Axe and Arrow: The Johanna Mason and Katniss Everdeen Story-Chapter 1

Axe and Arrow:
The Johanna Mason and Katniss Everdeen Story

Chapter 1-The Axe Wielding Woman from District 7

Prologue


4 Years Ago-Johanna Mason-Age 19



*HUFF, HUFF, HUFF….*

“Running….. To move with great haste, to escape or flee. Pain, mental or emotional suffering or torment….as well as physical suffering and distress. To cry or crying, to shed tears. To call loudly, shout……a fit of weeping. Family, a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household. Everyone has them…..well for most people. I'm the exception, what's left of my family. Blood, flows through the body of your vascular system, it could also mean family. Blood, what a funny word, It can leave quicker than anything else in this world. It will leave you lifeless, to death…..it should keep you living, not dead. Death, the end of life….. loss of absence. Two very different meanings for death….. one, is the loss of physical feeling, your heart stops and you enter into the soil of the afterlife. No one knows what is after death, do you actually die and go to heaven, or do you decay and become the earth’s dirt? Do you become something else, an animal, an insect or another person? The other word for death is the loss of your mind. Your shell of a body is there but you, yourself is not. Walking among the living like a robot, feeding off of emotions. Everything is gone, your personality, love, kindness and anything that use to make you…..well you. You become this empty thing, angry at the world and lashing out, blaming everyone for everything that happened to you. That to me, is worse than death itself. It’s sort of like being hijacked by someone else. You’re a completely different person. You become this fool who wants to slam your face into the ground. Nothing in this god awful world can change it…well……rather quickly that is. One day, there will be something or someone whom restores your happiness. They will bring you back to who you use to be, become more than just a shell. You may not be like the little kid who grew up liking dolls and toys…..but you can always become better.  That’s all I have ever known. Death, blood, and pain…. burns like poison washing my brain on a spin cycle. Tears have dried out and scorch down the sides of my cheeks like battery acid.”

*HUFF, HUFF, HUFF…*

Gravel and leaves kicked up as a young woman tried to escape an army of men with guns. The heavy footsteps getting louder as they began to pick up speed as well. The armor they were wearing looked like dull plastic, like a storm trooper but not shiny at all. The only reason why it was shining now is because of the heavy rain.  It covers the young girl’s vision as she ran through the streets. The puddles splashed about as the men walked faster. Their rifles were clung tightly to their chests as they ran; it was like they were chasing after a beast. An angry mob without pitchforks and torches, it was more than that. They were in the hunt and going to kill the woman they were chasing.

The young woman wore a red flannel shirt that was unbuttoned and revealed a black tank top underneath. The flannel shirt was torn, tattered and covered in mud and blood. Her dark jeans were ripped, showing those white fringes that poked out of the rough cotton. Her face was covered with blood splatters, scrapes and dirt. Her brown hair was messy, showing a nest full of knots. The tips of her bangs were stuck to her forehead from the sweat running down face. There were a couple red stripes in her hair that framed her cheeks as well. She had a bunch of flowers grasped into her hands, peddles flying everywhere with her fast movements. She tripped over an uprooted tree and collapsed to the ground hard and knocking her out in an instant.

"Run, Johanna….run…"

The world was spinning around in a clockwise circle as Johanna laid on the ground. She had finally flipped over on to her back and stared at the gray sky while rain fell in heavy droplets. It slowly washed away some of the blood that was on the sides of her cheeks, not a lot but just enough to see the flesh color of her skin.

“There she is!!! Make sure she watches this, a punishment that she deserves for disobeying orders from President Snow. Something more than just torture…”

Johanna picked her head up from off the ground when she heard a group of men storm around her, with their weapons extended. She gives them the most hateful grin and slammed her head back down on the ground.

“Fuck…..you.” Johanna yelled before she took a clump full of mud and threw it into one of the Peacekeeper's faces. He backed away from the circle as the others grabbed hold of the feisty girl.

Johanna thrashed around in their arms, trying to break free from their grasps but it was no use. Their grip punctured her skin, making her skin break out into red gashes.

“NOOOOO!!! LEAVE THEM ALONE….YOU FUCKING BASTARDS…I WILL RIP YOUR FUCKING HEAD’S OFF!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! FUCKING BITCH!!!”

