Chapter 13 Chapter Thirteen Fireball

My first instinct was to get down from the tree, but I was tied with a belt.In a panic, I unbuckled my belt and fell to the ground together with my sleeping bag.I crawled out of my sleeping bag and didn't have time to unpack, luckily my backpack and water bottle were packed in the sleeping bag.I grabbed my belt, put the entire sleeping bag on my shoulders, and ran like hell. Flames were already flying around, thick smoke was everywhere, and burning branches crackled and fell from the trees, hitting my feet with flames, splashing a bunch of sparks.Rabbits, deer, and a pack of wild dogs were running for their lives in the forest. I ran behind them, trusting their instincts to be far more sensitive than mine.But they ran much faster than me, galloping lightly in the grass under the tree, but the roots and broken branches kept tripping my feet, and I couldn't keep up with them.

The heat was unbearable all around, and the smoke, worse than that, threatened to suffocate me at any moment.I pull up my shirt and cover my nose, it's already drenched with sweat, so good it creates a thin layer of protection.I ran, coughed, my sleeping bag slapped my back, the gray smoke blocked my view, and the branches kept scratching my face, but I still ran desperately. This must not be Tribute's out-of-control campfire, nor did it catch fire by accident.The height of the flames falling from my head is unnatural, and the distribution of the fire is evenly distributed like man-made - by machines or by the organizers of the competition.It's been so quiet today, no one has died, maybe there hasn't even been a fight, and the Capitol audience will get bored and complain that it's not fun, which is something the Hunger Games doesn't allow.

It is not difficult to guess the intentions of the contest organizers.The pros on one side of the game and us on the other, maybe spread out in the arena, too far apart from each other, the fire was meant to scare us away and bring everyone closer together.It might not be the best idea I've seen, but it works very, very well. When I jumped over a burning log, I didn't jump high enough and the back of my jacket caught fire.I had to stop, take it off, and stamp out the flames with my foot.But I dare not throw away my jacket yet, and despite the fire and the lack of oxygen around me, I risk stuffing it in my sleeping bag, hoping that the lack of oxygen in the sleeping bag will snuff out my unquenchable embers.What I have behind me is all I have, and even so, this meager thing is not enough to keep me alive.

After only a few minutes, my mouth and nose were extremely parched.I couldn't stop coughing, and my lungs felt like they were on the verge of being cooked.The discomfort turned into pain, ending with a sharp stabbing pain in the chest with each breath.Then I hid under a ledge, fell on my hands and feet, and began to vomit, throwing up my meager supper and water until there was nothing left in my stomach. I knew in my heart that I had to keep walking, but now I was shaking, light-headed, and having trouble breathing.I took a sip of water, rinsed my mouth, and took a few more gulps of water. "You can only rest for one minute, one minute," I said to myself.I quickly tidied up my things, rolled up my sleeping bag, and stuffed other things into my backpack indiscriminately.When the time came, I wanted to continue walking, but I was so smoked that I couldn't think clearly, and those animals with flexible legs and feet that acted as my guides had already disappeared without a trace.I hadn't been to this place before, because I hadn't seen the big rock I was hiding under at this time.Where are the contest organizers trying to drive me?Rush to the lake?Or rush to another place full of dangers?This hit me as soon as I had a little rest by the pond.Is there a route parallel to the direction of the fire that will lead me back to the lake, or at least to a source of water?The flame cannot burn endlessly, it has a limit.It's not that the contest organizers don't have enough fire, but the audience complains of boredom, too.Maybe avoid the pros if I walk the route behind the back away from the flames.Just as I was determined to bypass the source of the fire and take a circuitous route and retrace my steps for miles, the first huge fireball exploded next to a rock two feet above my head.I jumped out from under the rock, filled with new fears.

