Blaze

Blood Bath

I'm excited as Peeta and I wake everyone back up. Johanna is angry because she just passed out about ten minutes ago and Finnick is more or less dazed but as I begin to explain to them why Wiress keeps saying tick tock and explaining the tolls of the bell, Finnick begins to believe me but Johanna, not so much.

"Sounds really stupid." She grumbled, glaring off at the jungle. I shrug, not knowing what else to say to her. The arenas a clock, it's the truth. I don't know what else she wants from me. Wiress is rocking back and forth excited. She continues to say,

"Tick tock, tick tock." Over and over.

"Yes Wiress you were right." I tell her, smiling brightly. She smiles back, acknowledging me.

"We need to get out of the jungle." Peeta says, standing. I nod my head.

"The jungles all we have. Where else could we go?" Johanna demands.

"The Cornucopia." Finnick says, pointing at it. I shrug. It's a good a place as any. Finnick shakes Beetee who mumbles out,

"Wire." I cock my head and furrow my eyebrows.

"Wiress? She's right here." I assure him, gesturing towards her where she spins around slightly, repeating the same phrase over and over. He shakes his head. "Wire." He repeats. Johanna scoffs and picks something up. The spool he's always carrying around.

"He's talking about this." She mutters, setting it in his lap. Beetee sits up immediately even though he's still a little weak from his blood lose. "He hasn't let go of that damn thing since the Cornicopia. It's how he got the knife in his back."

"Must be pretty important." I said, turning toward Beetee, like he might give me an answer as to why. He doesn't say anything just uncoils the spool a bit, running his fingers down the line that's still coated in blood.

"Doubt it. It's a spool of wire. I mean, you could probably cut some of it off, get behind someone and strangle them with it but it's a poor weapon. I don't know why they would have it there in the first place." Johanna says, pointing towards the Cornucopia with her axe.

"He set up an electoral trap during his games." Peeta explains to me. "It's how he won. He electrocuted people to death." Beetee doesn't relish in the memory I think I see him cringe in fact. I glance up at Johanna as Peeta continues. "It's a good a weapon as any."

"Let's just go to the Cornicopia and see about this whole clock thing." Finnick says, looking up at the sun. We nod and head off towards one of the spokes of the wheel.

When we get there, Beetee seems to be more awake and is even able to form more coherent sentences. He asks Wiress to clean the spool of wire for him which she does gratefully, heading towards the water.

The rest of us look over the leftover weapons at the Cornucopia. I'm elated when I find another sheaf of arrows. Peeta smiles at me broadly as he tucks a knife into his belt. I grab one as well. I'm better with a bow and arrow but I could be good with a knife if someone gets too close.

Johanna and Finnick are talking quietly in a corner Peeta and I are about ten feet from them, not talking. I'm leaning against him though, my legs out in front of me. Peeta sits with one leg bent, arm on his knee. He keeps scanning the jungle but then again, so am I. I'm looking at the part of the jungle where the fog started.

If the lightening signaled twelve o'clock and if it took us nearly an hour to get over here and explain everything to everyone, then the fog should be next, at 2 o'clock. Beetee sits more toward the water, where the rocks are slippery and wet. He keeps eyeing us warily. I don't want to kill him but I know somebody is going to have to. And eventually, we'll have to kill Wiress too.