AN:
Finally, chapter 6 is here!
I want to thank you for your patience and support. This chapter turned out to be much harder than I'd anticipated. It was also turning out to be much longer than I'd thought, so I decided to cut it in two. The second section is almost done so I won't keep you waiting for long.
I also want to thank the lovely Thegirlfromoverthepond, for taking a look at my story and making a few suggestions, and the wonderful Fanficallergy, for holding my hand and asking all the right questions. I wouldn't have finished this without her help.
Alright, I've kept you waiting long enough. Hope you enjoy.
CHAPTER 6 The Game (Staying Alive – Part 1)
Katniss's life didn't change much once the Game began. She still woke up before dawn and went out into the woods every day. Her mornings seemed to vanish as she rushed around the Hob and visited Gale's house to drop his share.
Following Gale's advice, she only went into town when she had squirrels, berries, ducks or rabbits to trade. She kept clear of old Cray's house, and she avoided the peacekeeper reinforcements like the plague. All in all, it was a good routine, it kept her mornings busy and her coin purse full.
Noon always found her sitting on her spot in front of the television, playing with the end of her braid as she anxiously waited for the mandatory transmissions to begin.
The Capitol commentators and their senseless dribble drove her crazy, and she tried her best to block their commentary out. But her ears perked up whenever Peeta's name was mentioned. An annoyed scowl would invariably settle on her face as soon as the newscasters moved on to discuss some other tribute's situation.
If Prim or her mother minded her nervousness or her constant mood swings, they kept it to themselves.
The first couple of days were rather uneventful for Peeta. He spent most of his time scouting the area which surrounded his camp and walking along the river bank; collecting mud and branches which he used to build a screen to cover his cave's entrance from prying eyes.
Katniss watched in awe as the tribute's skilled hands wove the branches and ivy leaves, turning them into a foliage curtain which he fixed over the cave's mouth by using the sticky mud he'd found during his walks.
The finished product was like nothing Katniss had ever seen before. She wondered how he'd managed to create something so delicate and realistic with just a few twigs and his bare hands.
Once he was satisfied with his camouflage project, Peeta turned his attention to finding food. Even with careful rationing, the supplies from the Cornucopia wouldn't last forever.
First, he used the switchblade he'd found inside the backpack to fashion a rudimentary spear out of a long, thin branch. Then, he went to the water's edge, sat down and waited. It didn't take long for the fish to show up. They were fat and sluggish. It only took a few tries for Peeta to skewer one of them with his spear.
"Wow! That was fast!" Prim commented when she saw the speed and ease with which Peeta lit a fire to cook his food.
Mrs. Everdeen smiled at her daughter. "They use wood ovens at the bakery, he's probably been starting them for years," she explained.
Prim nodded.
Katniss recognized the slow, deliberate motion of her sister's head. She could almost see the cogs working in her brain as she considered her mother's words.
Suddenly, Prim froze and asked, "How do you know that, mom?"
"The Mellarks were my neighbors growing up," Mrs. Everdeen explained, "Lorelei Mellark was one of my best friends. I spent many a cold afternoon baking cookies with her and her brother."
"You're friends with Mr. Mellark?" Katniss blurted out, her sharp tone did nothing to conceal her surprise.
Lilian Everdeen smiled at her daughter's reaction. Her words were thick with nostalgia when she said, "We were practically inseparable. Lorelei, Terry, Mayselee, Meg, Jared and me, we did everything together. Even Constance came along sometimes."
Constance. Mrs. Mellark. Peeta's mother. Katniss swallowed thickly as she thought of the stern woman who had punished her son for feeding a desperate Seam girl.
Back in the arena, Peeta continued his search for food.
Katniss was surprised to see how carefully he inspected every plant and shrub he encountered. As far as she could see, most plants in the arena weren't poisonous. But she was happy that the baker' son wasn't taking any chances when it came to putting unknown greens in his mouth.
Every step he took made her flinch, though. The amount of noise he made as he moved around the forest shocked her, and she thanked his lucky stars for keeping his competitors out of earshot.
XXXXX
It was Peeta's fourth day in the arena when balls of fire began raining from the sky.
According to the commentators, the game makers were growing restless. There were too many tributes scattered about, and the career pack wasn't tracking them down quickly enough.
