Chapter 14 Chapter Fourteen Tracking Bees

I looked in the direction of her finger.At first I didn't know what she was pointing at, but then I saw something vaguely fifteen feet above me.But... what is it?Is it some kind of animal?It was about the size of a raccoon, and it hung from a branch, swinging slightly with it.And, among the familiar sounds of the jungle night, I heard a low hum, ah, I see, a wasp nest. I shivered involuntarily, but did my best to keep myself calm.Anyway, I don't know what kind of wasps live in this area.Maybe it's the usual kind, if you don't mess with it, it won't mess with you either.While The Hunger Games is in progress, it is not in line with the game's usual practice to place the usual breed in the arena.Maybe it's a special hybrid called the "Tracking Wasp" that the Capitol bred to resemble a chirping bird.These killer hornets are bred in the laboratory, then released in the forest, and dropped like landmines in other jurisdictions in times of war.These wasps are larger than ordinary wasps, golden yellow in color, and once stung, they can bulge up into bags the size of plums.Most people die after a few stings, and even if they survive, the venom causes hallucinations and madness.Also, these wasps will mob anyone who destroys their hive or tries to kill them, which is why it's called a "stalking wasp".

After the last war, the Capitol destroyed all the hives around the city, but there were still some in the suburbs, and in the woods outside the 12th district barrier.The Capitol keeps these wasps, like the Hunger Games, to remind the people of its sub-district how vulnerable they are.Whenever Gail and I saw a "stalker wasp" in the woods, we would quickly leave in opposite directions. Is it "stalking the hornet" hanging over my head?I looked at Lulu, but she was hidden in the tree. Given my current situation, I guess it doesn't matter what kind of bee it is, because I'm injured and stuck here again.The night brings me some peace, but when the sun rises, these pros will try to kill me, and after being so taunted, they will surely have revenge.Hive is the last option I have.If I could just throw it on their heads, I might get away, but I'd risk my life too.

Of course, I don't go anywhere near the hive and cut it off.I need to saw off the whole branch, the serrations on my knife should do it.Can my hands do it?Will the vibration caused by sawing a branch startle the bees?What if they realize my intention to fly away?Then the whole plan goes to waste. I think the best time to saw a branch without drawing attention is during the national anthem, which can be played at any time.I crawled out of the sleeping bag, touched the knife in my waist, it was still hard, and started to climb the tree.It was dangerous in itself, for the branches were so thin that even I could hardly support them, but I continued climbing.As I climbed to the branch where the hive hung, the buzzing became more audible.But it is strange that the sound of the tracker bee should be louder. "Maybe it's the smoke," I thought. "The smoke quiets them down." That's one of the ways we used to deal with wasps.

The Capitol was lit overhead and the national anthem was played. "It's either now or never," I thought, before I started sawing branches. I saw the branch back and forth with great difficulty, and the blisters on my right hand burst.I sawed a ditch, and I should have continued to saw, but I couldn't hold it anymore.I gritted my teeth and persisted, while looking at the sky from time to time, there is no death today.very good.The audience will see me injured, climbing up a tree with my backpack under me.But the national anthem was almost over, and when the anthem stopped, I only sawed off three quarters.The sky was so dark that I had to stop.

What should we do now?I might be able to saw off the tree by feeling, but it wouldn't be the smartest thing to do.What to do if the wasps are already fumigated?What if the hive gets stuck on a branch when it falls?or do i run away now?It's all a waste of time.Best, I thought, would be to sneak up in the morning and saw off the hive.With the help of the faint light from the professional player's torch, I descended bit by bit to the tree branch where I lived, but got the biggest surprise.A plastic bottle tethered to a silver parachute rests on top of my sleeping bag.Sponsor's first gift!Haymitch must have had them deliver it during the national anthem.What could this vial fit in the palm of my hand?I unscrewed the cap and knew it was medicine from the smell.I carefully applied the ointment with my fingertips, and the pain in my fingertips was gone immediately.

