Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Finding Allies

Haymitch grabbed my wrist quickly, as if anticipating what I was going to do next.But I remained silent, like Darius after the Capitol.Haymitch once told me that the Capitol cut off Avax's tongue so they could never speak again.In my heart I can still hear the words of Darius, lighthearted and playful, teasing and teasing me in Hope Market.His jokes are different from other victors making fun of me, we treat each other sincerely.What would Gail think if he saw him... It was clear to me at this moment that any gesture I made to Darius, that I knew him or anything, would subject him to punishment.So we just stared at each other.Darius is now a dumb slave; and I am about to fight to the death.What can we say?Feel sorry for each other's fate?Feel sorry for each other?We are glad to know each other?

No, Darius should not be pleased to know me.If I had been there to stop Stride, he wouldn't have had to step up to save Gale, wouldn't have been Avax, and especially wouldn't have been my Avax.Apparently, President Snow arranged for him to serve me on purpose. I broke away from Haymitch's hand, ran back to the room where I used to live, and locked the door.I sat on the edge of the bed with my elbows on my knees and my forehead with my hands, looking at the shiny clothes on my body in the dark room.I pictured myself at home in District 12, curled up by the fireplace.The light on the clothes gradually receded until all the batteries were used up and the lights disappeared.

When Effie finally knocked on the door and told me to go to dinner, I stood up, took off my clothes, folded them neatly, and put them on the table with the crown.In the bathroom, I washed off the heavy makeup on my face, put on a plain shirt and pants, and walked across the hall to the restaurant. As I ate, my mind was restless and I could only think of our waiter, Darius, and the red-haired girl.Effie, Haymitch, Cinna, Portia, Peeta, all seem to be discussing the opening ceremony at the dinner table.I deliberately knocked a plate of peas to the ground, and before anyone stopped me, I quickly bent down to pick them up.While eating, I have been absent-minded, only this action is conscious.When I knocked over the plate, Darius was standing next to me, and we squatted side by side as we bent over to pick up the beans, but I didn't dare to look him in the eye.For a brief moment, our hands held together.The butter in the dish splashed on his hand, and I could feel his skin was rough.Between our desperately clenched fingers lies all the unspoken words.At this moment, I heard Effie shouting from behind me, "This is not your job, Katniss!" Then he let go of my hand.

Then we went back to the lobby to watch the opening footage, and I squeezed between Cinna and Haymitch because I didn't want to sit next to Peeta.I'm sad about Darius, but it belongs to Gale and I, and maybe Haymitch, but not Peeta.He might have known Darius, had nodded to him, but Peeta, unlike us, had a special connection between Hob's black market gangsters.Plus, he taunted me along with the other victors and it pissed me off, and the last thing I needed was sympathy and reassurance.My determination to keep him in the arena has not changed, but other than that, I don't owe him anything.

When I see the images of the parade floats heading to the town square, I think it sucks to have us walk through the streets every year in colorful costumes.If it's silly for kids to wear colored costumes, it's sympathetic to have older victors in colored costumes.Some of the younger ones, like Johanna and Finnick, or those who haven't changed much in shape, like Sidel and Brutal, haven't lost their dignity.But most people, those who are addicted to drugs and suffering from diseases, look weird when they dress up as cows, trees, and bread.Last year we discussed every entrant in detail, but this year, it's just a quick comment or two.It’s no wonder people go crazy when Peeta and I show up, because we look so young and fit in our costumes, the way a contestant should be.

As soon as the taping was over, I stood up, thanked Cinna and Portia for all they had done, and then I went back to my bedroom.Effie ordered an early wake-up call so everyone could meet at breakfast the next day to discuss training plans.But even Effie's voice sounded hollow.Poor Effie.She finally got a good player like me and Peeta and showed her face; but now everything is so messed up, she can't even think about it.In the words of the Capitol, this is the real tragedy. Shortly after I went to bed, I heard a soft knock on the door, which I ignored.I don't want Peeta to come tonight, especially with Darius around.It's pretty much the same feeling Gale is around.Oh Gail.Darius is outside, how can I not think of him?

