I put on the night vision glasses and spent my entire 4 hour watch shift focusing on my senses. It's still not totally clear, like there's a red haze over everything, but I managed to get my range to a 20ft diameter so that's pretty good progress for one day in my opinion.
I nudge Katniss to wake up and hand her the glasses, telling her I discovered what they were used for. She puts them on and I try to get as comfortable as possible for the inevitable short sleep.
I was right about short because I was awoken by a nudge to my shoulder. I turn to see Katniss gesturing behind us and when I turn around I can see a fire right in the center of the woods. No attempt to hide either.
We both share a look of exasperation. I mean how fucking stupid do you have to be? Were your mentors invalids?!
After rolling our eyes I'm about to get some more rest when a blood curdling scream comes from the direction we were just looking. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened.
And who did it.
They make no attempts at stealth as they traipse through the woods. Marvel and Glimmer make jokes about her look of terror and begs as Cato stomps behind them looking like someone shit in his cornflakes this morning.
I supposed crippling his partner will do that to someone.
"Would you two knock it off! They're close." Cato snarls at the tributes from District 1
"Oh yeah? How can you be so sure of that? You're not a hunter and you're definitely not smart enough to track them." Marvel says with a condescending tone.
"What did you just say?! You wanna have a go right now bitch boy? C'MON LET'S GO!" Cato yells back, he seems to be losing the few marbles he had before the Games.
"Knock it off you two! Do you want to tip them off to our location?!" Glimmer whisper shouts. "It's bad enough they took my bow, we can't fight until we kill them first. Then you two muscle heads can kill each other to your heart's content. Now FOCUS!"
They both look at her, either trying to intimidate or something else I don't know, but it doesn't work as Marvel huffs in acquiescence and Cato snarls before brushing past them.
"I know they're this way… I saw the boy from 7 being picked up around a mile back. They're the only other ones who went this direction. The bastard from 11 is on the other side of the lake." He says in quiet anger.
"Well… looks like there's something in that head after all." Glimmer comments in a chipper tone.
Cato ignores her as he keeps stomping, making the most sound possible. Marvel and Glimmer share one last look before shrugging and following him.
===
We wait for minutes after we no longer see them, ensuring that they won't be able to hear us either.
I look down when I feel something touching my hand and notice that I've been holding Kat's hand this entire time. She seems to notice it too as she looks down but neither of us move to retreat.
We sit in more silence before she whispers "go back to sleep. It's still my turn."
I feel full of enough energy that I don't need to sleep, but I know one shouldn't waste any food, water, or rest in the arena so I take her up on that offer.
The rest of the night is peaceful as I dream about how our families and friends are doing at this very moment.
===
REACTIONS FROM 12 (3rd Person POV)
Night of Interviews:
All of the residents of District 12 are made to stand in the public square to watch the interviews of the tributes. Most families are tuning it out, staring ahead with a blank face and still eyes.
The only ones who seem to truly be paying attention are the families in the front. The Everdeens, Blackstones, and Hawthornes.
The other residents give each member of the families nods of sympathy and empty offers of help but it doesn't seem to change their mood one bit.
The only one who seems even a little calm at the moment is Gale, but even he has worry and stress etched on his face.
When the interviews start, the Mayor and his family come to sit next to Liam and Katniss' families.
His daughter Madge goes to sit next to Gale, earning a look of frustration from her father. She doesn't seem to care though as she rests her head on his shoulder as they quietly talk about their friends and share memories of childhood.
That's one relationship pretty much no one outside of Katniss and I expected.
When I told Gale about my feelings for Katniss, he also confessed to developing feelings for another girl. He didn't specify but he really didn't need to. He and Madge had been throwing lovey-dovey eyes to each other for a couple months by then.
I guess the sadness of losing both of his best friends gave him the courage to finally confess to her.
Her father didn't take it too well, but as a regular customer of the Ferrero shop, he's aware that Gale is a good kid. Everyone in the District knows that. So he just had to suck it up and take it like every father learns to do.
