Katniss panics and she wrestles with the belt that is keeping her trapped and in harms way. I'm supposed to be leaving for school right about now, but I can't move. Every part of me is fixated on Katniss and willing for the belt to release her from its clutches. Katniss finally manages to unfasten the belt and throws the belt into her pack and hoist it on her back. She leaps to the ground and is off and running.
I'm sweating as if I'm the one who has a wall of fires bearing down behind me. It's hard for me to make out Katniss through all the smoke and fire that seems to have consumed everything in its wake. Animals are fleeing with Katniss, but they seem to have an easier time avoiding rocks and tree limbs, while it seems that Katniss finds every tree root to trip over and to lose her balance on. I feel my heart fly into my throat, pounding in fear, knowing that if Katniss doesn't move quicker the flames will entrap her.
Katniss seems to have a coughing fit and her finger reaches down to her shirt to cover her mouth and nose from inhaling the thick, suffocating smoke. She stumbles on through the forest that is so filled with smoke her eyes are starting to tear. Being half blind by the tears, she misjudges the size of a log as she leaps over it and the end of her jacket lights on fire. She rips her jacket off before the fire can do any damage and, hurriedly shoves the singed jacket into her pack and then she is on the move once again.
I'm having difficulty breathing as I see Katniss, covered in sweat, with ashes covering her from head to toe. The smoke and heat becomes too much for Katniss' fragile body and her body begins to shake violently as she coughs and gasp for air that isn't soiled with the dense smoke. She finally finds a spot to escape the fire, but her coughs turn into dry heaves, to vomiting. I cringe at the sight of Katniss looking so helpless. She gasps for air and leans over waiting for more to come up, but nothing does. I see fatigue, overtaking every limb, but she drinks some water and gets up looking at her surroundings, trying to find her bearings.
It seems that the wall of fire has seized, but the smoke still clogs the air, making it hard to figure out where north is. Katniss seems to find the way she wants to go and as she makes her way through the forest away from where she believes the fire may still be burning. As she leans under a tree branch a flash of fire ignites the branch and blast through a rock two feet away. My stomach flips and I gape at her as she flees from where she was standing and flattens herself on to the ground as flames engulf the ground around her.
She lifts herself up from her ground and runs just as another ball of flame, the size of an apple, hits the spot she was lying in. I clench my fist until the knuckles turn white and I press my lips to together in order to stop myself from cursing at the gamekeepers who are the ones who are causing such turmoil for Katniss. I look up to see Mrs. Everdeen shaking and almost in tears as she helplessly watches her daughter struggle for survival. I get up from my spot tearing my eyes away from Katniss who is still dodging the flames, to carefully push Mrs. Everdeen to the couch for her to rest on. She doesn't break eye contact from the television.
I take a sit next to her and place my hand on her shoulder and give it a little squeeze just so she can know I'm there for her. I go back to watching and Katniss is again having trouble breathing and it bent over dry heaving. She doesn't move and her legs start to buckle, but she keeps her standing position. I fear a fireball will come and scorch her, but no hiss is heard and Katniss is given some time to rest. As she leans forward her hair falls in front of her face and Katniss sees her hair has become singed from flames. As she stares at her hair and hiss comes from the distance.
Katniss looks up too late and the fireball has landed onto the ground next to her. Katniss cries out in pain and it's obvious she was hit. She tumbles to the ground and tries to twist the fire out and in her panic she tries to put the flame out on her calf with her hands. She realizes to late how stupid that was, because now her hands are burned, but she rips the material from her leg and the fire is put out. She shakes with fear and I get a good glimpse of her calf, which is burned terribly and the skin is covered with blisters.
The fire attack has ended, but the smoke is still heavy in the air, making it hard for anyone to get anywhere any time soon. The attack lasted hours and the sun is once again breaking through the clouds, but now it gleams through the smoke. I see the pain in Katniss' face as it twists into agony. She is no longer conscious of her surrounding. I want to catch her every time she stumbles, but luckily she comes across a pond and I breath in deeply hoping the water can at least numb some of the burning pain that is making her immobile.
Katniss lies on her stomach, with her hands resting in the cool water as well as taking the time to wash all the grim and ashes that the fire has left. Katniss looks behind her, at her calf and takes a deep breath. She sits up quickly and swings her legs in front of her. She peaks at her calf and her face turns as white as snow. She breathes in and out slowly, concentrating on her facial expression. I certainly understand why she doesn't want to look like a weakling in front of the capital. That's what they want to see because all they want to do it break the tributes until they can no longer handle the competition anymore.