What appeared in my dream was a tongue.Darius' tongue was frozen and immobile, and a rubber-gloved hand pulled the bloody tongue out of his mouth.Afterwards, I went to a party where everyone was wearing masks, some with wet tongues bobbing up and down.A person approached me quietly. In my dream, I thought this person was Finnick. He grabbed me and took off his mask, but it was President Snow who appeared in front of me, his fat lips were dripping blood red saliva .Finally, I show up in the arena with my tongue dry like sandpaper, trying to get to the pool, but whenever I get close, the pool keeps receding.

I woke up from the dream, stumbled to the bathroom, and drank from the tap until I couldn't drink any more.I took off my sweat-soaked clothes, lay back on the bed naked, and fell asleep again in a daze. At breakfast the next day I tried not to go downstairs as long as I could, because I really didn't want to discuss the training plan.What is there to discuss?Every winner knows what skills the others have, or at least have had in the past.Peeta and I are still pretending to be lovers, but a little bit.Somehow, I just don't want to talk about it, especially with the mute Darius standing aside.I took a long shower, slipped into the training clothes Cinna had prepared for me, and ordered breakfast over the intercom.A minute later, sausage, eggs, potatoes, bread, juice and hot chocolate were delivered to my room.I ate my fill and killed the time bit by bit, trying to stay there until ten o'clock, which is the time we meet at the training center.At nine-thirty, Haymitch banged on my door, obviously tired of waiting.He ordered me to gather at the restaurant as soon as possible.immediately!However, I still brushed my teeth in a leisurely manner, and then I walked slowly to the hall, and successfully delayed for another five minutes.

The dining room was empty except for Peeta and Haymitch.Haymitch's face flushed from drinking and anger.On his wrist was a solid gold bracelet painted with flames, apparently giving in to Effie's "coordinating accessory plan."He twisted his wrist uncomfortably.The bracelet was really pretty, but he kept twisting his wrist like it was awkward, and the bracelet looked more like handcuffs than jewelry. "You're late." He yelled at me. "I'm sorry, I had a nightmare about cutting my tongue all night, so I couldn't get up." I wanted to sound fierce, but my voice trailed off at the end.

Haymitch scowled at first, then softened again. "Okay, it doesn't matter. For today's training, you have two tasks. First, be like lovers." "Sure." I said. "Second, make some friends," Haymitch said. "No," I said, "I don't trust anyone, I can't stand most people, and I'd rather work with the two of us." "That's what I said at first, but—" Peeta said. "But it's not enough," Haymitch insisted. "You need more allies this time." "Why?" I asked. "Because you are absolutely vulnerable. Your opponents have known each other for years. So, who do you think they will target first?" he said.