"Oh, Haymitch," I said softly, "thank you." He didn't leave me alone and alone.This drug must be very expensive, maybe not one, but many sponsors are willing to buy this vial for me.For me, this is priceless. I put two fingers into the bottle and spread the ointment on my calf.The ointment has magical power, the pain disappears immediately when it touches the skin, and it still feels cool.It wasn't the kind of medicine Mom made from crushed herbs, but a high-tech product developed in the Capitol laboratory.After wiping my calves, I also put a thin layer on my hands.I rolled the vial inside the parachute and curled up safely in the sleeping bag.Now that the pain has subsided, I can take a good rest and I quickly fall asleep.

A bird landed on a branch a few feet away, and its chirping sound woke me up from my dream. It was another morning.I checked my hands, which had gone from a deep burnt red to the light red of a baby's skin.My legs were still burning and the burn was much worse than my hands.I took some more medicine and hurried to pack my things.No matter what happens, I'm leaving, as soon as possible.I ate some biscuits, a piece of beef jerky, and drank some water.My stomach was almost empty yesterday, and at this point I am exhausted from hunger. Under the tree, I see the pros sleeping on the ground with Peeta's gang.Glimmer was leaning against the tree, judging from her position, she was on duty, but she was also very sleepy.

I watched Lulu next to me through the branch, but couldn't see her.She tipped me off yesterday, so it's only fair to alert her today.Besides, if I were to die today, I would also like Lulu to win, even if my family gets less food.For Peeta to win the game and wear the laurels, it's just too much for me. I called Lulu's name softly, and her surprised big eyes immediately appeared from the leaves.She pointed again to the hive above.I picked up the knife and made a sawing motion.She nodded, and disappeared into the thick foliage.There was a rustling sound from a nearby tree, and then the same sound a little further away, and I realized she was jumping from tree to tree.I tried not to laugh out loud.Is this what she's showing the contest organizers about?I picture her nimble, darting around on the equipment in the training center, her feet never touching the ground.She deserves at least ten points.

A rosy glow has emerged from the east, and I can't wait any longer.Compared with the pain of last night, this little thing is nothing.I climbed to the branch where the beehive was hanging, put the saw teeth in the groove I cut yesterday, and was about to saw, when I suddenly saw something moving. It turned out that brightly colored tracker bees were lazily emerging from the thin gray beehive climb out.No problem, the wasp's movements are a little slow, but it's moving, which means that other wasps will soon be out.Beads of sweat seep from my palms, and I try to dry them on my shirt.If I don't saw off the branch within seconds, the swarm will all come out and attack me.

There is no point in delaying for a moment.I took a deep breath, grabbed the handle of the knife, and sawed as hard as I could.Front, back, front, back!The wasps were buzzing, and I could hear them already on the move.Back, front, back, front!I felt a sudden sting in my knee, and I knew that one wasp had spotted me, and others would follow.Back, front, back, front!As soon as the branch was sawed off, I grabbed the end of the branch and pushed it far away with all my might.The twigs fell down with a clatter, hung on some twigs, flipped a few times, and finally fell to the ground with a thud.The hive cracked open like an egg, and the irritated hornets flew wildly through the air.

