District 8 Girl Tribute

We have been combing the woods almost the whole night. The dawn is approaching and we haven't found a single tribute to kill. Deep inside I'm happy about it. The Careers seem tired now. They walk silently through the woods.

Suddenly Glimmer points at the far end and then holds her finger on her lips to convey us to be silent. I look in the direction and I make out an orange glow. Someone had made fire to escape the cold. My heart sinks. Could that be Katniss? But then I immediately relax. It can't be ... she is not that stupid. But whoever it is, he/she is dead now.

We walk quietly for a few yards, then the Careers break into a run and quickly surround her. The girl, I believe from District 8, is cocooned in her jacket. She suddenly wakes up and seeing us, screams on top of her voice. Cato smiles as he pulls his sword.

"Please don't kill me." She pleads pathetically. All the careers laugh. They are not the ones to show mercy. Cato kisses his sword. "Please ... please ... no ... no." she starts howling now. Cato plunges his sword in her stomach, twist it and then pulls it out. She falls down with a gut wrenching scream, blood oozing all over her mid section.

The Careers High-five each other and I pat Cato's back to offer my congratulations.

"Twelve down and eleven to go!" Marvel says.

"Yay!" Glimmer jumps up pumping her fists. At last their night foraging has yielded some result.

We check the girls pockets, but don't find much except some crackers and a match box.

"Nothing useful on her." Ariel, the District 4 girl says.

"Better clear out so they can get the body before it starts stinking." Cato says.

"Yeah lets move on." Clove says. And we start walking. Cato suddenly stops after walking a few yards.

"Shouldn't we have heard a cannon by now?" He says.

"I'd say yes. Nothing to prevent them from going in immediately." Marvel replies.

"Unless she isn't dead." Clove says frowning.

"She's dead. I stuck her myself." Cato snaps at her.

"Then where's the cannon?" Clove asks him lifting her eyebrows.

"Someone should go back. Make sure the job's done." Marvel says.

"Yeah, we don't want to have to track her down twice." Glimmer says.

"I said she's dead!" Cato says forcefully.

"What's wrong in checking again ... we are hardly few yards away." Ariel says. And they all start bickering.

It irritates me the way they are discussing her murder.

"We're wasting time! I'll go finish her and let's move on!" I say a bit loudly to shut them all up.

They all stare at me.

"Go on, then, Lover Boy," Cato says. "See for yourself."

I turn around to leave but Clove is standing right in my way. She silently hands me one of her knives. I take it and she moves out of the way.

I reach the girl as quickly as my limping leg allows. The blood is flowing freely from her stomach but she is still breathing ... very slowly. Her body jerks intermittently. She is almost dead. I kneel near her. Her eyes widen with fear as she sees me. I cringe at the look she is giving me ... as if I am some monster who is going to eat her alive. And at that instant, I hate everything about myself, about the Hunger Games, about the Capitol. I hold her bloody hand in mine and lock my eyes with her.

"I know you are in lot of pain," I say to her, "but it'll be easier and faster if you let go. Trust me, you will be going to a better place." Her eyes narrow down and she blinks at me. She opens her mouth to say something but a fit of cough stops her. Blood starts dripping from her mouth as well.

"I'm going to close your eyes now." I tell her. I want her dead quickly. One of the Careers might come back and check on me. I put my hand on her eyes to close them. I bring my mouth near her ear and whisper. "I am sorry." Within 5 seconds, she takes her last breath.

I take my knife and smear it with her blood. Then I walk back towards the careers.

"Was she dead?" Cato asks as I reach the group.

"No. But she is now," I say showing them the bloody knife. The cannon booms. "Ready to move on?" I say wiping the knife with my jacket. I move ahead walking quickly and they all follow behind me. We hear a high-pitch note after couple of minutes and we all stop on our tracks. We all turn around to see a hovercraft materialize way back. But as I am looking up, something rustles by. I look down and suddenly my eye catches something in a near-by bush. I kneel down, and see a twitch-up snare hiding beneath the foliage. I stand up quickly my heart beat going express.

Everyone is still looking back at the hovercraft, watching it lift the girl. They haven't noticed my actions. I just know ... that is Katniss' snare. I snap my head up to look at the trees. Is she up there? Has she seen me with the Careers? If so, what is she thinking about me? But I don't have time to ponder over these questions, I need to get the Careers out of here.

"What's wrong? Is someone up there?" Clove asks me. She has caught me watching the trees.

"No, I was just trying to get the sense of direction." I lie smoothly. "I think we should head back to Cornucopia. The supplies are unprotected. And then there's lake. Any one who hasn't found water yet, will try to get it from the lake. We can catch them there. Anyways its morning now ... everyone will be more alert. No use combing the woods anymore."

"He is right. Let's head back." Cato says. And we all start towards the Cornucopia, away from Katniss and her traps.

A/N: I always thought Peeta didn't finish off the District 8 girl. This is my take on her dying. Your thoughts?