"Well, then there's no way we'll break their years of friendship no matter what we do," I said, "so why bother?" "Because you're capable of fighting. You're popular among them. They'd still be willing to ally with you. As long as you let them know you're willing to ally with them," Haymitch said. "You mean you want us to team up with the pros this year?" I asked, unable to hide my disgust.Traditionally, players from District 1, District 2, and District 4 will form an alliance, and often bring a few particularly good players to hunt down weak players together. "That's always been our strategy, hasn't it? To train like a pro?" Haymitch retorted. "Who belongs to a pro league is usually decided before the game, and Peeta happened to be in them last year." Thinking back to last year, how disgusted I was when I found Peeta with other pros. "So I'm trying to unite with Finnick and Brutal, what do you mean?" "Not necessarily. Everyone is a winner. Form your own alliance, if you want. I suggest you join forces with Chaff and Cinder. Of course, Finnick can't be ignored." Haymitch said, "Find the right Those of you who are useful, unite with them. Remember, the arena isn't all toddlers, they are sophisticated killers no matter what they look like." He may be right, but the question is who should I trust?Maybe Sidel.But if I end up having to fight her, am I willing to form a bond with her?No.However, I made a covenant with Lulu under the same circumstances.I told Haymitch I'd do my best, even though I knew I felt bad doing it. Effie came and asked us to meet downstairs.This year Effie set the assembly time earlier than last year, because last year we were the last to arrive although we were not late.But Haymitch said he wouldn't accompany us to practice because none of the other players had a babysitter.In addition, as the youngest player, he should appear more independent.So Effie took us to the elevator, and she kept arranging our hair and buttoning our buttons all the way. The training ground is just around the corner, we will be there in a few minutes, and we don't have time to talk.When Peeta took my hand, I didn't shake it off.Maybe I snubbed him last night, but at the training ground, we have to look like we're inseparable. Effie doesn't have to worry that we are the last one. When we came to the training ground, only Bruto and the female player from the second district, Inobeli, were there.Inobeli was in her thirties, and in my memory, she used her teeth to break the opponent's throat in a hand-to-hand fight.She became so famous that after she became the victor, she had her teeth specially trimmed, making them in the shape of wolf's fangs and inlaid with gold.She had no shortage of admirers in the Capitol. By ten o'clock, only half of the contestants showed up.Atala, the female trainer in charge of training, began to give lectures regardless of the number of trainees.Perhaps she had expected this to happen.I'm also relieved that I don't have to pretend to be friends with them.Atala announced the names of all the training stations, which included fighting and survival techniques, and then let us train freely. I told Peeta that we'd better train separately so we could get more exposure to the training program.So he practiced spear-throwing with Brutal and Chaff, and I practiced knotting.There are hardly anyone here.I like this instructor a lot, and he remembers me and has a good impression of me, maybe I practiced with him last year.I can still remember how to devise a snare that would hang the man caught by one leg from a tree, and he was delighted to see it.Apparently he's been keeping track of how well I've been setting traps for the last year, and it's nice to see the progress I've made.So, I wanted him to help me review all the handy ways to tie knots and teach me some less common ones.I thought to myself, I am also very satisfied to be able to study alone with the instructor all morning.However, about an hour and a half later, I was sweating profusely tying a very complicated knot when a man reached out from behind me and tied the knot effortlessly.Of course, this is Finnick, I guess, he must have been fiddling with tridents and making various knots for weaving webs since he was a child.I watched for a minute while he took a length of rope, tied it into a noose, and then, just to amuse me, pretended to be strangled. I lowered my eyelids and ignored him.Then head towards an empty training station where you learn how to make fire.I am already proficient in the skill of making fire, but I am also very dependent on matches.Therefore, the instructor taught me to use flints, iron blocks, and burnt cotton cloth for ignition training.This was much harder than it looked, and it took me almost an hour to get the fire lit, with all my concentration and dedication.I looked up with a triumphant smile on my face, only to find someone else beside me. Two contestants from District 3 were standing next to me, trying to learn how to light a fire with matches.I wanted to leave, but I really wanted to try the flint and steel again.Besides, if I go back and report to Haymitch, I tell him that it's okay to be friends with these two.Both were short, with pale skin and dark hair.The woman, named Willis, was about my mother's age, and she spoke calmly and intelligently.But I soon discovered that she used to stop in the middle of her speech, as if she had forgotten the existence of the listener.The man, named Beetle, was older than she, and