It felt like I had only closed my eyes for a few seconds but when I next open them the scorching sun is cooking my skin. It's a vast contrast to how my body felt only an hour or so ago. So deprived of warmth and body temperature that I genuinely believed that one of my limbs might fall off. I sit up to notice Prim watching Johanna in deep concentration. She is carving one of the pieces of bark with a knife, making a type of animal. If I didn't know any better I would say that Johanna was enjoying Prim's company.
"Bweakfwast?" I hear Mags mumble to me.
"Thank you," I smile politely while taking the peculiar looking meat away from her. Mags flashes me her signature gummy smile before walking off. I look at the meat closely. I don't even know what type of animal it is. I don't even know if it's edible.
"It won't bite you, Catnip," I hear Gale say. I tilt my head back to see Gale looking at me, smiling. He comes and sits down next to me on the floor.
"Did you catch this?"
"Yeah. I used the new method of snare that Mags showed me. Works a treat. Go on. Try it. It tastes like wild Turkey."
"Sounds delicious," I reply. I eat the meat slowly, but to my pleasant surprise, it does taste nice. Similar to wild Turkey but more sour.
"Do you like it?"
"It's nice," I reply. Gale pulls a smile at me but it's different to his normal one.
"What's with the smile?" I ask.
"What smile?"
"That smile! The one on your face," I laugh.
"I don't know what you're talking about Catnip," Gale replies. His smile spreads even bigger. I can't help but smile too and before we know it we are in hysterics over nothing.
"You're crazy Gale," I laugh once more, hitting him lightly on the arm. Gale catches hold of my hand and looks me in the eyes,
"Only for you."
"And that was cheesy," I reply laughing before standing up. It's ironic. Although we are in the Hunger Games it feels more like we are at a holiday camp. Everyone is far too relaxed. There seems to be no general sense of fear that we could die at any second. Or perhaps that fear is so strong that we have just accepted it as normal. I look over by the water to find Peeta in deep conversation with Finnick.
"What time did he get back last night?" Gale asks while standing next to me.
"I don't know, not until late. He was badly wounded."
"I know, he said earlier. We need to be careful of what is lurking in those trees, Catnip."
"I know Gale," I say rather too harshly. I don't mean too. It's just I have been in the arena before. I was the last victor of the Hunger Games. I know how the arena works. How the Game Makers can make anything and everything out of thin air. And that's when reality hits me. We are in the Hunger Games. Not a holiday camp. Somewhere in this arena are other people who are searching the trees in hope of finding someone to kill. By the end of today at least one person will have died. Someone's daughter or son. Brother or sister. Worst enemy or best friend. By the end of the day they will be dead.
I pick my bow up from off the ground along with some knives.
"What are you doing?" Gale asks.
"We're leaving in ten," I instruct. I pick up the backpack which Finnick gave to me when at the Cornucopia. All it had in it were three flasks, which I have filled with water, and a strange looking whistle. I put the knives in the bag before flinging it onto my back. I walk over to Prim who is still transfixed by Johanna's carving.
"Katniss look! Johanna's carved Buttercup!" Prim exclaims in delight.
"That's great little duck," I smile, "You better look after it, we're leaving soon."
"What? Leaving to go where?" Johanna scoffs.
"I don't know. But we agreed that our alliance was for one night only."
"If that was the case then why haven't I slit your throat yet?"
"I don't know. I've been beginning to ask myself the same question." Johanna narrows her eyes into slits at me before walking away.
"Fine. Leave. You'll be dead in ten minutes!" she exclaims whilst doing so.
We say our individual goodbyes to everyone. Apple breaks down crying, giving each and everyone a hug.
"Please be careful," she whispers to me whilst hugging me tightly. I'm unsure of what to do so just pat Apple lightly on the back. Gale pulls a face at me whilst I do so; I struggle to hold back the laughter. Johanna ignores our goodbyes, however I notice a glimpse of sadness appear within her eyes when Prim speaks.
"Thank you for the Buttercup carving. I love it. I've never been given a present so lovely before," Prim says quietly while holding the carving in her hands. I feel a sense of sympathy for Johanna. I don't know much about her apart from she has no family. I remember Effie saying that was Johanna's major strength, she doesn't feel emotional attachment to anyone. Well then why is she sad to watch Prim leave?
The goodbye with Mags is short and sweet, though Gale seems genuinely upset to be leaving her. The same goes for Sam, he wishes us the best of luck and gives me a hug. We save our final goodbyes for Finnick. I feel that out of the entire group Finnick was the one I had the greatest connection with. Even if it was just for a day.
"Keep strong Finnick," I whisper to him as I hug him. He tightens the hug slightly before releasing me. He knows what I mean by keeping strong. Not allowing the Hunger Games to break him.
"You too Girl On Fire," he smirks, "Make sure you look after Prim."
"I will," I reply.