Johanna’s screams rang out, you could hear it all around the district. The people District 7 looked over in that particular direction, the screams and cries scared them. They have never heard such pain escape from someone before. I mean sure, the Games themselves made everyone cry out in pain…what these kids go through is barbaric. Watching parents of these kids was the worst. Everyone was forced to watch them and to see your kid get shot with an arrow, or killed………no other pain in this world. The screams from Johanna on the other hand, were nothing like the rest of parents and siblings of the tributes. Nothing came close; all the district people could do was listen and cry.

Johanna kept thrashing, tears streamed down her face while the commander went into a building. He turned slightly to look Johanna in the eye and cracked his neck before entering into the dark room. His body disappeared into the darkness, which made Johanna scream louder. She hung her head low, stomping the ground and kicking up the mud in the process. She clenched her fists together and screamed so loud that the solders flinched a little. You could tell it was hard to keep her under control.

BANG, BANG, BANG

Shots were fired, one by one. Johanna shot her head up and looked in front of her. Her eyes burned with hatred, her face turned so red that it matched the same color as her shirt. Her eyes glazed over with tears and her jaw clicked shut.

The commander strutted out of the building with his rifle in his hand. A proud smile formed on his lips as he walked closer to Johanna. He bent down and lifted Johanna’s chin up to look at her in the eyes.

“Now, maybe next time you will obey orders….Miss Mason.” He walked away, motioning the solders to let the girl go. They pushed the girl down to the ground and stomped off. Their heavy steps making loud sounds as they existed the area.

Johanna gripped the ground with both hands and jumped up to her feet. She ran as fast as she could to get inside her house but before she was able to get half way to it, a bomb exploded. It made the house become completely engulfed in flames,  smoke and red hot flames towered out of the roof. The explosion knocked Johanna off her feet and she scrambled to get up again. She sat there on her knees, watching her house be destroyed.

“N-no……….” Johanna was at a loss…..”I-I….I Em…….Re….Regan” She clasped the sides of her head, digging her fingers into her scalp and drawing blood.

Johanna looked to her right and noticed a glint of light on the ground. She stood up and walked over to it. Bending down to look at it, she picked it up off the ground and noticed that it was the locket her sister gave her. It was charred and unrecognizable.   Johanna broke down into tears and fell to the ground, the rain becoming faster as her cries growing louder.


END Prologue
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Flashback

Johanna Mason-Age 17

“Johanna, you ready? You’re going to be late.”

Johanna sat on her bed in her room. Her long hair made a blanket over her eyes, shielding the outside world from her face. She hung her head low, looking at her callused fingers. A hard day’s work for a lumberjack, cutting down trees every day and packing up the lumber to head to factories. She was clearly good with an axe. Her muscles showed it and her body just looked lean and thin for a little seventeen year old.

Johanna wore a long shirt that went past her knees, with the words “FUCK YOU” in big red letters. Clearly,  she wasn’t ready. Her hair wasn’t brushed and she was in no hurry to get up and moving. She wasn’t wearing any pants or socks either, just the purple shirt.

“JOHANNA!!”

“WHAT?!” Johanna yelled from her room, not getting up from her bed.

“You’re going to be late for the Reaping!”

Johanna lifted her head up from looking at her hands and looked at her door. Her eyebrows narrowed further and she gritted her teeth together. Flipping her legs over the side of the bed, she stomped her feet on the hard surface.

“JOHANNA!”

“I HEARD YOU for the billionth time, Jesus.” Johanna yelled and then whispered to herself. She grabbed a dark green dress from off her closet door and looked at herself in the mirror. She then dropped the silk fabric on the floor with a smirk on her face. Not caring if the dress was ruined.

She turned around, looking at her back before ripping off her shirt. She brought her hands up to the back of her back and unclipped her bra, throwing it off to the side. She was now in full nude, looking at herself in the mirror. The indentions in her stomach framed her good looks thanks to the light in the room. Her muscles stood out in relief as the cool air touched her skin. She breathed in and out, letting the anxiety fade away.

“Johanna…….” A small voice whispered as the door of her room opened.

