Chapter 25: Peeta
We know we've all been sent to die. Katniss realized right away, as did Boggs. Our lives mean nothing to President Coin. Our deaths, however, mean both martyrdom and victory for a power-hungry leader. Faces to show the people of Panam, an example of why they need to continue the raging flames of rebellion. Finnick told us early in our training together about President Snow utilizing desirable victors by selling them to the highest bidder. He told us all about the secrets he learned from Capital people.
President Snow employed poison to stop a problem before it even started. This mission is Alma Coin's poison. And with Katniss and I dead, there will be no one willing to actively oppose President Coin. Each and every one of us agreed once we realized the real plan was for us to die, that our mission would not be to film propos for District 13, but we would actively try to reach the heart of the Capital. Our new mission, will be to reach President Snow. We will be trying for surrender. But if that doesn't work, I'm sure someone plans to kill him. It might even be me. The really difficult realization is knowing that once President Snow is no longer a threat, we will still have a very powerful enemy to contend with.
We learned very quickly what the pods can do. Katniss shot an arrow in between two buildings not far into the city and giant flame throwers scorched the entire street. Had we been there, we would have suffered a horrible death. It wasn't long after that, Jackson stepped on a brick that set off a landmine. There was nothing left of her. We were all so terrified we would step on something that would set off a pod, we quickly retraced our steps and reevaluated what we would do.
Pollux came up with an idea to travel below the city, where only Avox workers go. Castor told us that when Pollux was turned into an Avox, they sent him down below the city where he spent 5 years. "He never saw the sun once," Castor says. Katniss couldn't stand being underground in District 13, even for the time we were there. I can't imagine how damaging it would be to be underground for 5 years.
Pollux is obviously distressed about being down here. I wish it wasn't so difficult for him, but I'm very thankful we are able to travel without facing the pods that are active what seems like every 10 steps aboveground. It isn't safe for us to be aboveground, especially without a holo. Katniss once told me that she wasn't good at saying something, but no one other than Castor knows how to talk to Pollux to calm him down like Katniss. She grabbed his hand, signed something to him that was too fast for me to understand, they both took a deep breath, and Pollux was able to continue.
Traveling underground is surprisingly easy, we've encountered no issues. We've been able to take time to rest and we've been able to move toward the mansion shockingly fast. Pollux knows the location of every camera. We avoid those. The gamemakers didn't expect anyone to go underground, so there have been no pods to decimate us, no mutts that have traveled throughout the system to attack us. I will never say that what we have done is "easy," but so far, we've gotten closer and closer to the mansion quicker than any of us expected.
It's the most selfish thought I've ever had. But if something happens and none of us make it out of this but Katniss, I'll be happy. I want Katniss safe, I want her happy, and I want her to live a long, full life because she deserves it. And this time, if I die, I really won't have any regrets. Katniss loves me, and I was able to make her my wife. No. If I die, I have no regrets. I just want Katniss safe.