Catching Fire - Chapter 23 Summary

·      Katniss realises that the arena is designed like a clock, with each section deadly for an hour at a time. Katniss tells the others what she has worked out, and they decide that they can’t stay in one place and they decide to move on.

·      Katniss remembers that Plutarch showed her his watch with the Mockingjay symbol on it, and she wonders if he was trying to explain something to her.

·      They start to go, but Beetee will not go without his wire, which is the weapon he chose and the object, which Katniss couldn’t figure out what it was. Johanna tells the group how Beetee risked his life to get the wire at the Cornucopia.

·      Finnick suggests that they go back to where they first entered the arena. They get to the beach, and Wiress washes Beetee’s wire in the sea.

·      Wiress starts singing, which the others find strange. But Beetee explains that she only stops singing when things suddenly change, and that she is like the birds the miners take down into the mines.

·      Johanna finds an axe, which is her favourite weapon, and Peeta starts trying to draw a map of the clock so they know where the danger is going to come from next.

·      Suddenly, Wiress stops singing, but the group is too late, and another bunch of tributes have already killed her. Johanna and Katniss kill two of the attackers, while the other two escape.

·      Then an earthquake movement starts happening and everyone is thrown to the ground. When it stops, Beetee is missing and Wiress has been swept out to sea.

·      Finnick sees that Beetee is in the sea and goes to save him. Katniss then realises that Beetee’s wire is in Wiress’ hand, so she swims out into the sea to go and get it.

·      The group decide to move on and want to go to where the clock starts, but because of the earthquake they don’t know where that is. They don’t know what to do, so they re-enter the forested area.

·      Finnick and Katniss go and collect water, while Johanna and Peeta start making another drawing of the clock.

·      Katniss is confused, as everyone seems to be trying to help Peeta. She finds this strange because of the nature of the Games, where everyone is for himself or herself.

·      Katniss and Finnick are collecting water; when they suddenly hear the sound of Katniss’ sister, Prim being tortured.