As we leave them I feel tears fill my eyes. I don't know why. Perhaps, in a weird way, I see them as family. It's a crazy suggestion being as we had only been with them on day. But that's what an alliance is technically. A form of family. I glance at Prim as we walk; she's holding the carving which Johanna made for her tightly to her chest. It's for the best that we leave. It's not smart being in such a large group. It'll make us more prone to an attack. Also, there can only be one winner and that will be Prim. If we form an alliance with them I would not be able to have the strength to kill them when the time comes. To be the person who makes their heart stop. I may be a tribute but I am still human.
We begin to walk up a steep slope and already Prim is panting. Peeta lifts her up, placing her on his back. I notice his body tense from the contact of Prim on his wound, but not as bad as it was last night. All of a sudden I hear a loud scream echo through the trees. It sounds a lot like Apple's.
"What was that?" Prim exclaims, her breath becomes short.
"Peeta stay with Prim, Gale come with me," I instruct. No one questions. We haven't time. A cannon is shot. My stomach plummets. Was that for Apple?
Gale and I begin running back to the bank where Apple and the others would be. I trip down the slope, twisting my ankle. Gale helps me up and we carry on running. I ignore the pain. If anything the pain encourages me to run faster. We hear someone shout. I think it was Sam. The cannon is suddenly shot multiple times. I feel physically sick. I can feel the small breakfast that I have had rising up inside of me.
We run out onto the bank to find Sam lying on the floor next to Apple. I can't see their faces. Do I want too? Are they dead? I hope not. They won't be. They can't be. I hear a noise.
I turn my head quickly to the left side of me. One of the male tributes from District 9 is coming towards me with a blood covered trident. Finnick's trident. With in seconds of seeing him I send an arrow flying through his chest. He collapses. A cannon is shot. I look around to see if I can see anyone else. I can't. Gale keeps lookout while I run to Sam and Apple. To check that they're alive. I kneel down on the ground next to them. I put too much pressure on my sprained ankle making me flinch. I touch Sam's face. It's still warm. I grab his wrist to find his pulse. I can't. I know it's a futile act but I go to check whether Apple's alive.
"Katniss-!" I hear Gale shout. I turn my head quickly to find the girl from District 9 standing above me. She holds a machete in her hand. I go to reach for my arrows but the girl sends a cut across the left side of my face. I feel my skin part. I can feel the blood. I feel the pain burn through my skin. The instant swelling. Though my attention is diverted from my wound. From my killer. It's diverted to the other tribute who stands only metres behind, perhaps from District 9 too, holding Gale back.
"Not so fast," the girl smirks, she glances back to the other tribute that is holding Gale then back to me, "I hope he cries when he watches you die." The girl looks young. 19, maybe 20? Yet she holds a sinister smile on her face. How can she enjoy torture? Death? She has no innocence. Innocence. Prim.
The girl raises the machete high, my blood glistens on the blade underneath the sun. She holds the position for a few seconds. Perhaps trying to build anticipation for the final blow that shall be the death of me. I watch, as the blade glides down swiftly, though it is as if I watch the event unfold in slow motion. Whilst the machete is still making its way to brace my body, Gale breaks free from the other tribute's clutches. He runs at us, tackling the girl to the ground. While mid-falling the girl twists her body. I watch the machete slice Gale's chest. I don't think. It's instinct. I pull a knife out from my bag and throw it at her. It impacts with the girl's head. I missed. I was aiming for her heart. I then shoot an arrow at the boy tribute. The one who held Gale back. The one who has witnessed the whole event. He dies before he even realises I had released the arrow. Two cannons are shot.
I crawl on my knees to Gale. My beautiful Gale. I throw the tribute's body off him. Pressing the knife deeper into her whilst doing so.
"Gale..." I hear my voice choke. It's barely a sound. Gale looks up at me.
"I'm okay Catnip," Gale smiles, wiping a tear from my face. As his body moves I notice a glint of red from his torso area. I divert my gaze. I can't look. I won't acknowledge it.
"You're fine. This is fine. It's just a graze. Just a cut. You've had worse injuries from hunting," I say. He's not fine. It's not just a graze. I'm lying more to myself than anyone else. I don't dare to look properly at the wound. I haven't the strength.
"I'm sorry," I hear Gale say. He's straining himself to even speak.
"You don't need to be sorry Gale, I'm sorry-"
"-I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you as much as I wish I could have."
"You can still protect me! You're not going anywhere!" I cry. I don't want Gale to protect me. I just want him to stay. I break down crying. My tears dripping on to Gale. "I'm sorry!" I cry even more, trying to wipe the tears from his face. I can feel my heart being slowly torn out of my body.
"Katniss, stop-" Gale says, he tries to reach his left hand to my face but hasn't the strength. I hold onto it though, bringing it closely to my lips. I can see the life fading from his eyes.
"I love you Gale. I love you. You can't go. You can't. Please stay. I need you."
"I love you Catnip. So, so much," Gale whispers. I'm barely able to hear him. He stretches out the index finger on his left hand, stroking my cheek gently. His breathing becomes heavy. I give Gale one last kiss. Crying while doing so. When I pull away Gale's eyes are still closed. They never open. A cannon is shot.