Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Tick Tick Tick Tick

Peeta dropped his quiver and drove the knife into the monkey's back, stabbing and stabbing, until it let go.He kicks the monkeys away and prepares for more monkeys, and I get his quiver and nock the arrows, with Finnick behind me, panting from exhaustion but not as busy as before. "Come on! Come on!" Peeta yells, furious.But the monkeys didn't come up again. They seemed to hear a silent call, retreated to the tree, and disappeared into the woods.Maybe the order of the extreme race organizers, telling them is enough. "Take her," I say to Peeta, "we'll cover you."

Peeta hugged Junkie gently and walked the last few yards to the sand while Finnick and I braced ourselves.But now, except for the orange monkey carcass on the ground, the other monkeys are gone.Peeta puts her on the ground.I pulled the debris off her chest, revealing four holes pierced by teeth.Blood flowed out slowly from inside, the four holes didn't look very scary, the real wound was inside.Judging from the location of the puncture, the monkey had bitten something fatal, a lung, perhaps a heart. She lay on the sand, gasping for breath with her mouth open like a fish on land. Her shriveled skin was a livid gray, and her ribs jutted out like a starving child.Of course she has food, but I think her morphine addiction is like Haymitch's alcohol addiction.Everything about her indicates a decadent life—her body, her life, the emptiness in her eyes.I grabbed her hand, which was twitching, whether it was from the fumes, the fear of the attack, or the onset of addiction after the morphine stopped.There was nothing we could do but stand by her side and watch her die.

"I'll go to the woods to have a look." Finnick said, striding away.I wanted to go away too, but she held my hand firmly, and only prying could pry it open, but I couldn't bear it.I thought of Lulu, maybe I could sing her a song or something.But I don't even know her name, let alone what songs she likes.I just knew she was going to die. Peeta leaned over on the other side of her body, stroking her hair.He whispered in her ear, saying something I couldn't understand: "With the paint in my paint box at home, I can make all kinds of colors, pink, tender powder like a baby's skin, or Deep pink, like rhubarb-stemmed flowers; green, emerald green like spring grass; blue, pale blue like crystal icicles."

She looked him straight in the eyes, listening obsessively. "Once, I spent three days color-grading until I found the color of sunlight on white fur. You know, I always thought sunlight was yellow, but it's so much more than just yellow. It's made by Layers of colors, layers," Peeta said. The junkie's breath becomes shallower and shallower, eventually becoming a short wheeze.She dipped her hand on the blood on her chest, and drew her favorite spiral shape. "I haven't figured out how to draw a rainbow yet, it comes and goes, I never have enough time to catch it, just a little bit of blue here, a little magenta there, and then it's gone, dissipated in the air. said Peeta.

The junkie, as if hypnotized by Peeta's words, raised a trembling hand and drew what looked to me like a flower shape on Peeta's face. "Thanks," he whispered. "It's beautiful." For a brief moment, a big smile appeared on her face, and there was a slight gurgling sound, before her blood-soaked hands fell limply to her chest, and she took her last breath.Cannons rang out.She let go of my hand. Peeta picked her up and lowered her into the water.He came back and sat next to me.Junkie floated for a moment in the direction of the Horn of Zeus before the helicopter appeared, and a four-clawed robotic arm reached out from inside, grabbed her into the plane, and disappeared into the dark night sky.she went.

Finnick is also back, clutching a handful of arrows with monkey blood on them.He dropped the arrow on the sand beside me. "I think you can use it." "Thank you." I said.I waded into the water and washed the bow and arrows and the blood from the wound.When I returned to the edge of the forest to find some moss to dry my bow and arrows, all the monkey corpses were gone. "Where did they go?" I asked. "Not sure, the vines have moved and the monkeys are gone," Finnick said. We stared blankly at the woods, both numb and tired.Under the quiet moonlight, I saw that the places on my body that had been eroded by the poisonous mist just now had scabs. These wounds no longer hurt, but began to itch, extremely itchy.I take that as a good sign that the wound is starting to heal, and I look at Peeta, and then at Finnick, and they're both scratching their faces too hard.Even Finnick's good looks were ruined by tonight's poisonous fog.

