The Hunger Games: Johanna Mason

Chapter 4

Just finished watching Catching Fire earlier this evening. Movie was amazing, I cannot even. It's enough to say that I've had enough muse to continue the Johanna story.

~

Johanna didn't care as to what happened at the Cornucopia. She just set her sights on the axe that was near the center. It had been a very good idea from Piper that she continue playing weak, and she had so far done very good at it. Surprisingly, it was easy for her to act.

It was far easier to deceive people than to act like she was enjoying herself at the Capitol. 

All she needed to do was keep her head down and try not to be noticed as much as possible. As long as the other tributes thought that she was no threat to them at all, she could eventually catch them off guard. 

Her primary objectives right now were to find somewhere safe to hide, and to make traps that would catch any food that she could get her hands on. Plus, she didn't want to show anyone what she was capable of.

Luckily, she was quick on her feet and very skinny. 

As soon as the countdown had finished, she had raced toward the Cornucopia just to get supplies. She wasn't waiting around for anyone at all. She would just keep her eyes on the prize. Backpack passed. She picked it up and slung it around her shoulders, still running. Once getting toward the axe, she picked up whatever food she saw around and continued running straight, and into the woods behind the Cornucopia. 

She could hear the screaming and the clashing of weapons. Johanna yelped as she stumbled forward when someone pushed her. 

Trying to get back on her feet, she was dragged from behind. It was a tribute from 2. He slammed his spear toward her neck, but she blocked it quickly with the handle. It was heavier than the standard wooden handle at District 7, but it did just the job and saved her life. She kicked him in the groin and went sprinting toward the woods. 

All she could hear was him swearing at her, before he went over to his next target.

She wouldn't stop. She just couldn't. She was gasping and tired. Either she was trying to continue acting like the weakling, or her nerves were really messed up, since she kept stumbling and falling over. Inwardly, she cursed herself for being a klutz at the worst time possible, but at least she was playing the part.

Johanna started slowing down her pace when she felt like her lungs were going to give in. Her heart was pounding and her face was slick with sweat. After what felt like an hour, she stopped to remove her jacket and put it around her waist. 

She hid behind a pile of bushes under a shade, making sure that she couldn't be seen in any angle. It was unlikely that there would be any tributes within the vicinity, but it was better to be safe. 

Examining the contents of the backpack, she was glad that she mindlessly picked up everything in her vicinity when she was running. So far, everything food-related had been bread inside plastic. There was a pretty good amount that she could ration for four days, if she was going to be very disciplined and stingy with herself.

There was a basic first aid kit, a jug that was half-filled with water, a pack of matches, an empty container, and iodine. A sleeping bag was attached to the top. She looked at the axe beside her, wondering at what extent she could use it for. She could pretend to act clumsy for a while, like she didn't know how to handle it.

Maybe she should find water first. She didn't even want to know the logical reason why they didn't even fill the jug completely until the brim. It was annoying.

The river was easy enough to look for. The water was clear, and there were a few freshwater fish swimming around. Johanna eyed them warily. Everything inside the arena wasn't what it seemed. She had learned that from watching the Games. 

Randomly, she ripped off a tiny piece of one of  the bread and threw into the water, just to see what would happen. Instantly, the fish started going mad and the water started splashing, and the piece was gone. She didn't really want to know what would happen if a human went into the water. It would be a lot safer to wait and see what would happen first. 

She was in no immediate need of water, and with half a jug full, she wasn't feeling the urgency yet.

The trees around her were large. She could easily hide behind the roots and sort of make a small nook for her to stay in at the base of the tree. It was only a small corner under the roots of the tree, and the entrance was covered by other tree parts as well. 

Johanna crawled under it and just watched and waited. Surely there would be someone around that would need water as well. From her hiding place, she could carefully observe what was happening with about a view of thirty to forty meters. 

She was all alone right now. She didn't even know if Aaron got out alive. Well, if he didn't, then that was one less tribute to worry about, and at least she wouldn't have to worry about killing him if they did end up surviving together. 

Hugging her knees to her chest, she kept the handle of the axe firmly in her hands. She honestly didn't know how long she could keep up this act, all the while trying to stay alive. Everything was starting to look and feel very hopeless, knowing that there was a group of very good, very dangerous Career tributes ready to murder her at any moment. What was more was that they had sponsors that would back them up. Johanna only had the few things that she had riskily and carelessly taken from the Cornucopia.

Sitting there, she waited for people to arrive. They didn't. She waited, right until the sun had disappeared and she was consumed by darkness in that little space of hers. 

Still, she didn't sleep. There had been a moment when she was very close to it, and that was when the first person since the Cornucopia appeared by the water, running as fast as he could.