Jabberjay [The Hunger Games]

Chapter Fourteen

     The sound of Silica's cannon booms as I run into the woods. Bullets of sweat travel down my forehead as I shift through the trunks. If my feet could run as fast as my heart is racing, then I would be far away from trouble. As my pace quickens, I remove a knife from the sash that lays across my chest. My head is a lot better than it was, but it still hinders me from running at my full capability. The sheer confusion at camp can be heard accompanied by the ordering voice of Ripley, "Get her!"

     The snapping of sticks and crunching of fallen leaves from behind tells me that I am being chased. If I had to guess I have a decent lead on them, but I did not expect them to immediately begin trailing me. Especially with Lux, I thought the sight of a knife imbedded into the skull of his district partner would elicit enough shock to delay the immediate need to avenge her. Panic begins to set in as they begin to sound closer, begging my legs to move faster. The gap between me and the others is closing faster than I'd like to admit, so I need to change my game plan fast. I could turn around and face them because I have knives now. However, at best I could take out two of them before one of the others take me down. Since I don't know what to believe and Malo hasn't been proven innocent, I am counting him as one of them.

     As long as I keep up my pace, a sharp right could get me to the swamp in less than a minute. These woods are too open, too revealing for someone trying to get away. Although the swamp is dangerous, it is low-key and there are plenty of rock ledges and trees for hiding. Does that level out the number of non-human predators that rest in the hanging trees and gloomy water? I cannot afford to ponder on what to do anymore so I just do it and bolt to my right.

     Pretty quickly the coarse dirt that I run on top of turns into muddy moss that softens my footsteps. Darkness makes it difficult to see, the moon only allowing partial vision. In my attempt to remain low to the ground, I stumble over some kind of plant as I travel through the swamp. I quickly regain my footing as I remember Alanis' arm and begin to fear that the same type of snake is waiting for me to get close enough to strike. I have no choice but to hope for the best when it comes to random mutations. Eventually, a tree sticks out that is large enough for me to hide behind; I quickly throw myself around it and sink to the roots. I am hidden by the trunk, but am still worried that it will not be enough to keep me unnoticed.

     My heart is palpitating, pulsing blood through every vessel. I finally did it, killed someone. The fake nice act has completely worn off Lux as the nearby woods are filled with his curses. It is amazing how quickly someone can turn when their survival is threatened. I think back to the welcoming hug that he gave me once I arrived at camp, and then how bubbly he was in his interview with Caesar Flickerman. If I hadn't had my revelation, would I have acted this way too? So eager to get my knives bloody and gain another kill? The shuffling of feet that I hear throughout the woods guides me back to my current reality.

     They have been searching for a while, sometimes traveling near me but never close enough for me to move my hiding spot. Authentic panic does not actually consume me until the beams of flashlights begin to search the terrain. The Careers have split up and are hunting me down. They scan the ground for me with their lights, making sure to check every inch. They taunt me as well, "Come out Carmen!" "If you want a fair fight, let's have it!" Random beams of light shine on the tree that I hide behind, barely missing me. I hold a knife ready to throw in my right hand and hug the yellow backpack to my chest in order to prevent it from dangling out into the view of the Careers.

     I believe Lux is the furthest away as he shouts for me deep in the woods, a decent walk away from my spot in the swamp. However, I hear a pair of footsteps mushing around my location. While they are split up, I consider darting out in the open with my knives and trying to take down whoever it may be. That is too risky though because it is night, and I would be banking on a lucky throw in the right direction. Plus, I would not know who I am aiming for and the idea of my knife hitting Malo still seems wrong. They have flashlights which puts me at a huge disadvantage. In less than a minute, they could take me out. My best bet is to sit here and pray that I am passed by. Shafts of light travel around me, bouncing off the tree periodically. The sound of movement begins to get louder, and I try to slow my breathing down in an attempt to disappear. However, all of my efforts dissipate as the beam from a flashlight shines directly at me, exploiting my whereabouts.