"Don't scratch." I said, in fact, I really want to scratch myself.My mother's voice sounded in my ears, "You can get infected like this, maybe you can try water to relieve the itching?" We came to the tree where Peeta had burrowed, and Finnick and I stood guard while Peeta continued digging, no new dangers arose.Peeta found a great vein and water gushed from the cannula.We drank heavily and washed our scabbed wounds with warm water.We filled the water with shells and went back to the beach. It's still late at night, but dawn will come in a few hours -- if Extreme Race organizers so plan.

"Why don't you two sleep for a while? I'll keep watch," I said. "No, Katniss, I'll do it," Finnick said.I looked into his eyes, then at his face, and he fought back tears.It must be because of Mags.Well, at least I should give him the personal space of mourning for her. "Okay, Finnick, thanks," I said. I lay on the beach with Peeta, and Peeta quickly fell asleep.I looked at the sky and thought how much had changed in one day.Yesterday, Finnick was still on my naming list, but today, I am willing to sleep under his guardianship.He saved Peeta and gave up Mags, and I don't understand why.But I can no longer find the balance between us.All I can do now is to go to sleep and let him mourn Mags silently.

I am asleep. When I woke up, it was mid-morning and Peeta was still lying next to me.Over our heads, a woven straw mat draped over tree branches shielded us from the harsh sun.I sat up and realized that Finnick had been busy all along. He had made two bowls full of water and a third bowl with a bunch of clams. Finnick is sitting on the sand, cracking open clams with rocks. "Fresh clams are best." He said, digging out a large piece of clam meat and stuffing it into his mouth.His eyeballs were so swollen, but I pretended not to see them. The smell of food made my stomach growl.I also picked up a clam, but suddenly saw that my fingernails were full of blood, so I stopped.It turned out that when I fell asleep, I kept scratching my face.

"You know, if you catch it all the time, you get infected," Finnick said. "I've heard that too," I said.I went to the water and washed the blood away, wondering if I hated the pain more or the itching more.Really annoying.I went back to the beach in three steps and two steps, raised my face and said angrily, "Hey, Haymitch, if you're not drunk, you should send us something to treat your skin." The funny thing is, as soon as the voice fell, the parachute appeared in front of me immediately.I reached out and a tube of ointment landed right in the palm of my hand. "It's really about time." I said, and I couldn't help smiling.Haymitch is really good, he can guess my thoughts right away, so I don't need to nag him for a long time.

