out loud at the same time.
"Let's go inside Gale, I'm scared." Mitchell small voice requested.
Gale could feel just how frightened Mitchell was. His little body trembled against his own and his arms felt cold upon the skin of his neck.
"Mitchell is right, we should go inside." Gale nodded toward the tree.
The clouds were gathering and they churning. They looked to be a greenish blue in color. Reluctantly the boys entered their hideaway.
The interior was bleak; it lacked not just the light, but the warmth of a home. The boys for the first time felt the intense loss of their leader. Katniss was just as wild as the boys but she made them feel a sense of family and community. They were haunted by her memory, and by the memory of Jo, who was also just a big part of what made their ragtag group of misfits gel together.
One by one wordlessly the boys took up their residence on their beds. It was Mitchell who went to the small bird house that belonged to Jo, instead of going to his bed. He stood underneath it gazing up at it. His little face scrunched with a deep thought.
"Is she really gone?"
Gale kneeled down in front of Mitchell, having no words to speak, for he was shaken himself by the loss of Jo and Katniss. He could not express the ache, sorrow, guilt and failure that he and the others were experiencing because of his, obstinate point of view and erroneous choices. Foolishly he did not listen to Jo's advice and raced into the unknown, and without thinking of the consequences challenged Captain Snow into a fight. He did not understand how Katniss dealt with these emotions and burdens, yet managed to be carefree. Gale was starting to see there was more involved to being a leader than before, he had to be accountable, and he recognized this all happened because of his pride.
Jo was in the hands of a madman named Captain Coriolanus Snow.
"I swear we'll figure out a way out of this. We'll get Jo back, and I promise Snow will play for this."
"Let me guess you lost, and by the smell of the lot of you, you were tossed overboard."
Jo's sarcastic tiny ell sounded like a miracle in the dreary space.
"Jo" Mitchell squealed happily clapping his chubby hands.
The boys rushed forward all speaking at once.
"I thought you were captured by snow?" Boggs exclaimed.
"We missed you Jo," The twins simultaneously spoke.
"How did you escape Snow?"
"What are you boys talking about?" Jo was clearly confused by the line of questioning.
"We saw Snow's ship drift into the air, like that time you sneezed." Thom clarified.
"Wait, the ship sailed into the air?" Jo gasped.
"Yeah, we thought you were a goner, Snow's prisoner, he wanted to know where Katniss was and I told him, but I didn't think," Gale said. "Only you could make a ship fly or anything for that matter."
"No boys not everything, there has to be happy thoughts and the one thing kids have that adults don't."
"What's that?"
"Childish wonder and awe, you don't question magic. It just is. Snow and his crew don't have that, unless they have a fairy who can manipulate this natural of wonders," Jo was worried even as she dismissed her initial thought.
"What are you not telling us?" Thom questioned.
"I have to get to Katniss." Jo began flying out.
"Wait Jo, why?"
Jo paused in mid-flight to look at the boys. They had no idea what they had unleashed. "Because she's in trouble Snow is going after Katniss for his war, now she and Peeta are in trouble."
Where do you think Jo's headed? Yup finally getting back to Katniss and Peeta.