Katniss listened, tense and anxious, as the Capitol broadcasters complained about the tribute's performance.
"This year's batch of allies isn't exactly impressive," Cornelius Lovejoy, the daytime anchor, remarked. His voice oozed disdain as he elaborated, "They did a good job of securing the Cornucopia, but they haven't done much since."
"They did track down and kill that girl from 8," the heavily made-up woman who was sitting next to him, piped up.
"My dear Tanya," Cornelius said in a slow, deliberate tone, "even a blind bat would have found that girl and her campfire. She practically invited them over!" he complained, gesturing wildly in mock frustration. "And quite frankly, Cato's skill with a knife leaves much to be desired. He's become the natural leader of this year's pack. He should have been more precise. It took forever for the tribute to die," he reminded her, his nose wrinkled in disgust. "The whole affair was very unappealing and incredibly slow. Absolutely no sense of urgency! Quite frankly I was bored to tears. I'm not convinced we should be adding her name to his list of kills."
Katniss shook her head in disgust. The girl from District 8 had been cold and terrified. She hadn't been very smart about it, even Prim had commented on her recklessness when she'd lit a fire in the darkened forest. But watching her struggle with her wounds as she slowly bled to death could hardly be described as boring. Horrible, distressing and heartbreaking were far more accurate descriptions.
"Well, aren't we being a little too demanding?" Tanya countered, "Not everyone can be as graceful and lethal as Finnick Odair!"
The man waved her off with a smile. "I know that. But remember, they are supposed to put on a good show for us. All we've gotten so far is a snooze fest! I hope this new development heats things up a bit," he added with a loud chuckle.
Katniss began pulling on her braid once more. The commentator's glee made her nauseous with worry.
"Oh, haha, things are definitely getting warmer in there! Let's see how our remaining tributes handle themselves, shall we?" the woman concluded with an exaggerated wink in the camera's direction.
XXXXX
Peeta ran as fast as his legs could carry him.
He had been kneeling down, inspecting a berry bush, when the first ball of fire went flying right over his head. Surprised, he'd looked up, only to see the ball crashing into a tree, instantly covering it in flames.
Peeta's world turned black. The thick cloud of smoke created by the burning tree threatened to swallow him; but his instincts kicked in, and he bolted, heading as far away from the fire as he could.
Katniss watched, wide-eyed and still, as the tribute from District 12 rushed through the forest.
Fiery balls kept dropping from the sky, following every step the baker's son took.
The game makers had decided to make things difficult for him. They already knew he could survive, now they wanted to see him fight for his life.
Peeta was growing tired by the second. He'd been running for a while, successfully sidestepping scorching trees and branches, but he wasn't fast enough. He could avoid the fire, but he couldn't outrun the thick dark tendrils of smoke which wrapped around his throat.
His lungs were dry. His vision was blurred by the tears welling in his eyes to alleviate the harsh sting of the deathly fumes.
Desperate, he gasped for air. His lungs filled with the noxious vapor and he collapsed on the floor. His chest heaved as he struggled to get back to his feet.
Unable to stand back up, he settled for crawling on his hands and knees, keeping his face as close to the damp earth as possible. Fallen leaves, long pine needles, and twigs brushed his cheeks as he moved blindly across the forest.
Suddenly, the earth under his fingertips turned slippery. The ghost of a smile flickered on Peeta's lips.
In the Capitol, an enthusiastic Cornelius exclaimed, "He's reached the riverbank!"
Katniss watched, her back as stiff as a board, as Peeta slid into the water.
Peeta didn't stop. He waded into the river, keeping close to the shore and the overgrown vegetation which kept him concealed.
The water and the plants shielded him from the smoke and fire as he followed a path along the shoreline.
Katniss began twisting the end of her braid between her fingers and wondered if he knew his current route was driving him away from his camp.
Peeta's image was replaced by a shot of the careers running through the forest. Katniss cursed under her breath.
The blazing projectiles had them running for cover, but unlike Peeta, the careers had used their dampened t-shirts to cover their nose and mouth. The male tribute from District 1, Marvel, was even wearing a gas mask.
The camera followed them until they reached a clearing. According to the map on the screen, it was a small circle of trees surrounded by some thick shrubs.
Katniss narrowed her eyes as she analyzed the updated information. Behind her, Prim gasped.
