Broken Toys - Johanna Mason x fem reader

Chapter 21 - Last Hunger Games?

I took a deep breath. What was I supposed to do now? Lying to her felt wrong. I had not told Johanna yet either. 

"We volunteered for the next Hunger Games", I burst out before I could change my mind. 

"What?", Annie became pale. 

"If we win, this will be the final games. Snow is a tribute, too. Katniss, Finnick and I. We're still allies. We're a great team and experienced. We'll figure a way out of this. Annie, we can all win", I tried soothing her. "But you should talk to him", I added. "Finnick should know that you're pregnant, but still support his determination to fight. It'll motivate him even more to return. And I promise you to look out for him." 

She nodded. "Thanks, (f/n)." 

When Annie left, I felt exhausted. Telling her had worked out pretty well, but Johanna would be a different story. Due to the sedatives I did not even know which reaction to expect. And telling her the truth in her state only to leave the next day appeared cruel to me. But to keep it a secret was not fair either. Honestly I was surprised that I had not broken down yet.

"Hey, Jo", I greeted her. 

For once she was awake and she was looking better rested. "Tomorrow's the day", she mumbled back, her eyes locked on the bundle of pine needles she was holding in her hands. 

"I'm sorry." 

"You know that I hate pity", she spat out glaring at me. 

But I simply shook my head. "And you know that I don't pity you. I'm sorry because I did not tell you the whole story." 

She cocked an eyebrow at me. I closed the door and sat down on the chair. "The streets in the Capitol are covered in pots triggering different attacks. It's like the arena. Therefore Katniss, Finnick and I are calling it the 76th Hunger Games." 

I could not read the expression on Johanna's face. It looked like she was about to cry. "Another round of games, huh?" She started laughing like a maniac. "If I weren't a victor myself, I'd be shocked. But Snow's always surpassing our worst expectations." 

"Jo, I ..." 

"No, it's alright. I'm bloody angry, but I won't hold you back. I heard them calling you the best sniper of Panem. Make Snow pay!" 

I mirrored her grin and leaned in to kiss her. To my surprise the nightmares left me alone this night. Probably because they could not keep up with reality anyway.

The next morning I said goodbye to Johanna, Annie and my family. I had not told my family what I was about to face once again. The fourth Hunger Games with a family member participating in only five years. I did not want to provide these news to them. It was bad enough that I was going to war. 

A hovercraft brought our group to district 12. Then we were transported by a freight wagon stuffed with countless soldiers in gray uniforms. It took us several days until we arrived at the tunnels, which led through the mountains toward the Capitol. Six more hours of marching later the field camp of the rebels was finally in sight. The rebels had dispelled the peacekeepers, who had regrouped more at the center of the city leaving countless temptingly empty streets between them and us. At least seemingly empty. After all we knew about the pods we had to overcome.

After three days our group threatened to die out of boredom. We had nothing to do but to film more videos of us shooting at random things. After all we could not purposely destroy the pods in front of the camera, if we did not want Snow to know that we had the holo. Whenever an actual sniper was needed the raised hands of Katniss, Gale, Finnick and me were completely ignored.