The Last Hunger Games

Chapter 20 - Missing Locket

Now I try to formulate a plan. More of a to-do list really, and first on the list is to figure out how much competition I have left. There can't be many; we're dropping like flies from lack of survival skills. But I guess it can only be expected: If you toss a bunch of Capitol poshos into an arena full of deadly traps, they're hardly going to last long. Second on the list is to find a safe place to camp for the few remaining nights I have left in this place. 

The woods, perhaps? Those huge trees would provide some cover. These buildings, if you can call them that, provide more shelter from the pouring rain though. 

But then I have a thought: What about hiding out in the Cornucopia? The inside of that large, golden horn would protect me from any kind of horrific weather that is thrust upon the arena, and I'd then have easy access to it's bountiful supply of food, water, and all kinds of weapons. Now that I think about it, that could actually be the best place to hide. It does have a few downsides though. For one, if I were to be spotted by another tribute, I would be cornered. In other words: Imminent death. Another disadvantage is that I'm pretty sure the Gamemakers have full control of the whole area surrounding the Cornucopia and the actual structure itself. I mean, every year at the Feast, they are able to make a table emerge from the ground, and then they also have control over which way the tip of the horn faces. Everyone found that out last year in the Quarter Quell, when they spun the Cornucopia round at incredible speed, flinging off bloodied corpses and almost drowning Katniss, who was flung off into the crashing waves.

So if I hide out inside it , there will be the looming possibility that the Gamemakers will toss me out. But perhaps Gale could use his not-very-good persuasion skills to stop them. The thought of him makes me remember the time we spent together on the roof of the Tribute Centre penthouse. A warm tingle rushes through me as I recall it. I'm so lost in my thoughts that I don't notice that the gash on my hand has healed, or that I've finished packing up my far too large arsenal of weaponry. The two backpacks are full to bursting, and it's a challenge to do up the zips. I manage it though, and start to chew through some soggy crackers as I attempt to figure out my location. 

I have near to no orientation skills, but I know two things: 
1) When the gong rang out, the Cornucopia horn was pointing towards the rising sun, and
2) The sun rises in the East and sets in the West

The sun is almost at its peak now - I'm surprised it took me that long to pack up my supplies - so I guess I have a rough sense of direction. Actually, I could just follow the less-battered buildings, as the ones surrounding the Cornucopia, even if they're not at all fit to live in, are practically fully built compared the wreckage that lines the forest. It's pretty much a clear path, now that I look at it. The only thing left to figure out is, well, apart from surviving the arena, how I"m supposed to travel to the Cornucopia without getting slaughtered by another tribute first. 

I realise that I've been thinking out loud, and I presume the Gamemakers will punish me and my ramblings by turning the Cornucopia to face a different point of the compass. Oh well, the batteredness of the buildings is my compass now.

I'm about to start walking when I remember the main killer in this arena: pods. This whole place must be rigged with all kinds of them, just waiting to become active at the touch of a button, the flip of a switch. And I have an advantage, too: Most of the time I can tell exactly where pods and poisons are hidden. Identifying the poisons was Celestia's thing though. Overall, I think I'm good to go. 

I carry a mace in one hand and a water flask in the other, as the Gamemakers are really cranking up the temperature in the day and bringing it right down at night. In the pocket of my jacket is Celestia's locket. I put my hand on it, but for some reason it's not there. The pocket's completely empty! Did I leave it back in the little 'house' where I cut my palm? No, it can't be there, I double checked before I left. I run as fast as my legs will let me back to where the basement collapsed, in case it's hidden under the debris. As I run, I feel something banging against my chest, so I look down, and see that it's the locket! How could I have been so stupid? Now I've wasted precious time looking for something I already had. And no doubt I'm the laughing stock of Panem, as that was sure to have been caught on camera. Turning round and acting like nothing happened, I set off - again - for the Cornucopia. 

(A/N: Sorry this one was shorter, not got a lot of time to update at the moment. Also, I'm really sorry to tell you that I think updates will be less frequent, as basically I started all this in a notebook and got really far, and then I've been copying it up onto here. But now I've almost caught up to where I've got in my notebook, so...yeah. That probably didn't make sense but hugs from me and may the odds be ever in your favour!)