Storm clouds loom overhead, threatening to burst. The wind has picked up, and the temperature is dropping rapidly. It must be below freezing by now. Lightning illuminates the sky, followed by the boom of thunder. The storm is fast approaching, and every sensible creature has fled to their dens.
Our group got separated when the thunder began. The loud noise startled Buttercup, and he dashed off into the trees. Prim chased after him, of course. My mother promised to bring her back, but she hasn't returned yet. I didn't see where Lavash disappeared to, but I assume he ran after Prim. I called his name a few times, but he didn't answer. Peeta went to look for his brother, leaving Haymitch and I alone in the clearing.
Once our supplies are packed, all I can do is wait for the others to return. Minutes tick by, and no one has come back to the clearing. I'm starting to worry that they lost their way when something catches my eye. Lavash stumbles out of the trees, covered in dirt. Haymitch and I are at his side in an instant.
"Are you alright?" I ask.
Lavash dusts himself off. "Yeah." He takes a quick look around and frowns. "Haven't the others come back yet? Where is Peeta?"
Haymitch and I exchange a glance. "No one has returned but you," he says, trying not to alarm the boy.
"Peeta went looking for you," I add.
Lavash's eyes are wide with fright. "You mean... my brother and Prim are lost? What happens if they get caught in this storm?"
"They find shelter and tough it out," I say confidently. "Don't worry about Prim. My mother should be with her. As for Peeta, I'm sure he's fine." My words do little to calm him down.
"We need to find shelter." Haymitch grabs as many backpacks as he can carry and heads into the trees.
I don't want to leave the clearing in case someone returns to it, but I also don't want to get separated from anyone else. I convince Lavash that Prim and Peeta will be fine, and we follow Haymitch into the forest. I try to ignore the sickening feeling I have that something terrible has happened to the others.
The rain drips down from the darkened sky before we can find shelter, and I begin to worry that we'll be caught in the storm. We need to find somewhere to stay dry, or we will freeze. Haymitch leads us to a cave that reminds me of the one Peeta and I shared during the Games. Peeta, where are you? I hope he isn't alone out there.
Lavash is trying his best not to panic. "Buttercup hates the rain. If he is hiding, then Prim will never find him."
"I'm worried about her, too," I tell him. "But she isn't alone. My mother is with her."
He shakes his head. "And what about my brother? Is he out there by himself? His leg..."
His leg? It takes me a moment to realize that Lavash must mean Peeta's prosthetic leg. "What about it?"
"The mud!" He points to the ground. Sure enough, the rain is turning the dirt into mud. "He will have a hard time walking in it. I have to find him."
I can't let the kid go out in this storm. No one knows how to survive in the harsh wilderness better than me. "I'll look for the others. You stay here with Haymitch." I quickly leave the cave.
Haymitch grabs Lavash before he can follow me. "Hurry back!"
The rain drenches my coat in a matter of seconds. All of a sudden, I'm terrified for Peeta and Prim. What if they are stuck out in this weather? What if I can't find them? My heart sinks when I realize the mud is up to my ankles. This is a flash flood.
"Prim!" I shout at the top of my lungs. "Peeta! Mom!" No one responds to my calls.
The wind threatens to blow me away, but I stand my ground and keep moving. I have to find them. I have to lead them back to the cave. The cave! The rising water will flood it in no time. I'll never find Peeta and Prim if I go back now. I can only hope that Haymitch managed to get Lavash and our supplies out of there.
I force myself to think rationally. Who will need my help the most? The answer is obvious: Peeta. His prosthetic leg will make it nearly impossible for him to get out of the flood. I'll have to worry about Prim later. She has my mother, but Peeta has no one to rely on.
"Peeta!" To my relief, I hear him shouting my name.
"Katniss!" Peeta is clinging to a tree with all his might. It doesn't look like he can move from that spot.
"Are you stuck?"
"Yeah! My leg is stuck in the mud." He makes no attempt to free it.
I notice the fear in his eyes. "It's okay. I'll help you." I kneel down beside him and assess the situation. His leg has sunk into the mud, which is preventing him from standing up. If the water continues to rise, then Peeta will drown.
"Are the others safe?"
His question startles me. Peeta should be worrying about himself, not the others. "Haymitch is with your brother. As for Prim and my mother... They are together somewhere."
"Go and find your sister. She needs you more than I do." He gives me a forced smile.
Does he really think I'm just going to abandon him? My mother will get Prim to higher ground, but no one is going to help Peeta other than me. He will be completely alone if I leave, and I refuse to let him drown in the muddy water. "Prim is fine. It's you who needs my help!"
"Katniss, I can't walk in the mud. You were having trouble moving in this weather, too. It's twice as hard for me. I won't make it." He sounds as if he has given up.
I reach down into the mud and yank on his leg, trying to free it. "I'm not leaving you to die, Peeta. Nothing you can say will change my mind." After a few failed attempts, I finally manage to free his leg. Now all that's left is to decide what to do next. Peeta can't walk, but can he climb? A large branch should be able to support his weight until I can think of a better plan.
Peeta gets to his feet. "What now?"
I look around for the largest tree I can find. The pine tree he was clinging to will do nicely. I scurry up to the first branch before he can protest. "We climb." I hold my arm out to him. "Grab my hand."
Peeta makes an effort to follow me up the tree, his hand outstretched, reaching for mine. Our hands clasp together, and I pull him up. This branch won't hold both of us, so I quickly move to the adjacent branch. "And now we wait."