30

Summary

• Coriolanus feels a mix of pride and sorrow upon being offered a spot at an elite program in District Two, as it poses a danger to him due to a murder weapon with his DNA still out there.
• As Coriolanus contemplates deserting the Peacekeepers, he finds a break in the fence and escapes from the base, trying not to attract attention.
• He successfully reaches the hanging tree where he meets Lucy Gray, who is preparing to go on the run with him.
• They discuss leaving behind their lives and the sadness of giving up on their dreams, with Lucy Gray also leaving behind items that once defined her.
• They initially plan to head north but decide to visit the lake first, as Lucy Gray wants to see it one last time.
• Lucy Gray expresses mixed feelings about people and her beliefs in human goodness and the complexity of morality.
• Lucy Gray and Coriolanus prepare to fish at the lake, discussing whether they will be missed by others.
• Their conversation turns tense when Lucy Gray realizes Coriolanus has killed a third person, implicating his involvement in Sejanus's death, although she doesn't explicitly mention it.
• Coriolanus, struggling to cover up the third person he killed, decides not to dwell on it and distracts Lucy Gray when she starts probing.
• Weather conditions worsen, reflecting the grim reality of their future as they seek shelter in a lake house.
• In the lake house, they discover a stash of black market arms, including the murder weapons for which Coriolanus is responsible.
• Lucy Gray uses a knife from the stash to dig up katniss tubers, leaving Coriolanus alone with his guilt and thoughts of freedom.
• Coriolanus contemplates his rescue from being linked to the crimes and comes to the realization that Lucy Gray is now the only living witness against him.
• Fear and suspicion set in; he follows Lucy Gray and eventually fires at her in a burst of paranoia and self-preservation.
• Their final chase morphs into their own private Hunger Games as Coriolanus tries to hunt down Lucy Gray and eliminate the last witness.
• Mockingjays echo Lucy Gray's singing, disorienting Coriolanus as he loses track of her.
• Despite the unsettling escape, Coriolanus manages to return to District 12, and covers his tracks by sinking the gun used for murder into the lake.
• Coriolanus gets medical attention for the snake bite, relieved to find out the snake was not venomous, and that his secret crimes are still safe.
• The next day, Coriolanus departs for what he believes is District Two but is instead dropped off in the Capitol.
• Dr. Gaul reveals that his entire experience was orchestrated for educational purposes and that he has actually been discharged to study under her at the University in the Capitol.
• The chapter ends with Dr. Gaul expressing satisfaction with his summer development and informing Coriolanus that the Hunger Games he participated in will be erased, except for her private copy.