Katniss calms down and places her leg into the water. Her face clearly shows the water makes the burn feel better and every time she tries pull it out after letting it soak, her face contorts back into pain. She gives in to the pleasure of the water and instead busies herself with the pack. She takes sips of water and eats little bits of crackers and checks to see if any of her stuff was badly damaged from the fire. Nothing was too bad but she slices off some burnt edges on her sleeping bag.
Katniss is so very reluctant to leave her spot and instead of going into hiding she walks around the pond and spots some edible plants. As she lounges out beside the lake, exhaustion takes over and her eyes flutter shut. At that time the camera shifts to the careers. I look at their surroundings and I get a flash of déjà vu. The place looks eerily familiar. Then it hits me! They're closing in on where Katniss is sleeping soundlessly. I start to feel my self become agitated with worry. The camera then shifts back to Katniss who is awoken by shuffles of feet. She leaps up from her position and is already splashes through the water and goes into hiding in some underbrush. You can easily hear the careers pack as they make their way through the forest, a little more loudly then I presume they mean to.
Katniss seems to rethink her hiding spot and looks up and makes her way to a tree. She scurries up it, just as easily as she does when she's uninjured. However, you can see how much pain climbing up the tree is causing her. The careers have finally reached her, but they're too late as Katniss is already more than halfway up the tree. Katniss faces them as the group gathers around the base of the tree.
Katniss confidently starts the conversation by saying, " How's everything with you?" I see Cato and the others look at each other in surprise that she is being so nonchalant about the situation. Cato regains he composure and answers back, "Well enough. Yourself?" Katniss readjust herself on the branch, getting into a more comfortable position, "It's been a bit warm for my taste." I laugh out loud shocked that she would make such a remark. Not because it's a bad one, but because after all she was put through with the fire, it must be hard to talk about it in such a light tone. She continues talking, " The air's better up here. Why don't you come on up?"
This may confuse others and wonder what her motives are but I know better. Katniss is already on the most nimble branches on the tree, it would be a miracle if someone as big and burly as Cato could climb up that high and not snap the branches. Cato replies with, "Thanks I will" Defiant as always. The girl from District one intervenes, "Here, take this, Cato" and she hands him the silver bow and sheath of arrows. I see Katniss eyes grow wide with greed. She and I both know that with that in her hands she could easily win this game with no problem. Cato doesn't take it though, " No, I'll do better with my sword." The sword is actually a small blade.
Cato steadily starts to climb the tree, but as soon as he gets his footing, Katniss is already higher up then she was before. Every time I watch her climb it's as if she's a squirrel because she does it so fluidly and seems to know where to balance so her weight doesn't overwhelm the small branches. Cato has barely made it 5 feet before the branches start to strain and crack under his weight. The branch snaps and he hurtles to the ground and lands with a thump. He gets up and starts cursing his head off and I look up at that time hoping Prim isn't home yet to hear such offensive words, but she's there. She must have come home a while ago but I was too absorbed in the game to notice. I quickly jump up from my seat and cover her ears, which makes her laugh but she doesn't protest.
After Cato is done, I let go of Prim and make my way back to my seat. Someone calls out to the girl, who was going to give the bow to Cato. Her name is Glimmer and I grimace at her horrid name. Glimmer attempts to climb the tree however, even for her, the branches couldn't take her weight and start to snap and she quickly turns back. As a last resort she tries to shoot at Katniss with the bow and arrow, but her aim is way off and the arrow lands into the tree next to Katniss. It's in reach of Katniss so she grabs and waves it around teasing Glimmer who looks up with a scowl.
Glimmer storms to where the others are huddled and they converse about other ways they can get Katniss out of the tree. But time is running out for them because the sun is almost set. After a while Peeta breaks the silence, "Oh, let her stay up there. It's not like she's going anywhere. We'll deal with her in the morning." No matter how much I hate hearing him talk, he is right that she can't leave and Katniss knows it to so she prepares to sleep. As she lies down she seems to see something in the neighboring tree. She sits up from her position and looks intently at the tree. I can't make out who or what it is but Katnisss does.
It is then the figure breaks out from the branches to reveal who they are. I make it out to be Rue, the small fragile looking girl from District 11. Katniss and Rue just hold each other's gaze until Rue removes her hand from the shadows and points her little finger up. Katniss and the rest of Panem all follow where her finger is pointing and what is there is a wasp nest resting above their heads with the whisper of buzzes coming from it.