Now The Hunger Games is taking an unexpected turn.The fire is there to keep us moving while spectators watch the game with interest. When I heard the hiss again, I got down on the ground and didn't have time to look.The fireball hit a tree next to me, and the tree was instantly engulfed in flames.Standing still is waiting to die. I got up and ran, and before I could stand on my heels, I heard a third fireball explode where I had just lay down, forming a pillar of fire behind me.As I scrambled to dodge the fireball, time lost its inherent meaning.I can't see where the fireball is launched from, but judging from the launch angle, it is not from the helicopter. Maybe the entire jungle is in the precise target of the fireball. The launch pad is hidden in the rocks in the woods, and the big game The organizers are sitting in a cool, clean room at this time, pressing the button that can kill me in an instant, all they need is to press down.

The plan of returning to the pond that had been hastily formed in my mind just now was completely wiped out in my sprinting and dodging.Each fireball is only the size of an apple, but once it touches an object, it releases a huge amount of energy.The imminence of death and the urge to live sent all my senses into overdrive.There was no time to judge which was the right way to run, and when the hiss sounded, I either got out of the way or died. Regardless, the fireball does force me to move forward.Years of watching The Hunger Games tells me from experience that some areas are manipulated illegally to attack the players.As long as I can get out of this area, I can escape the launcher's grasp, maybe I will go straight into the snake's den, but I can't care about other things now.

How long it took me to dodge the fireball in my haste and panic is unknown, but the attack finally tapered off.very good.I'm nauseous again.This time it was a stream of acid water rushing straight into my throat and nose, I had to stop, my body was twitching, it was desperately trying to pour out the poisonous gas it had just inhaled.I waited for another sign of a run—the hiss of a fireball, but there was no sound.Vigorous vomiting forced tears from my stinging eyes, and my clothes were soaked with sweat.My nose was full of smoke and acid reflux, but I still smelled of burnt hair.I ran my hand over the braid and saw that the fireball had charred it by at least six inches, and strands of charred hair fell from my hand.I looked at my hair and marveled at how it had changed.Then came the hissing sound again.I ran away, but not fast enough, and the fireball shot past my right calf and hit the ground beside me.Seeing that my pants were on fire, I panicked all of a sudden. I screamed, landed on my hands and feet, twisted my body and backed away, trying to escape from all this horror.Then I regained my composure a little, rolled my legs back and forth on the ground, put out the hottest flames, and then, without thinking, tore off the remaining burning pant cloth with my hands.

I was sitting on the ground, only a few yards from where the fireball exploded and burned.My calf was in severe pain, my hands were covered with blood, and I was shaking all over, unable to move.If the tournament organizers want to end me now, it's time. At this time, I seem to see Cinna holding a gorgeous dress with pearls in his hand, and his voice came, "Katniss, burning girl." The organizers of the competition must have laughed out loud when they heard this.Perhaps it was Cinna's gorgeous costumes that brought about this disaster for me.I know in my heart that it is impossible for him to predict this in advance, and he must be feeling sorry for me now, because I know he really cares about me.In any case, if I had been naked in the chariot, I might have been in a safer position now.

The raid is over.The contest organizers don't want me dead either, at least not yet.The core of The Hunger Games is that the "tributes" kill each other.Often, they kill a "tribute" to remind the other contestants that they can kill, too.But mostly, they drive the players to face each other, which means that if I don't get burned, another "tribute" will show up nearby. If possible, I would like to run and hide in the woods now, but the smoke in the woods is still suffocating.I stood up and limped away to the distance, away from the flames that were so red in the sky.The flames didn't seem to be pressing on me anymore, but the sky was still thick with smoke.

Gradually, a soft morning light appeared in the east, and the daylight was obscured by the spiraling smoke.Visibility was poor, I could only see fifty yards ahead.A "tribute" can easily escape my sight. I should have the knife out in case something happens, but I doubt how long I can hold the knife in my hand.My hands hurt, but my calf hurts far more than that.I hate getting burned, even getting burned by a pan that bakes bread annoys me.For me, it was the most excruciating pain in the world, but I had never suffered such severe pain before. I was so exhausted that I walked to the pond without noticing the water was up to my ankles.It was a lake formed by a spring, and the water bubbles gurgled from the cracks in the rocks, and the water was so cool and pleasant.I dipped my hands in the shallow water and immediately felt a lot easier.Isn't that what mother used to talk about?Is soaking in cool water the most immediate cure for a burn?Does cold water absorb heat?But she's talking about small burns, maybe she'll treat my hands that way, but what about my legs?Although I haven't had the courage to examine the injury, I'm sure it's a different kind of injury.