There is small chattering as the interviews go one after another. The only one who seems to draw attention, after Glimmer that is, is Rue.
The people in the square all go quiet and an aura of depression settles over the crowd. It's like this every year when a 12 year old is selected. You'd think after 74 years of this bullshit Game they would be desensitized to it by now, but it never gets easier watching a child be murdered.
When her interview finishes, no one starts talking again. It's almost their tribute's turn.
Katniss finally comes on screen and Prim involuntarily belts out her name and starts to tear up. Lila tries to comfort her but she is filled with as much anxiety as Prim at the moment.
Thankfully, Mrs. Everdeen hugs Prim to comfort her. It seems like she's managed to stay present ever since Katniss had that talk with her.
Katniss' comment on stew being her favorite thing in the Capitol makes nearly everyone in the square get a wistful face, dreaming about what that could possibly taste like. No laughs like back in the Capitol and the rest of the interview goes smoothly.
The moment she spun and showed off her 'magic dress' gets a smattering of applause and gasps of amazement. And Prim tears up again when they play the video of her being reaped and Katniss volunteering courageously.
When it is Liam's turn to sit in the seat, it's Lila this time that lets out an involuntary sob. Mrs. Blackstone grips her shoulders but can't seem to do more than that.
She has done good with her depression ever since Liam left, but seeing her baby boy on the big screen causes all the memories of her sister to flood back to her. She can't bring herself to comfort Lila because… it didn't help her any when she was in that same position.
"Hey, it's ok little lady… Your brother's a strong boy, and has a good head on his shoulder. Did you see those losers from District 1 and 2? They'll be chumps in front of him. Mark my words." They turn to see Greg Ferrero sitting down next to Lila after speaking.
"When he left, he told you he'd do whatever it takes to come back right? Well I believe in your brother… so you should too." Lila looks at him for a moment before giving him a nod and a small smile comes back to her face.
Liam's interview goes much like Katniss'. There are a few chuckles at his exasperation with the showers and when he shows off his fancy 'fire suit' there is again a smattering of applause only this time, it feels larger.
Some of the men from the mines seem to be holding faces of pride at seeing their home be represented in something other than dirty overalls and rags.
Lila hears a gasp and turns around to see her mother coming to once again. Seeing her son is ok and the applause he's getting both here and there seems to give her some strength as she pulls Lila closer to hold her tight.
Caesar's next question is about the reaping. Everyone seems to not understand the question because, to them, it was a standard reaping. His name was called and he went up. Yeah it was odd that he was chose next to Katniss but it's not really worth mentioning in the short interview.
"Well Caesar… I was getting ready to volunteer myself." Liam's voice can be heard. Loud and clear for everyone in District 12 to hear.
That causes an explosion of noise and the peacekeepers tense up as they were expecting the standard subdued affair.
"WHAT?!" Lila, Mrs. Blackstone, Prim, Mr. Ferrero, and Madge all yell in unison.
The Hawthornes all have a look of shock... all except one of them.
When Lila sees Gale looking calm as ever, she points a finger at him and says "You knew didn't you!?"
He just sighs and says "Yeah... yeah I did. I tried to talk him out of it but, your brother's a stubborn man."
She seems to want to retort but the interview continues and everyone wants to hear his reasons.
"... because there's this girl I like." Liam says. That causes the more astute around them to connect the dots. Still, most of the family members haven't yet, too close to the people involved to think properly.
"That may be true Caesar, but there's one problem." I say.
"And what's that?"
"She came here with me."
The silence in the crowd is deafening. It seems like everyone else in the district connected the dots before any of the family members watching.
When he dropped the bomb, they all took a few seconds to process it before Mrs. Blackstone could be heard muttering "Oh... oh my poor boy..." as tears start streaming down her face.
"Katniss?! He likes Katniss? But... but that means..." Lila already sees the tragedy that seems fated to occur and she too joins her mother in crying.