I plopped down on the sand beside Finnick, unscrewed the cap of the ointment, and found a black viscous ointment inside, with a pungent tar and pine branch smell.I twisted my nose, squeezed a small amount of the ointment into the palm of my hand, and then spread it on my leg. The scabbed leg turned an ugly dark green, but the itching stopped immediately, and I breathed a sigh of relief.I put the ointment on the other leg as well, then tossed the ointment to Finnick, who looked at me suspiciously. "Your legs are like rotten pears," Finnick said.However, I guess he was itching too badly, and after a few minutes he couldn't resist putting on the ointment too.Yeah, the combination of scabs and ointment on the legs is really disgusting.It really made me happy to see him suffering. "Poor Finnick, isn't this the ugliest time of your life?" I said. "It should be, it's a new feeling. How did you survive all these years?" he asked. "Just don't look in the mirror, and then I'll forget," I said. "I can't forget when I look at you," he said. We smeared all over our bodies, and smeared each other where the tights didn't protect us. "I'm going to wake Peeta up," I said. "No, wait. Let's put our face in his face and call him together," Finnick said. Yes, anyway, there is nothing to enjoy all day long, so I agreed.We crouched on either side of Peeta's body, brought our faces within inches of Peeta's, and shook him. "Peeta, Peeta, wake up." I called out to him softly. He slowly opened his eyes, and suddenly shouted as if he had been stabbed: "Ah!" Finnick and I collapsed on the beach, laughing so hard that we couldn't straighten up.Every time he wanted to stop laughing, but seeing Peeta's annoyed face, he couldn't help laughing again.After we calmed down, I thought to myself, Finnick is okay, he's not as vain or haughty as I thought he was, and he's not a bad guy.As I was thinking, a parachute landed beside us, bringing with it a freshly baked loaf.Thinking back to last year, the gifts from Haymitch all contained some kind of message, a message that only I understood.The message of this bread: Make friends with Finnick.You will get food. Finnick is looking at the bread over and over in his hands, looking a little too possessive.It's not necessary.There is green seaweed on the crust, which is only available in District 4, and we all know it's for him.Maybe he just thought the bread was too precious, maybe he thought he would never see a second one, maybe it brought back memories of Mags.But in the end, all he said was, "This bread is to be served with the clams." Finnick deftly cracks open the shells of the clams while I smear the pita, and then we gather around to munch on delicious clam meat and salty bread from District Four. We all look scary - the ointment seems to be causing the scabs to start peeling off - but I'm glad I have the ointment.Not only does it stop the itching, but it also blocks the scorching sun in pink skies.Judging from the position of the sun, it should be almost ten o'clock. We have been in the arena for about a day.Eleven people died, and thirteen survived.There are ten people hiding in the jungle, three or four of them are pro players, and I don't bother to think about who the others are. For me, the jungle quickly turned from a sheltered place to a treacherous world full of thorns and thorns.I know that at some point we'll have to venture into it and fight or be killed, but for now, I want to stay on the lovely beach.Peeta and Finnick suggested we go elsewhere, and I wouldn't listen.The jungle at this time was silent, and under the sunlight, it glowed with soft light, without any danger of revealing it.But, suddenly, there was a shout from afar.The jungle opposite us began to shake and vibrate, setting off huge waves as high as the trees. The huge waves surged up the hillside and rolled down the hillside roaring, beating the sea water that was rolled by the waves.In spite of our best flight the water was up to our knees, and our meager possessions floated in, and the three of us scrambled to grab what we could before the waves swept it away.The only exception is the corroded jumpsuit, because it's too worn out and no one cares. A cannon sounded, and the helicopter appeared at the place where the waves had just risen, and grabbed a corpse from the jungle.Twelve, I thought to myself. After the huge waves rolled over, the water finally calmed down.We rearranged our things on the wet sand, and just as we were about to regain our composure, we saw three people two "spokes" away from us, and they were stumbling towards the beach. "Look," I said softly, nodding in their direction.Peeta and Finnick looked in the direction I indicated, and immediately hid under the shade of the trees in the jungle. It was obvious at a glance that the three of them were in a mess.The first person was dragged ashore by the second person, and the third person was spinning around on the ground, as if mentally