seemed to be restless all the time.He wears glasses, but sees through the underside of them most of the time.They're kind of weird, but I'm sure at least they don't get naked in front of my eyes and make me uncomfortable.And they are from the third district, maybe they can help me confirm that there was a riot in the third district. I scanned around the training ground.Peeta is standing among a group of foul-mouthed competitors, practicing knife throwing; two morphine junkies in District Six are learning camouflage, drawing bright pink swirls on each other's faces; men in District Five are fencing The training area is throwing up; Finnick and the older women in their area are practicing archery; Johanna Mason is naked again, getting her body oiled for wrestling class.I decided to stay put. It seems that Willis and Beetle are good companions.They seem to be very friendly, and they don't just pry into other people's privacy.We talked about talent, and they told me that they both love to invent, which makes my costume-designing tricks pale in comparison.Willis talks about a sewing device she's inventing. "It senses the density of the fabric, so it can control—" she said, pausing when she turned her attention to a handful of hay. "The strength of the sewing," Bit went on to explain, "is completely automatic, and it avoids human error." Then he talked about his recent successful invention of a small chip that can be hidden in a piece of glitter paper. crumbs, but can store up to several hours of songs.I remembered that Octavia had mentioned this kind of thing when I was taking wedding photos.I saw this opportunity to slowly lead the conversation to the topic of riots. "Oh, yes, my makeup artist said that they were very anxious because they couldn't buy this kind of thing a few months ago." I pretended to mention it casually, "I ordered a lot of goods from the third district as spare parts Well, I guess." Bate looked at me from under his glasses. "Yeah, do you guys have coal reserves this year too?" he asked. "No, well, this year they sent a new sheriff, it took a few weeks, but it's not a big problem." Two weeks of starvation." I think they understand what I'm saying, there are no riots in our district. "Well, really." Willis said in a slightly disappointed tone, "I found that your area is very..." She was interrupted by other things in her mind. "Interesting," Bate added, "both of our districts." I know that their area is more bitter than our area, and I really feel bad. "Well, there aren't many people in District 12," "at least not from the number of vigilantes, but I think we're interesting," I said. When we walked towards the building training station, Willis kept staring at the stands where the Extreme Race Organizing Committee was located. Some of them were strolling, some were drinking, eating meat, and some were watching us. "Look," she said, nodding her head in their direction.I looked up to see Plutarch Havensby, in a gorgeous purple gown with a fur-trimmed neckline that identified him as the chairman of the race committee, sitting at a table eating a turkey leg. I didn't understand, but I still said casually: "Well, he was just promoted to the head of the organizing committee this year." "No, no. Then, look at the corner of the table. You can..." Willis said. Bit squinted from behind his glasses, too: "Look carefully." I looked in that direction and still didn't understand.But then, I saw clearly.At the corner of the table, a place about six inches square seemed to be vibrating, as if gas had blown out of it, the tablecloth was shaking slightly, and the corners of the table under the tablecloth were no longer obvious, and a goblet happened to be placed in that position. "It's an electromagnetic force field," I said. "I shot an arrow at them last year in individual training." Bit and Willis looked at me curiously. "At that time, I was in a hurry. Does all the electromagnetic field have such a small vibrating piece?" "A gap." Willis said vaguely. "Well, it's in the hood," Beetle added. "It better be invisible, isn't it?" I wanted to ask again, but now it's lunch time.I looked around for Peeta, who was with a dozen or so other winners, so I decided to just eat with these two guys from Ward Three.Maybe I can get Sidel to eat with us too. We make our way to the restaurant, only to find that Peeta's gang is up to something new.They pulled the small tables together to form a large table for everyone to eat together.Now I don't know what to do.Even at school, I don't want to eat at a table with everyone.To be honest, if March hadn't been used to being with me, maybe I would have been eating alone.I could have eaten with Gale, but we were two grades apart and never met at lunchtime. The food is on the dining car, and we go around the house, and I pick it up with a tray, and as I get to the stew, Peeta steps up. "How about it?" "Yes, very good. I like the victors of District Three," I said. "Willis and Beetle." "Really?" he asked, "Everyone thinks they're ridiculous." "I don't think it's any big deal at all," I said.I think back to school, when Peeta was always surrounded by a bunch of friends.I thought he only thought I was weird, but I didn't expect him to pay attention to me, which is incredible. "Johanna nicknamed them 'Nuts' and 'Volt', I think 'Nuts' for the girls and 'Volts' for the boys," he said. "So I'd be foolish to think they'd be useful, just because of what Johanna Mason said half-heartedly while oiling