Johanna turned her head slowly to see a little girl who grazed her presence. She looked like to be about 7 or 8 and she looked like she was exhausted. Her appearance was startling for most children her age. Her hair was very thin like she was battling a disease internally. She was, Leukemia. She had it since she was very little and it was slowly taking its toll on the little girl. She looked like a mini Johanna, her hair dark drown and piercing eyes.  She didn’t seem to back away when she saw the older girl standing there without a top on. It was like she was used to seeing Johanna in this state. The older girl smiled at her and tipped her head to the side.

“Mrs. Rosalyn is calling for you. She says that you'll be late if you don’t hurry up soon.”

“Yeah, well she worries too much, she can't order me around, she's not my mother.”

The little girl smiled at her. “Bu-t she is just trying to help, Joey…..Wh-Why are you standing there nakey?”

Johanna laughed softly and looked down at her. “Well, I was getting ready to put this dress on, but……..I’m not really naked, honey. I have my underwear on.”

“But….your boobies are showing…..”

Johanna dipped down to pick the dress up and slipped her legs through the opening. “I guess they are.”

“Jo, wait. Can……can I give you something before you go? I made it myself….well, Mrs. Rosalyn and her Aunt helped me….but…..I picked the picture.”

“Huh, well let’s see it.” Johanna said as she straightened her dress out and sat down on her bed. She motioned for the little girl to come over to her with a smile on her face.

The little girl did a running skip and ended up on her bed with a flop. She scrunched her face up in her pillow, her muscles seemed to twinge when she would hit objects. She turned around to see Johanna staring at her lovingly.

“Em, what happened there?” Johanna asked as she looked down at the side of her sister’s stomach area. It wasn't very big but there was a purplish spot, like she hit something hard. She only noticed it because Emily's shirt slid up from the impact she made on Johanna's bed.

“Oh, this? I think I got it from playing outside with Elliott. I think a bug bit me. It's been there for a while now”

“That doesn't look like a bug bite, Em. How long is awhile, Em?” Johanna asked, looking at it more closely again.

“Mmmmm………I don't know.” Emily said as she huffed a little puff of air. She was trying to blow the piece of her hair that was hanging down the front of her face, but it didn’t move.

Johanna turned her head to the side so that she wasn’t looking at her baby sister. She was horrified that she hadn't notice this lump before. She always helped her sister with her bath. Why didn’t she notice it before??

“Joey….” Emily whispered, trying to put Johanna back down to earth.

Johanna looked at her with concern and moved her shirt away so that she could look at it more.  It was slightly bruised but it went down further than just her stomach. It was all over her waist.  Johanna touched it gently with delicate fingers and watched the pain run through her sister’s face.

“Em…..honey.” Johanna started before her sister sat up with a start.

“It’s okay, Jo. It only hurts when you touch it. So be careful. Here is your present.” Emily pulled out a small box in her pocket and presented it to Johanna in a cute manner. She held the box in both hands with a wide smile on her face. It pulled Johanna's thoughts away for a moment but the look of worry was still written on her face. She forced a big smile to hide the emotions.

“Em….” Johanna looked down at the little box and took it out of Emily’s hand. She looked down at it, running her fingers over the ribbon.

“Now, don’t be mad about the picture I chose. It’s my all-time favorite.”

"It's not the one with me in the rabbit suit is it?" Johanna asked with an annoyed look on her face. She thought back to the very moment her sister won a bet during their famous game. It was called Joily and it consisted of little block pieces that you had to stack together without it toppling it over. The name it of it was a combination of their names, Johanna and Emily. Johanna and her sister always played it before they went to sleep at night. Johanna usually won but the one time she didn't she was forced to wear a purple bunny suit and wear it around the district.

"Nope! That was my first idea, but Mrs. Rosalyn didn't think it wasn't very nice."

"Well, I will have to thank her for once in my life." Johanna rolled her eyes. She then lifted the lid up to see a beautiful, gold heart locket. The older girl brought a hand up to her mouth, letting a little sigh escape her.

“Oh, Em……” Johanna started.

“Open it! That’s the best part!” Her little sister jumped up on her knees to get ready for Johanna to freak out.

“JOHANNA and EMILY, it’s time to go.” Mrs. Rosalyn yelled, opening the front door to their house.

