Daughter Of The Mockingjay

Chapter 23- The Fire

I wake up the next morning and hear Gale and mother talking. They are talking about today's plan. That are just as curious as I am about the twist. I sit up. 'Morning Willow' says Gale. 'Morning' I reply 'how's your arm'. 'Improving' he replies back 'Katniss redressed it this morning'. I nod. Then an awful sound comes from my stomach. 'Woo Willow, was that your stomach?' Asks mother. 'I think so' I reply. 'We must find food' announces mother 'or else we won't make it to the lake, Gale and I have decided we need to hunt in the long grass as we pass by it, for some mutts' mother tells me 'We have some medicine remaining incase we get bitten. We will finally be able to eat again'. 'Sounds good' I reply, 'as long as we don't get killed on the way' I mutter to myself.

Mother and Gale begin to pack up our supplies, which are hanging off various branches on the tree. This really is a good plan I think, it makes my mouth water thinking about food, but a sense of curiosity is still looming in the back of my head. What is the twist?.

We head of in the direction of the long grass. We are making very slow progress, because of the hunger. Soon enough our water bottle is empty. It's another few hours journey at least until we reach the long grass.

Then suddenly I smell smoke. I look over in the direction it is coming from. The other side of the arena is on fire. A massive fire. Black smoke is rising high in the sky. I gasp. 'Mother, Gale look' I say pointing to the smoke. No canons have gone off yet. We hope to hear them soon.

All that's there I'm sure is black burnt out trees. All the other tributes must have made it to the long grass, as no canons have gone off. I wonder why the game makers have set the trees on fire? Are they trying to drive us closer together? Must be, I think to myself as I continue to walk. We have been walking for hours, we must arrive at the grass soon. Just put one foot in front of the other and we'll make it soon.

Finally the time has come. Albus Rathbones voice is booming through the arena. Mother, Gale and I stop walking and just listen. 'Attention tributes, ten of you remain. As a reward of ye all getting so far we are giving one tribute a chance to escape.., yes... You heard me correctly... A chance to escape from the arena. The first clue will be given in an hours time. Good luck to you all.'

I gasp.., what? An escape from the arena, this has never been done before, three people will live at the end of this... Three victors?. Then it hit me 'Gale it must be you' I say 'it's the only way we can all live'. 'But... but I most protect you I can't leave ye' Gale replies. Mother puts her hand on Gales 'yes, you can Gale, Willow's right, it must be you, we can win this'.

Gale is in a state of shock. 'Just think about it Gale, you get to see you're family again, you're family need you' says mother. Then Gale starts crying. I have never seen him cry before. 'We can do this Gale' I say. He nods.

It's decided we are going to help Gale escape the arena. We are going to make sure that its him to escape, not anyone else. It's starting to all come together now, we could go home, all of us...

Mother and I will win and we'll all live happily ever after, just like a fairy tale. Even though.., it's the hunger games, there is no fairy tale. After mother and father won, they never resumed back to normal life. It was almost impossible. There was their new homes in the victors village followed by the victory tour. They went from barely surviving to having too much money after the games. Even if we win, our lives will never go back to the way they were before. But all I can concentrate on now is getting mother and I back home to father and Rye. I miss them so much.

My thoughts were interrupted once again by Albus Rathbone's voice. Wow that hour flew. We are bound to be near the long grass. He will now tell us the first clue. 'Attention tributes, ye're first clue as to the whereabouts to the exit point of the arena is...is by the lake. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor'. Ugh, I feel sick every time someone says that. 'The lake' exclaims mother 'we are heading that way, thank you' she shouts into the sky hoping that a camera will pick it up. I laugh. 'We'd better get a move on' says Gale. I almost feel that I am going to collapse with hunger. I know if I sit down again, I won't get up.

Just then a parachute floats down onto the ground. 'Woo' I shout, we haven't been getting many of these'. Mother picks it up and rips it open. 'Food' she says. 'Thank you' she shouts up the sky again. The package contains a warm loaf of bread, a tin of thick tomato soup, two bottles of water and a rope. I begin to question the rope, 'why the rope?' I ask as we tuck into some delicious bread, whilst walking. 'I don't know, maybe we might need it for the escape' replies Gale with his mouth full. I agree, it must be.

Soon, we arrive at the long grass. We decide we better hunt for a few mutts, this won't last us long. When we are satisfied and our bellies are full, we head into the grass.

I shoot down some mutts and hang them off my bag. So do mother and Gale. When we emerge from the grass we have managed to kill eight mutts between us. We count that as a successful hunt and head on our way to the lake.

Now is time to really keep our eyes peeled for tributes, we are bound to be close. I have my bow and arrow in my hand ready for when it's needed.

Soon enough it is needed. Harlow comes running through the trees. She runs at mother and knocks her over. Instantly, I pull back my arrow and let it soar through the air and goes straight through Harlow's head. She dies almost immediately. I wonder where Blythe is, the other tribute from district 1, I don't care to much, that's one more tribute off our backs.

'Phew' mother says as I help her to her feet 'I didn't see that one coming'. I give her a quick hug. 'I don't know what I would do with out you' I say to her. 'You too' she replies and hugs me back.

We head off again, after recovering from the shock. We should make it to the lake before nightfall... I hope.

Sorry for taking so long to update been so busy with school. Here's a long chapter for keeping ye waiting. Hope ye enjoy.

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LauraXo