I lay down by the pond for a while, hanging my hands in the water, and checked the flame patterns on my fingernails, which had started to come off.Well, I've seen enough fire in my life. I washed the blood off my body and the dust off my face, trying to recall all my common sense about burns.Burns and scalds are common in zone 12 because we use coal for cooking and heating.There is also a coal mine accident... Once, the family brought an unconscious young man home to ask his mother for medical treatment.The community doctor who was in charge of treating the miner said he was hopeless and told him to go home and die.But his family is unwilling to accept this fact.He was lying on my kitchen table, completely unconscious.I took a look at the burn on his thigh. The skin was so bloody and bloody that it looked like fish skin, and the bones were exposed. I hurried out of the house.I had been hunting in the woods all day, and I kept thinking about the wound, and Papa's death, from time to time.What's interesting is that Prim, who is afraid of her own shadow, stays behind to help her mother.My mother said that the only way to heal the wound is to grow new flesh by yourself, not medicine.They did their best, but the man died, just as the doctor had said. My leg needs to be dealt with, but I'm still too scared to look.What if the wound is the same as that person's wound, and the bones are exposed?I suddenly remembered what my mother said, if the burn is too severe, the burnt person can't feel it at all, because the nerves have been burned out.Thinking of this, I felt a little relieved, and I sat up and put my legs in front of me to watch. The wound on my leg almost made me faint, the tender flesh was blood red and covered with blisters.I forced myself to take a deep, slow breath, thinking that the camera must be right in my face, I can't show my weakness when I'm hurt, at least not if I want to get help. Wretched circumstances do not bring salvation, but perseverance can command respect.I cut off the trousers at the knee and looked closely at the cut.The burn was the size of my palm and the skin was not charred.I think soaking it in water should be ok.So I cautiously extended my legs into the water, leaning my boots against the rocks to keep them from getting soaked.I breathed a sigh of relief, the wound was indeed much more comfortable soaked in water.I know some herbs that, if I can find them, can speed up the healing of wounds, but I can't remember them.Cool water, and time might help me recall. Should I keep going?The smoke gradually dissipated, but it was still too thick to breathe.If I head away from the fire, will I run into the pros?Also, every time I take my leg out of the water it hurts like before and I put it back in a hurry. The injury on the hand is better, and it can be taken out of the water for a short time.So I slowly got the supplies ready.First fill the bottle with water, disinfect it, and then hydrate your body.After a while, I forced myself to nibble on the biscuits bit by bit, so I solved my stomach problem.Then I rolled up the sleeping bag.Apart from a few black spots on the sleeping bag, there was little damage.My jacket was a different story, it stinks of burning, and at least a foot of it in the back was burnt, and I cut it off so it was just as long as my ribs.The hood isn't broken, it's better than nothing. Even though it hurts, I still feel sleepy.I have to find a place to rest in the woods, but the rest during the day is easy to be found.Plus, getting out of the pond is literally impossible.I've packed my things, even put my backpack on my shoulders, but I can't seem to leave.I saw that the roots of some aquatic plants can be eaten, so I was going to eat them simply with rabbit meat.I sip my water and watch the sun arc rosy in the east.Which direction should I go to be safer than here?I leaned against my pack, sleepiness set in again. "If the pros want me, let them come." Before falling asleep, I thought, "Let them come." They really found me.Fortunately, I had already left when they arrived, and they were only a minute away.It was getting dark, and when I heard footsteps, I ran quickly, crossed the pond, and ran towards the forest.The leg injury slowed my running, but I don't feel like my pursuers are walking as fast as they did before the fire.They coughed and shouted roughly. They were approaching like a pack of wild dogs.The situation was critical, so I took the same way I used to deal with the same situation. I found a tall tree and climbed up.The running just now caused severe pain in my wound, and climbing the tree was even more painful, because climbing the tree was not only strenuous, but also had to touch the bark with my hands.But I still climbed up quickly.By the time they got to the tree, I was twenty feet up.We all stop for a moment to watch each other, I hope