AN: I'm sorry it's been a while but hopefully this chapter will make up for my slow update. If anyone here also reads 'Percy Jackson' then please check out my new story 'Before I Die'! I'd be very grateful, thank you!
Hope
Jesse gets cut off by a loud groaning sound and I feel my eyes widen as I watch the ground split open. What's happening? Is this one of Snow's traps to get me killed?
"Finnick!" Jesse calls from beside me and then starts dragging me away from the area. "Finnick, I found her! Where are you?" I realise he doesn't know exactly where Finnick is and unfreeze.
"Finnick!" I yell, panic rising throughout my body. We zigzag through the many trees until we run straight into Finnick himself. Concern is written on his face and he's panting like crazy.
"What's that noise?" he pants.
"The ground… opening," is all I say as I try to catch my breath.
"That's it," he mutters and I frown.
"What do you mean 'that's it'?" Jesse asks.
"Come on, they're saving us!" he yells and starts running in the direction we came from.
"Finnick, no!" I yell but he ignores me.
"This must be Haymitch's plan," Jesse says, holding my head in his hands. I feel dizzy and confused.
"What are you talking about?" I ask.
"I can't explain now but we need to get out of here," he says quickly before taking my hand and running off again.
I can't concentrate on running as my head spins in a pool of confusion. Haymitch is going to save us? But how? He's back home in District Twelve. Then it dawns on me…
I look up at the sky and my eyes widen as I realise it must be about 5pm, maybe 5.30. Five thirty! My mind flashes back to my private session with the game-makers:
He looks at his feasting team-mates and when he see's that no-one is watching he holds up his hand and points to each finger: Five. I hold my hand up too and he nods abruptly. He put the other hand up then: Ten.
I put both my hands up and he shakes his head: No. He puts his hands down then back up then down and then back up again: Thirty. I mouth the number to him and he nods again and winks. Five thirty.
They are saving us; we can all get out of here! Adrenaline rushes through me and Jesse and I sprint after Finnick who is out of sight. We reach the area we were at minutes ago and I see that there's a huge hole in the ground and in the middle is a hovercraft, rising on a large metal plate.
I'm suddenly worried that we've made a mistake and this is a Capitol vehicle but then I notice the large gold Mockingjay painted onto the side and I sigh. Relief rushes through me but I know I can't relax until we're all inside and out of the Capitol.
Snow must be going crazy and sending hovercrafts after us. I'm brought out of my thoughts when the hovercraft opens and reveals a metal plate. "You first!" Finnick yells over the loud rumble coming from the hovercraft. Jesse pushes me forward until I'm on the metal plate and I'm frozen to the spot as the plate rises.
Seconds later, I'm inside the hovercraft and I see Haymitch. But there's no time for reunions. I watch as the plate goes down again and Finnick and Jesse argue over who goes first. "You first," Jesse says.
"No, you go," Finnick replies.
"Hurry!" I yell and the two look at each other for a long time before Finnick gives up and walks towards the plate.
He freezes in spot and then is lifted into the vehicle. I grab him and pull him next to me. The metal plate goes down again and I watch intently as Jesse jumps onto the plate.
A loud growl fills my ears and I watch as three wild beasts come out from behind a clump of bushes and sprint towards Jesse. "Jesse!" I yell but realise that it's not him who can make the plate rise faster.
I jump to my feet and turn on my heel to face Haymitch who is ordering people around. "Faster!" I yell and he orders a man to do as I say. I drop to my knees and bend over the side to watch Jesse. The dogs are now under the plate and growling up at him. All they have to do is jump to knock him down.
"Grab my hand!" Finnick yells and holds a hand out to Jesse.
"He's frozen," I remind him and he growls.
I looks at me then and says, "Bend over as far as possible, grab onto his arms and pull him, okay?" I nod and we both bend over the side.
The plate needs to rise a little higher before we can reach him but the dogs are jumping and one of them is backing away, getting ready to run and pounce.
"Faster, Haymitch!" I yell again, terrified tears filling my eyes.
"Oh god," Jesse mutters.
"What is it?" Finnick asks and I look around just in time to see the dog start sprinting towards the plate.
I bend over even more while yelling, "Hold on to me, Fin!" I grab on to Jesse's hand and pull as hard as I can. I feel arms wrap around my waist and pull me up. I feel my hand slipping out of Jesse's and I try to tighten my grip but my hands are sweaty and shaking.
"Quick!" Jesse yells, his eyes wide and scared.
Our eyes never part as a sudden strength surges through me and I grab his other arm and pull him. Finnick pulls me even harder and it's when the dog pounces that Jesse is in my arms, in the hovercraft and yelling in pain. "Did it get you?" I ask, frantically and he nods.
"My leg, my leg," he repeats.
The hole in the hovercraft closes as it takes off and drives away. I let go of Jesse and crawl until I'm beside his leg. His trouser material has three lines cut out and all I can see in the gaps is blood. "You'll be fine," I promise him and he nods, pain filled tears swimming down his cheeks.
"Someone help him!" I yell.
"What did he hurt?" a familiar voice asks, his voice thick with emotion.
"His leg. The dog scrammed his leg," I reply, my eyes never leaning Jesse's until I hear the man's loud footsteps beside us.
I look up to find that the man is my father. "Dad!" I cry and fling myself into his arms. "It's you! It's really you!"
"Yeah," he smiles, sadly. "Everything is going to be okay, now." My father never lies but even I can tell that something's not right. But now is not the time to question him.
"Let me take a look at your friends leg," he says, pulling away and kneeling beside Jesse. "Thank you for saving her," I hear him whisper and watch as Jesse nods slightly.
I kneel beside him and take his hand. "Where are we going?" I ask no one in particular.
"District 13," Grandpa Haymitch replies, standing beside me. He doesn't even sound drunk. I'm too confused with everything that's happened to question the fact that we're heading to a district that is meant to be destroyed.
Haymitch looks down, guiltily. "I should've made it more clear." I realise he's talking about my confusion between Jeremy and Jesse.
"Don't worry about it," I reply and then look around, wondering where mom is. "Where's my mom?"
Haymitch looks away. I look at my dad; he's stopped working on Jesse's leg and is frozen to the spot. Dread fills me and I repeat quietly, "Where is my mom?" No one answers. No one will look at me.
"Where is she?" I yell, standing up and glaring at Haymitch.
He finally looks back at me, his eyes sad. "I'm sorry," he whispers. I gulp, tears falling down my cheeks even though I don't know what's going on.
"What happened?" I sob.
"A peacekeeper got a hold of Cinna. Katniss…" he trails off for a second. "She-she went after him. The Peacekeepers got her. Your dad tried going after her but I pulled him back."
"What?" I ask, the news not sinking in. The next sentence that comes out of his mouth feels like a stab in the heart.
"Cinna is trapped in the Capitol… with your mom."
AN: How was it? Did you like it? Next chapter I might do Katniss's POV or Peeta's on what happened back in the Capitol. Review!