The Very First Hunger Games

Chapter 22

"That's nonsense! Everyone has it in them. You just have to find the right person to bring it out."

Before the games, April's words would've sounded like that of a deranged criminal. Now that I know better, I know exactly what she is talking about.

"Who tipped you over the edge?" Julietta asks the exact question on my lips.

"Honey, I've been over the edge for a long time. I can't pinpoint the exact person or moment. I just am the way I am." April says, dipping a cherry into a brown drink.

At least she admits she's crazy.

"Tell you what; I'll let you have the next kill. Unless it's the girl from District 12. I've got a little surprise for her." April says, smiling cheerfully.

Somehow I know the little surprise isn't chocolate truffles.

"Oh, I don't know..." Julietta says uneasily. 

"No of course not. You've never watched the life drain out of someone's eyes and know it was because of you. You either like it or you don't." April says simply.

"Well I doubt I would. Even talking about it makes wanna puke." Julietta says quietly.

"Yes everyone thinks that. Everyone likes to believe that they are sane. They fear they'll be imprisoned or worse if there were anything but normal. But tell me, when sanity became the norm. At what point in evolution did it become unacceptable to kill another person without good reason? We're so busy trying to be civilized we forget there are still animals inside us."

"You're starting to scare me now" Julietta says tentatively.

This makes April laugh a little.

"You remind me of a younger me."

The weedy boy from District 3 emerges from the trees and plods over to the picnic.

"Ahh there's our other little friend" April exclaims, standing up and holding her arms out as if to embrace him.

Why is April trying to be nice to her allies? Surely they can see through her charades?

"Did you find Willow's hideout?" April says in a fake sweet voice.

"Well no...but-but" the boy stutters.

April's face distorts into a scowl. She grabs the boy by the collar, slams him against the cornucopia and throws him to the ground. 

"I'm going to get real angry now, Jake. Now tell me, WHERE IS WILLOW?" April roars.

"I don't know I don't know I don't know" Jake whimpers, trying to crawl on his stomach.

Julietta runs over, hands outstretched towards April.

"He doesn't know. Leave him alone! Let's just all calm down" she says.  

I expect April to turn into a raging bull. Instead she calmly plucks throwing knife from the stash of supplies and hands it to Julietta, handle first.

"April" Julietta quavers. 

"Go on. Do it" April prompts. "I'll hold him still if you want"

"He's just a little boy! I can't do it. I'm not-"

"What?" April interrupts. "Crazy? Insane? Mental?  Those are just words society made up to scare people. Don't let them fool you".

"April, please" Julietta weeps.

"If there's one thing I hate more than begging it's crying" April says, looking disgusted.

April then reaches for her machete on her belt. Julietta's alarm grows. Why is she just standing there? She seems to be stuck to the spot, like a deer caught in headlights.

Jake attempts to crawl out of sight, but can't seem to move very efficiently. God only knows how many injuries he has suffered at the hands of April. That innocent little boy is going to die simply because he failed to locate me. To say the guilt was smothering me would be an understatement. 

April pulls her machete from her belt. No amount of pleading from Julietta stopped April stabbing her "friend" in the stomach. Julietta's eyes widen in shock and pain as she drops to her knees and then finally to the ground, clutching her bleeding stomach.

Jake's screams penetrate my ears as he searches the area frantically looking for help, a savior. His eyes lock with mine, and then they light up with hope. He could have shouted or pointed and alerted April of my presence. That would've distracted April enough for him to move away. Instead Jake simply mouthed "please".

I want to help, desperately, but what am I supposed to do?  I can't just start shouting "Hello I'm here!" That would just be plain stupid.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice sleek black bird perched upon the trees above me. It's the same bird that imitated my screams after I ran away from the projection of Eric.

Jabberjays.

If I can distract April using the Jabberjays for long enough, Jake might be able to get away and I won't be swamped with guilt.

What will the Capitol think of my attempt at saving Jake? Will they think it's noble? Or do they hunger for blood so much so that they don't care about who dies? Why am I questioning the Capitol's motives? Why should it matter what they think? I shouldn't change myself for the Capitol. I know who I am, and I know that I can't stand by idly while someone who begged for my help is murdered in front of me.