The 76th Hunger Games

Chapter 21

     "Earthquake!" I shout, launching myself out of the tent. The tree is shaking but I manage to climb down about half of the way when I remember my allies. Mason, who is still asleep in our tent, and Clove, who is at the top of the tree, hanging on for dear life. I think she's decided there's no way to get down the tree safely with this much shaking. "MASON!" I scream. Something inside the tent squirms and he bursts out. I breathe a sigh of relief, but it leaves me as the tree heaves sideways and I am thrown off, though Mason and Clove hold onto branches nearby. I tumble through branches that tear at my clothes and undo my braid. I brace myself for the pain but it has no effect. I hit the ground with my back. The air leaves my lungs and I lie on the ground, gasping for air. Mason is steadily making his way down when the tree lurches violently, throwing Mason off too. He puts his hands out to break his fall, but when he lands on the ground I hear a sickening snap. He drags himself away from the tree. I get up, breathing normally again. My heart plummets to my stomach when I see Clove's struggle. The ground is shaking so much I can barely stand, and yet she's holding onto the tree with no sign of letting go. Clove is clinging onto a frail branch near the top of the tree, which is about to break off. As soon as it started, the rumbling stops, leaving Clove shaking with shock in the tree. I rush to Mason and see his arm. There is a lump sticking out of his forearm, which indicates there is a broken bone. "Stay there. I'm going to get our tent." I tell him. I climb up the tree, which shivers under my weight where before it was to steady. I pull the ropes away and take the tent down, sleeping bags and all. I set it beside Mason and climb back up the tree to Clove, who is just now making her way down.

     I look in my pack for some cloth to make a sling for Mason's left arm, which, as I had guessed, is badly broken. I wish a sponsor would send me a strip of canvas or something...But it's not urgent. We can use something else. I finally take the risk of tearing off a chunk of my sleeping bag, which was too large for me anyways. I hand it to Clove to make a sling. I sense that Mason wouldn't trust me to touch his arm. Moments later, a black strip of cloth holds his arm in place. I shiver in the cold night air and look at my allies. "Is everyone okay?" I ask. Clove nods weakly. Being up in the tree so long during that earthquake must have traumatized her a bit. "Well. We need to get a new tree, because that one is obviously no longer stable." I say, pointing to the tree, which has listed sideways. Fortunately, there is a tree right beside our pond that is of the same shape. We pull out our sleeping bags from the tent and rope it into the tree, right in a fork similar to the last one. I climb back down and get the sleeping bags. Within a few minutes, our tree has been replaced. I sit beside my allies by the pond and sigh.

     Several hours have passed but no gifts for Mason's arm have come. You would think an injury like that deserves help. Mason shifts his weight and sighs. I turn to him. "Is your arm okay? You should get some rest." I tell him. He shakes his head morosely. "I'm too shaken up to sleep. My arm is fine, though. I'm fine." He says. Clove lie down and stares at the stars.

"Gamemakers." She says.

"What?" I ask. She turns to me.

"Gamemakers. They did this, they made this earthquake. I just don't understand why."

"You're right. There were deaths today, weren't there?" Clove shrugs.

"They just wanted some excitement, I guess. Oh, look. The sun is coming up." She says, pointing to the glow behind the mountains. We turn and wait a few minutes, and soon the golden sun has risen high in the cloudless blue sky. I stand up and stretch. "Well, nothing like an earthquake to build up an appetite. Who wants some food?" I ask.

"Me." Mason says.

"Me." Clove says. I smile and take a basket for fish or roots and berries. I walk into the bushes and look up and down for threats. Blue sky, green leaves, sturdy brown tree trunks, green grass. I walk in further and spot Clove's blackberry bush. I pick a bunch and find dig up some roots. I keep walking and spot a bird's nest up in an oak tree. I set my basket down, scale the tree with ease, and take the three eggs that lay within the basket of sticks. I set them in my basket and head back to camp, satisfied with the amount of food I gathered. I push away the bush that hides the camp from my sight and beam at my allies, who are dipping their feet in the water. I drop my basket down and start a fire to cook the eggs and roots. I fashion a spit out of some fallen branches from our tree and cook the roots. I then stop to think about the eggs. How should I cook them? We shouldn't eat them raw...I remember what my father taught me. I make a flat-topped arch of flat stones over the fire and crack the eggs on it. They sizzle on the hot rock.

     I serve up our meal: an equal amount of blackberries, roots, and an egg each. I start eating my breakfast quickly. After a few minutes I am finished eating. I then fiddle with my loose hair and sigh. I want it out of my face again. An idea pops in my head and I replicate the braided bun that I went into the arena with. As soon as I secure my hair, Mason and Clove finish their breakfast. I join them and pull off my jacket, astounded by the heat of the day. I crack my knuckles and Mason winces. "Please don't do that. It's gross." He says. My hands drop to my lap and I sigh. "So what now?" I ask, bored out of my mind. Clove shrugs and Mason doesn't suggest anything. I pull off my socks and shoes and dip my feet in the pond. I look up in the sky and sigh. Unless we run into Zanna and Rose, I doubt anything exciting will happen today. I smile. I don't mind not being in a life-or-death situation for a few hours.