Justice, the 4th hunger games book, the story after mockingjay

Chapter seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

I picked up the letter from its place on the sideboard and sat on my bed preparing myself for whatever game Paylor is going to be playing next. I opened it up and flipped it over to see who it was from before I began reading, to my surprise it wasn’t from Paylor but Plutarch. Taking a deep breath to calm myself I began reading.

Katniss,

If you are reading this it means that you have been reaped.

I am so sorry that your name was chosen and that you have been forced to go back into the games but believe me when I say I tried my hardest to prevent this from happening and I am now devoted to getting you and Peeta out of there alive.

If you are wondering how I got this to you at such short notice, well let’s just say that the Avoxes in the training centre like Paylor just as much as you.

It is imperative that Peeta must not know about this until after the games, you me and Haymitch will be the only ones to know about this. Why Haymitch? So he can help direct Peeta towards you.

I am writing this to inform you of some important information on the upcoming games. As you know I am head gamemaker and this gives me the advantage as to knowing the layout of the arena, where the weapons will be, even down to which tube you will come up in and which way you will be facing when you come into the arena.

I looked up from the paper and stared at the wall, did I really want to know everything to do with the games? Would it be fair for me to know all of this? Yes Katniss, it is not fair that you are in the games for a third time! Let him help you! I told myself forcing my eyes back down to the now crumpled sheet of paper in my hands and continued,

I am unsure how much you already know so I will try and give you as much information as possible.

Firstly and probably most importantly there will be two games occurring simultaneously within the same arena, that means two cornucopias but that also means a much bigger arena for tributes to find their partners, I want you to note that the mouths of the cornucopias will be facing AWAY from each other.

Secondly you may not recognize the arena but Peeta will, tell him to find a river and follow it upstream, this should make it slightly easier for you to find each other.

Finally the training centre is bugged, all conversations are being monitored but there are no cameras but the roof is always a good place for a chat.

In return for this information I will only ask one thing which I shall disclose at a later date, I hope this is OK with you. Let me know somehow that you have seen this letter during training tomorrow.

Do not let anyone see this note, destroy it.

Good luck Katniss.

Plutarch.

I re-read the letter twice more before destroying it, he was going to extraordinary lengths to make sure Peeta and I came out of this alive but why? Surely it can’t just be because of our part in the rebellion, as for this favour, there’s no guessing what that may be. For now all I know is that when those sixty seconds are up I need to get a weapon and supplies and make sure I head in the right direction, the tail of the cornucopia will be pointing to Peeta that will be my bearing. I am sure to be a main target for every one of those tributes, I wouldn’t be surprised if they form alliances in order to make it easier to kill me, I will need to get away from there as fast as humanly possible then all I need to do is find water, find a river and follow it downstream and pray I can find him. I just hope my tube is already at the tail to give me an edge.

First things first though, I needed to talk to Haymitch and Peeta the problem is how can I talk to one without the other? I snap my fingers and all but run out my room, Plutarch had answered that question too, I just had to make sure it was possible for me to get up there. I ran to the glass division and without stopping rested my hand on it and began running alongside it vaguely aware of the confused looks on both Haymitch and Peeta’s faces and I flew past them I rounded the corner and was faced with a long corridor which looked very familiar and there it was, right at the end, the door that led to the roof. As I reached it I allowed myself to slow down and examine it more closely. The division was right in the middle of the door, preventing it from opening.

Sighing I turned to rest my head on the wall and closed my eyes to collect myself before my anger at Plutarch burst through and I lost it, how could he let such a simple thing like this prevent Peeta and I from being reunited? I pushed myself back from the wall and punched it channeling all of my anger into that one action before turning round. I looked up only to be greeted by a very concerned Peeta with his hand pressed up against the glass, pained that he can’t get to me to comfort me.

I’m sorry, I’m fine. I mouth forcing a smile. He doesn’t buy it for one second but lets it go since there’s nothing he can do. He pulls out his pen and paper and I stare at it waiting for him to finish.

What are you doing? why are you so flustered?  it read, I grab my pen and paper and begin scribbling feverently on it, why can’t he see why I’m so angry and frustrated, surely he recognizes that door. I hold it up to him and let him read.

Do you not recognize that door? I bet if we can get through it the roof won’t be divided. A look of realization flitted across his face before it was swiftly replaced by thorough determination as he began writing a response.

We have to get through that door, but how? It opens outwards and the division is in the way.

That’s what I was thinking. I wrote in reply but as I held it up to him it was as if all the pieces had suddenly fitted together. of course it would open outwards, it couldn't. Dropping the note I walked right up to the door, rested the palm of my hand on it and gave it a gentle push. To my satisfaction is swung open in the process allowing both Peeta and I access to the roof, with a triumphant grin on my face I bolted through the door and began to climb the stairs two at a time fighting the urge to turn and throw myself at Peeta, we had to get on the roof before we spoke. I could hear him behind me and was glad he wasn’t yelling my name or telling me to slow down and stop. I ran straight through the second door and spun just in time as Peeta burst through the door and instantly had me in a bone crushing hug. I burrowed my face in his chest as he did in my hair.