Johanna opened the locket to see a picture of her whole family. A family that consisted of all foster children of the men and women in the games. Their post-traumatic stress from the games prevented them to take care of their children even years after they have won the games. They were never the same. Some of them even committed suicide because they felt like they were still in the games.  

Of course Johanna wasn’t smiling in the picture, she never smiled in them. She thought it made her look weak, but in reality, she was still hurting from pain. Emily had her arms wrapped around Johanna’s neck and the other kids were in the background with big grins on their face.

Johanna picked the necklace up and held it to her chest and looked directly up at Emily. She stood up from the bed and paced around, her emotions getting the best of her.

“Well?” Emily asked as she stood on her knees.

Johanna took her in her arms and dug her head into the side of her neck. “It’s the most beautiful thing that I have ever received.” 

“Even better than that stuffed animal doll I got you last year? You’re welcome, Jo. I love you so much.” Emily said as she hugged her sister tightly.

“Guys, what you two are…….” Mrs. Rosalyn rushed into the room only to be stopped by the moment the two were sharing. Her gray hair was wrapped up in a red bandanna and wore a dirty, gray dress. The blue apron around her neck stood out in brown stains, making it look like she was cooking nonstop for 10 years. Her hair cascaded around her shoulders and the wrinkles in her face defined who she was.

“Girls, what are you two doing? Johanna, you need to get in your age group line.”

“I know.” Johanna frowned and pulled away from her sister. Better do this now and get it over with.” Johanna stood up from the bed and put the necklace around her neck.  Emily ran out of the room and down the stairs to wait for them.

Johanna narrowed her eyes at the older woman and pierced her lips together.

“You’re going to go like that? Without a sweater? You’re going to catch pneumonia and you won't be allowed out this house if you do that. You will get the other kids sick.”

“Yeah.” Johanna said as she walked by her slowly.

“Johanna, are you listening to me?” Mrs. Rosalyn grabbed Johanna's arm and made her turn around.

“Don't you touch me.” Johanna said as she turned slightly to look at her straight into the eyes. "What you do for these kids is alright and dandy but you will never be the boss of me. You prove to me that you are a monster, just like those bastards in the Capitol. I know the truth about you and if I am reaped, and win the games….I'm going to take these kids from you. You will no longer be allowed to take foster kids in, I will make sure of that." Johanna snapped at her.

“Hmm, you really think so? You're just like your father. Ha, letting you live with my daughter should have rubbed some good off of you. I should have kicked you out of the house while she was still alive, to show her who her true daughter is. You're lucky you have a roof over your head you ungrateful little shit.”

Johanna turned her whole body and looked at her with wide eyes. “Fuck you, and your hospitality. These bruises you have burned into me and my sister will never leave."

"Get out! If you're not reaped this time, I will make sure to kick you out of here!!!" Mrs. Rosalyn yelled, pointing her fingers at the door.

Johanna pulled her arm away and slammed the door shut behind her. She threw her arms up into the air and began to scream. Letting her frustration out, she knelt down to the ground ruffed her hair up.

"Joey?" A small voice rang through Johanna's ears.

Johanna picked her head up to see her sister Emily with concern eyes. "Sorry, did you hear that?"

Emily nodded and kicked her feet together, trying to avoid eye contact with her. "Yeah, I think half the district could hear you. She deserves it though."

"Why do you say that?" Johanna asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Because, she can be mean at times. She's always mean to me and you……I don't know why she's like that."

Johanna smiled and patted her on the head with a sigh. "Yeah, me too. Now, it's really time for me to go."

Both of them hopped back up and ran toward the Justice Hall.

END OF FLASHBACK

Johanna Mason-Age 21

PRESENT DAY

Johanna sat up in bed, drenched with sweat as she reached for her axe. It was instinct but she quickly realized where she was, back in her room. The days of the arena and violence around her district prepared her to be ready for anything. She didn’t take anything lightly, she didn’t show it either. She always had a sarcastic tone, it proved to be useful and people believed it. It was a mask she wore; a mask that hid her pain from the world and anybody who she came in contact with.