They both know Liam. They know he's capable... but they also know his heart. If he is truly in love with Katniss, and now that that is even a possibility in their minds it seems totally obvious, then he will prioritize her safety over his own.
That's just who he is. Who he's always been.
Prim and Mrs. Everdeen both have looks of shock on their face and turn to look at the Blackstones. Nothing is said between them. The women share a look of mutual sympathy and the girls the same.
The interviews come to a close and the residents of 12 are shooed away to get to bed.
The Blackstones and Everdeens walk in silence together, the Hawthornes a little ahead of them to give them space to talk.
They don't.
They split up at the crossing to their homes and with one last look, they each slid into bed. Emotions swirling in ways unique to each one of them. It was going to be a sleepless night.
The first moments of the Games start bright and early in the morning, carrying a new reason to worry.
===
First Day of Games:
Where yesterday most everyone was watching the broadcast trying to tune it out, today everyone's eyes are glued to it.
The interviews have given them a touch of hope. Maybe District 12 will finally have a victor worth celebrating.
The broadcast starts with a wide shot of the arena before settling on an aerial view from above the cornucopia There are numbers denoting each tribute's districts right over their heads, for the audience at home.
When Lila and Prim point out Liam and Katniss, everyone quiets down and silently waits for the timer to run down.
"What are they doing?" Gale quietly mutters.
"What do you mean?" Lila asks without taking her eyes off the screen.
"Look at them, they're both pointed to the cornucopia… I think they're going to go for it." He says sadly.
"What?! But they can't! That's the most dangerous place!" Prim cries.
The tension seems to grow around the families as the countdown reaches 5.
They can see Liam getting ready to run, and when the clock strikes zero, they all watch him shoot off faster than they have ever seen a 16 year old move before.
"GO LIAM!" "GO KATNISS!" Lila and Prim yell, not bothering to care if they get any weird looks.
Which they don't.
Liam is already approaching the cornucopia and there is no one around him.
"How… when did he get so fast?" Gale asks to no one.
"Was he not that fast before?" Madge asks him.
"Not that I remember… but I also don't ever remember seeing him run for his life before."
When he passes the bow, Gale curls an eyebrow thinking that was what he was aiming for, and Prim seems to get a little upset that he skipped over the weapon best suited for Katniss.
Their attention turns to Katniss who just scooped up one bag and was running for a second one.
"Get out of there Catnip! Why are you still there?" Gale comments.
The cameras split as tributes start fighting in the outer layer of supplies and it shows Clove breaking off from her sprint in the direction of Katniss.
"Oh no…" goes Prim.
A screen shows Liam picking up the hammer and immediately throwing it like a tomahawk.
"WHAT? Why would you…" Mr. Greg starts shouting in confusion before he sees Glimmer almost lose her head to said hammer. "Oh boy… he might be even more ready for this than I thought."
The commentary around them goes quiet as Liam picks up the bow. One of the other screens shows Clove take out the boy from 9 and turn her attention towards Katniss while Cato grabs a spear off the ground and rears back.
"LOOK OUT!" Both Prim and Lila again yell in unison, shouting into the ether hoping for their siblings to miraculously hear them.
They are shocked when Liam, with seemingly no way to see, dodges the spear.
Most of the attention is on him as they see him kick the spear into his hands and bat away the second one. That earns some gasps of astonishment and the first sincere expressions of joy in the day.
It is in that moment that Clove throws her knife at Katniss. The families grow nervous, but when they see Katniss seemingly block it easily and run away, there is a small release of tension.
Everyone expects Liam to start retreating now that he has the bow, bag, and a weapon. That's why it shocks them all when he throws away the spear like a piece of trash before picking up the hammer he threw earlier.
It's when someone in the crowd says "He threw it to the 11 boy?" in confusion that the adults seem to understand what that gesture means. They all stand straighter and square their shoulders.
Almost like they are living vicariously through Liam at this moment.
That small gesture of solidarity earned more goodwill than he could ever imagine. Both here at home, and all across the nation.