"They're all together now!" the young girl exclaimed.
"Yeah," Katniss agreed, "except for Thresh, see?" she asked, pointing to the blue number 11 flashing on the screen.
Thresh hadn't left his hiding place among the tall grasses. The map didn't show any damage to the area.
"I wonder why the game makers decided to spare that side of the arena," Katniss mused out loud.
"Well, those tall grasses look pretty dry," Prim said, "maybe they thought they wouldn't be able to contain a fire there."
Katniss considered her sister's words. A moment later, she nodded in agreement. "Good point, Little Duck."
"Well, well, well," Tanya Larson, the female broadcaster, enthused, "things are bound to get much more interesting now!"
"Let's hope so!" her male counterpart added, "This new development has forced the allies to move out of their comfort zone. They don't know it yet, but the fire has placed them right under their competitor's noses!"
The wicked glint in Cornelius's eye sent a shiver down Katniss's spine. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw what he meant.
The smoke had begun to lift. The careers were still in the clearing, lying on the ground; their backs rested against the thick tree trunks which encircled them as they regained their strength.
The camera turned towards the sky, showing the thick canopy of leaves which provided a pleasant shade for the exhausted tributes.
There was a faint rustling of leaves. The image shifted, zooming in on it, and revealed Rue, perched on a tree, watching her rivals.
Katniss gasped at the sight of the young tribute on her screen. Her heart beat madly inside her ribcage as anxiety took over.
In her time in the arena, Rue had proven to be as graceful as a bird, practically flying from one tree to the next as she moved through the forest. But the careers were practically stepping on her toes. She wouldn't be able to jump to another tree without them noticing her.
Cornelius's voice came through the speakers once more. "Finally!" he exclaimed. "This is what a Game should be like!"
"Yes!" his female colleague agreed. "This is much more exciting!"
An expanded version of the map covered the screen. Katniss leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she analyzed the image in front of her.
"As you can see, the rain of fire didn't cause any casualties," Tanya said.
Katniss scowled at the tone of disappointment she detected in the presenter's voice.
"The good news is that some of our tributes have been forced out of their lairs," Tanya added almost gleefully.
Katniss inspected the map before her. This version was far more detailed than the condensed image she'd been looking at. Her mouth went dry when she realized how close Peeta was to Rue's tree.
Prim placed her small hand on her sister's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. Her pale blue eyes reflected the worry coursing through Katniss's veins.
Neither girl spoke. They kept their eyes glued to the screen as they tried to absorb every bit of information the Capitol offered.
Back in the studio, the presenters began speculating. They were thrilled by the large concentration of tributes in the small clearing, and they wasted no time reminding the audience about their sponsoring privileges.
"Remember, even the best tributes need a helping hand every once in a while," Cornelius said, "now might be a good time to show your appreciation," he added with a wink.
Katniss's heart plummeted. District 12 never had any sponsors, she could only hope the Capitol crowds were waiting for the career alliance to deliver on its yearly promise. Most people preferred to wait until the true leaders had shown their capabilities. Otherwise, Peeta and Rue wouldn't stand a chance.
The full map disappeared leaving a split screen in its place. One side of the screen showed the careers, still resting against the tree trunks; most of them were already breathing normally.
Cato was back on leader mode, trying to figure out whether anyone had been injured during the fireball attack. The girls had a couple of scrapes on their arms, but other than that, everyone was fine.
No one noticed the small girl hovering over their heads.
Peeta's image covered the other side of the screen. He was a few steps away from the clearing, huddled underneath an overgrown shrub. His wet clothes stuck to his stocky frame.
Katniss frowned as she considered his situation. His current location was far from perfect, he couldn't see the other tributes, and he couldn't run away without alerting them.
Fortunately, the careers weren't even trying to hide their position. Their loud chatter had quickly given their location away. Their conversation rang loud and clear across the arena.
Peeta wrapped his arms around himself. He had left his jacket inside the cave, and Katniss could see gooseflesh erupting all over his arms. He looked cold and miserable as he shivered in the shade, and she worried about him being trapped there until nightfall.
Peeta's image was replaced by Cornelius Lovejoy and Tanya Larson looking ridiculous in their gaudy Capitol outfits.
Katniss let out an exasperated huff.