her breasts at wrestling practice," I retorted. "To be honest, they have been called by nicknames for many years, and I don't mean to insult them by saying this, it's just a message that everyone sends." He said. "Actually, Willis and Bit are quite smart. They will find out, and they will know at a glance that an anti-riot device has been installed between the competition organizing committee and us. If we still want to join forces with others, I would rather choose them." Saying that, he threw the spoon into the stew, splashing the gravy all over the two of us. "Why are you so mad?" Peeta asks, wiping the gravy off his shirt, "because I teased you in the elevator? I'm sorry, I thought you could just smile." "Forget it," I said, shaking my head, "There are a lot of things." "Darius," he said. "Darius, match, Haymitch wants us to team up with someone else," I said. "No, just the two of us, you know," he said. "I know, but maybe Haymitch is right. Don't tell him I said that, he's usually right about anything Hunger Games," I said. "Okay then, who you team up with is up to you in the end. But for now, I'm leaning toward Sinder and Chaff," Peeta said. "I think Sidel is okay, but Chav isn't," I said. "Not yet, anyway." "Come and let's eat together, and I promise he won't kiss you again this time," Peeta said. Chaff was doing just fine at dinner.Calmer, he talks loudly and makes a lot of jokes, but most of them are self-deprecating.I can see why he gets along so well with Haymitch, because Haymitch is sombre.But I'm still not sure if I want to unite with him. I try to be easygoing, not only with Chaff, but with everyone else.After the meal, I trained with the contestants from District 8 at the Edible Wild Insects Training Station.One was Cecelia, a mother of three, and the other was Wulf, an elderly man with poor hearing who seemed unfamiliar with the training in front of him, always trying to stuff poisonous insects into his mouth.I wanted to tell them about meeting Turrell and Bonnie in the woods, but I didn't know what to say.Brother and sister Cashmere and Gruz from District 1 invited me to practice, and we drummed up a hammock for a while.They are polite, but also aloof.Last year I killed Glimmer and Malfoy in the first district, and I kept circling in my mind. Maybe they knew these two people, maybe they were their instructors.I am absent-minded, the bed is not made, and the desire to join forces with them is not strong.At the fencing training station, I ran into Inobeli and had a few words, but obviously neither of us wanted to join hands with each other.When I was learning fishing skills, Finnick appeared again. This time, he introduced Mags, who was also from District 4, to me.Mags has a strong local accent, and her articulation is slurred. I think she may have had a stroke. Every three or four sentences she speaks, I still can't spell a complete sentence.But she was dexterous and could make a fishhook out of anything—bones, thorns, earrings.After a while, I stopped paying attention to what the trainer was saying, and concentrated on learning Mags's craft.Finally, when I made a nice fishhook out of crooked nails and tied it to my hair, she smiled at me with a toothless grin and murmured something to me, as if praising me.It occurred to me that she had voluntarily substituted for the hysterical young woman in the district, definitely not thinking she could win, but to save her, just like I volunteered to save Prim last year.So, I decided to choose her as an ally. Great.Now I can go back and tell Haymitch I've chosen an eighty-year-old lady, "Nut" and "Volt" as allies.He must be happy. So, for the sake of my mental health, I gave up the idea of ​​choosing friends and went to the archery area to practice archery.It's a great place to try out all kinds of bows and arrows.Seeing that the fixed archery target could no longer meet my needs, the training teacher Tiggs simply launched the fake bird into the air and made me a movable archery target.At first, the idea didn't look like much, but I soon realized that it was a lot of fun, like shooting something alive.I shot every arrow, and the arrows hit the target, and he simply kept increasing the number.I forgot that I was a training ground, forgot other players, and my own misfortune, and was completely immersed in the joy of archery.I started trying to shoot five birds at a time, when I suddenly felt that the surroundings were too quiet, so quiet that the sound of each fake bird landing was clearly audible.I turned around and saw that most of the players had stopped what they were doing and were staring at me.There are different expressions on the face, some are jealous, some are disgusted, and some are envious. After practice, Peeta and I wandered around waiting for Haymitch and Effie to come and have dinner together.Haymitch excitedly said to me as soon as we met: "Look, half of the players have told their instructors that they want to pick you as an ally. I know, it must not be because of your cheerful personality." "They saw her shoot an arrow," Peeta said with a smile. "Actually, I saw her shoot an arrow, too, for the first time. I'm about to make a formal request myself." "Are you that good?" Haymitch asked me. "Even Brutal wants to join forces with you?" I shrugged: "But I don't want to join forces with Brutal. I want Mags, and two people from District Three." "Of course you'll pick them." Haymitch sighed and ordered a bottle of wine. "I'll tell them you