| THE LOVE HE HATES | HUNGER GAMES | COMPLETED

18 | THE MIST

     ATHENA WOKE TO see which tributes had been killed. Eight of them. That left sixteen. The tribute closed her eyes once more, wanting to get more rest, however a familiar beeping caught her attention. A sponsor gift was heading towards them. Katniss and Finnick went to retrieve it and it happened to be a spile, a tool to help them get clean, fresh drinking water. Everyone was pleased to get it, taking turns to drink it and splash it on their faces to cool themselves down from the humidity. Not long later there was an odd clanging sound throughout the jungle, twelve chimes.

"Midnight?" Finnick suggested.

Katniss shrugged. "Or the number of districts."

Athena spoke up after a moment. "Clocks chime, I think it's telling us the time."

They then watched through a small gap a tree be hit by lightning a few times, Finnick then decided to fall asleep and since Athena had already been woken up, she stayed awake with Katniss. However, the district twelve tribute fell asleep not longer after. Athena stayed awake, twirling her sword in her hand.

Then from the corner of her eye, she spotted a strange mist coming towards them. Remembering from her own Games that ordinary things can be deadly, Athena stood and quickly woke Finnick. Suddenly the mist reached her hand, which had been behind her back to stop her weapon from accidently harming anyone. She let out a scream of pain which woke up Peeta, Mags and Katniss.

Athena looked at her hand, now covered in boils. "Run! It's poison."

The group raced away from the fog but it always seemed to be on their heels, Finnick was at the end of the group, slightly slowed down due to Mags on his back. They turned directions as the mist appeared on their right, inches away from touching them. The mist was practically on top of them, Athena felt more boils come up on her skin as she ran, losing her group as she did. 

Eventually, she ran back upon them but someone was missing. Mags was gone and a cannon sounded. Athena helped Finnick carry Peeta who was also covered in boils. They raced as fast as the could away from the mist which was now upon their backs, burning all of them. Suddenly, they slipped down a hill and Athena turned, believing that all of them were about to die from the mist. However, it stopped, something was blocking it.

She rested her head on the ground and closed her eyes, trying to deal with the pain of the boils. Athena heard Katniss cry out and she turned to see her near a small pond, her hand dipped inside of it.

"The water." She wheezed out. "The water helps."

Athena slowly got to her feet, stumbling over to the water and slowly stepping in. It stung at first but eventually felt like heaven. Peeta joined her, sighing in relief once the pain had passed. The trio then helped Finnick get in, taking off his boils in seconds.

After they were all feeling better, Katniss and Peeta went to set up their water source while Athena sat with Finnick. She gently placed her hand on top of his, stopping him from sharpening his weapon. "I'm sorry about Mags."

"She was never gonna make it..." He said. "So..."

Finnick trailed off as his eyes landed on something behind Athena, the girl turned, her eyes widening. The pair slowly stood up, clutching their weapons tightly. They then began to notice that the animals, baboon mutts, were surrounding them. Athena called out for Katniss and Peeta to join them as slowly as they could. The creatures growled and roared at them.

"Get to the beach." Katniss spoke, putting an arrow in her bow.

She aimed it at a creature just another one went to attack her, but Peeta was quicker and took it down before it could put a scratch on her. But this seemed to make them more angry, so all the creatures began to attack. The group swung and shot their weapons, killing the creatures quickly. Suddenly, one of them jumped on Katniss, pinning her under the water just as an opening to the beach appeared. 

Athena swung her sword and buried it into the creatures skull, she yanked it out and then pulled Katniss from the water. They all ran to wards the beach, Peeta had almost been killed by a creature when one of the Morphlings, the only one left, leaped out from a tree and took the attack herself.

The trio grabbed her, as she was still alive, and took her down to the beach with them. The creatures stopped trying to attack once their feet were on the sand. Athena didn't take much notice however, as she pulled the Morphling into the water. Suddenly, she felt as though she was back trying to comfort Jason as he died in her hands. The woman gripped onto Athena, staring at her in hope of saving as she wheezed. 

Peeta stood behind Athena, speaking to the woman, telling her to look at the sky. Athena felt a tear slip down her cheek as the woman breathed her last breath and the cannon went off. Peeta placed his hand on Athena's shoulder, offering her some comfort. They soon had to leave her body floating in the water, to be collected by the Game makers and taken to her family. 

Athena watched from afar, wishing she had seen Jason be taken home to his family. Being back in the arena made her feel numb, she was living a nightmare all over again. She stared at the food Finnick had caught for them, she had no appetite and the three others seemed to notice. Their meal was cut short when they heard screaming, they all stood and turned to see what looked like rushing water heading towards them.

A cannon sounded. 

But what amazed them more was that the water seemed trapped in one area, like the whole arena was cut into sectors. Athena began to think what the arena truly was.