they don't hear my heartbeat. "Maybe it's time for us to meet face to face." I thought, what chance do I have of winning compared to them?There were six of them, five pros and Peeta, and my only consolation was that they were tired too.But, look at their weapons, it's frightening, and look at their faces - they are looking at me with a grin, they kill me like they want something.The situation seemed hopeless at the moment, but I had an idea, thinking that they were taller and stronger than me, yes, but they were also physically heavier than me.It was always me, not Gale, who used to climb the tallest trees to pick fruit or bird nests, and for good reason.But now, the smallest professional player is fifty or sixty pounds heavier than me. Thinking of this, I smiled. "How are you doing?" I shouted excitedly. They were discouraged not being able to climb the tree, but I know the audience would love to see that. "Very good." The kid in District Two said, "How about you?" "It's a bit hot for my taste," I said.I seem to hear the laughter of the Capitol. "The air is much better here, why don't you come up?" "I think I will," the guy said. "Here, Cato, take this," said the girl from District One.She handed him the silver bow and quiver.my bow!my arrows!Just seeing this makes me angry.I want to yell at myself, at Peeta, the traitor who distracted me at the time.I stared straight into his eyes, but he was wiping the knife with his sleeve, as if trying to avoid my gaze. "No," said Cato, pushing the bow away, "I'm better with a knife." I could see his weapon, a short knife, in his belt. I deliberately gave Cato time to climb the tree before I started.Gail always said that every time he saw me climbing the thinnest branch he thought of a squirrel.It's partly because I'm underweight, and partly because I train a lot.When climbing a tree you need to know where to put your hands and feet.I climbed another thirty feet when I heard a branch snap.I looked down, and Cato had fallen, along with a branch.He hit the ground hard, and I was hoping he'd broke his neck, but instead he stood up, cursing like a demon. The girl with the bow and arrow is called glimmer (glimmer, the English meaning is shining. - Translator's note), I heard someone call her that - ah, people in the first district give their children such ridiculous names - she She began to climb up, and it didn't take long to hear the sound of cracking branches about to break. She was smart enough to stop.I have now climbed at least eighty feet.She tried to shoot me with an arrow, but it was obvious she was not good with a bow, and an arrow hit me beside me.I pulled the arrow out and taunted her by waving it over her head on purpose, as if I had taken the arrow just to laugh at her, when in fact I wanted to use it when I had the chance.If the bow is in my hand, I can kill them all, and there will be no one left. The professional players were muttering about something, complaining about something, obviously very annoyed at themselves for being so stupid.It was almost dusk at this time, and the attack on me was basically over.Finally, I heard Peeta gruffly say, "Oh, just leave her there, she can't seem to run away, we'll get to her tomorrow morning." Well, he's right about one thing, I'm not going anywhere.The momentary relief that the cool water of the pond had brought to my pain was gone, and now I felt the sharp pain of the wound.Leaning against a tree branch, I slowly and awkwardly prepare for the night.Still strapping herself in, trying not to moan.The sleeping bag was too hot and my legs couldn't bear it, so I cut the sleeping bag open, stretched my calf outside, and sprinkled some water on the wound. After all the bravado, I was so weak from hunger and pain that I couldn't eat.If I eat tonight, what will I eat tomorrow?I stared at the leaves and tried to force myself to rest, but it hurt so much I couldn't sleep.The birds have also returned to the nest, singing a lullaby for the chicks.The nocturnal animals started to move, owls howled, and then there was the faint smell of skunks. The animals in the nearby trees looked at me with burning eyes, maybe it was a possum, and the eyes reflected the light of the professional player's torch.Suddenly I put myself on my elbows, and it wasn't a possum's eye, because I was too familiar with the reflected light of a possum's eye.In fact, those were not animal eyes at all.With the last faint light, I recognized her, the person staring at me through the gaps in the leaves, she is Lulu! How long has she been here?It's probably been here all along.While all this was happening under the tree, she was silent and invisible.Maybe she climbed the tree when she heard the gang approaching, shortly before I did. For a while, we just looked at each other in silence, and then she quietly pointed her little finger at the top of my head.