"It looks like some real action will finally be coming our way!" Tanya exclaimed.
"It does look that way, Tanya," her co-anchor agreed. "Unfortunately, this morning's transmission has come to an end," he added with an exaggerated pout. He was trying to look remorseful, but Katniss thought he looked positively creepy.
"But don't worry citizens!" the woman piped in, "Claudius Templesmith will be back tonight! Don't forget to tune in to his special recap of the 74th annual Hunger Games!"
Katniss scoffed, the anchors were always making it sound like there was a choice. It was almost like they didn't know TV sets all across Panem would automatically turn on at 8 pm, forcing people to watch their children die whether they wanted to or not.
XXXXX
Katniss's old television set flickered to life, a new show was about to start.
Claudius Templesmith's voice filled the small living room. His excitement was palpable as he welcomed his audience. His purple suit sparkled under the studio's bright lights, and his blindingly white smile was almost manic as he spoke about the arena.
"What a game changer this afternoon has been!" he exclaimed. "I can't remember the last time I was this surprised. This Game is definitely not for the faint of heart!"
The presenter's glee made Katniss shudder.
"I don't want to spoil anything. But, rest assured, a panel of Games experts will be joining our transmission tonight. And now, without further ado, I give you the 74th Hunger Games!"
The sun was setting in the arena. The temperature was dropping fast. The careers, equipped with heat-reflecting jackets and packaged food, had decided to spend the night out in the clearing.
Peeta and Rue had kept their positions.
The girl from District 11 was sitting, stone still, on her branch. Her eyes were trained on something the camera didn't show. Whatever it was, it seemed to be well within her reach.
Peeta had pulled his legs up to his chest in an attempt to keep his body temperature up. His eyes were closed but, unlike the careers, he was still awake. Trying to sleep in his damp clothes was proving to be an impossibility.
Suddenly, Rue began to move.
With cat-like grace, the twelve-year-old girl lowered herself to the branch below her. Her new position gave her an unobstructed view of the career's camp.
The camera focused on the girl's face as she analyzed her competition. Determination shone in her eyes as she nodded, just once.
In one quick motion, Rue extended her arms over her head. With tiny fists, she grabbed the branch where she'd sat moments before. Her knuckles turned white under the tight grip of her hands on the tree's limb.
After taking a few calming breaths, Rue extended her legs and pushed herself away from the lower branch.
Katniss gasped as she saw the girl dangling from the slender bough so many feet above the ground.
What happened next, would change the history of the Hunger Games forever.
Rue began to swing, bending and extending her legs with each pass to gain speed.
Katniss's eyes grew wide as the tribute gained momentum.
The camera followed Rue's every move. Her brow was covered in sweat; she was growing tired by the second.
Using the last of her strength, the small girl directed her extended feet towards a big oblong ball which hung from one of the nearby branches.
"Is that a tracker-jacker nest?" a shocked Prim asked, her finger pointed towards the screen.
"Looks that way," Katniss said, unable to pry her eyes from the TV set.
Tracker-jackers were genetically modified insects which had been programmed to follow their attackers. A couple of stings meant high fevers and hallucinations; several meant death.
Rue's feet hit the ball.
There was a loud cracking sound.
The impact of the girl's feet dislodged the nest from the branch and sent it flying through the air, straight into the career's campsite.
The ball landed with a loud thump in the middle of the clearing.
A loud buzzing sound poured out of the TV's speakers, filling the room as a dark cloud of angry insects came flying out of the broken nest.
In a matter of seconds, the careers were on their feet. Screams of surprise and agony cut through the air as the confused tributes tried to understand what was happening.
The swarm of angry insects enveloped them.
Exhausted, Rue dropped onto the nearest branch and watched as the world below her went mad.
Marvel, still protected by his gas mask, was the first one to understand what was happening. "To the lake!" he instructed.
The two boys pushed through the clearing and ran as fast as they could towards the water source. Clove followed closely behind.
Glimmer and the girl from District 4 weren't that lucky. The two girls collapsed on the floor, screaming in agony as the vicious mutts took out their anger on them.
Katniss and Prim watched in horror as the color drained from Glimmer's beautiful face. Her eyes, once bright and flirtatious, were now dull and lifeless as they looked back at them from the screen.
