The Fisherman.2: Let The Games Begin
"First of all.. never.. under no circumstances.. go to the cornucopia."
"But what if I need…"
"Never. You'll just be dropped in the field, you'll see the direction of the cornucopia and you'll run the other direction."
I knew this was the best plan to avoid getting killed in the 1st day, but then remained the question:What about my needs? Food, water, weapons..
As if she's reading my mind, Mags says,"Whatever you'll need I'll make sure you never lack it. I'll get you the sponsors."
"The sponsors might be able to send me some bread, a bottle of mineral water, but what am I going to kill with? Nobody will send me something as expensive as a weapon!"
"I'll take care of this. If you trust me, Finnick, don't go to the cornucopia."
And so was the conversation over. Do I trust Mags? Do I know her advice is the best way to stay alive? Of course. Maybe a woman as smart as Mags.. a woman who has made her way out of this one day using only her wits can get a 14 year old boy out of it alive too.
"Now listen to me, Finnick. If 23 kids will die in that field anyway.. and you're going to be one of them unless you execute some dirty work.. will you do it?"
Does she mean.. would I kill?
"I don't know, Mags.. Maybe it's easier for me and for you if I just throw myself under a career's sword in the cornucopia and end this. I'm not sure I'll be able to kill one of those kids.."
"They'll die anyway and it will be either them or you. You have to do it, Finnick. Isn't your death going to be the death of an innocent child, too? Would it be less horrible that you die?"
She asks the question and I'm speechless. Yes, I'm a child too. Yes, 23 children are going to die anyway and it makes no big difference if I die.. things will be no better.
"You'll have to be able to stand in there.. use the weapon that I'll send you.. and do it. It'll be either you or them, Finn."
It'll just take some time. Some time.. and not only I'll see the logic of it.. but I'll be able to execute too.
"How will you get me all those sponsors, Mags. How will you convince them to sponsor me.. a little weak boy.. and not Cevina?"
Cevina is the girl tribute from my district. She made it clear from the beginning that she doesn't hear what Mags is saying about the cornucopia. She'll just go there and join the careers and the cornucopia will be theirs.
"You're not weak, Finnick. You just don't see your strength. You look weak, just the look of a pretty little boy, but you're not. I know you're strong from cutting wood for boats and I see you train with the trident. And.. you know the capitol people. Just mindless peacocks who care the most about appearance."
Of course she was able to say that because we were on the roof.. an area which Mags knows not to be watched.
"They liked you in your parade outfit and the interview strategy we used tonight was successful, you can tell by the look I saw on Caesar's face. Your training rating was 8. They liked the way you look, Finnick, and they'll sponsor you with the slightest request."
"I'm betting on you, Finnick Odair. I'm betting on the boy I raised as a son and who doesn't know his strength."
I listen to her, and I start to figure out what to do.
The next day, My stylist, Senthia, puts on me the tribute's outfit, and I wear my token.. A necklace that Annie made for me before running to her room with blushing cheeks. A necklace shaped as a trident.
I'm dropped into the arena and the first thing that hits me is the sun. It's a meadow. With some trees in it like palms.. you can see a forest far from it. And in the middle of the meadow was the cornucopia. I know now what to do. I'll just run to the forest and ignore the cornucopia. I'll hide in the trees.
Sixty seconds pass and now everybody runs. only 3 or 4 were smart enough to avoid the cornucopia. The rest were either careers or idiots. I run as fast as I can to the forest.
As I arrived to the woods, I didn't stop. I waited until I reached an area that looked sheltered and far from the blood bath and I rested under a tree. After what seemed like a short time, probably half an hour, a silver parachute landed in front of me. Mags is fast!
It's a bottle of water, she knows I must be thirsty from running. And I know the reason she hasn't sent me food is there is probably some near me. I look up in a tree and I see apples, and more importantly, a monkey eating some. I wait a few minutes and it seems fine. I climb up and take two, and eat them while drinking the water. Thank God the arena was hot, I didn't have to light fire.. this would make it easy for the careers to find me.
I just waited there and ate more apples until the night came. Before then, Mags sent me some nets and I made some traps around me to make sure no one can kill me in my sleep. This is definitely one of my strengths. I start to see what Mags said about them.
But before I fall asleep, a third parachute lands. One that seemed to drop faster, which indicates it's heavier. The pack was rectangular and huge. I open it and I see, to my surprise, a silver trident.
Let the games begin.