Johanna Mason

|5| only friend... gone

I desperately want to jump down and start to attack, but I'm stiff. My eyes frozen open. The only thing running in my mind, is the thought of trying to kill off all the careers below me to save Shaylor. But my act. My strategy. I can't risk it. I know it sounds shallow, but only one person can win, it's how the games run. If I jump down and show everyone who I really am, and try to rescue Shaylor, the truth is we won't survive. It's not worth it. She would want me to be safe. She would want me to win if she can't.

"I'll get her." Answers the district 2, Grayson. I watch Tulip and another girl with red hair handing him a spear and some water. He drinks the liquid quickly and throws the bottle back to the red head.
Fixating the spear in his right hand, he tip-toes behind Shaylor, a few feet away.
Surprisingly Shaylor sits in silence as she draws some maps in the dirt using a small stick. I hear some chuckling below me at her cluelessness.

"How's it going?" Grayson says dragging out his words.
I hear Shaylor gasp then swiftly jump to her feet wielding her knife.

I feel a tension in the air. Like the cameras are zoomed in on the scene in front of me. But I also think that the game makers have a shot of me in the tree, casted on the screens in the districts.
The emotional girl hiding above the careers crying her eyes out.

I can imagine Caesar Flickerman talking to my only living family member, my dad. Asking him questions about my childhood he couldn't answer because he realizes my strategy. Caesar would ask him about how I felt with deaths, especially after watching one. He probably would answer with the mention of my mom and sister. How they died leaving my dad and I being the only Masons.

I'm sure I sold my act to the Capitol and some of the districts, so there has to be some sympathy for me somewhere. Someone has to feel the pain I'm feeling. The hurt in my heart.

I continue to let the tears roll down my face, as I swallow the coughs building up in my chest. While on the inside, I really, really want to step down a few branches and use my axe to defeat the enemies. But it isn't worth it. I'd be wasting my life. I would surely just get myself killed. I might as well pretend to be scared. This fight isn't worth two lives.

Shaylor's yelling suddenly catches my attention. She tries to cut the boy, holding the knife an arms length away, but Grayson has a longer arm span and the spear is a sheer advantage. He swipes it toward her making her jerk backwards to avoid the slice.
Shaylor immediately darts for the trees behind her, struggling to keep her balance at her sudden burst of adrenaline.

Grayson acts fast and chases her, only to grab her jacket and shove her on the ground. It knocks the wind out of her and she moans in pain.

"You'll just be hurting yourself more by running blondie." He smirks evilly, lifting the spear above his head.

Trying to shut my eyes doesn't work. They are glued open to the horrific scene. Shaylor struggles as Grayson sets his foot on her lower side to keep her still. But she screams and yells for help. Thrashing against his restraint.

"Help!!! P-lease!" She screams and real tears swell in my eyes.

"Please! Johanna!!!" She shouts my name. I pause my breathing.
Shaylor keeps struggling and my heart shaders into thousands of prices spreading everywhere but where my hearts suppose to be.
More real tears drip off my face and my nose runs. But surprisingly I stay silent even though I want to shout. I want to save my only friend.

"Take her!" The redhead yells up to Grayson.

Then, without a hesitation, Grayson plummets his spear down, where it finds a place in Shaylor's stomach. Her screams muffle to a halt. Once again I want to yell and attack, but I can't. Nothing's working. I can't close my eyes and a continuous line of tears come one after another involuntarily.
Boom
Shaylor's gone. Anger rises in me. Adrenaline pumps through my veins and I quickly shove my head in my arms to muffle my sobs.

Luckily the careers moved to Shaylor's body, searching her pockets and jacket.
Finally I have a clear view of the four. Tulip, the one in charge, Grayson, tulips partner, the redhead, who seems to be Tulips friend, and the other district 1 boy. The others called him Scruff at training. I'm not sure if that's his name or not. Then the district fours who are back at the base guarding. Manny and Trinten.

Tulip, Grayson, redhead girl, Scruff, Trinten, and manny. The careers. I'm surprised I have an idea on their names.

Slowly I zip up my backpack and quietly slide it on my back. Then, getting a better grip on my axe, I begin to inch down to the branch under me, so I can get down easier when they leave.
But something makes me stop. I stay still while standing on the branch below me, and holding onto the one I was just settled on.

"She said something. While she was pleading for mercy." Tulip states catching the others off guard.

"Yea. Help! Please! Agh." Grayson squeals, replicating Shaylors tone. He rolls his eyes.

"No, no. She said............ Johanna." Tulip murmurs looking at the ground confused. The same look crosses redheads face as if understanding what Tulip was getting at.

"What do you mean?" Scruff asks with a deep voice. It's the first time I've heard him talk.

"It means she wasn't alone. She had an allie. And if she was yelling for her, the allie must be near." Redhead says taking the words from Tulips mouth.
I stay motionless in the tree as they debate on what to do about me. Where I might be.
I can't stay here. There going to search the perimeter and then find me in this tree. Trapped.

I register enough courage to move out of the tree. I inch down the branches and when my feet touch the grassy ground, I look back at the careers.

"Well it's a pretty convenient situation. I say we search around and if she's not near, we move on." Grayson says. The group nods and depart in four different directions. Scruff headed my way.

I crouch down and start to run away. I have no chance if they find me. So I rush as fast as possible. As quietly as possible.
•
I think I'm out of sight after 1 or 2 minuets, so I stand and start a light jog, not caring about the snapping twigs under my feet anymore. But I thought wrong.
Everything around becomes quiet. I turn to see what's going on and what I find knocks the air from my lungs.

Scruff must of spotted me in my pursuit. He's a fair amount of yards behind me. His bow, pulled back, ready to fly. Ready to land right on my crushed heart.