The girl from District 4 didn't fare much better. Her face contorted in pain as the tracker-jacker venom coursed through her veins.
Two cannon shots rang through the arena. The two tributes were dead.
From his hiding place, Peeta heard all the commotion. His eyes widened in terror as he tried to piece what was happening. The careers' screams gave him only a general idea of the problem, but he understood enough to keep well away from them.
With the two girls dead, the tracker-jackers lost interest in the campsite. The swarm of insects, still angry and disoriented, began to spread out, looking for new targets.
Rue's face covered the screen. Her eyes shone with unshed tears, her lower lip trembled slightly as she tried to keep her emotions in check. Suddenly, she tilted her head a little to the side. Her bright obsidian eyes latched onto something on the ground. A sad smile settled on her lips.
Carefully, she wrapped her skinny arms around the tree trunk and lowered herself to the ground.
With graceful, silent moves she approached the two dead tributes. Their bodies, swollen and disfigured, laid sprawled on the grass. Their backpacks, still brimming with supplies, were trapped under their bodies.
The buzz of tracker-jackers could still be heard around the clearing.
Rue moved carefully, trying not to attract the mutts' attention.
"Should she be doing that?" Prim questioned.
Katniss turned towards her sister. Prim's legs were folded in front of her, and her arms were wrapped tightly around her shins. She was like a blond ball of undiluted anxiety.
"Well, she needs supplies," Katniss reasoned.
"I know, but the tracker-jackers are still there!"
Katniss nodded. "She can't waste any time, Little Duck," she said soothingly. "The hovercraft will be collecting the bodies soon. She can't afford to lose food to the game makers."
Prim huffed in frustration, she knew what was at stake. She didn't like it, though. Not one bit.
With grim determination, Rue snuck her hand under Glimmer's body. Her small hand found the strap of the career's backpack, and she gave it a pull.
The heavy sack didn't budge.
Rue pulled once more. She had almost dislodged the bag from under the tribute's body when Clove's angry voice reached the clearing.
"I'm going back for my weapons," Clove yelled, "there's no way I'm letting the game makers take them away."
A moment later, Clove appeared in the clearing. Her eyes widened in surprise when they landed on Rue.
"You," Clove snarled. "You did this to us!"
Rue stood still, suddenly frozen under Clove's sadistic glare.
In a matter of seconds, Clove was upon her.
The tribute from District 2 pushed Rue to the ground and straddled her chest pinning the small girl against the forest floor.
"You think you're so smart, huh?" the career challenged. "You think you're unreachable, jumping from tree to tree without touching the ground. Well, I've got news for you, girly. I got you!"
Rue remained motionless, terror shone in her eyes as Clove described all the ways in which she was going to avenge her slain allies.
The sound of a twig snapping under someone's foot broke her out of her trance. She turned towards the noise.
Her jaw dropped when she saw Peeta standing a few feet away from her.
His hands were balled into tight fists by his sides, his narrowed eyes were focused on Clove. "Let her go!" he instructed.
On the other side of the TV screen, a wide-eyed Katniss held her breath.
Clove's manic cackle filled the clearing. "Or what?" she challenged.
Without another word, Peeta closed the distance between them and slammed his outstretched palms against the career's chest.
Clove flew like a ragdoll across the clearing, landing with a loud thump at the base of a tree.
The rush of adrenaline in the air alerted the remaining tracker-jackers. The small swarm moved quickly through the field, stinging whatever they could find.
Clove screamed in agony as most of the terrible insects landed on her.
Katniss's heart pounded madly inside her chest. She gulped for air and hoped the living room would stop spinning.
Clove's desperate cries reached the river bank were her allies were frantically trying to clean their wounds.
Cato and Marvel looked at each other through fearful eyes. The venom coursing through their veins was already playing mind tricks on them. Terrified of the sounds they heard, and no doubt suspicious of one another, they ran in opposite directions, putting as much distance between each other as they could.
Back in the clearing, Peeta was helping a stunned Rue back up to her feet.
With one swift motion, he lifted Glimmer's lifeless body. Slowly, he pulled the backpack off of the dead girl's shoulders. A small smile curved his lips as he extended his hand and offered the bag to Rue.
Surprised and confused, the girl grabbed the pack and held it tightly against her chest.
