The Jabberjay's song (A Hunger Games story)

Chapter 32 (Akio)

The sponsor ascends from the tree tops, landing gracefully between us. I reach for the container just as Kat puts what's left of their shirt back on. It's not much, but even a thin layer is worth something. I quickly do the same, shoving my jacket on as well, before popping the cylinder open and inspecting the contents. I note from Haymitch falls into my lap, and I read it carefully. 

"Use on wounds liberally. You're welcome" - H

Inside the container is a small tube of some kind of ointment, the colour of muted green. I roll it over in the palm of my hand, but there is no label. It must be another one of those Capitol engineered medicines. Kat unscrews the cap, and tries it out, rubbing the substance on their neck and arms. I take the tube and squeeze some into my hand before spreading it across the cuts on my chest. The pain relief is instant, followed by a bizarre numbing sensation that spreads through my muscles. I breathe a sigh of relief as the medicine quickly takes its effect. Kat seems content too, using the ointment on more of their wounds until we have both had our fair share. As I lie back, Kat finally begins to talk. 

"There's only too others left." They say in a hushed tone. "We could win this, we really could. We could go home." Kat's words hit me like a slap in the face and all at once, I find myself with my head in my hands. 

"There is no we Kat." I say, angrier than intended. "Only one of us is going to make it out of here alive. The other is going home in a box." I look up to see my friend's crestfallen face. 

"Aki-" they start, but I cut in before they can finish their sentence. 

"Just don't!" I shout, tears brimming in my eyes, causing the world to swim around me. I can't look Kat in the eyes. "It was ok before. To pretend. To act like we could both win. But you and I both know that one of us is going to die, and it's more than likely to be me!" I spit as they spill over on to my cheeks. 

"Don't say that!" Kat says, raising their voice at me. "You have just as much a chance at getting home as I do, so don't fucking count yourself out!" I look up, slightly surprised to see Kat crying too. Only they're trying to hide it, to appear strong for the cameras. I try to put my arm around them but they shuffle away from my grip. 

"I'm sorry." I say as our eyes meet. "I'm sorry." The words tumble from my mouth, repeating themselves so that Kat knows I really mean it. They force a melancholy smile "It's ok." they mutter. But we both know it's not. None of this is ok, and it never will be. I think we both realised that as soon as our names were chosen by Effie Trinket. 

_

"We don't need to worry about any of that until Astra and Eros are gone." Says Kat, quickly moving the conversation onto strategy. I nod, but soon lose concentration on what they're trying to say as the faces of today's fallen tributes begin to materialise among the stars. Stella and Apollo are first, followed by Kristian, and then Talia. I wonder if my face will be up there tomorrow? or if our plan will succeed and one of us really will go back to twelve. Right now people in the Capitol will be going crazy, placing bets on who will come out of the arena victorious. It's anyone's game at this point, maybe even mine. But that would mean losing one of the only friends I've ever really had, which seems to much to face right now, so I push the thought aside. 

Kat's still talking about fighting the last two careers, which still seems like suicide to me. But then again, between us, we managed to kill three of them and Talia Ackdean, the girl from seven. So maybe it's not completely futile after all. 

"The end is coming." I mutter "I can feel it. The gamemakers, the Capitol, everyone is getting ready for the finale. It could be any day now." Kat nods, an expression of what could possibly be read as fear creeping onto their face. It's very unlike them, to show weakness. It's one of the things that I've noticed about Kat. They have this longing, to be perfect, the best of the best. Like they believe that nothing they do will ever be good enough for anyone, and so they keep trying over and over again to improve themselves. Because for whatever reason, they can't seem to fully let their guard down. But that's normal I suppose. We are in the middle of a death match to be blunt. Kat brushes a hand through their hair and lets out a strained sigh. 

"You're right." They say. "About it being the end of the games soon." I tuck my chin against my knee, listening quietly to Kat's voice in the dark. 

"Y'know, I've got a funny feeling, that maybe tonight will be the last night we ever spend in this arena." Something in the back of my conscience knows that Kat's intuition is right. That this night is the last one I will ever spend under the watchful eyes of the audience in the Capitol.  

The end of the hunger games has begun.