haven't made up your mind yet." After my archery show, people still make fun of me from time to time, but I don't think it's ironic anymore.In fact, I feel like I'm starting to be included in the inner circle of winners.Over the next two days, I had contact with almost all of the contestants, even morphine junkies.Together with Peeta, they painted me as a yellow flower in a field.Even Finnick spent an hour teaching me how to use a harpoon in exchange for an hour teaching him how to use a bow.And the more I learned about these people, the worse it got.Because, on the whole, I don't dislike them, some I like; and most are so badly themselves that my instinct to protect them is even aroused.But, to save Peeta, they all have to die. On the last day of training, there is a personal test.Each of us was allowed fifteen minutes to demonstrate our skills in front of the Extreme Race organizers.But I don't know what exactly you want to show.During lunch, everyone kept joking about it.What can we do?Sing, dance, striptease, tell jokes.Mags - and I know her a little better - even said to sleep.I don't know what to do.Shoot an arrow, I thought.Haymitch said try to surprise them, but I really don't have any good ideas. Because I am a player from District 12, I was the last to play.The contestants entered the stage one by one, and the restaurant became more and more quiet.When there are many people, everyone can easily show their usual cynicism and fearlessness.But all I could think about when people disappeared at the door one by one was that they only had a few days before they died. In the end it was just Peeta and me.He crossed the table and reached out to hold my hand: "Have you thought about what to show?" I shook my head. "I won't be able to use them as practice targets this year. There's an electromagnetic riot zone. Maybe make a fishhook or something. How about you?" "Haven't thought about it. I've been wishing I could bake a cake or something," he said. "Get some more camouflage," I suggested. "If only the morphine junkie had room for me," he said slyly, "I'd been stuck in that training station since training started." We sat for a while without saying a word, and I suddenly spoke our minds: "How are we going to kill these people, Peeta?" "I don't know." He lowered his head and rested his forehead on our folded hands. "I don't want to join them. Why did Haymitch want us to get to know them? This time it's more complicated than last time. Of course, Lulu is an exception. Even if it was possible, I guess I would never kill her .She looks so much like Prim," I said. Peeta looked up at me, frowning, "She died a terrible death, didn't she?" "Everyone dies badly," I said.The scene of Glimmer and Cato's death appeared in his mind. Someone called Peeta's name, and now I'm alone.Fifteen minutes passed, half an hour, nearly forty-five minutes, before someone called me. Once inside, there was a strong smell of detergent and a mat was pulled to the center of the training ground.At this time last year, the Xtreme race organizers in the stands were drunk and absent-mindedly picking delicacies from the plates on the table.The atmosphere at this time was obviously different from last time.They whispered in low voices, sullen expressions appeared on their faces.What the hell did Peeta do?Did he annoy them? My heart suddenly clenched into a ball.This is not a good sign.I don't want the Extreme Race organizers to be annoyed by making Peeta the only cleanup target.I'm going to save Peeta from their wrath.But how did he annoy them?If it were me, I would do more than nothing.For those who rack their brains to kill us for fun, I want to tear off their self-satisfied masks and let them know that we are vulnerable to the Capitol's brutal killing methods, and they are also vulnerable. Do you know how much I hate you guys?I thought to myself, you guys who worked so hard to design The Hunger Games? I looked directly into Plutarch Havensby's eyes, but he seemed to be avoiding me, as he had been throughout the training session.I think back to how he asked me to dance, how he showed me the Mockingjay on his watch with gusto.But here, his friendly demeanor is nowhere to be seen.how can that be possible?I am a "tribute", and he is the chairman of the organizing committee.So powerful, so out of reach, so safe and secure... Suddenly, I had an idea.As long as I do that, whatever outrageous things Peeta has done will be nothing, and I can save him from the fire.I went to the knotting station, picked up a length of rope, and tied a knot.I've only seen Finnick's nimble fingers do it quickly before, but I haven't tied this kind of knot before, so it takes a lot of effort.After about ten minutes, I tied the knot and it was ok.I dragged the dummy to the center of the field and hung it by the neck with the help of the parallel bars.It would be better if the dummy's hands could be cut backwards, but I think there is not enough time.I quickly ran to the camouflage training station again.Looks like somebody's been here, morphine junkies for sure, and they've messed up the place.I found a jar of blood-red berry juice.I dipped my fingers in the juice and carefully wrote the words on the dummy, while covering it with my body to prevent the judges from seeing it. The flesh-colored cloth wrapped around the dummy is very absorbent, and the words are easy to write on.After writing, I walked away quickly and watched the judges' reactions.On the dummy is written: Seneca Kling.