The Jabberjay's song (A Hunger Games story)

Chapter 28 (Akio)

Clio's face stares at me from her place in the sky. I know it's just a picture of her that the capitol took, but it's still haunts me. Her expression is blank and her district number, eleven, is illuminated in white below her neck where the projection cuts off. The capitol anthem plays loudly throughout the arena, before the picture disappears, and everything returns to its original state. I'm not sure why I was so drawn to Clio when we first met. But then again, strong bonds form in the strangest times and places, and I guess I just wasn't prepared to see her die. 

"You need to sleep Aki." says Kat, interrupting my string of thoughts. I know they're right, but I'm still reluctant to get some rest, since it means letting my guard down. I start to protest but they cut me off again. 

"I promise to wake you if anything happens, ok?" I nod in agreement and lay my head down on my backpack. Kat covers me with the blanket, and I smile in thanks. 

"The careers will be searching for us." I mutter, the slightest hint of a yawn creeping into my voice. Kat sighs heavily. "I know," they say, combing their fingers through their hair. "That's why we keep moving, every day." Exhaustion drags me down, and I don't remember much after that. 

_

It's mid morning the next day. Kat and I are eating the remains of the now stale loaf of bread, washed down with some water that we managed to purify with the pills a day or so before, when the voice of Claudius Templesmith, Caesar Flickerman's co-host's voice booms throughout the arena. Startled, I look up into the sky, as if I expect to see him standing in the clouds in his gold suit. Instead, my eyes settle on a jabberjay, perched on a tree branch in the distance. Claudius begins his announcement.

"Attention tributes, attention." He starts. "Commencing tomorrow morning, there will be a feast at the cornucopia!" I can hear the pleasure, and excitement in Claudius's voice as he explains the upcoming event. It's sickening. A feast could mean anything. A banquet to slaughter each other over, or even simply one loaf of bread, sitting at the golden horn to entice us into another bloodbath. I lose interest in the announcement, and focus in the navy crested bird. The jabberjay sits high among the trees, squawking out disjointed notes in an attempt to create a melody. Jabberjay's are genetically engineered by the Capitol to copy and relay messages. They're birds, so of course singing's in their nature, but the erratic tune it creates is bizarrely human. 

I suppose that's not much of a surprise. This particular jabberjay has probably recorded people singing before, and it is trying to copy the other birds, like the mockingjays, but stitching together the notes like patchwork. It's oddly pretty. It doesn't follow any sort of pattern and the notes are shaky, yet soothing like it's unsure of itself. I can tell the bird is trying desperately to fit in with the others, by singing it's weird little song. The jabberjay thinks it can play pretend, and act like the other birds. I didn't know they could sing anyway, maybe I'm imagining it. No, I can't be. Either way, this bird reminds me of someone. It reminds me of Kat. They always push against what's considered normal or acceptable. They're a free spirit, unbound by social standards and limits of the Capitol. 

Just like the Jabberjay's song.

_

"We have to go to the feast!" 

"No."

"Why not?" Kat whines. "We don't have any food anyway, and we can't last on nothing. It's worth going in to fight for it!" they insist. I shake my head. I refuse to cooperate with Kat's suicide plan.

"All the careers will be there. We'll be killed." I say rolling my eyes in exasperation. Kat sighs "And we'll die from starvation very quickly if we don't go." I grit my teeth. It's dangerous. Too dangerous. It will be a repeat of the beginning of the games. A bloodbath. The feast is just another device by the gamemakers to lure us into a fight, since action for the audience has been a little dry recently. 

"I'll keep you safe." Kat states firmly, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder, which I brush off quickly. "Look after yourself too." I say quietly. Kat nods. 

"So you'll come?" 

"Fine." I mumble in frustration. "We don't have much of a choice do we?" Kat responds with a shake of their head. 

"C'mon." they say offering me a hand. I take it and Kat pulls me to my feet as a smile spreads across their face. 

"We ought to get going if we want to make it to the cornucopia by tomorrow."