Playing With Fire (A Hunger Games fanfic)

Chapter 11: Tracker Jackers

Electra's POV:
When the fire finally subsides, a silver parachute drops from the sky. My first sponsor gift.

I unwrap the parachute to reveal a tube of burn ointment, along with a handwritten note from Cinna.

With trembling hands, I read the note.

This is the first step in bringing you back to me, my love. But the Games are far from over. You'll have to fight like hell in order to win. I'm still betting on you.

I smile, and apply the ointment to my burns on my skin. I know that after this I'll have to find a source of water, as water is key to my survival.

As I begin my long trek, I use the hunting skills I learned from Katniss and Gale to score myself a wild rabbit.

After a while, my path leads me to a small spring of water, where I fill a canteen I found in the woods and soak my burns. I take a few long drinks before returning to my tree.

By nightfall, I see that no tributes have died today. But I know that the Gamemakers won't let the action go unnoticed for too much longer.

I hear a buzzing hum above me, and look up to spot a nest of tracker jackers.

These aren't your average wasps, however, as their venom alone possesses the power to make people hallucinate horrible things. Most people don't even have the strength to survive the stings, dying almost instantly after they've been stung.

I keep quiet, in an effort not to disturb them.

As I settle in for bed, I hear the sound of voices below my tree, and know the careers have come to kill me.

"Stay up in that tree as long as you want, sweetheart! We've got all night!" Cato, the boy from District 2, shouts.

I gulped nervously. I know he's right. That's not a threat, it's a promise.

In the shadow of nearby trees, I see a pair of deep brown eyes. Rue, the little girl from District 11.

It's quite funny actually, as she reminds me so much of Katniss's little sister Prim. So young and vulnerable.

She points to the tracker jacker nest, and then to the pack of tributes on the ground, making a sawing motion with her fingers.

I nod slowly, knowing what she wants me to do.

But it's late, and the tracker jackers are alive and wired, waiting for the right moment to attack. I know that if I start cutting the nest now, they'll sting me and not the intended targets, so I decide to wait until morning.

In the morning, I get to work on cutting down the tracker jacker nest, preparing to drop it on the careers. Right now, the nest is quiet, but I know I don't have much time before they come alive.

I finish chopping the branch just in time, as the buzzing serves as a warning to anyone in contact with the nest. I quickly drop the nest on the careers, who are still positioned beneath the tree.

The tracker jackers come to life, and I hear the agonizing screams of the careers as they try to escape.

Once I'm certain that the careers have been paralyzed by the venom, I climb down from the tree and take off in the opposite direction.

I see that Glimmer, the female tribute from District one, has already been killed by the tracker jacker venom. Her body is covered in a foul smelling green slime.

I steal her knives, and bow and arrows before taking off in the opposite direction.

But it's hopeless, as I'm already being stung by several stray tracker jackers. I know I have the will to survive the stings, as I spent most of my time in District 12 watching Katniss's mother treat tracker jacker stings.

I drag myself to the spring and remove the stingers, submerging the wounds in the cool water.

The water slowly eases the pain of the stings, but not before the hallucinations begin, each one more horrible than the next.

I know I have to brave the hallucinations, but that will be much easier said than done.

But I know I can't give up. Cinna is counting on me. I have to fight.