| THE LOVE HE HATES | HUNGER GAMES | COMPLETED

19 | THE MOUSE RAN UP THE CLOCK

     "SOMEONE'S HERE." KATNISS stated, drawing an arrow but hiding among the bushes.

Athena kneeled, watching as three people came out from the trees, covered in blood. Her brows furrowed as she tried to figure out who it was, but she figured it out quickly.

"Johanna?" Athena called out, jogging over to her and the two others, wondering what had happened.

"Athena!" The two ended up embracing as Finnick, Peeta and Katniss joined them. "Well...I got them out. We were all the way deep into the jungle where I though it was gonna be safe. That's when the rain started. I thought it was water, it turned out to be blood. Hot, thick blood."

Wiress, half covered in blood came up to them. "Tick tock."

"It was coming down."

"Tick tock."

Athena's attention drifted to Wiress, although it sounded like gibberish, it seemed like she was trying to tell them something but didn't know how to.

"It was choking us." Johanna scoffed. "We were stumbling around, gagging on it, blind. That's when Blight hit the forcefield."

"Tick tock."

"He wasn't much, but he was from home."

"Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock."

Katniss looked at the woman, worried for her. "Whats wrong with her?"

Beetee stood from the water, having washed most of the blood off. "She's in shock. Dehydration isn't helping. Do you have fresh water?"

"We can get some."

Johanna suddenly turned aggressive on Wiress, who seemed to be annoying her with her repetitive words. Katniss stood between them, but Johanna turned on her for a moment before Finnick stepped in.

"I got them out for you!" She shouted at Katniss as Finnick pulled her away.

Katniss looked puzzled. "For me? What does that mean?"

Peeta shrugged. "You did want them as allies."

Athena followed Finnick and Johanna. "What are you talking about?"

The girl looked between her and Finnick before chuckling lightly. "She doesn't know?"

"Know what?"

Finnick furrowed his brows. "He didn't tell you?"

Athena shook her head, she assumed Finnick was speaking about Aeschylus but he had never said anything about Johanna getting tributes out. The boy stepped closer to her, about to whisper something in her ear but a lightning strike caught their attention. Athena's mind suddenly lightbulbed.

"It's a clock." She spoke, catching everyone's attention. "It's laid out like a clock, twelve areas, threats in each one based on each hour. The lightning strikes, the chimes. It works out like a clock, saying which area will be next. The blood rain, fog, monkeys."

The group, which had gotten three people bigger, quickly understood what Athena meant. She was quick to figure out the arena in her own Games so they weren't that surprised she was able to figure out this one, especially with the help Wiress gave. The group headed to the Cornucopia, seeing what was left there and what time each wedge represented. The tail of the Cornucopia was twelve, it pointed at the tree where the lightning would strike.

Peeta drew out a clock in the sand. "So, 12 to 1 is lightning. 1 to 2 is blood. Then fog and then monkeys."

"Then 10 to 11 the wave." Katniss added. "What about everything else? Did you guys see anything?"

Johanna shook her head. "Nothing but blood."

"It doesn't matter. As long as we steer clear of which ever sector is active, we'll be safe." Athena shrugged, lightly listening to Wiress singing behind her.

But suddenly the woman gasped, everyone turned to see Cashmere, the district one tribute had just pulled out a knife from Wiress' chest. A cannon fired and Katniss shot an arrow into him, a second cannon going off. The Gloss appeared, running towards the group. Johanna pushed Katniss out of the way, throwing her axe as the tribute. Another cannon.

And then another tribute, all the careers seemed to have snuck up on the group. Finnick was slashed by one of them and so decided to hide himself in the Cornucopia as Katniss, Johanna and Athena ran after the other careers. However, the whole thing started to spin. Athena held onto the rocks as best as she could but she suddenly fell in and got stuck in the spinning water. Johanna and Katniss attempted to reach for her but both missed.

Athena felt like she had been under for ages but eventually the spinning had stopped and she had enough energy to make it to the surface. Finnick dove into the water, hooking his arm around Athena to help her get to the stone walk way. Peeta and Johanna pulled her up, watching her cough up water.

Johanna patted her back. "Let's get what we need and get off this island."

The group gathered what supplies were left at the Cornucopia and headed to shore, back on the sand. Athena felt a bit weak after the ordeal with the spinning island and kept coughing every once in a while. There were only three tributes left, outside of the group, which made it unlikely that they would be attacked again.

Katniss then ran off, shouting for her sister as her voice called out for her help. Finnick was quick on his feet but when the rest of the group tried to follow, they found their path blocked by an invisible force. Katniss and Finnick were stuck hearing whatever the JabberJays were shouting, it was going to be a long hour. When it was over, Peeta ran to Katniss and Athena stood with Finnick who seemed out of it.

She helped him to his feet as Johanna shouted to Snow, she didn't listen to her as she helped Finnick to the beach. The pair sat in the water together, thinking about the people they love. Finnick had fallen for Annie after she had won the 70th Games, he had been her mentor and being only a year older than her at the time, he had fallen for her. Athena loved to hear the stories he told about her, especially about their planned future together, it was something she wished for herself and Aeschylus.

Katniss called for the pair to join them as Beetee had come up with a plan that might allow them to kill all the Careers.