The Jabberjay's song (A Hunger Games story)

Chapter 21 (Kat)

There are twelve tributes still alive including me and Akio, which means there are twelve people that we will potentially have to kill. Hopefully, the career pack will do most of the dirty work for us, but I still have no idea how we're going to take them down. 

Akio and I share some of the bread I have left for breakfast, as well as an apple each. We're running low on water, with just under a canteen full each, but we decide to tackle that problem later. First of all, we focus on taking care of any injuries that we've sustained. Akio is pretty banged up and bruised, but there isn't much we can do about that. And the only thing wrong with me is a small cut on my forehead that I got after being attacked by the two careers from four, so we're more or less ok. 

"We should move." I say, shoving our things into a backpack and jumping to my feet. Akio nods briefly. "The careers will be looking for us. We need to get as far away from here as possible." 

"I agree." says Akio, stuffing the small sack of apples into his bag. "We should head back in the direction of the cornucopia. It will takes us a day or so to get there, and we shouldn't run into too many other people, since most of them will want to avoid the cornucopia. In case they run into the career pack, and we know they're out here. So it's safe." I have to admit, the idea of going back to the cornucopia makes me uneasy, but at least we know the career tributes won't be there. "let's go then." I say, helping Akio to his feet.

We move through the forest quickly, but quietly, choosing where to place our feet, so that we make as little noise as possible and stay alert to our surroundings. After walking for most of the day we come to a part of the woods that I recognise. No canons today means no deaths, which means the public will be getting restless and the gamemakers will be getting increasingly trigger happy. I imagine them as we continue to move forwards, sitting in their control room, probably designing another monstrosity for the us right this second, waiting for the perfect opportunity to implement it into the arena and cause more chaos, and excitement for the viewers. We keep moving. We don't stop. The camera's probably aren't focused on us right now, since all we're doing is walking, but I can imagine the audience at the sight of Calissa's death on screen. It's most likely being replayed and commented on by Caesar Flickerman, all by the hand of my best friend Akio. 

By late afternoon, we are edging closer to the cornucopia. We come to a small clearing in the trees, and I spot the crater in the distance. I am just about to point it out to Akio, when my thoughts are interrupted by a beeping sound that fills the air. I recognise the noise, and look up in surprise as a tiny silver parachute accents from the sky to land at our feet. 

"A sponsor?" says Akio questioningly. I eagerly grab the cylinder, and pop it open to reveal the contents. It's a small bottle full of cyan pills, accompanied by a note from our mentor Haymitch. it reads

"Use these iodine pills sparingly if you can, and don't forget to stay alive" - H

Iodine pills? like the stuff you put in dirty water to purify it? this will certainly be useful. I hand them to Akio who inspects them curiously, before reading the note as well. His face takes on the shape of content and understanding, after reading Haymitch's message. 

"These are great!" he says shaking the pot, before storing them safely away in his pack. I nod in agreement, before gesturing towards the crater, and we take off running in it's direction. 

We reach the gaping hole in the ground which is surrounded by mountains in under ten minutes after sprinting. "I know an easy way down." I say, remembering the cave I crawled out of at the beginning of the games. We slowly climb down the rocky opening, and onto the grass below.

We reach the flat expanse on which the golden horn is situated, now completely stripped of its supplies. The semicircle of pedestals also remain, now empty of the twenty four tributes that once stood in their place. But there is one thing that's different. Something crucial that I failed to notice as we arrived here, something that could potentially get us both killed. 

Sitting on top if the cornucopia, is the girl from district 11.

She spots us at almost the exact moment we spot her, jumping to her feet, on top of the mouth of the horn, and assuming some kind of defensive position. She's unarmed and seems harmless enough. Not worth fighting. I call out to her but she doesn't respond. Then I remember her name from the reaping. "Clio!" I shout. Still she doesn't budge from her position on top of the horn. 

"We aren't here to hurt you." says Akio calmly. Clio scowels, turning away from us, but still not moving. "Maybe we could just talk?" Akio calls out, and finally the girl speaks. 

"It's the hunger games. Of course you're here to hurt me." she scorns. I huff and roll my eyes. "We aren't like the career tributes, we're just trying to get by, like you." I say earnestly. 

"Just get down from there will you?" 

Without saying another word, Clio shuffles to the edge of the cornucopia, and slowly slides down the structure until her feet connect with the dirt and she is standing only a few feet away from us. I get a good look at her now. She's has dark skin, and her hair is black, and shaved right down to her head. Her brown eyes seem empty. Perhaps she's already given up. Perhaps she was sitting on top of the golden horn, waiting, like an invitation for another tribute to come and end her life, because she sees the games as hopeless. 

"I think we can help you." I say with the slightest hint of a smile.