The screams of Cato echo in our ears.I curl into Peeta in a way to get rid of the screams, but obviously it is no use. Peeta's face shows pain and torture and I can only imagine the same look on my face. I look to Cato and I see his eyes begging...pleading. He reaches a hand out and he use the last of his energy to say in a raspy, rough voice, "Please,"
It's in a tiny whisper, but enough for me to hear. Peeta gives me an assured nod and I aim my bow. I watch as the arrow pierce his skull, killing him instantly. I smile, because I don't hear his screams or whimpers and he can't suffer anymore. We slide down from the roof of the cornucopia and looked to the sky for a hovercraft, so we can go home. We looked to each other in question and just when Peeta has opened his mouth to say something, Seneca Crane's voice blares throughout the arena.
"Attention. Attention tributes. There's been a slight rule change. The previous revision allowing for two victories from the same district has been revoked. Only one victor may be crowned. Good luck. And may the odds be ever in your favor."
I shook my head in disbelief. What was I gonna do? I can't kill Peeta. I couldn't do that. It wouldn't be fair. He saves my life and I take his. I couldn't do that.
A voice in the back of my mind told me,"Think about Prim, your mother...Gale. You have to."
I was interrupted from my thoughts by Peeta finally speaking," Go ahead. One of us should go home. One of us has to die, they have to have their victor," he gestures to the bow and stash of arrows that I hold in my hands.
"No"
I threw my bow and stash of arrows down and walked towards him.
"No" I repeated. I dug in my pocket for the nightlock berries, but my eyes widened when they weren't there. My fingers went through a hole in my pocket and I scrambled to my backpack in panic. It wasn't there either. The berries were gone. What was I gonna do. I sat down with my head between my knees as the tears rolled down my face. I felt a soft touch on my shoulder and looked over to see Peeta holding the bow and arrow out to me.
"Katniss, you have something to live for. Prim, your mother...Gale. I don't. I am not important. You are. Katniss it's alright..."
"No...it's not. Peeta listen to yourself, your asking me to kill you. I don't want to live with that. You are important to me," I said.
" Katniss, we can stay here as long as you want, but I will not kill you and I refuse to let you kill yourself, if that's what your thinking. I will make sure you get out of this arena until my last dying breathe."
Anger blurred my vision," What about you! So many people adore you. Your father and your brothers. Have you forgotten about them" I shouted.
He just looked at me with a hint of sadness gleaming in his eyes," They'll move on, just like you will...Katniss...I'm already dead," I shook my head and my tears scorched my face.
He shoved the bow and arrow in my hands," You know what to do," He chaste my lips and tried to back away, but I roughly smashed his lips to mine and kissed him like there's no tomorrow. In reality, it there actually was no tomorrow with him. We hugged each other tightly and broke apart. He slowly inched backwards and stopped waiting for the arrow to pierce his chest. I held the bow in my weak shaking hands. I tried to aim correctly, but it was impossible. As I aimed the arrow, I cried harder.
" You can do it Katniss," I tried to blink away the tears and released the arrow. I watched as his face arranged in pain and then he was down on the ground. I dropped to my knees beside him and I shrieked over and over again, " I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I held his head in my lap and tried to calm down.
He shushed me and said," Hey, don't be sorry you did the right thing.," His breaths grew thinner and thinner. After a minute or so he whispered," I love you," and his chest stopped moving and his eyes now lifeless stared at the sky. The cannon fired and that was all it took for me to collapse on his chest and cry everlasting tears. I took the arrow slowly out as if he was alive and it could hurt him. I chaste his lips one last time and captured his beautiful ocean blue eyes one last time before I closed them. I kissed each eye lid and sat against the tree with my knees to my chest.
" Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present the winner of the 74th annual Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen"
This only made me cry harder. I climbed the ladder to the hovercraft and watched as Peeta's body is taken away in a different one. Obviously knowing how I may react. I was the winner. I completed my goal, but this was one of the goals I didn't mind failing.