I'm having a hard time comprehending what just happened. I don't remember any of my interview, but I can't forget Peeta's. He just told everyone that I'm pregnant, and that he has feelings for me. The feelings part is probably just Haymitch's idea for the sponsors, but how did he find out I was pregnant? Only two people in the Capitol know, Haymitch and Cinna. I know he never has talked to Cinna without me being around and Cinna doesn't know he is the father. That leaves one suspect, Haymitch.
Once the interviews conclude I stomp back to the elevator and enter an empty one and jam the door close button before anyone else can join me. I slump against the back wall with my head in my hands.
What am I going to do! This will just make me look weak to all the other tributes. I told Haymitch that this needed to stay a secret, but now this has changed everything. The whole country knows!
The elevator doors open to the twelfth floor and I storm out and bump into Haymitch, perfect. I slap him as hard as I can across the face.
"What was that for?" He yells at me.
"For telling him you idiot, you can't do this! He wasn't ever supposed to find out," I scream and it ends as a strangled sob. I turn away from Haymitch as the tears fall, and that's when I hear him approach.
"You weren't ever going to tell me," Peeta whispers.
I can't find my voice to answer him so I just give a small nod, and he gives me the worst look. It isn't a look of anger, it's a look of sadness. His shoulders slump forward and he looks down at his shoes.
"Katniss you should have told me. I could have helped you."
I shake my head and wipe the tears from my eyes. "I'm sorry Peeta," I say and run down the hall. I need to get away from everyone. I just need to be alone.
I end up on the roof just staring over the railing wishing I could just jump and end this nightmare, but the force field would make that impossible. I should have never told Haymitch. I should have just kept this to myself and then everything would be less complicated. I guess I should have suspected something was up. Haymitch had reasoning behind us acting like best friends in public. He is going to sell us as a tragic love story when all we really are stupid teenagers. Who had one drunken night, not lovers or soul mates, just stupid kids.
I look down at my stomach and place my hand over top of the slight curve of the growing baby. The baby that has made me sick and exhausted and I will never get to meet them. Prim will never get to meet her niece or nephew. I remember when I told her and mom. Prim was so happy that she would get to be an aunt. I was crying while I told them, but Prim managed to make the situation seem like this was suppose to happen and that it was the best thing in the world. The only positive thing about this baby was how happy it made Prim. I would do anything to make her happy, but now I guess the one thing I could do to make her happy is impossible.
I'm jerked out of my thoughts when I feel someone touch my shoulder. I jump away from the railing and turn around. Peeta is standing there looking very defeated. I don't know what to say to him. I turn away from him and bite back the tears.
"Katniss I think we should talk," he says gently. I don't respond.
"Katniss what I said tonight was true. I have always cared about you. Remember the bread," he says.
"Of course," I croak and wipe the tears out from underneath my eyes. Damn hormones make me cry all the time.
"I have always cared about you, and the night of the festival was my teenage self taking advantage of you. I'm so sorry that I put you through this. Ever since Haymitch told me, I have been kicking myself because I left you to deal with something so much bigger than the two of us. I'm so sorry Katniss. Please just let me help you make it out of the arena. Let me help you again, and if not for you. For our baby," he pleads and takes two steps closer to me.
I don't move away from him. I look deep into his eyes, trying to read his mind to see if he is telling the truth. I can't find anything but remorse and guilt so when he opens his arms I don't stop myself from walking into them. I need someone to hold me together for a minute. I am too tired to do it myself.
With Peeta's strong arms around me, I cry. I don't know how long he holds me, but it feels like hours when I finally pull my head off his chest. "Why are you such a good person," I wonder aloud. Peeta cracks a small smile and runs his hand up and down my back, and his touch sends shivers down my spine.
"I care about you Katniss, and when we go into the arena tomorrow, please remember that. I am not going to be the one to hurt you or watch you get hurt. I know you probably won't want my help, but I am going to help you any way. Promise me you will keep that in mind?"
"Okay Peeta," I answer and lean my head back onto his shoulder. I feel like I could depend on him, but only one person comes out alive and right now, I don't know if that can be me.
Peeta holds me until the wind starts to pick up, and he leads me downstairs to my room. He takes me to my door, kisses my forehead, and walks across the hall to his own room and slowly shuts the door behind him. I look at his door for a minute thinking over what he said and then shove mine open. I strip down and climb under the covers. Even though tomorrow starts the real nightmare, sleep the darkness of sleep pulls me under quickly.
I wake up the next morning slowly and for a minute, I forget the horrible that lies ahead of me. I stare at the ceiling trying to melt into the bed and never come out, but my prep team, burst through the door and ushers me out of bed. Thankfully, Cinna tells them to leave and it's just him and I. I take a quick shower and then dress in the brown pants, black shirt, and lace up the leather boots Cinna set out for me.
When I am changed, Cinna takes me up to the roof to board a hovercraft that will take me to the arena. I have a tracker imbedded in my arm, and we sit in silence until we're guided off the hovercraft and into the small launching room. Cinna forces me to eat some bread and drink two glasses of water.
