You guys. I want opinions on where to take this story. I have had a beginning, middle, and end planned out for years but now I'm starting to think about going in a different direction. If you want to message me and give me some feedback, I'd really appreciate it. As always thank you for the follows, favs, and especially to the reviews. Shout out to DamphiricAngel2014 who never lets me down!
When the sun came up we were sleeping in
Sunk inside our blankets sprawled across the bed
And we were dreaming
There are moments when, when I know it
And the world revolves around
And we're keeping it, keep it all going
This delicate balance
Vulnerable all knowing
Sing like you think no one's listening
-Straylight Run
My eyes open to a slither of light peeking through the opening of the cave. I stretch my arms out of the sleeping bag that we shared for the duration of the night. When I sit up, my lungs fill with the smell of him that still lingers.
Crawling out of the cave, I find that he's sharpening our weapons with a rock. He notices me but doesn't speak.
"Hey," it's the best I can think of.
"Hey," he responds. Taking a seat next to him, I am content with not watching the sky last night. Three more tributes gone, that leaves Peeta and myself, Thresh, Cato, and the girl who I've finally learned is called, "Clove."
"What's gonna happen now?" I ask, just like Rue on her very last day. He shakes his head and wipes a bead of sweat from his lip. I know what this means. The sun is somewhat hiding behind the tree. Is this the last time I will ever see a sunrise? Probably so, I imagine.
"I mean we need to be real with each other," I say in attempt to stoke him. I want to know where his head is at.
"Katniss," he sighs not bothering to look up. This pisses me off but I think that he's probably just not wanting to admit that one or both of our faces will be in the sky tonight. Damn it, the odds are against us. Last night almost seems unreal right now. The connection we had in the cave is what, gone? Null? Sadly, I understand his cold demeanor. I'm very familiar with it myself. Just when I feel like telling him to drop the attitude and look at me, a scratching audio sound rings throughout the trees above our heads.
"Attention, Tributes and congratulations for making it thus far. I'm pleased to announce that there is a new rule change in the Games.
Under these new rules, tributes from the same district will be declared winners if they are the last two alive."
This is confusing, I think that I understand what he's saying, but that can't be what he's saying. They would never allow for such a thing. President Snow would have their heads. I glance up to Peeta whose head it pointed towards the sky.
"I repeat, two tributes can win this year only and if they are from the same district. Thank you, and may the odds be ever in your favor."
I look down and realize that my hand is in Peeta's. Our heads turn to face each other at the same time, it's almost like he's seen a ghost. No, a miracle.
"We're getting out of here, both of us," he says no louder than a whisper.
Confusion and doubt is an understatement. This really can't be happening, I'm reluctant to believe that they would invoke such a statute.
"If we're the last two…"
"We win," he finishes.
"That can't be right," I say grimly. I choose not to believe it, because what does the Capitol benefit from such a thing? Nothing, and the only thing they concern themselves with, is certainly not us.
"Let's go finish this," he says happily, "I'm ready to go home." At the mention of this, my reluctance disappears. The thought of going home is almost too much for me to bear.
"Me too," I respond softly, but surely. And I am, more than anything. I'm just waiting for the catch. Why are they choosing to do this now, after 74 years?
But I let my guard down anyway, because right now the only thing keeping me away from this arena and getting out of here alive, is me.
…
We arrive at the Cornucopia because Claudius Templesmith also announced that there would be a "Feast." That's right, the other tributes are the feast and Peeta and I are ready to take them out one by one.
I have my bow ready, Peeta's surprised me with how well he's picked up the machete. We run in zigzag patterns, hoping to avoid any painful surprises from fellow tributes. Once we've reached the platform, Peeta decides to circle the perimeter. Just as he's out of earshot, the weight of a girl at least twice my size comes pummeling down onto top of me. The power of her hit makes my ears ring.
She's jumped from the top of the Cornucopia, "It's the little slut from Twelve," she whispers maniacally. Her knife slits me just above my eye. I try to scream for Peeta but her hand is crushing down over my mouth.
Her knees are pinning me down so tightly that I can't even squirm beneath her. "Get off!" I scream inside her hand. I bite her skin over my mouth and punch her as hard as I possibly can. She is barely fazed, and finds a new way to paralyze me before I can shout Peeta's name.
"Bet you got a good laugh with the tracker jackers. Took me days to get the stingers out of my face. Bitch. You're so dead," she laughs. This is when I notice someone bigger and more threatening behind her. I keep fighting and fighting but she's stronger than I could ever imagine. If I could move or speak, I would try to run away. By the look on his face, I'm more afraid of him than her.
"Just like that joke of an ally...what was her name? Rue?"
"What did you do to that little girl?" his burly and deep voice shouts. Then my chest gets lighter, it's easier to breathe now that she's on the ground next to me. I scoot away in terror as Thresh uses his strength to choke the life out of her.
"Not me, not me," she manages to squeeze out. "I heard you!" he growls. Clove's eyeballs look like they're about to pop out of her face. "Cato!" she tries to cry out but Thresh immediately cuts her off, with a rock to her head. In one swift motion, a cannon booms.
"You were allies," he turns to me breathless, "with Rue?" I am horrified at the thought of his hands around my throat. Her could squeeze the life out me faster than I could blink. I nod, "I tried to save her, I would never harm her. Then she asked me to sing her to sleep, so I did."
