Chapter 22: Day Eight-Twelve in the Arena
The Capitol audience must be growing more and more bored because there hasn't been a death in five days. The Gamemakers will surely liven things up soon – the first Hunger Games has to be a success. I don't know what they'll do exactly, maybe bring us altogether, maybe they'll send more grotesque creatures from the pits of hell to greet us.
I shudder at the image of the District 11 girl's blank eyes staring back at me. That image will be permanently engrained on my mind forever.
As I wander around some more, I start to notice some changes in the trees – they are no longer lush green, the leaves have started to turn a golden brown colour. Maybe this is just a different part of the arena? Or maybe I'm imagining things. Strange things can happen when you haven't spoke to another person in a week.
It's strange how I haven't encountered another tribute in seven days, although I usually stick to the one area, my camp and the lake, the lake must be a popular destination, unless there's another source of water that isn't infested with poisonous snakes. I also expected someone to come across my camp sooner or later. Eric hid it well, but not that well.
My foot connects with solid ground and I know immediately that it's not the soft grass I've been walking on all day. No, I've stepped on rock hard sand. I must be near the Cornucopia. I reflect back on the first day of the Hunger Games; the sand was soft, was it not?
Sure enough, the giant golden cone comes into view and gleams in the sunlight. I tread carefully around the Cornucopia, remembering this is where April is supposedly hiding. Well not hiding, it's probably common knowledge.
At first, it looks as though there is no one around, but then I see them. April and another girl who I don't recognize appear to be sitting at the mouth of the Cornucopia and having a friendly picnic.
The girl has tanned skin, a small round face, long dark wavy hair and is wearing a nervous expression. If it weren't for the deep gash underneath one of her crystal blue eyes, she would be considered pretty by even the Capitol's standards. That is after they pampered her up. I wonder why I can't place her.
April looks pretty much looks the same; short mousy hair, broad shoulders, the infamous shark grin, but what I don't recognize is this friendly composure she seems to have adopted.
As I move closer, I discover that it may not be the friendly chat it first appeared to be.
"Of course our friendship can only be temporary." April grins. "Eventually I will have to kill you...I promise I'll make it quick bearing in mind what a good friend you've been to me. Or you could strike lucky and somehow kill me first. Who knows, maybe someone will murder me for you."
April's ally looks terrified but lets out a light airy laugh.
I can't help but notice the delicious banquet they have prepared. Freshly baked bread, cakes with cherries on top, and an array of different coloured drinks to choose from. Most tributes would never dare to lay out their food so openly, but with April, it's like she's challenging the other tributes.
"Julietta, you will promise me that you won't kill me unless you absolutely have to." April says, although she doesn't look particularly worried.
Julietta looks anxious, and she has the right to be. One false answer could land her a slit throat. No, it would be far worse than that. April would never allow her victims to be let off so easily.
"I really hope it won't come to that" Julietta answers nervously. "I don't think I would have the guts to kill someone. I don't have it in me."
April laughs as it was the most ridiculous statement she's ever heard.
"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.