How It All Goes Down
- Katniss has a visceral reaction to the terrible news and runs outside. She heads for the woods, but that's forbidden, so she ends up in the Victor's Village alone.
- She has a hysterical fit.
- This is the one fate she never saw coming, despite all the awful things she anticipated in her future.
- She's reliving the moment where Snow read out the terrible news that's just changed her life. She's positive this wasn't the original plan, but a change meant to punish her specifically.
- If the few people who've made it through the previous Games die, the districts will have no one to inspire or guide them.
- Katniss realizes with horror that, in order to save her own life, she'll have to kill Peeta or Haymitch.
- She has to go to the arena (there's no other female victors from 12 to choose between) and worries that Peeta will volunteer as the male tribute, in order to protect her.
- She goes to find Haymitch, who's totally wasted. They commiserate, and she drinks too.
- Haymitch reveals that Peeta will blackmail him into trading places. No matter what, Peeta will head to the arena because he loves Katniss.
- Katniss feels horribly guilty.
- They make a deal: during the last Games, Haymitch was ultimately on Katniss' side. This time, she wants them both to be on Peeta's side and to try to save his life.
- She goes home, where Gale meets her. He says they should still try to run away, but she says they can't. Then she blacks out.
- The next day she has a wicked hangover.
- She bathes and goes back to bed. Her mother and Prim come to console, but she just breaks down again.
- Later that day, Katniss finally pulls herself together. She goes to see Haymitch again, and this time Peeta joins them.
- Peeta says he's keeping the two of them from getting their hands on any more alcohol. He has urgency and clarity and is determined that someone from their district will win this Quell. To do so, they'll need to be in control of all the mental power they possess.
- They start training in earnest, watching previous Games, discussing strategies, and figuring out who their potential opponents are. They also start working out, hard.
- Haymitch can't really keep up, but Katniss and Peeta feel somewhat better about things when they're training.
- Their families and friends rally around them. Gale gives them instruction in making snares.
- Gale pushes Katniss to think about what would happen to their relationship if Peeta were out of the picture, but she refuses. She wants to have a serious talk with Gale, but it doesn't work out.
- Before she knows it, the time of the reaping arrives. It's really just a formality: Katniss is chosen as the female victor (she's the only choice), then Haymitch. But then Peeta steps in and Haymitch is out, pushed back into the role of mentor once again.
- Then they're whisked away to the Capitol, with no time to talk to the people they love, and on their way back to start the Games all over again.