The Short Life of Maysilee Donner

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By the time we get to District Twelve, I'm completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of kids going to certain death...then I hear a name "Maysilee Donner".  The camera finds her in the crowd, clinging to two girls. All blond. All definitely merchants' kids. Maysilee Donner bravely disengages herself and heads for the stage.

I think of my Mockingjay pin and how it means something completely different now that I know that its former owner was Madge's aunt, Maysilee Donner, a tribute who was murdered in the arena.

Haymitch's name is called last of all. It's more of a shock to see him than my mother. Young. Strong. Hard to admit, but he was something of a looker. His hair dark and curly, those grey seam eyes bright and, even then, dangerous.

(Arena), is the most breathtaking place imaginable. The beauty disorients many of the players because when the gong sounds, most seem like they're trying to wake from a dream...

Eighteen tributes are killed in the bloodbath that first day. Others begin to die off and it becomes clear that almost everything in this pretty place- the luscious fruit dangling from the bushes, the water in the cyrstalline streams, even the scent of the flowers when inhaled too directly- is deadly poisonous.

That Career is about to slit (Haymitch's) throat when a dart drops him to the ground.

Maysilee Donner steps out of the woods. "We'd live longer with two of us".

"Guess you just proved that". Says Haymitch, rubbing his neck. "Allies?". Maysilee nods.

Just like Peeta and me, they do better together.

"There's only five of us left. May as well say good-bye now, anyway". She says. "I don't want it to come down to you and me".

"Okay". He agrees. That's all. He doesn't offer to shake her hand or even look at her. And she walks away...

That's when we hear Maysilee begin to scream. The alliance is over and she broke it off, so no one would blame him for ignoring her. But Haymitch runs for her, anyway.

He holds her hand while she dies, and all I can think of is Rue, and how I was too late to save her,  too.

-Katniss Everdeen, Catching Fire