disturbed. They were all brick red, as if they had just been dyed in a dyeing vat, and they were pulled out to dry. "Who's that?" Peeta asked. "What? Mutants?" I put up my bow and arrow, ready to defend.The man who was dragged up fell limply on the sand, and the man who dragged him stamped his feet, obviously angry, then turned around and pushed the man who was circling madly to the ground. Suddenly Finnick's eyes lit up. "Johanna!" he yelled, running towards the red guy. "Finnick!" I heard Johanna yell. Peeta and I exchanged glances. "What now?" I asked. "We couldn't do without Finnick," he said. "I think so, let's go." I said very unhappy.While I had a list of envisioned allies in mind, Johanna Mason was definitely not one of them.The two of us strode toward where Finnick and Johanna met.We took a closer look and were baffled that her allies were Beetle and Willis.Beet was lying on the ground, and Willis had just stood up when she started spinning again. "She's with Beetle and Willis," I said. "Nuts and volts?" Peeta says, equally puzzled. "I've got to see what's going on." When we got to them, Johanna was pointing at the jungle and saying something quickly to Finnick. "We thought it was raining at first, you know, there was lightning, and we were all thirsty. But when it rained, it was blood, thick, hot blood. It made our noses full Eyes everywhere. We were running around trying to get out, and that's when Brett hit the electromagnetic field." "Sorry, Johanna," Finnick said.I can't remember for a moment who Brett is, I think he's Johanna's mate from District Seven, but I can hardly remember seeing him.Come to think of it, I don't think he even came to practice. "Well, yeah, he's fine, but he's from home after all," she said, "but when he's gone, I'm left with these two." She kicked Bit, who There was no response either. "He got stabbed in the back at the Horn of Zeus, and you see her—" Our eyes shifted to Willis, who was covered in blood and whirled around, muttering "tick, tick, tick, tick". "Yeah, we know. 'Tick, tick'. The nuts are stimulated," Johanna said.Saying this seemed to draw Willis's attention, and as she walked this way, Johanna shoved her down on the sand with a jerk. "Stay on the ground and don't get up, okay?" "Don't touch her." I said sharply to her. Johanna squinted her brown eyes, gritted her teeth and said, "Don't touch her?" Before I could react, she rushed up and slapped me across the face so hard that my eyes Take gold stars. "Who do you think got them out of the bloody jungle for you? You—" Finnick lifted her onto his shoulders, kicking and kicking, and threw her into the water, She was pushed into the water again and again, during which she kept swearing.But I didn't shoot her because Finnick was next to her and because of what she said, get them out for "me". "What does she mean? Get them out for me?" I ask Peeta. "I don't know. You wanted to join forces with them in the first place," Peeta reminds me. "Yes, that's right. So there is such a thing." But this doesn't explain anything.I looked down at Bit, who was lying there powerless, "But if we don't help them now, we won't be able to cooperate with them for long." Peeta picked up Beetle, I took Willis' hand, and we headed back to our little camp on the beach.I put Willis in shallow water so she could wash.But she just clasped her hands tightly, muttering "tick, tick" occasionally.I undid Bit's belt to find a heavy coil of wire tied to it with rattan.I can't say what it is, but I don't think I can lose it if he thinks it's useful.I put it on the beach.Pete's clothes were already stuck to him with blood, so Peeta carried him into the water and I peeled his clothes off his body and it took a long time to get his jumpsuit off, but it turned out, His underwear was also stained with blood.There was no other way but to strip him naked before washing him clean.I have to say this is nothing to me.We've had too many naked men on our kitchen table this year.It should be said that after a while, I got used to it. We put Beet face down on the mat Finnick had woven so we could check his back.A six-inch gash that ran from his shoulder blade to the inside of his ribs, but fortunately not deep.He's lost a lot of blood - you can tell by his pale skin - and it's still oozing. I knelt down, sat on my heels, and wondered what to do.Healing with sea water?I remembered that every time my mother healed a patient, the first trick was to use snow.I looked at the dense jungle and thought that if I knew how to do it, I dare say that the jungle is a big pharmacy.But the plants in this jungle are all unfamiliar to me.Then I suddenly remembered the moss Magus gave me to blow my nose. "I'll be right back," I tell Peeta.Fortunately, moss can be found everywhere in the jungle.I pulled a lot from a nearby tree, carried back to the beach with two arms, spread a thick layer of moss on Bit's wound, then fixed the moss with vines, poured sea water on