The 50th Hunger Games, Second Quarter Quell

Chapter Twelve

Haymitch woke up with a jolt as dawn started creeping. He felt his back was aching a bit from how he had been sitting on the tree and he had a crick in his neck. However, Haymitch stretched then untied himself and packed away the blanket and the rope. He took out the energy bar and broke it into three pieces. He had one piece now and a bit of water before putting it all away and placing the backpack on his shoulders once more. Haymitch then cautiously went down the tree, keeping an eye on the ground and the trees above. He was cautious of how quiet the place was, the only sound came from the tweeting of birds above.

Haymitch started to move. Staying still was not wise. He walked further into the woodland, always keeping the mountain at his back. A cannon went off before noon and Haymitch's thoughts wondered to Clay and Maysilee. He would find out at night.

Just after noon, when the sun was highest and the leaves of the trees shone brilliant green, Haymitch burst into a clearing within the woods. The clearing was filled with grass and flowers of all colours and sizes. Haymitch froze behind a tree. Two of the tributes were also in the clearing. They were talking and laughing. Haymitch recognised them as Laurel and Meg from District Eleven. They were looking at the flowers in amazement. Haymitch took out his knife. He didn't want to kill but if they came at him, he would have no choice. However, the girls did not notice him. Laurel bent and picked a bunch of beautiful purple pansies. She took a sniff and smiled at the pleasant smile. Haymitch watched as her smile faded and her eyes rolled into the back of her head, blood pouring from her nose.

"Laurel!" Meg cried out. She ran over to Laurel as the girl collapsed amongst the flowers. The second Meg knelt down beside her fellow tribute, Meg too had blood pouring from her nose and her eyes rolling. Meg fell flat on her stomach and neither girl moved. Two cannons exploded and Haymitch was frozen. What the hell had just happened? They had only smelt the flowers... And Meg hadn't even intentionally smelt the flowers. She must have inhaled the smell anyway. Haymitch turned away and backtracked. He would have to stick to the tree line around the clearing instead of going straight across, he couldn't risk it. It was too open anyway.

As Haymitch started his new path, he could hear the sound of the hovercraft coming to collect the bodies. He did a mental count. Three dead today. That left seventeen tributes, the majority of them being career tributes.

As Haymitch was halfway around the clearing, he passed bushes bearing fruit bursting with juice. Haymitch was tempted greatly but he didn't want to risk it. Wistfully, he turned away when he saw a group of butterflies on the bushes. They were about the size of his palm each, all of them were purples, blues, yellows and greens. Haymitch smiled as he watched them flutter their wings and come towards him. He held out his arm as one landed on his forearm. The others landed on him too, possibly fifteen altogether. Then Haymitch felt an incredible pain, like an injection of acid into his forearm. Automatically, he jerked away with a yelp but the acid feeling continued over his body. Quickly, Haymitch came to the conclusion it was the butterflies. The little demons were poisonous too! Haymitch batted them away, whimpering as his vision streaked and blurred. He tried to stamp on one but it burst into three on the ground. Haymitch started to run. He ran, bumping into trees and bursting through hedges, trying his damnedest to keep going. The pain was all over his body and Haymitch collapsed on the ground. His vision was so bad, it made him want to be sick.

Taking off his backpack, Haymitch rummaged through to find anything that could help. A drink of water made him vomit and putting a splash of water over the big sting mark on his forearm made the acidic feeling increase. The tub of cream was the only other thing unless he was supposed to cut his skin off with his knife. He unscrewed the lid as his head spun. It took several tries but Haymitch dabbed the cream over the sting mark, covering it entirely. As he did so, he felt the pain decrease just a little, his head was a tiny bit straighter. Haymitch found the other stings. Two on his neck. Three on his other forearm. One on his ear. Haymitch covered them all and when he had finished, the cream was all used up. The pain had gone but his head was still a little dizzy. He took sips of water and stayed sitting. As his senses started to sharpen once more, Haymitch became aware of the sound of people.

"I don't understand why we can't be with the main pack." It was a male voice grumbling.

"Because we haven't trained like they have. It's fine, forget it. We still get to kill and we get the respect of the Careers." A woman now. It was so close, Haymitch stood up, leaving his backpack on the floor with the empty cream pot. He grabbed his knife. It would not do much with a group but hopefully... Hopefully.

Three people burst through the hedges where Haymitch was. Haymitch had quickly hidden behind a bigger bush. He attacked before the three could spot him and his belongings. The nearest was a guy. He was muscly but Haymitch had the element of surprise and he managed to jump onto the guy and drag the jagged blade of his knife against the guy's throat. As he choked on his blood, Haymitch dropped off the guy and turned to the second person, the woman. She screamed in shock as she took in the now dead guy on the floor and Haymitch approaching. Haymitch saw Cattie from District Ten lift a bow with arrows but Haymitch was quicker. He ducked and weaved then stabbed the knife directly into her chest before her bow was even raised to shoot. Cattie gasped and collapsed. Haymitch turned to the third person and stopped dead.

"Clay?" Haymitch gasped. Clay was holding a machete and he had blood streaked down his cheek. No wound though. Clay turned to Haymitch with a grimace.

"I have to win. I have a family to feed." Haymitch tried to pull his knife from Cattie's breastbone. It was stuck deep. He had no weapons. The knife the other guy had been using was too far away.

"We all have to win, Clay. We all have a family to feed. But turning on your own district? That's despicable." Haymitch hoped he could keep Clay talking but Clay was not interested in conversation.

"Killing people? Now that's despicable."

"Where's Poppy?"

"Dead. I killed her. She would never have survived the Hunger Games."

"You're despicable." Haymitch pulled the knife free with a massive heave then threw it at Clay. It landed in his leg. Clay roared and pulled the knife out. Before Haymitch had time to run, Clay punched Haymitch on the side of his head. Haymitch went flying into a tree, lights popping in his eyes. Before he had time to recover from that, Clay grabbed Haymitch and pulled his hair so his head was back and his throat exposed. Clay placed Haymitch's knife to his throat.

"Goodbye, Haymitch."

Haymitch closed his eyes.