74th - part 12
katniss’s pov
In the morning, Johanna shows up as usual. She wakes me up and leaves the room to let me get ready, then we say a quick goodbye to Effie before heading down to take over the watch. It’s become routine at this point.
Today, Haymitch directs our attention to the screen as soon as we enter. “Good news,” he grunts, “the hot rocks won’t be a problem anymore.”
As I look at the screen, I suddenly feel like someone’s twisting a knife in my gut.
The mountains are covered in snow. I take a step forward and stare at it until the camera pans to the boy from 10 huddling in a cave. This is meant to be a show of power. Snow wants my tributes to remember where they are, and for me to remember that their lives are in his hands. The message is clear: there will be no more fire in the arena.
Johanna scoffs loudly next to me. “They’ll freeze. Those clothes aren’t warm, and they barely have any supplies.”
“The others are in the same boat,” pipes up Blight. “Especially the boy from 1.”
“Blight and I are going to head down and speak to some sponsors. It’ll be tough given the molotov, and we won’t be the only ones out there, but…it’s their best shot,” says Haymitch, glancing at the TV. He starts to walk toward the door, but I stop him.
Grabbing him by the arm, I realize I don’t even have to say anything. He knowingly looks in my eyes and clenches his jaw.
“Relax,” he mutters. “I’m working on it.”
I guess I should trust him. He’s been a mentor for decades, and although he’s never had a situation this dangerous, there was a lot to deal with last year. Did he freak out when I covered Rue in flowers? When Peeta almost died in the cave? One thing’s for sure…he had his work cut out for him in the end.
Johanna and I sit down and she lets out a loud sigh. She catches the look on my face and grins. “Am I annoying you, 12?”
I don’t answer. Can’t she see that I’m stressed the fuck out?
“Hey, you seriously need to relax. Trust me, Blight and Haymitch’ll get sponsors and work it out. No one’s gonna freeze.”
“I’m not worried about the cold,” I say pointedly.
“Well, good then. Because there’s nothing else to worry about.” She meets my eyes and gives me a look that I’m too familiar with. It’s the look Haymitch uses to tell me to shut up. But Johanna has no right to act like I’m being ridiculous, because she doesn’t know what Snow told me.
Haymitch knows. And as much as he tries to hide it, I know he’s scared.
Regardless, I try to sit back in the chair and take a few deep breaths. Johanna was right about one thing yesterday: it’s over with, and there’s nothing I can do right now to help. I just have to sit and watch how things play out. Together, we order coffee from an Avox and watch the tributes wake up.
Now that the Careers are dead, there’s no reason for the alliance to continue. Plus, the remaining tributes are dying so quickly that soon it’ll come down to the final few, and Santhe and Cole will have to decide whether to stick together or go out on their own.
My tributes are just opening their eyes when the announcement comes.
I guess it was to be expected after the interviews, but it’s still reassuring to hear Claudius announce that two winners can be crowned. Santhe and Cole grin at each other, and Holly hugs Lance excitedly. Meanwhile, Johanna chuckles at the screen.
After a moment, Lance separates from Holly and clears his throat. “Um…I think it’s time for us to go off on our own.”
“Seriously?” Johanna blurts. She glances at me nervously, but doesn’t explain.
Cole nods, turning my attention back to the screen. “Yeah. It’s better to go now.” He sticks out a hand toward Lance. “Thanks for everything.”
“Of course,” Lance replies, shaking Santhe’s hand as well.
Holly actually starts to cry. I don’t know if this is some angle she worked out with Johanna or not, but she looks devastated by the separation as she throws her arms around Santhe, then Cole, weeping softly into their shoulders. “I’ll miss you,” she tells Santhe.
Lance takes Holly by the hand and leads her out of the cave, looking solemnly back at my tributes one last time before disappearing. Santhe and Cole can hardly look at each other as they retreat back into the cave, sitting down on the cool rock together. I know they’re sad, but shouldn’t they also be focused on the possibility of getting home together?
Not even five minutes after the 7s leave, a low rumbling begins outside, followed by a high pitched scream. My tributes quickly get to their feet and rush outside, but it’s too late. The avalanche has already started.
Johanna jumps up next to me. The camera flips to her tributes, who are desperately running down the mountain, but not fast enough. We watch helplessly as the tumbling snow catches up to Lance first, then Holly, engulfing them in white powder.
Three cannons. There must’ve been another tribute somewhere nearby.
I can’t pull my eyes from the screen until I see Johanna’s back leaving the viewing room. Chasing after her, I don’t bother to pay attention to everyone watching me run away. Johanna’s standing outside the elevator looking murderous.
“Johanna…”
“Stop following me, Katniss.” Her voice surprises me, because I was expecting her to yell at me. Instead, she sounds quiet. Hurt. I thought she would be angry as usual. Actually, after the way she spoke yesterday, I wasn’t sure if she cared about the tributes at all. But she’s on the verge of crying. She reminds me a bit of Prim as a kid, trying to convince me that she wasn’t about to cry.
“Johanna, I’m—”
“Fuck off. I mean it.” She steps into the elevator, glaring at me as the doors close. “Leave me alone.”
I stand there for a while after the elevator leaves, then I go back to the viewing room. Alone.