The crowd calms once again as they see him grab the hammer once more and run in the opposite direction.
They think that's the end of the bloodbath, but before they can truly appreciate their tributes making it this far, they see Liam adjust course to the woman that attacked Katniss only seconds ago.
When he holds out his hammer to extend his reach, they get confused. Why would he not swing the hammer and kill her now?
They don't have time to ask that question out loud as they see Clove dodge and Liam bring the hammer down onto her outstretched leg with the force expected of a blacksmith.
"YEAH! GET HER LIAM!" Prim shouts out, before realizing what she was wishing for. When she starts to feel a shred of shame, Lila hugs her as a means of comfort.
===
The next 20 minutes are taken up by Caesar Flickerman doing a play by play on the bloodbath.
When he gets to Liam there is visible shock and pleasure on his face.
"Now lets talk about one of the biggest surprises this early on. Liam Blackstone! The kid from 12 has already shown us why he was given an 11 in the evaluations. I mean just look at that speed!"
"Yes Caesar, this might just be the fastest a tribute has ever gotten to the cornucopia before. Let's see what else he's capable of." Claudius Templesmith relies.
They keep watching as he throws the hammer and pause again.
"See here. I was baffled when I saw him throw away his only weapon. I was sure that was the end of it for him, but LOOK! See how he throws it right in the path of Glimmer as she's going for the bow? Such quick thinking!"
"Yes! He wasn't aiming for Glimmer in the first place! He was distracting her! Buying time to get to the bow! I'm impressed with not just his thinking, look at that hammer throw! It was perfect, and if Glimmer had been just a half-step slower, we would have had a 13 tribute bloodbath for sure!" Templesmith supplies more commentary.
They show the part where I batted Cato's spear out of the air and gush over that as well, but they seem to gloss over me throwing the spear to Thresh and grabbing the hammer.
Can't let anyone see cooperation between districts... non-career districts that is.
"And now, he goes for revenge. He looks around for his partner and sees her running away from Clove. He winds his arm back and manages to shatter her leg after her attempt to dodge! A stunning display of courage, strength, quick thinking, and adaptability!" Caesar praises.
Seems like his favorite has morphed from District 2…
"OOPS, looks like we're going to have to go back to the live broadcast. Something is about to go down." He says as the cameras shift to a still video of Liam fiddling around with his backpack.
Lila gasps as the camera splits again to show the back of the boy from 7 sneaking up to him
.
"Hear him… please hear him…" she gives a quiet prayer.
When the boy jumps to attack Liam, the crowd is stunned at the ease with which Liam managed to take him out.
With just a knife kept stationary in the air, the boy from 7 crumples to the ground and the broadcast cuts back to the commentators earning raised eyebrows from everyone in 12.
"I just keep getting more and more impressed with this young man! Look at his expression as he takes the knife from his bag. He heard the boy from 7 and didn't panic, he just made a plan and acted decisively! That's what it takes to survive in the arena!" Says Caesar.
The broadcast goes on for a few more minutes before the mandatory hourly viewing is over and most people start heading to work or home. It's only the families and those close to the tributes who stay and watch.
When they show Katniss and Liam reuniting there are cheers and tears being shed amongst the small group still present.
After watching the rest of the night and seeing no immediate threats to either of them, the families start to head home together. Ready for tomorrow.
Where today there was nerves and maybe a tiny bit of hope, tomorrow promises to be different.
//
A/N: Enough of you requested a reaction chapter that I decided to give it a go.
Like I said, I wasn't sure how it would feel and I'm still not confident I did it justice.
This might be my weakest chapter besides the first one but I'll let you readers decide. Please be honest with your opinions!
If it's truly bad, I'll definitely rewrite it lmao, but please send me an example of one of these reaction chapters done right if you have one! Doesn't have to be Hunger Games related.
I'm always hoping to learn and improve how I write and I do that by reading and engaging with your comments!
Thanks for the support everyone! <3
//