Author's Note: and here is lesson two!
Chapter 14
Never Leave a Man Behind
The next morning I wake have a quick breakfast and wake Haymitch. I start to wonder if he feels he has to protect himself from intruders with that hunting knife he likes to keep under his pillow. I don't know his games. I wish I did so I could help him deal…somehow.
Waking and getting him to stomach something other than alcohol is a challenge and I finally decide to just give him a couple slices of bread from yesterday with peanut butter. I will eventually want him to try and eat something a bit more substantial.
After I have him shower and change, we slowly jog to the meadow and I look at him.
"Bet I can do more push up and sit ups than you" I tell him with a smirk as we arrive.
He looks at me like I am insane and when I drop to start he begrudgingly does likewise not wanting to appear weak. I end up doing twice the amount I had wanted to do because it takes that long for the two teens to get there. I hear them before I see them and I get to my feet as quickly as I got down.
"Keep going Haymitch while they stretch" I tell him.
He again grumbles.
Peeta and Katniss seemed to have bought tracksuits last night after they left. Not identical ones but not that far off. Peeta in navy blue and Katniss in dark forest green. They do up their running shoes properly, Peeta double knotting his. After which I show them stretches to loosen them up. They are agile and in fairly good shape considering. So without much more encouragement I tell them to head off.
They run off followed by Haymitch when I tell him to. Then I stretch, smirk to myself because I give them a good three minute head start and then I run.
Haymitch is the first I pass. Again he is huffing and puffing. As I pass him I speed up slightly. I hear him curse loudly, something about being an 'up start'.
Peeta is running better I guess my ministrations I did on his residual limb were well worth the effort. He still limps when he runs though but that's probably because he's not used to running with an artificial leg, or it's still slightly sore. I match pace with him and when he looks over and smiles I smile back. "How are you holding up?" I ask
He nods, "'m okay I guess" he says a bit breathless but not enough for me to feel concerned, at least he's beating Haymitch. "you?"
"Doing fine" I reply, "you're doing great Peeta, keep it up!" I give him another encouraging smile and head off.
"Sure leave me in the dust!" he cries after me jokingly
"Hey I don't want extra exercises!" I reply
I finally catch up to Katniss who is running as fast as she can, we have past the Seam and have made to the justice building when she gets distracted. She slows.
I do not.
"Move it Everdeen!" I bark at her and she flinches, I don't think she likes me all that much because she glares. She tries to catch up but as we hit the market quarter I speed up and leave her in my wake.
I end up at the tree first and wait a minute or two.
Katniss is no where to be found so I head back. It takes me a minute of jogging to catch her back and we make it to the tree together.
"Ten push ups?" she asks and I nod, she gets down and I go to catch Peeta.
"Where you goin'?" she asks
"Well I don't believe in leaving anyone behind despite them falling behind" I reply.
She tilts her head, "so you trust me to follow thru with my penalty?"
"Yeah, it's only you that is hurting y'know if you don't" I reply and run off.
I catch back up to Peeta, who looks a wee bit winded but is still running, I match pace with him again and we make it to the tree together.
"You came back?" he says getting down to do his penalty
"Yeah think its okay to leave anyone behind?" I reply and head off one last time, "I'm getting Haymitch be back soon"
I get to him at the justice building; he's keeled over hacking and gasping. I stop at his feet and get him to sit for a minute. "catch your breath" I tell him when he aims to head off again. "I'll take your penalty this time"
"You are one strange person y'know that?" he rasps
"So I've been told" I reply.
We arrive and I take the penalty.
The rest of the day I get them to study, as much as they can. I make lunch; we go over basic survival tactics. Katniss knows a lot of this already but Peeta doesn't. It will make them be on level playing field when we get into it more.
The following week we continue on the same routine. We add on basic hand to hand and watching old games. I keep mine hidden for two reasons.
One, I won't be entering so there is no chance of facing me. And two I don't want them knowing how sadistic the game maker was in my year. We do likewise for Haymitch's although I would want to know what he did, it's not in my nature to pry.