AN: This is more of a filler chapter but there should be some excitement at the end. In this chapter there's going to be three points of views: Hope, Jeremy and then Katniss's dad. With Hope having three grandpa's I've decided to name them Grandpa Everdeen and Grandpa Mellark since Suzanne Collins never made up the names. Enjoy…
Day Three
Hope
Three people died yesterday. Last night the faces of the five teenagers filled the sky. All I could think about is that one of them could be Finnick or Jesse. It was neither of them. The sky showed Melody Sayer from District 5, Benjamin Gibbs from 6 and Cassidy Bennett from 11. Altogether there are sixteen innocent children dead- eight still alive.
I come out of my thoughts when I notice a black bird sitting on a branch a little above me head. Last night Jeremy decided we would sleep in a tree for the night. He's still sleeping which means I could escape… but I can't. If I tried to climb down he'll hear me.
The bird sings a little tune and I realise I know what this bird is, I just can't think of the name. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to remember the name. After a minute my eyes fly open. I look down at my shirt and the gold pin catches my eyes. A Mockingjay.
I smile; that's it. I look back up at the feathery bird that I now know is a Mockingjay. I can remember my mom telling me about them when we went hunting one day. She had whistled a four-note tune and every time we separated to hunt on our own we'd whistle the tune. The Mockingjay would copy the tune and we'd always know if the other was safe and unharmed.
I remember once I had climbed a rather tall tree in the woods, thinking that I'd be able to see the animals better when above. That was a mistake. The woods had been so quiet that when I heard a Mockingjay sing the four-note tune I had jumped in shock… and fell out of the tree.
Thankfully I hadn't climbed to a high branch so I wasn't hurt to bad. I remember hearing my mom yell my name and I realised that I hadn't responded to the whistle. When my mom found me lying on the ground, crying and holding my leg she cried in relief. She had told me never to climb a tree again and that I scared the life out of her.
I haven't thought about that horrible memory in years but now I can't stop the smile creeping onto my face as I think about it. I whistle the four-note tune that I know my mom's old friend Rue had made up. I listen as the Mockingjay copies the sound and flies away, other Mockingjay's singing the tune.
I look up at the sky, still smiling and say, "I won't fall this time, mom." Maybe if I wasn't participating in the Hunger Games she'd laugh but I have a feeling this won't put much of a smile on her face.
Once again I'm brought out of my thoughts, only this time it's by the sound of Jeremy shuffling. He's awake. I look over at him just in time to see the glare that must have been directed at me. "What?" I ask, confused as to why he'd be mad at me if I hadn't done anything.
"You're awake," is all he says and I frown.
"Yeah?"
"Do you always wake up early?" he asks, his voice thick with anger and frustration.
"Yeah, it's habit," I explain. He nods, the frown not disappearing from his face. Does he ever smile?
"We better get going," he huffs and starts climbing down the tree.
"Already? But you've just woke up," I reply. Wrong answer.
"Well, I want to go now!" he snaps and I wince.
I don't know why I'm afraid of this guy. Maybe it has something to do with that fact that he's a career tribute and that he's really strong and way taller than me. I do what he says and follow him down after packing our blankets and water back into our backpacks. I don't say anything as we walk.
I don't get why we move everyday, it's like he's running away from someone… well, that's kind of understandable- we are in an arena.
"What was that?" Jeremy asks, abruptly and I spin around thinking someone would be standing behind me. Nothing.
"I don't see anything," I whisper.
"I didn't see it, I head it!" he growls and I do a face behind his back.
"Well, I don't here anyone either!" I snap. I don't know why I'm getting so angry. I don't even feel scared right now.
"Don't talk to me like-" he starts but stops when two tributes jump out of the bushes beside us. The girl, I realise, is from the same district as Jeremy. Bethany Holland is her name. Anyway, she walks towards me and I instantly tighten my grip on my knife. She's from a career district which means she can fight.
The boy heads to Jeremy. He's Bailey Richardson from 1- if I was fighting him then I would be dead in a second but if he's fighting Jeremy then he has no chance.
I come out of my thoughts just in time as a knife was flying towards me. I duck quickly and the knife lodges it's self into a tree. I spin and grab. I should be able to take this girl down. I have two knifes while she has… nothing. Maybe, I have a chance… I just hope this girl isn't good at fighting with her fists.
I lift one knife and aim it at her and then… I stop. The fear in her eyes is noticeable but that's not the only reason I stopped. I don't think I can kill her- I don't think I can kill anyone. I take a deep breath and go to throw it again. Once again, I stop.
"Do it!" I hear Jeremy yell and I glance his way. A cannon goes off. I look at the ground where lies Bailey's now lifeless body. I suddenly feel sick. "Kill her!"
"I can't, okay?" I yell back, anger spreading through me. All of a sudden I feel brave. "Why don't you kill her?"
"I will," he snaps. He walks towards the girl who is now backing up into a tree.
"No!" I yell and run towards Jeremy. I push him and he stumbles backwards. "You kill her and I'll kill you!" His eyes shine with fear and as much as I do want to kill him I just can't. I will feel horrible and like a monster.
"You wouldn't kill me," Jeremy says but even I can hear the fear and uncertainty in his voice.
"You want a bet?" I don't let him answer. "Didn't think so. Now this is what we're going to do." I turn to Bethany and point at her. "You are going to leave us alone and we won't kill you or you can stay… and die. It's your choice."
"I-I'll go," she stutters. This girl is a from a career district, isn't she meant to be fighting or something? Maybe she's not as horrible as I think she is. I nod and she runs off. I look at my so-called alley and growl, "You do as I say or I'll kill you."
Jeremy
Hope and I set up camp behind an emergent tree. I slip under my sheet, my back pressed against the tree and close my eyes even though I tell myself not to fall asleep. I hear Hope slide under her sheet a couple of meters away.
I didn't think Hope could be so… viscous. That's why I can't risk it. Like she said she's an early riser so she can just kill me in the morning. I'm going to just have to forget my plan about killing the boys in front of her. I might be dead by then.
That's why I'm changing my plan. I'm going to kill her… tonight.
Mr. Everdeen
I watch the screen, not able to take my eyes away. I just can't look away. My own daughter has been through the Hunger Games twice and now my granddaughter is fighting to the death, too. I feel like I have to watch her, that if I'm backing her up she can make it home.
The family interviews for the final eight was yesterday. Prim and I got interviewed while my wife was working on a patient. I had told the interviewer that Hope is strong just like her parents and that she'll win. I can only hope that I'm right.
I come out of my thoughts, telling myself to focus on the screen. I frown a little at the sight of Jeremy moving around in the dark while Hope sleeps. Hope has always been a light sleeper so I'm surprised that she hasn't woke up yet. "What's that arsehole doing?" I mutter to myself.
I watch as he slips from under his thin sheet and crawls towards Hope. I squint my eyes, trying to make sense of what he's doing. Realisation dawns on me and my eyes widen. I choke on a sob as Jeremy wraps his hands around Hope's neck…
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