After a moment of silence, Rue spoke, "You're stung," she said. Her eyes locked on the bite marks on Peeta's arms and face.
Katniss gasped, with all the commotion she had failed to notice Peeta's injuries.
"So are you," he answered, pointing at Rue's hand which had begun to swell.
A cannon blast rang through the air. Clove was dead.
Peeta looked around the clearing. His bright blue eyes were starting to cloud over, the poison from the stings was making his head swim.
"We should move away from here," Rue suggested.
"Uh-huh," he agreed, "we're too exposed."
Haltingly, the two tributes made their way back to the stream.
Rue lead the way, stopping every once in a while to inspect the sting on her hand. Suddenly, she stopped walking. The small girl took a deep breath and bit her lip, digging her nails into the soft skin of the back of her hand, she began to squeeze.
"She's pulling the stinger out!" Prim exclaimed.
Katniss glanced quickly at her sister.
Prim seemed more relaxed now that Clove was out of the way. Who could blame her? The girl from District 2 had been vicious and cruel.
"That's such a good idea," Prim added, incapable of containing her admiration. "With the stinger out, the venom will just pour out of the wound. She'll be like new in no time."
Katniss nodded her silent agreement. Her heart was still racing, and her chest was tight with worry. Peeta had only been bitten a few times, but he hadn't removed the stingers from his wounds. She could already see the effect of the poison spreading through his body. His eyes were unfocused, and the color was draining from his face.
The tributes had been walking for a few minutes when Peeta's legs began to shake.
"We should set up camp here," Rue said, "we're close enough to the water. The thick bushes and tall trees will keep us hidden."
Peeta didn't argue. With a weak grunt, he collapsed on the floor. Using the last of his energy, he crawled under an overgrown bush and curled into a ball.
"He looks a bit green," Prim said, worry lacing her words.
Katniss's eyes welled up with tears. Peeta looked so pale and helpless lying under the bush. All of his food and supplies were still in his cave on the other side of the stream. And, even if Rue extracted the stingers from his body, he'd still have to ride out the effects of the venom which was already poisoning his bloodstream.
Claudius Templesmith appeared on the screen. His face, contorted in excitement, made Katniss flinch.
"What did I tell you?" the presenter enthused all the way from the Capitol. "This is turning out to be a fascinating Game!
"For those of you keeping track at home, that's three deaths on one day…"
Katniss turned away from the television and blocked the rest of the commentator's words. She didn't care about bets, odds or the tribute's positions on the performance charts.
Her mind raced as she tried to come to terms with what she had just seen. Against all odds, Rue, the small girl who reminded her so much of Prim, had managed to survive another day in the arena. The twelve-year-old was responsible for killing two people, and now it looked like she was partnering up with Peeta. The notion intrigued her. She didn't remember many non-career tributes from different districts helping each other out in the arena.
Anxiety settled in the pit of Katniss's stomach as she considered Peeta's situation. He was going to have to spend the night out in the cold, with nothing but the damp clothes on his back and a few leafy branches to protect him. As far as she could tell, Rue was going to stick by his side. But, even though the girl was undoubtedly smart and resourceful, would she be able to protect him if they were targeted by predators during the night?
Prim's comforting hand on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts. The sad look in her sister's eyes made her realize she had been talking out loud.
"They'll be ok," Prim said. Using her fingers, she counted out the remaining tributes. "The boy from 11 hasn't left his campsite. The girl from 5 and the boy from 3 are by the cornucopia. The careers are injured and alone."
Katniss considered her sister's encouraging words. She was right, there weren't that many people left in the arena, and the other tributes were too busy with their own problems to target Peeta and Rue.
"The game makers will probably leave them alone as well," Katniss reasoned, adding, even more, arguments to her sister's point "They got tons of exciting footage today, they don't need to pressure them now."
Hope shone in Prim's blue eyes. She nodded, pleased with Katniss's optimism.
Suddenly, the room went quiet.
The screen went black. Mandatory transmission was over.
AN. I want to thank the lovely AlwaysEverlark for the beautiful banner she made for this story.
I love reviews as much as Effie loves good manners. You always make my day when you share them with me. Thanks!
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The Hunger Games Trilogy is the property of Suzanne Collins. No money was made off of the creation of this fanwork.