I'm sorry for the cliff hanger. I really want to finish it asap but life isn't a dream. I hope someone still want to read it. Thank you all. :D
Disclaimer: the Hunger Games trilogy belongs to Suzanne Collins
Chap 25
Through the ventilation shaft, we crawl and crawl. The tube is so small that I can barely raise my head and the only thing keeps me moving in the right way is Johanna's heels right before me. After a while I start hearing the noise coming from other tubes. The noise of motors, of heavy steps of soldiers. They're here. Can Gale make it in time? I really want to crawl back and wait for Gale but Finnick pushes me forward. Finally the tube opens to a wider tunnel. Jackson, under Boggs's instruction, leads us running through three intersect then we start climbing up and continue crawling in another ventilation tube. Finally when I can creep out of the tube, this time behind a closet in a deserted house, I hear the explosion. The fire lights up the street two or three blocks away from the house. An image flashes through my mind. Homes sits between the piles of clothes, his hand on the trigger. The Peacekeepers follow his blood trail and reach the storage room. Their eyes widen at Homes and the trigger. They raise their guns but it's too late, Homes gives them a smirk and a KABOOMMM.
We stand in the dark, gaze at the light of fire outside the window. When I remember we didn't have time to say goodbye or thank you to Homes, I raise my three finger, other people one after another do the same thing. For Homes and also for Leeg 2 and Mitchell, people we lost in just a day.
A scratching sound from the shaft startles us.
"Gale!" I plunge back at the shaft's door and call desperately.
"Almost there!" He says, maybe from the wider tube. Right after his head pops out of the shaft, my anger rises. I grasp his collar and pull half of him out of the shaft.
"If you trick me again like that, I will bite off your tongue." My voice breaks. "Damn you!"
"What's wrong?" Boggs asks from the shaft. I'm blocking the way. I quickly release Gale and walk to the sofa. He gets out of the shaft and sits down beside me. He grabs my hand. People settle down around the room and sink in their own thoughts. How long can the fire delay the searching of Peacekeepers? How many of us will survive until the next night?
Irony enough, a few minutes passes and a noise of empty stomach pulls us out of silence. Boggs rises up and claps his hands lightly.
"Alright, first thing first. We need to eat and rest."
We're about to open our pack to get our dried food when Finnick flips his fingers.
"Oh right, don't eat. Wait for me a little. I think I can help saving our dried food."
A question of how almost leaves my mouth. His client's house, of course. Sure enough, after a while of searching in another room, he calls for Gale then they bring back pile of cans and boxes.
"They used to hide wine or drug, limited goods. Before the war." Finnick says and passes the cans around.
"They must have to evacuate hastily and couldn't bring these." Leeg 1 says vaguely.
"Thank to that, we can have a feast before we jump a cliff with their president." Johanna says and harshly opens the first can. We eat and sometimes adding a small talk. The food is good and full stomachs light up the atmosphere a little. We eat a box of cookies for dessert then the exhaustion keeps up with us. Yawning runs around the team.
"I think the explosion and the fire would cover our track so at least we can rest here for tonight. Take turn on guarding, clear?" Boggs says.
We move the mattress from the bedroom to the room where we can look out the window and retreat to the shaft quickly. The first on guard is Jackson. I lie down next to Gale, face to face with him.
"Promise me, Gale." I whisper. "We will try to go as far as we can. And if… I'm captured and can't reach to my nightlock pill, you will finish me off."
"Promise. You do the same for me, Katniss."
I nod then turn to face the ceiling. Light from the windows makes Jackson's shadow flickering on the strange pink flower pattern of the ceiling. We have to do it by our own hands for the intimacy. The traditional of Ten, a reasonable traditional promise, now I understand it clearer. But not yet, that's the worst case. I want to survive and I have to concentrate at surviving. Survival, my main purpose over time. Through my father's death, through the game and through this war.
"Gale?"
"Hmm?"
"In the wood you said you knew what my choice was." I hesitate. I figure it out, too and I feel… awful.
"Yes, I know how you would choose." Gale says.
"I will choose whoever I think I can't survive without, isn't it your answer?" I ask.
Survival, it's all about survival. Whatever I say, whatever I do. I didn't know I was that cold and calculating, pure selfish like that. No passion, no emotion, no love can be stronger motive for me than survival. And in the end, I might consider between a hunter and a baker, who will extend my longevity the most, to be my mate. It's hurt when I said it and Gale didn't deny. He couldn't because it's true, he knows me and I know that, but I still wish he would say something different.
"And I know right now to go through this, you need both of our survivals so don't worry, I won't give up my life easily. Get some sleep, Catnip." Gale whispers. He lays his large hand on my arm. I put my other hand on my breast pocket, where I hide my pearl. Gale's right about me again. One person is waiting for me ahead, the other is supporting behind me, yes, I need both of them with me to get out of this I-hope-final Hunger Games. It's not the time to think about a choice in future which might not come if I'm distracted now.