it, and then Pull him into the shade at the edge of the jungle. "I think that's all we can do," I said. "That's great. You're quite good at healing. Is this your family heritage?" he said. "It's hard to say." I shook my head, "My inheritance is more from my father." This kind of inheritance can only be manifested most when hunting rather than healing. "I'm going to see Willis." I took a handful of moss, used it as a rag, and walked over to Willis.I took off her clothes and scrubbed her body. She didn't resist, but her eyes were full of fear.When I spoke, she didn't answer, but said "tick, tick" more nervously.She was really trying to tell me something, but without Beetle's explanation, I still wouldn't know anything. "Yes, 'tick, tick. Tick, tick,'" I said.Hearing this, she seemed calmer.I washed the blood off her jumpsuit and helped her put it on.Her romper didn't seem as ripped as ours, and her belt was fine, so I tied it on her too.Then I put her lingerie, along with Bit's, with stones and soaked it in water. Johanna and Finnick came over while I was washing Beetle's jumpsuit, Johanna was clean and Finnick's scabs were peeling off.Johanna gulped water and ate clams, and I coaxed Willis to eat a little too.Finnick talks about the fog and the monkeys in a calm, objective tone, omitting the most important details. Everyone was willing to stand guard and let others rest, and it was finally decided that Johanna and I would take up the task.I did it because I was getting enough sleep, and she did it because she didn't want to lie down at all.The two of us stayed quietly on the beach while the others slowly fell asleep. Johanna looked at Finnick, made sure he was asleep, and asked me, "How did you lose Mags?" "In the fog. Finnick carried Peeta, and I carried Mags, and then I couldn't carry it anymore. Finnick said he couldn't carry them both, and she gave him a kiss and ran straight into the fog." I said . "She's Finnick's tutor, you know that," Johanna said reproachfully. "No, I don't know," I said. "She's like family to him," she said after a moment, but with less hostility this time. We watched the water lap against our jumpsuits under the rocks. "So, what about you guys and nuts and volts?" I asked. "I told you—I got them out for you. Haymitch said we had to bring them to you if we wanted to be allies with you," Johanna said. "You told him, Right?" No, I thought to myself.But I still nodded, "Thank you, thank you very much." "I hope so." She gave me a look of disgust, as if I had caused her the biggest drag in her life.I don't know if that's what it's like to have a sister who hates you. "Tick, tick," I heard Willis say behind me.We turned and saw that she was sitting up, her eyes fixed on the jungle. "Oh, well, here she is again. Well, I'm asleep, and you and Nutty can watch together," Johanna said.She walked over and lay down next to Finnick. "Tick, tick." Willis said softly.I called her to come to me, lay down in front of me, and stroked her arm to calm her down.She fell asleep slowly, still shaking uncomfortably in her sleep, and occasionally talking in her sleep, "tick, tick." "Tick, tick." I whispered to her, "It's time to sleep, tick, tick. Go to sleep." The sun is already high in the sky, hanging over our heads.It must be noon.I thought absently.The time didn't matter, but to my right, across the water in the distance, I saw a blinding flash that struck a tree like lightning.Then, like last night, the lightning bolts started again.Someone must have stepped into that area again, triggering a lightning storm.I sat still, watching the lightning in the distance, trying to keep Willis calm, and the rhythmic beating of the water brought her into a quieter state.I thought of last night when the lightning started after the clock struck twelve. "Tick, tick." Willis mumbled in her sleep, she seemed to be waking up, but suddenly fell asleep again. Twelve bells struck like midnight, and then there was lightning; now the sun was high, like noon, and there was also lightning. I stood up slowly and looked around the arena.The arena was a circle, and lightning appeared at a specific location. In the area next to it, there was a rain of blood, which was the rain of blood that Johanna, Willis, and Bit encountered.We may be in the third area, next to where they are, and encountered poisonous fog.Once the poisonous mist is sucked away, the monkey appears in the fourth area. "Tick, tick".I think from another angle.A few hours ago, at about ten o'clock, the wave rolled over and occurred in the second area, which is the area to the left of the area where the lightning is now.Noon—midnight—noon. "Tick, tick." Willis was still talking in her sleep.Immediately after the lightning stops, the blood rain begins in the area to its right.I seemed to suddenly understand what she meant. "Oh," I said softly, "tick, tick." I scanned the arena all the way around, and I knew she was right. "Tick, tick. The arena is a clock."