She threw her axe on the floor and brought her hands up to her face to wipe away the sweat. She kept her face in the palm of her hands for a few seconds longer; she was really out of it. Her nightmares were getting worse and it was around the time that Games would be starting back up. She was forced to be a mentor for kids and helping them fight brought back way to many memories. She couldn’t show it though, any signs of weakness made her angry. She hated being weak and seeing someone weak made her blood boil. Easy targets she called them, the first to go in the Games.

Johanna swung her feet over the side of her bed and looked down at her feet. She hunched over and took a deep breath of air.

“I really have to stop drinking coffee so late at night.” She shook her head and got up from the bouncy bed and walked downstairs. Her messy hair blew around as she walked and her outfit wasn’t any better. Her pajamas consisted of a black tank top with the number 7 and baggy checkered pants. Her muscles were incredible, and her collarbones stuck out in the light of her house. She grabbed the coffee pot and poured herself another cup and put it into the microwave. Punching the correct numbers in, she turned around and leaned against the counter.

As she stood there to wait for the coffee to warm up, she picked up the controller to her TV hologram and turned it on. It was one of the special holograms that the capitol gave to their victors of the game. There was an announcement about the Victors from the 74th Hunger Games coming to her district on their victory tour. Johanna scowled at the screen and heard the sound of the microwave go off. She opened the door and took out the cup and sat down on the couch.

“Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark!!” Caesar Flickerman projected his voice through the screen. His voice that voice annoyed Johanna to the point where she wanted to slice his head off without a second thought.  Throughout the telecast, they showed the tape of Katniss and Peeta winning the games. The footage of them almost eating the berries made Johanna gag. Johanna hated them; she knew it was an act. The whole Romeo and Juliet story between them made her sick. She wanted to throw an axe through the screen and kill them both.

“Yes, why don’t you tell us your speech, Girl on Fire? I’m just dying to know what wonderful words you have to say. Everything you say makes me want to puke my guts out.” Johanna hissed with venom in her voice. Her lips curled into a smile that would scare bunny-rabbits away.

The telecast cuts to a scene in District 11, Rue’s home. Johanna became quiet and listened to everything. She thought the moment with Katniss and Rue was truer than the fake relationship with Peeta. It intrigued her because Rue reminded Johanna of her younger sister and brother. Yes, Prim was Katniss’s sister and Katniss volunteered for her…but……Rue was different. She was from a different District than Katniss and Johanna loved that…still hated her but she loved that about Katniss.

  "I want to give thanks to the tributes of District 11. I only ever spoke to Thresh one time. Just long enough for him to spare my life. I didn't know him, but I always respected him. For his power. For his refusal to play the Games on anyone's terms but his own. The Careers wanted him to team up with them from the beginning, but he wouldn't do it. I respected him for that. But I did know Rue, and she'll always be with me. Everything beautiful brings her to mind. I see her in the yellow flowers that grow in the Meadow by my house. I see her in the Mockingjay's that sing in the trees. But most of all, I see her in my sister, Prim. Thank you for your children.” Katniss gave that speech and looked around in the crowd. Everyone looked on in awe and Rue’s parents were shedding tears.

An elderly man in the audience raised his arm up and holding three fingers in the air. He gave the famous Mockingjay whistle and the crowd joins him. This causes the Peacekeepers to jump down into the crowd and grabbed the older man. Katniss started screaming as the solders hoisted him up onto the stage. The rest of the Peacekeepers dragged Katniss off the stage and closed the door behind her. The man is shot on screen, telling everyone that it is wrong to side with Katniss, the new rebel of Panem.

Johanna looked on with wide brown eyes; she couldn’t believe what just happened. She was on her knees and in front of the hologram, the anger in her boiled but she tried to control it. She hated those solders and the Capitol with a passion. She wasn't sure if she was mad at the incident or if she noticed one of the solder's faces.
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There was a knock at her door and Johanna jumped up from off the floor and wiped the expression off of her face. Her footsteps silently patted across the hard, wooden floor and her swaying adjusted. She cracked the muscles in the back of her shoulders and reached for the door handle.

"Johanna, are you ready? You remember us right?" A scrawny boy with big glasses and a girl with bucked teeth stood before her with pencils and paper in their hands.

"Not really, who the hell are you and what the hell is all that for?" Johanna asked as her eyes squinted from the sunlight.

"Oh we thought it was good idea to bring something to write on. I want to write everything……." The boy was cut off.

