Chapter 8
Today, the rebels are going to board the hovercrafts headed for the Capitol. This will be my first time on Earth. It will be nice to see the place I was supposed to live. People weren't meant to live on the moon.
I'm worried about Peeta. I don't want him to go with me to fight. I'm afraid that somebody will recognize him, and they'll punish him for becoming a rebel. I find him about to board a hovercraft and grab his arm, pulling him to a stop. "Hey," he says, pecking my lips.
I frown. 'You can't go to the Capitol with us. I don't want anybody recognizing you.'
"I'll stay if you stay."
'I'm going. And you're staying.'
"No. I'm going if your going." He takes my hand and leads me onto the hovercraft, the doors close, and soon the hovercraft has departed. We get closer and closer to Earth every second. I squeeze his hand and take a deep breath. He shouldn't be here. I'm so scared that he'll get hurt.
Gale finds us, and pulls us aside, handing each of us a violet colored pill. Peeta examines it carefully. "What's it for?"
"We named it nightlock- after a berry that kills you after eating it." Gale explains. "You take it if your captured. That way, they can't torture you." I look at the pill and grin. This will protect Peeta if he's captured. All he'd have to do is take the pill and the Capitol wouldn't be able to hurt him. "It's last resort stuff, of course," I meet his eyes and mouth a 'Thank you.' He nods and looks at the ground. "Oh, and Peeta..." he says. "If you ever hurt Katniss, I will kill you."
The hovercraft lands several blocks away from the City Circle, our target. The Capitol is holding a celebration there, we are going to disguise ourselves as Capitol citizens and join the crowd. Then the rebels will get into President Snow's mansion, from there, we'll do whatever necessary to get independence for our Lunar Colonies.
Once we're disguised, we go outside. It's so nice to be outside! On the moon- we have to wear suits and helmets when we're not indoors, due to lack of oxygen. But here on Earth, we're free to breath in the polluted air.
I make Peeta and Gale promise not to leave my side, there are traps- or pods set up all over the city- in case of an uprising. Once the Capitol realizes we are here, they will be activated.
"Where do you think they are?" Gale asks Peeta- just before a gas is sprayed on the group of people ahead of us, and within seconds, they melt like wax. I stop walking, and sink down to my knees. Gale and Peeta look at me. "We need to keep moving, Katniss."
I shake my head as they lift me back to my feet and gunshots start firing. I try to scream, but I'm still unable to make a sound. I look around, some rebels have pulled of the disguises and are firing at the peacekeepers stationed on the roof, who are shooting at everybody- the rebels- and citizens. "We need to move." Peeta tells me. "Right now, we're sitting ducks."
They drag me through the streets, and don't let go until I start walking, I walk a few feet behind them but wish they were right beside me. The keep looking back to make sure I'm still here. All I can do is continue walking, and fight my mental breakdown. What's happening? I was never affected by dead bodies before. I stop walking, close my eyes, and count to ten.
One, two, three, four- suddenly the ground starts shaking- seven... eight... nine- I open my eyes and watch the ground below me split open, and I fall. Without thinking, I grab a hold of a ledge, and try to hang on. That's when I look down, and find a pit with sharp spikes a the bottom several feet down. Other people aren't able to grab onto anything, and fall to their deaths. I try to call for help, but can't. I really miss talking. I look up at the street above, and see Peeta and Gale looking over the edge. At least they noticed I was gone. They start arguing about how to get me out, I roll my eyes, and look for another ledge to grab. I slowly climb up to the street, and pull myself out of the pit. When they finally notice I've climbed out they check for wounds, and then Gale insists we keep moving.
When we finally get to the City Circle, the rebels have already got into President Snow's mansion. "I want to go in," says Gale.
"Why? The others are already in." says Peeta.
"Maybe they need help! Did you think of that, pretty boy?"
"I don't want to put Katniss is danger!" Peeta shouts, and I clench my fists. I'm not no damsel in distress! I'm Katniss Everdeen! I haven't felt like myself lately, but I'm still the Mockingjay. I'm the face of the rebellion, so it's only fitting that I help them end this war. For my father. And for Prim.
I push my way past Peeta and stomp into the mansion. "Katniss," A solider calls to me. "We can't find Snow." I nod and pull my bow out from where it was secured in my cloak. Snow's going to die today. And I'm going to be the one to kill him. Peeta calls for me, but I don't answer- I couldn't even if I wanted to. I move through the hallways, the smell or roses getting closer and closer as I walk. As I get closer I realize the smell is coming from behind the door at the end of the hallway. Slowly, I push it open. I'm in a rose garden. I walk carefully through the rows of different colored roses.
"They're beautiful, aren't they?" A familiar voice says. A voice I recognize as President Snow. I turn around and see him. "Ah, Miss Katniss Everdeen, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."
For some reason, his presence unnerves me so much that I speak. "Oh, believe me, the pleasures all mine." My voice is dry and cracks, but it's still mine.
"I suppose you're here to kill me," he says. "Very well, but you should know some things about your leader... Coin... was it?"
"What about her?"
"Coin doesn't want the colonies to be independent, she only wants to get rid of me, so she can rule over Panem."
I consider this, it makes sense. I've never really trusted Coin. She seems like the kind of person to do this, too. I want the colonies to be independent, not for Coin to be Panem's new president. She's been using all of us. And I hate being used. But then again, how do I know Snow's not using me? There's only one way to make sure nobody is using me. "Oh don't worry, Mister President," I say as I knock back an arrow. "I'll make sure neither of you are in power."
I hope you guys liked this chapter. It's one of my favorites. Katniss finally talked again! One more chapter until the Epilogue!
