Ignite The Flame Within | Cato Hadley X Male Reader | Vol. 2

23 ~ Red Rain

I feel my body slowly gaining control as Cato and I walk side by side. We had gotten to the point where we could at least walk independently without needing the other as a crutch, so we decided it was probably time to head back to camp. The jungle was back to its regular, disgusting temperature, and the humidity was worse than ever. If only there was less water in the air and more where we could drink it.

The greenery begins to look familiar as we make it closer to camp. The trees that curved in weird ways, the vines of thorns, and the few wildflowers we found all led us back. Once we do, however, another beast is waiting for us.

"Where the hell were you two!" Johanna yells as she storms over to us, her axe in hand. "I had myself worried sick. If it weren't for the fact a cannon didn't go off I would have thought you two were dead!"

I shake my head, the sudden noise causing it to ring a bit. "Calm down," I let out in a drained voice.

"Are you drunk or something?" She warns while stepping closer to take a look at my face.

"No," I begin while motioning toward Cato, "I went out to hunt earlier. You can ask Beetie."

"I did, but that doesn't explain why you are both acting like Haymitch at a Capitol party," Johanna snaps. She crosses her arms as Beetie and Wiress converse about some random topic behind her, not caring about what is happening.

"Well, Cato followed me and the two of us tried looking for animals together. Then we found a few flowers, and when we touched one it shot powder in our face and then made us see things."

It's more bizarre saying it out loud, and I don't think Johanna would have bought it if it weren't for Beetie's injection.

"Hallucinogenic Flowers is an interesting choice by the game makers. I don't think anything like them has been used in games for years. Aside from maybe tracker jackers," He ponders before turning back to Wiress who still looked like she didn't care.

I look back at Johanna, and motion toward the man sitting behind her. "See. I'm sorry for making you worry, but we have no time to waste. We have to move on and try to find water otherwise we are all going to die very soon."

She looks between Cato and me, contemplating what to do. "Fine, let's go," She orders before stepping forward and taking the lead. I would have said something along the lines of me being a better leader to the group, convincing her I should be upfront, but in the condition I'm in I'm just lucky I can keep up with the others.

I follow the others toward the back of the line with Cato at my side. If I thought the jungle was miserable before it was even worse now. My head felt like it was spinning and throbbing at the same time, my body was drenched in sweat, and my legs felt like they would give out at any second.

Those flowers were no joke. They completely incapacitated us for around two hours according to Beetie. It wasn't just the fact that they made us physically vulnerable, however, but the way they tortured Cato with his past made me want to kill whoever was in charge of placing them in here with us.

The game makers were probably laughing their asses off right now. Sitting in their lush leather chairs while watching us suffer in here. Half of us dying from the lack of drinkable water or the heat. It was the same as last year, and the year after that. We didn't matter to them. We were just entertainment. It was disgusting.

I was so sick of everything. I just wanted everything to be over, in any way possible. If my picture being in the sky meant that I wouldn't have to suffer anymore then I would kill myself, but I knew I couldn't. I couldn't be selfish. I promised myself it was my job to get Cato out, and I had to follow through with it. He deserved it.