"Wait a minute. What is this writing about?" Johanna asked as she waved her arms around, trying to stop the excited children.

"We just wanted to interview you for my school project and…we love you and your a mystery to everyone…..we want to know any pointers for winning the games. What your strategy was annnd………" The girl said.

"Sorry, not interested."

Johanna's eyes narrowed and started to slam the door in their faces. It was interrupted by a strong set of hands prying the door back open.

"Woah, there Johanna. That was extremely rude of you to shut your door in these poor, little kids’ faces." A handsome boy with orangish hair stood before her. His smile could brighten any woman in all the districts, except for Johanna.

"Finnick, you would do the same thing, I know you would. Your charm would set them off and you would shove them out the door."

"Well, as a Mentor I would talk to them. Not about everything, just enough to scare the little ones. Anyway, may I come in?" Finnick asked as he shoved the little kids off of Johanna's porch and smirked at her.

"You guys are such bullies." The little boy shouted and the both of them ran off in the direction of other buildings. The trail of dust licking at their boots.

"Yeah, get in here." Johanna agreed and moved out of the way so that Finnick could pass by her.  She headed towards the living room to sit down at the television again.

"I don't do this mentoring thing. They have to learn for themselves and they usually don't. Most of them get blown sky high when the first canon goes off. Not my fault they suck at everything. I'm not teaching the little shit heads anything because theres no point."

"I suppose that's true. You are the most stubborn and demented little person I've ever met. I don't think the young minds can handle you. It's probably for the best."

"Thanks, Finnick." Johanna rolled her eyes at the comment.

"So, I see you're watching the victory tour."

"Yeah, you kind of have to." Johanna replied as just flopped down onto to her couch, making the floor shake with her heavy feet when they hit the floor.

"What do you think about these two? Think she's the one?" Finnick asked as he sat down next to her. He stared at the screen as the video footage showed Katniss again at another district. She was giving the same old speech that is given to all of the victors. Cards from the Capitol, you were supposed to always talk good about them. Everyone hated the Capitol but they always followed the rules, if you didn't you or someone you love was killed.

"What's there to think? They're fake." Johanna huffed.

"Do you think she is the one who will lead us to the rebellion?"

"Ha, fuck no. She is so lucky to be alive and the capitol is going to destroy what's left of her. Just because she defied the rules by almost eating those damn berries, doesn't prove anything. It's all fake….everything, her relationship with that bread boy makes me sick."

"But she was still able to do something. I think President Snow is doing something right now about it. He doesn't take these things too lightly….."

"I know that. I just don't see why this girl is so damn special." Johanna retorted.

"Because she is just like you."

Johanna whipped her head around to look at him with disgust. "You must be joking."

"You're not the only rebel anymore, Johanna. She might be able to do it." Finnick got up from the couch and started to head towards her door.

"Where are you going?" Johanna asked as she peeked over the edge of her couch.

"President Snow is going to give his Speech soon, it's better that I get back to Annie and my district. I'll see you later, Johanna."

"Get back to Annie…..pah. Yeah, see you around, Finnick." Johanna grumbled as she turned back around to face the projector again.

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"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the 75th year...of the Hunger Games. It was written in the charter of the games that every twenty-five years there will be a Quarter Quell. Now, on this the 75th anniversary of our defeat of the rebellion we celebrate the third Quarter Quell.  As a reminder, that even the strongest cannot overcome the power of the Capitol. On this, the third Quarter Quell game, the male and female tributes are to be reaped from the existing pool of Victors in each district."

The crowd dismissed the cheering with large gasps and shouts. Johanna stood up in horror and threw her mug of coffee against her wall. She screamed at the top of her lungs before kicking over her couch and pounding the wall with her fist. She had it. She was told if she won the games, she would live the rest of her life in peace….peace….what was that? She never got it anyway.

"Fuck you, Snow. FUCK YOU!" Johanna ran upstairs to her room and flung herself in the dark corner of her room. She slid down her wall slowly, hitting the floor as she hit the surface. She brought her knees up into her chest, relaxing her arms on the flat bone. Her eyes burned into the stone of the other wall. Her eyes glared so hard that it was making her eyes dry out and burn. Upset and angry wasn't even half of what she was feeling.