I felt another blow to my face, and then another, and the bee stung me.I gripped the trunk with one arm, and with the other I pulled the sting out of the flesh.Fortunately, before the hive fell, only these three bees noticed me.The other wasps aimed their attacks at their enemies on the ground. The goal of this attack is clear.The group woke up from their sleep, only to be attacked by stalker bees in an all-round way.Peeta and a few others reacted quickly, they dropped everything and ran away.I heard someone yelling, "Run to the lake, run to the lake!" They tried to jump into the water to avoid the wasps, but it was not easy for them to leave the angry hornets behind.Glimmer and another girl from District 4 were not so lucky, and they were stung many times before they were out of my sight.Glimmer seemed completely mad, screaming and trying to drive the wasp away with her bow and arrows, but to no avail.She yelled for help to the others, but of course no one looked back.The girl from district four staggered forward, and I'm not sure she'd make it to the lake.I saw Glimmer collapse, roll hysterically on the ground for a few minutes, and then stay still. The hive was empty, and the swarms continued to pursue their enemies, disappearing in an instant. I don't think they will come back, but I don't want to take any chances.I quickly climbed down the tree, and as soon as my feet touched the ground, I ran in the opposite direction from the lake.The bee venom made me unsteady on my feet, but I ran to my little pond and jumped in to keep the wasps from coming.After about five minutes, I climbed onto a rock.What people say about bee venom is no exaggeration.In fact, the swelling on my knee was the size of an orange rather than a plum.I pulled the stinger out, and a foul-smelling green fluid oozed from it. Swelling, pain, green water, watching Glimmer struggle to die on the ground, all this horrible thing that happened before the sun had completely climbed out of the horizon, it was really too much for me to handle.I don't want to imagine what Glimmer looks like now... Her body is deformed, and her swollen fingers are holding the bow and arrow stiffly... bow and arrow!In my chaotic brain, the broken consciousness gradually connected together, I staggered through the woods to find Glimmer.bow!arrow!I must have them.I haven't heard the cannon yet, so Glimmer must still be unconscious, her heart still fighting the bee venom.Once she's dead, the helicopter will show up and take her body away, along with the only bow and arrow.I've seen this happen a lot in games before and I'm not letting it slip through my fingers this time. When I found Glimmer, the cannon was fired.The wasp was gone.The beautiful girl who wore a golden dress on the day of the TV interview was completely different now.Her body was completely deformed, her arms were three times their original size, and the wasp stings had ruptured, oozing putrid green water.I had to break some of her fingers with the help of a stone before I could get the bow.The quiver was under her body.I took one of her arms and tried to turn her over.But the flesh on my arm had rotted, and I slipped and fell to the ground. Is all this true?Or am I starting to hallucinate?I close my eyes, breathe hard, and order myself not to throw up.Breakfast must be kept in the belly, the next hunt may be a few days away from now.The second time the cannon was fired, I thought the girls in District 4 must be finished too.I heard the birds stop, a bird gave a warning, and the helicopter was about to appear.I was baffled that the helicopter was supposed to come to take Grimmer, but I was still in the picture, desperately trying to get the arrow.I knelt up crookedly, suddenly felt dizzy, in mid-air, I saw the helicopter.I threw myself on top of Grimmer, trying to protect the bow, but that's when I saw the helicopter grab the girl from District 4, fly into the air, and disappear in no time. "Do this!" I commanded myself.Gritting my teeth, I reached under Glimmer and grabbed something, supposed to be her ribcage, and pushed it up to where her stomach was.I couldn't control myself and was short of breath. This nightmarish experience made everything around me feel unreal.I got hold of the quiver, but it got caught in something, an arrow on her shoulder or something.I finally pulled it out.As soon as I hugged the quiver in my arms, I heard noisy footsteps in the woods, and I realized that it was the professional players who had returned.They came back to kill me or take the weapons, or both. It was too late to run.I took a sticky arrow from my quiver and tried to hit it on the string.But there is not one string on the bow but three strings, and the smell of carrion on the arrow is too disgusting, I can't shoot it, I can't shoot it, I can't shoot it. I was completely helpless, and the first killer had come out of the woods, spear in hand, ready to throw me.The look of surprise on Peeta's face didn't move me in any way, and I waited for their attack.Instead of attacking, Peeta drops his arms. "What are you still doing here?" he whispered to me.I stared at him in bewilderment, beads of sweat running down the stung bumps under his ears.He was drenched and glistening, as if he had just been soaked in morning dew. "Are you mad?" He poked me with the shaft of his spear. "Get up, get up!" I stood up, but he was still pushing me.what happened?what happened?He pushed me away hard and shouted, "Run! Run!" Behind Peeta, Cato stalks through the bushes.He, too, was drenched, had a large lump under one eye stung, and had a gleaming sword in his hand.I hurriedly staggered and ran as fast as Peeta said.Holding the bow and arrow tightly in my hand, my body was unstable, and I hit a tree and fell. I got up, crossed the pond, and ran into an unfamiliar forest. Everything around me was distorted and deformed in my eyes. Butterflies became the size of a house and scattered thousands of stars, trees turned into blood and collapsed at my feet, ants crawled out of the blisters in my hands, no matter how hard I shook them, they crawled Covering my arms and neck, there is a person screaming non-stop. In a vague consciousness, I think this person is me.I stumbled into a pit filled with orange-red bubbles that buzzed like a hive.I hugged my knees and huddled in a ball, waiting for death to come. I was nauseous, disoriented, and just half-conscious: Peeta just saved my life! Ants crawled into my eyes, and my eyes were completely dark.