Crossing Paths

Chapter 19

Katniss

“Haymitch!” He turns around with a surprised look on his face. I quickly finish my run down the hallway and stop in front of him.

“Aren’t you supposed to be on a train to the Capital?”

“No. I mean yes but I had to talk to you first,” I answer confusingly.

“What about?”

“Well I was talking to Fyron last night and he told me that Plutarch is Jay’s mentor. So I called him and told him about the plan.”

“Girl, Fyron’s gonna have your head!”

“Come on Haymitch I’m not an idiot! Fyron was with me when I made the call. Anyways when we were on the phone Plutarch told me to send you down. He wants your help.”

“So you want me to be an assistant babysitter for your daughter?”

“Please? We’re talking about Jay.” He makes me wait in agony as he process it all.

“Come on the train’s gonna leave us. I’ll call Plutarch on the way.”

                                      Jay

          “Nate, watch out!” I lunge for the sleeve of his shirt and manage to grasp it just in time. Winslet grabs my other hand and the two of us manage to pull him a good distance away from the edge of the canyon.

          “Thanks Jay,” he gasps.

“Anytime,” I reply as I lay down in the sand next to him.

“Hey Little Orphan Nate had the right idea!” Nate sighs and gets up to go stand next to her.

“You know I’m not the only one around here Little Orphan Winslet. But what was I right about?” Nate considers himself an orphan? Does he not know about Annie? I go over to them.

“See down there?” I peer over the edge and find myself staring at a river. I lick my dry lips at the sight of it. “If we can just get down to that ledge we can probably figure out a way to get the water. You got a rope in that magic backpack Jay?”

“Hang on a sec.” I slip the backpack off of my back and begin to sift through it. A flashlight, some jerky, a little glass bottle of full of a dark liquid, a large water bottle, matches, a sleeping bag… Oh come on it has to be here somewhere! Yes here it is! A grappling hook and a rope. I toss it over to her and stuff everything else back in the backpack.

“Nate, lower me down to the ledge. Once I give the okay send Jay down.” She attaches the grappling hook onto her shorts and sits on the edge. “Got it?” Nate tightens his grip on the rope and plants his feet firmly on the ground.

“Yep. Jump when you’re ready.” Winslet winks and disappears over the edge. Her weight makes Nate stumble forward but quickly regains his composure. “Be my eyes for me will ya?” I get on my hands and knees and help him navigate Winslet down. Once she’s safely on the ledge she calls up to us.

“This is perfect! There’s a cave that we can stay in and the ledge turns into a ramp that leads to the water! Send Jay down!” Nate pulls the rope back up and hands me the end with the hook.

“Your turn.”

“What about you?”

“I can get myself down. Now quit stalling and hook yourself up.” He sees my hesitation and his expression softens. “Don’t worry Jay I won’t let you fall.”

“I’m holding you to that,” I say with a frown. He smiles and I take the hook from him and lock it onto one of the loops on the waist of my shorts.