Right before I enter the glass tube, Cinna puts a light jacket on my with my mockingjay pin attached. I take a seat on the small couch and focus on the lump from the tracker in my arm.
"Do you want to talk," Cinna asks me.
I shake my head no and wipe the sweat from my hands. A voice tells me its time to enter the tube. I shakily stand and Cinna wraps his arms around me.
"Remember what Haymitch said, and Katniss know that I am betting on you," he says, before I enter the tube. It seals shut and after a few seconds slowly rises up enveloping me in darkness.
The sudden bright light blinds me, but when my eyes finally do adjust, I am very hopeful. The arena is similar to my woods in 12. To one side a large lake and to the other dense woods, that is where I have to go. A countdown begins as I look around at the other tributes. Peeta is about five to my right. His gaze flickers over to the woods and then back to me. He wants me to run away, but not too far in front of me are some backpacks, and most importantly a sliver bow. I'm fast I could get there and towards the woods before anyone else gets me. I look back over at Peeta and he must be reading my thoughts because he shakes his head no, and looks back towards the woods. He isn't going to consider getting caught in the bloodbath, and I should do the same.
Soon the minute is up and Claudius Templesmith's voice booms, "Let the 74th Hunger Games begin!"
The gong rings and I take off towards the woods. I change my path slightly to grab a pack. As I am approaching the pack, the boy from nine reaches it too. I am preparing for a fight when his blood splatters on my face and I turn just as a knife goes whizzing by my head. The girl from two, Clove throws another but I stop it with my backpack. I turn and sprint hard until I am beyond the tree line. I don't hear anyone behind me, so I slow down to a jog.
I jog for a long time until I feel like I might pass out. I rest on a stump and go through my pack. I have one thin sleeping bag, crackers, dried beef strips, iodine, matches, and a plastic water bottle, no water. As I am putting, the contents back into the pack the first cannon fires. I count as they continue. When I get to twelve and the natural sounds of the woods resume, I assume that the bloodbath is over. I am suddenly afraid that one of those cannons might have been Peeta. I could have lost him already, and this thought scares me.
I push the thoughts out of my mind and focus on my next objective, water. The ground is moist and there is plenty of green, but I haven't seen any large sources since the lake.
I securely strap the pack around my back and find a tall tree. If I can get an over sight of the arena hopefully I could figure where it is turning downhill, possibly to a stream. I climb the large oak careful not to lose my footing. I get to the highest spot possible without the branches creaking under my weight. From my perch, I can see that the forest stretches on for what seems forever. I know it has to stop somewhere, but from here, I cannot tell where. I do notice a decline straight ahead of me, and I figure it's my best chance. I scamper back down the tree landing softly on my feet. My sweat is making my shirt cling to me, and I already feel my mouth getting dry. I need to find water today or I'm not going to be of any use.
I take a straight path down the slight incline and eventually I do cross with some small animals and I know I have to be close. I walk for two more hours until I need to stop and pee. I continue on my journey, and I can feel fatigue setting in. I use to be able to walk for hours without breaking a sweat, but not pregnant. I am about to cry or scream out in frustration when I finally see a small pond about twenty yards ahead of me.
I quickly take out the water bottle and iodine. I fill up the container, and put two drops of iodine in it. I shake the bottle of water; wait a minute before I start taking small sips. Refreshed, I look up at the sky, night will be falling soon. I can't sleep on the ground so I am going to have to risk sleeping high up in the canopy of trees. I fill the water bottle again, two more drops of iodine, and I look around for a tree.
I pick a large oak and start my ascent. About half way to the top, I find a very thick branch that will work perfectly. I get out the sleeping bag, and the rope. I pull the sleeping bag up to my waist and then tie the rope around my thighs. This way I won't fall out of the tree.
I settle against the trunk and start thinking about tomorrow. I will defiantly need to set up some snares for game. I don't want to dip into the food in my pack just yet, but I might have to soon. I also want to put some more distant between the others and me.
My rumbling stomach snaps me out of my thoughts. I look down at the belly and sigh. I have barely eaten and it looks bigger. I lift up my shirt and trace little circles off the bump. I haven't felt the baby move, but it feels strange touching my stomach. I still cannot wrap my head around that another human being is growing right under my hand. I rub my stomach some more, and then I remember the cameras. They are everywhere in the arena, and are probably loving this.
I sigh and pull down my shirt. I zip my jacket up to my throat and pull the hood over my head. No doubt, it's going to be a very cold night. I close my eyes and let the sounds of the woods lull me off to sleep.
I wake with a start later from the booming anthem. I rub my eyes just as the first face flashes across the sky, Glimmer. I guess being from District 1 did not help her at the bloodbath. The faces continue with both tributes from six, seven, and eight. One tribute died from the districts three, four, five, nine, and ten; none from eleven and twelve. I let out a sigh of relief Peeta has made it through day one. I wonder where he is, if he is alone or if he has some allies. I just hope he found some water and I hope I get to see him again before one of us dies.
Tell me what ya think! I don't plan on dragging the games out, because I feel like it will get boring! Next chapter will be up within the next two weeks! Thank you for reading and please review!
