the sun has faded

they're just twelve

Debby, as it turns out, is perhaps the brightest tribute he has ever mentored. Was that just another thing that had been hidden from him? He is beginning to wonder if he'd known a single thing about his tributes.

To begin with, she seems to have a flawless sense of direction. Most of the other tributes are stumbling around in the dark, completely lost. Debby appears to already have worked out exactly where she is, and where she needs to be.

The first thing she does is distance herself from all the other tributes. Then, she reemerges from a cave that opens right into the slope of a large pile of snow. Josh has no idea what she thinks she is doing, but Debby inexplicably begins to dig a hole into the side of the pile with her bare hands. The cameras flit to and from other tributes while she is doing this, but nothing else worth noting is happening. There has not been a single casualty in the games yet. Josh suspects the capitol audience is growing increasingly thirsty for blood.

Eventually, Debby tunnels her way far enough into the hill that she can fit her entire body inside the gap. The cameras can't even spot her anymore. All that can be seen is Debbycovering up the entrance with snow from the inside, so there is only a tiny air hole available. Anyone passing by would never think that there was someone hiding in the hill.

"What the hell is she doing?" Enoboria demands derisively. "Is she looking to increase her odds of freezing to death? Why would you bury yourself in snow?"

"She's being really smart," Tyler says. His expression is pinched as he keeps his eyes fixed on where his own shivering tributes are being shown on the far screen. "Her body heat will warm up the small space she's sitting in, and the snow will act as an insulator to keep the cold air out and the warm air in."

Everyone in the room stares at Tyler. He blushes and looks down at his feet.

"He won last year for a reason," Johanna announces, breaking the tension. "He's smarter than all your idiotic tributes combined."

Josh shakes his head in confusion. "How would she have learned about this? We don't even get snow in district six."

"There are books about it," Tyler supplies.

"We're about to see our first kill!" Enoboria hoots gleefully, effectively ending the discussion. "About time! Your tributes are going down Haymitch!"

Haymitch takes a huge gulp out of a nondescript bottle as he winces at the screen.

Josh prepares himself for watching the kill. He's not exactly a novice when it comes to witnessing the careers hunt down their weaker opponents. He is, however, rather unaccustomed to having one of his tributes on the side of the hunters rather than the hunted.

For some reason, he had expected Alex to be more of a bystander in the killing. That had been easier for him to prepare himself for. What he had not expected was for Alex to actively participate. With several sharp swings of his machete, Alex completely severs the district twelve female's head from her neck.

Josh swiftly swallows down the bile that has risen in his throat. He will not give the other career mentors the satisfaction of seeing him throw up.

He has watched countless beheadings and stabbings and ruthless murders on the games. They had never been the direct result of one of his tribute's actions before. The most violent thing any of his tributes had ever done to another contestant was probably Hanna dragging Diamond and Leopanine into the leach filled water.

Haymitch stumbles out of the room as the careers and Alex laugh delightedly and exchange high fives. Josh explicitly avoids eye contact with him. Absurdly, he feels ashamed. He has never had a tribute who stood a shot before. True, he had deluded himself into thinking Hanna could win, but it wasn't the same. He stares at Alex, a tribute of his who is actually an asset in a strong alliance and possesses the ability to kill remorselessly, and Josh doesn't want it. He doesn't want any of it.