He shakes his head and groans.
"Just do it fast, please," I say closing my eyes and wondering where Peeta is. When I open my eyes, Thresh is still standing there, holding the rock but it's at his side.
"This is for Rue," he says before running off.
An awful thought comes to mind. If Clove was around, then so is Cato. This thought happens just as a voice calls from above me.
"Peeta and Katniss hiding in a tree, D-Y-I-N-G."
Blood is running down the side of the Cornucopia in front of me. I don't have to guess whose it is. Cato is standing above his body, a sword resting on Peeta's gut. "Get up here," he demands.
I climb to the top as fast as I do the trees. He forces me to bow down. Peeta's leg is bleeding heavily, I try to reach for him but Cato thrusts his sword my way and barely misses my chin.
"Did I say you could move?"
"What are you waiting for?" I ask him. And I'm not being cynical, I'm literally asking him why he hasn't finished us off yet.
"Me? I'm not waiting for anything. This is for everyone watching. I want everyone to know that it was me who took out the Girl on Fire. You may have scored an 11. And I got to admit, the tracker jacker attack, that was pretty good."
Maybe he's waiting for anyone who isn't tuned in yet, or for dramatic effect. It seems kind of pointless to me, I know if I was him I would've done it already.
"What are you waiting for?" I demand to know. Cato laughs, "My dear, I'm trying to think of the best and most creative way to kill you right now." I could shoot him right now, but something tells me his reflexes are tight and that Peeta would meet his end right after. I don't want to go home without Peeta, I don't think I could. My entire district would ostracize me before I even stepped off the train.
Then another cannon goes off, but it's not for any of us. "Tick tock," says Cato, "time's running out." I feel it before I hear it, a vibration. Rumbling, coming from the direction that I saw Thresh sprint at. All three of our heads turn at the same time, and we see them. A pack of wolves, at least twenty of them heading directly toward us. They run so fast and so hard that the ground is pounding. By the time they reach the Cornucopia, we all move to the middle so they don't pull us off the edge.
"Now it's really getting interesting!" exclaims Cato. "You know what I love about the Hunger Games?" Torture or murder would be my guess.
"Everything!" the way he laughs as he says this makes me wonder if everyone from his district is completely psychotic. Clove made me feel the exact same way. I don't think they were born with hearts.
Cato begins to drag Peeta closer towards the edge and I raise my bow, pointing it right at his head. "Uh, uh, uh…" he tsks, "you shoot me and we both go down. What kind of a girlfriend are you?"
My lips purse tightly in despair, I'm so exhausted. Confused, I look to Peeta for answers. "Just do it, Katniss. It's okay," he says.
I shake my head and wonder if I'm capable of such a thing. Then Peeta does something that strikes me, he winks and points to Cato's hand which is gripping Peeta's body. Peeta looks so small compared to Cato, and I know that I have one shot to get this right.
And I do. I fire the arrow into Cato's hand, he instantly lets go and Peeta pushes him off. The wolves below eat away at what was once a boy. The final cannon booms.
Peeta and I embrace and wait for Claudius Templesmith to announce our victories. We wait, and wait.
And nothing happens. "What's going on?" I question. We look to the sky for a hovercraft, a visual announcement, directions, anything.
"Greetings to the final contestants of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games! The earlier revisions have been revoked. Closer examination of the rule book has disclosed that only one winner may be allowed. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor!" Both of our mouths hang wide open. Peeta is shaking his head, "No…no…"
"Fuck!" I scream into the air. I drop to the floor of the metal structure and pound on the surface with my fist. Peeta is taking this much better than I. When I glance up, he's already on the edge of the frame.
"Don't you dare, Peeta Mellark!" I scream. His head whips around and we hold each other so naturally. This feel will never grow old. Every time we touch, I swear my heart grows just a little bit back together. "We'll just, wait," he says. "I mean they have to have a victor. Right?"
"Right," I whisper in agreement. I really don't want Prim to be watching this, but they've probably got this screening in her class room right now if school isn't cancelled entirely. Then I remember something that I hadn't thought of since Rue. I pull out a handful of berries that we were going to plant near the Career camp, but never got around to. I hold them out to him and meet his gaze.
Peeta takes a few, "What are these?"
"Nightlock," I announce. By the look in his eyes, he is completely unaware of what they are.
"Let's just get out of here already. We'll never be the same if one of us dies. Let's just leave here like we came here. Together."
"Katniss..." he hesitates, "your family? Primrose? What about Meadow?"
"Don't say my daughter's name!" I yell. "You think I haven't thought about her the entire time I was here?" Peeta appears hurt by my words. Then I back away, pacing the top of the Cornucopia. I scream, I cry, I yell, "fuck" a few more times. Then I hope this was all enough before I lean in towards Peeta's ear and whisper, "Trust me."
"Ready?" I ask loudly and clearly for every camera and microphone. We both put the berries up to our lips. If my plan can work just one more time…
And it does. Because the next thing that I hear is Claudius Templesmith's voice once again.
"Stop! Stop! Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victors of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark! I give you the tributes of District Twelve!"
…
Oh shit. It just got real.
