The anthem began to play, but there were no faces in the sky for tonight. The audience would have been restless, thirsting for blood, well at least in the Capitol. Beetee's trap held enough promise, though, that the Game makers hadn't sent in any other attacks. Perhaps they were simply curious to see if it would work. At what Finnick and I judged to be about nine, we all left our small camp in the 10 o'clock section and made our way to 12, quietly hiking up the steep hill towards the lighting tree.
Our full stomach made us more uncomfortable and breathless than we were on the morning's climb. I soon regretted all those oysters. Beetee asked Finnick to assist him while the rest of us to stand guard. Before he attached any wire to the tree, Beetee unrolled metre after metre of the stuff. He had Finnick secure it tightly around a broken branch and lay it on the floor. Then the two stood on either side of the tree, passing the spool back and forth as they wrapped the wire around the huge trunk. At first it seemed odd, but then I noticed the pattern, like a maze, appearing in the moonlight on Beetee's side.
I wondered if it made any difference how the wire was placed, or if it was merely to add to the speculation of the audience and I bet most of them knew as much about electricity as I did. The work on the trunk's completed just as they heard the wave began. I had never really worked out at what point in the 10 o'clock hour it erupted. There must be some buildup, then the wave itself, then the aftermath of the flooding but the sky told me it was ten-thirty and this was when Beetee revealed the rest of the plan.
Since we moved most swiftly through the trees, he wanted Johanna, Katniss, and I to take the coil down through the jungle, unwinding as we went. We were to lay it across the twelve o'clock beach and drop the metal spool, with whatever was left, deep into the water, making sure it sank then run into the jungle. If we went now, right now, we should make it to safety. "I want to go with them as a guard." Finnick said immediately.
I realized he knew what I was going to do, and he didn't want me to. "You're too loud compared to the girls. Besides, I need you on this end. Ruth and Katniss' very much capable guarding." Beetee said about Katniss and I. "There's no time to debate this. I'm sorry. If the girls are to get out alive, they need to move now." He said as he handed the coil to Johanna. I walked over to Finnick and hugged him. "I'll see you at midnight." I answered back but not as confidently. "Midnight." Finnick said with a small smile. Without further discussion, Katniss, Johanna and I headed down the slope. In fact there was very little discussion between us as we moved at a good speed, two manning the coil, while the third kept watch.
About halfway down, we heard the clicking beginning to rise, indicating it was after eleven and that we needed to hurry up to the tree. "Better hurry up. I want to put a lot of distance between me and that water before the lighting strikes. Just in case Volts miscalculated something." Johanna said about our speed to the tree. "I'll take the coil for a wire." I said about the coil as it was harder work laying out the wire than guarding, and Johanna had had a long turn with Katniss. "Here." Johanna said passing me the coil. As our hands were still on the metal cylinder when there was a slight vibration. Suddenly, the thin golden wire from above sprung down at us, bunching in tangled loops and curls around our wrists. Then the severed end snaked around up to our feet.
It only took a second to register this rapid turn of events. Johanna and I looked at each other, but neither of us had to say it as someone not far above us had cut the wire and t hey would be attacking us in any moment. My hand freed itself from the wire and had just closed on the feathers of an arrow when the metal cylinder smashed into the side of my head. The next thing I knew is that I was lying on my back in the vines, a terrible pain in my head as something was wrong with my eyes. My vision blurred in and out of focus as I strained to make the two moons floating up in the sky into one. I was finding it hard to breathe, and I realized Johanna was sitting on my chest, while Katniss pinning me at the shoulders with her hands.
