I haven't forgotten the promise I made to Katniss - that I'd take care of her little sister and mother. Nearly every day, I leave a bundle of bread on their doorstep. It has to be delivered early - before my wife gets up - because she'd never authorize this, but it's a sacrifice I'm well willing to make for that family. I could give it to them personally, but confrontation isn't my thing. Besides, I don't know how they'll take this charity. For some people, it's easier to accept a handout or gift in the privacy of their own home. But I've seen little Primrose open the door and take in the bread every morning, so I know they're eating. Even though I've barely had an exchange with the Everdeens, my heart and thoughts are with them constantly. Because they know what we're going through here. There's nothing like watching your children die for sport.
The romance in the arena brings a new feeling to the Games. It makes them seem more sadistic, if possible. Because they're letting these children have hope. The Capitol is permitting them to believe they have a friend in the lonely arena, when in reality, there's probably a plan to make their ending as tragic as possible. Because it would be the final word in entertainment if these two lovers died for each other.
Katniss stays up all night with Peeta, changing the cool cloth she's put over her forehead. She runs her fingers through his hair and sometimes just lays beside him, her face solemn in the gray light of the cave. There's a brief moment of relief when Peeta wakes up. He looks much better than he did yesterday. He's still very pale, but his voice has gained a bit of strength. But it seeps away as the morning goes on. Peeta still has to lean against the wall to hold himself up and refuses the meat that Katniss offers.
They've given the audience a fairly interesting show, but there's no way the Gamemakers will let it be this peaceful for much longer. If I had to guess, I'd say the Capitol is waiting to see if Peeta will die of natural causes before they send in anything too drastic. It'll be worse for Katniss if she couldn't save him than if the Gamemakers murder him. If Peeta does die here in this cave, the camera's are sure to milk her grief for all it's worth.
Now, at Peeta's insisting, she lies down on the sleeping bag and drifts off. After a night of being in her care, Peeta clearly intends to return to favor. He strokes her hair, watching her with a very tender expression on his face. At one point, he leans down as if to kiss her, then pulls away, his face flushing. His crush of practically twelve years lies asleep beside him and there's been romance budding between them. Yet, he's still too shy to kiss her. Maybe he feels that would be taking advantage of her, kissing her when she isn't awake. I have to smile a little because I'd feel the same way.
As the day goes on, I can't help but notice how much strain lies behind his gentle expression. My son is still very sick. Suddenly, I wish Katniss would wake up to tend to him. It makes me feel better when he has someone looking after him. It's not much longer before Katniss comes to. She immediately tests his cheeks, brushing her hand against his skin. It must be hot because she gives him a few more pills and demands that he drink two quarts of water. I think the fever is the only thing still paining him, but then she unwraps his leg.
I let out an audible gasp. If the wound was bad yesterday, today it's nauseating. The skin is inflamed, the wound ragged. Bits of ripped, mutilated flesh edge the crater in his leg. But the most alarming thing is the red little streaks now apparent on his skin.
Caesar confirms what I fear.
"That boy's got blood poisoning, no doubt about it. And there's nothing Dr. Everdeen can do about that. These two lovers look like they're in for a tragic ending after all."
Even though Peeta doesn't have the commentators to affirm the diagnosis, the look on his face tells me he already knows.
"Well," Katniss begins with a poor attempt at keeping her voice steady and bright. "There's more swelling, but the pus is gone."
"I know what blood poisoning is, Katniss. Even if my mother isn't a healer."
They both look at each other for a moment before Katniss drops her gaze. "You're just going to have to outlast the others," she says matter-of-factly.
It's not much of a plan. The remaining tributes better die off fast because Peeta can't survive for much longer. Just as Caesar Flickerman said, there's nothing else Katniss can do for him. Herbal remedies will be useless against something as potent as blood poisoning. The only thing she can do is keep him filled with fluids and food. And that's what she intends to do, possibly hoping that sponsors will be able to get them some medicine. She puts some stones in the broth pot that Haymitch Abernathy sent them last night. According to the commentators, she's using the heat of the day to try and warm up the water. Probably so she won't have to light a fire. Katniss also sets up a few snares. As we watch her work, I'm so glad that Peeta has her as an ally. She can hunt, she's resourceful, and can at least keep him alive for a little bit longer than, say, I could.
The cameras take a moment to update us on the other tributes, but the demand evidently lies with the Twelve tributes in the Capitol. Their presence on the screens have far outweighed any other tributes - even before the rule change was announced. I think this may be the first time in years that Twelve is the focus of the Games - it's usually one of the Careers. This thought gives me a little bit of confidence in them. If the Capitol is truly that invested in the Twelve tributes, they might receive a few lifesaving spoils via parachute. Namely medicine for Peeta.
Katniss and Peeta keep charge of the screens. She's telling him a story about her sister and a goat. Peeta's clearly worsening, the sweat trickling down the side of his face, the flushed red color is deepening. But he listens attentively, keeping his eyes fixed on her face as she recalls her happiest memory.
The moment is broken by the trumpets. Trumpets! I sit up straight. The last time they blew, it signified a change in my son's fortunes.
"Probably a feast," my wife says.
She's right. Claudius Templesmith is inviting the tributes to a feast at the Cornucopia. But there's a twist. Apparently, each tribute needs something. I run through a quick tally of the tributes. Katniss and Peeta obviously need medicine to keep the latter alive. That redhead from Five is running low on food. Could that be what she needs? The two tributes from Two seem to be splitting time hunting and training to fight. They practice moves on each other. I believe they're training for the final battle. As Career's, they probably think their odds are pretty high. I wonder they want so desperately that the Gamemakers decided to use it as bait. That big, powerful boy from Eleven hasn't had much screen time at all recently. He's usually stays hidden and no one has stepped up to challenge him, so there's not much to show. Just the occasional shot to inform us he's alive. What could he possibly have for the Gamemakers to draw him in?
Claudius explains that at dawn, each tribute will find a backpack marked with their district number that contains their greatest need at the Cornucopia. He ends it with a final, ominous statement.
"Think hard about refusing to show up. For some of you, this will be your last chance."
"The Everdeen girl's going to go. That medicine will be Peeta's final hope." My wife's still fixated on the screen, as if waiting for the trumpets to sound out again.
I know she's right. Katniss will want to save Peeta, even if it means risking her own life. But what I also know is that Peeta won't let her. And, yes, he's grabbing her shoulder, begging her not to risk her life for him. Katniss tries to play it cool by promising not to go, but he sees right through her.
"All right, I am going, and you can't stop me!"
But Peeta promises to follow her, dragging himself along, howling her name.
"What am I supposed to do? Sit here and watch you die?" I hear a note of despair somewhere in the depths of her comment.
"I won't die. I promise. If you promise not to go."
The two of them sit, staring at each other. They know and I know that if Katniss doesn't get the medicine, Peeta isn't likely to live much longer. I find myself willing Katniss to fight back, to go anyway. My son needs that medicine. But she concedes to stay. Even though she makes him promise to do everything she says, it's pointless. And so is Peeta's promise to stay alive. Claudius Templesmith was right about one thing. That medicine is their last hope. Their only hope.