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CATCHING FIRE -- CHAPTER 14
Katniss and Peeta are on a train headed towards the Capitol. They had no time to say goodbye to their families, but Peeta suggests they write letters. Katniss chooses not to write a letter in fear that her words will be like those that she spoke in honor of Rue, words that sounded defiant.
Katniss is very headstrong and intent on keeping Peeta alive throughout the Quell. After ruining their friendship by using him during the last Games and after breaking his heart, she feels like she should try to keep him alive. She knows that she must fend away the sadness she is now feeling in order to stay strong for Peeta.
Katniss, Peeta, Effie, and Haymitch gather for a solemn dinner. Peeta and Effie break the silence during dinner and Effie suggests becoming more of a team by getting matching golden accessories, like bracelets.
After they eat, Effie suggests that they watch the Reapings’ recordings to see who else will be in the arena with them. As they watch the victors being chosen, Peeta writes down notes, and Katniss makes mental notes.
Katniss makes note of the following tributes: from District One are a pair of siblings; from District Two is Brutus; from District Four is a twenty-four year old named Finnick and an old lady who takes the place of a younger tribute; from District Seven is a girl tribute named Johanna Masson; from District Eight is a mother named Cecelia; and from District Eleven is Haymitch’s comrade named Chaff.
The group departs for bed. During her slumber, Katniss awakens after a nightmare. She gets up and finds Peeta watching videos of the old Hunger Games. He’s studying the tributes they’ll be facing. He invites her to speak of her nightmare, but she declines. He then embraces her, something she hasn’t felt in a long time from him.
They’re interrupted when a worker brings in some warm milk for Katniss. Peeta remarks on the attendant’s weird demeanor. He apparently wanted to speak his two cents to them, but he didn’t; so, Peeta assumes that this attendant and the rest of the Capitol’s residents are unhappy with their return to the arena.
Katniss and Peeta, after some debate, decide to watch the Quarter Quell that Haymitch won. During the video, Katniss watches as Maysilee Donner is chosen from District Twelve and later Haymitch is chosen too. Maysilee is Madge’s aunt and the original owner of the mockingjay pin that Madge gave to Katniss prior to the Hunger Games. Katniss finally realizes why Madge was so supportive of her—that is, Madge lost her aunt in the arena.
The video proceeds and they watch as Haymitch survives in an arena that is filled with poisonous everything. Maysilee has been lucky enough to find herself a blowgun with poisoned darts that she uses efficiently. At one point, Maysilee even saves Haymitch’s life when he’s attacked by three Career Tributes and only able to take down two on his own. After she saves him, they become allies.
Haymitch wants to reach the end of the arena so he travels with Maysilee until they get to a cliff. Haymitch wants to stay there, but Maysilee does not want to remain there, so she walks off. After she leaves, Haymitch accidently learns that anything thrown down the cliff is thrown right back up after it bounces off a force-field. Shortly after making this discovery, Maysilee is killed by a flock of deadly birds, and Haymitch is forced to watch her die.
Soon, Haymitch and another girl are the last ones standing. They battle it out and eventually both of them are really injured. Haymitch then makes his way to the cliff to get away from her. When he gets there, the girl throws their last remaining weapon at Haymitch, an axe. The axe tumbles down the cliff and returns only to hit the girl right in the head, killing her.
The video concludes and Peeta and Katniss are left a bit surprised. Haymitch did the same thing they both did. He survived the arena by using a flaw in the Capitol’s design against them. Haymitch used a force-field meant to prevent suicide to kill an opponent. Likewise, Katniss used poison berries and a sympathetic Head Gamemaker to outwit the Capitol. The Capitol certainly didn’t want any of these things to happen, yet they did.
Haymitch comes into the train car as Katniss and Peeta finish talking about the video. Katniss realizes that with a person as tricky as Haymitch on her side, Peeta has a chance in the Quarter Quell.
by Suzanne Collins
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