Last night, after I had wrapped my wounds, I crawled to the mouth of the cave to watch the death recap. Marvel's face appeared first, followed by Foxface. I couldn't bring myself to wait for Peeta's image, so I crawled back inside and attempted to fall asleep.
Just as I felt myself drift off, I was startled back awake by blaring trumpets. Claudius Templesmith, being the humble host he is, invited us all to a feast. I rolled my eyes immediately. I knew that I had an abundance of food in the natural world around me. This feast would only serve to prolong the lives of my enemies. But this is no ordinary feast, he had claimed. Each of you needs something desperately.
And I do need something desperately. I clutch my sides and wince from the pain. Dawn has yet to break, but I head out now in hope that I will be concealed by darkness. It took the rest of the night for me to decide on whether or not to go to the feast. But as the hours ticked over, I knew that Haymitch wouldn't be able to send me the medicine I needed.
Armed with my bow and the five arrows that I was able to salvage, I approach the edge of the trees surrounding the cornucopia. I can't see any movement, which reassures me that I'm the first one here. The lake behind the cornucopia is strewn with piles of rubbish and discarded supplies. The Career's would have dominated this area to guard the lake, but I guess that they've cleared out in preparation for the inevitable feast battle. I for one am not fit for another battle in my weakened state, so I resolve to watch on from the sidelines and wait for my chance to sneak in and take what I need.
I climb a tree a few steps back. From here branches from other trees conceal the cornucopia, but they also shield me from enemies. I close my eyes to rest for a minute, but when I open them, the sun has risen just enough to light up the field. Standing up on the branch, I can't see anybody. But in the light, I see that the supplies scattered over the grass are charred and broken. Credit goes to Peeta and his brilliant idea to blow up the Career's lifeline.
I hear footsteps in all different directions. To my left they're heavy but sure. To my right they're coupled. And behind me they're swift. Those are the ones I fear. Crouching down again, I hold my breath but sigh in relief as she passes under me and crouches behind a shrub. It's the girl from district 8, one of the five tributes left in this arena.
Aside from the other footsteps in the distance, it is eerily quiet. Until the cornucopia begins to make a whirring noise. I can't make out what's happening, but the girl from 8 lunges out from behind the shrub and sprints towards the cornucopia. She then doubles back and tears through the bushes in order to escape. It wasn't graceful, but it got her what she needed.
I think that maybe I just missed my opportunity as I hear the remaining tributes close in on the feast. They all stop just before the clearing. Confident that all the remaining tributes are here right now, and the girl from 8 is making the dash for her life, I climb down from the tree and position myself behind the most dense shrubbery.
I could use my efficient speed to take my bag that sits on the silver table at the mouth of the cornucopia. But I won't. Peeta revealed his power, and not a moment later the Capitol sent in a muttation to kill him. I'm sure of it. I have accidentally revealed my power. But they didn't kill me. Maybe because they thought I was invincible when I wasn't charred by the fire. But they know now that I can be hurt. And my time will probably come soon.
I can see Cato and Clove to my right. Cato taps her on the back and she's off running as fast as she can to the table. Cato makes no move. Coward. The moment she reaches the cornucopia, she is struck in the chest by a long flying object. Her body falls backwards and she looks winded and dazed. Thresh charges out from the tall grass. His booming footfalls echo around the arena.
Clove barely has time to pull herself up before he grabs her by the shirt and lifts her off the ground. She screams for Cato and attempts to kick and claw her way out of Thresh's grip as he walks her over to the table. In Cato's eyes I see fear but no concern for Clove. Instead, his expression is calculating. He can see the baton, Thresh's only weapon, laying on the ground. Clove calls out for Cato with her last breath as Thresh slams her head down on the table, breaking her neck. A cannon sounds and I watch the pack with 12 written on it fall behind the table.
Cato runs out from his cover with a long sword. Thresh was expecting this, and he lunges for his baton. Unfortunately, Cato was able to strike him in the back. Thresh is hardly phased as he spins around and stops the second blow with his weapon. The force clearly takes Cato aback, but he quickly collects himself and the fight begins. Thresh is able to get in a few blows to Cato's ribs and thighs. But each time they are met with strikes to his arms. The blood flows violently. Cato's wounds are enough to slow him down, but he can recover. Thresh will not. I need Thresh to kill Cato for me. He will die shortly after and then it will only be me and the girl from 8. I have a chance to make it out of here alive.
With my newfound hope, I attempt to aid Thresh using telekinesis. I'm able to prevent Cato's sword from cutting too deep into his flesh, but in my weakened state, I can't do much more than that. Cato is too strong, and they are too far away. My sides burn with every attempt to help.
Thresh begins to crumble under his own weight. His legs start to shake and all he can do is swing his arm around at Cato. He loses his grip on the baton and it flies out of his hand. Knowing that it's the end, his final assault is throwing his weight onto Cato in the hope that he can kill him too. I see the tip of the sword slide through his back. Cato jumps out in time for Thresh to fall heavily to the ground, the sword digging in further. Before the cannon sounds, Cato kicks over his body and pulls the sword out, wiping it on Thresh's clothes.
Maybe I have less of a chance than I thought. Cato walks over to the table and grabs the bags labelled 2 and 11. As he looks around, probably for me, I can see that his eyes are red and glossy. The tough Cato weeps. Whether it's for his fallen partner or for his booboo's, I don't know. But seeing this human side of him reassures me that he has weak spots. And that I can and will be the one to kill him.
I watch as he walks back in the direction he came. I decide to wait until he's long gone before I take what is mine. But the whirring noise begins and I can see the table slowly being engulfed by the mouth of the cornucopia. Desperate, I shed by bow and sheathe and run as fast as I can towards it, which is not fast at all. My entire body is weak. I need that medicine. I jump for the bag as it is being dragged down into the floor of the cornucopia and manage to grab onto the string. With all my might I yank it and roll back away from the hole in the ground.
I laugh between my heavy breaths, so relieved to hold the precious medicine in my hands. I don't even bother to find cover. Within a second I have taken it out of the bag, opened the lid and applied it to every cut, scratch and bruise I have. I even rub it over my chapped lips before I gather enough sense to save the rest of the tiny container of medicine.
I take the baton before I leave the clearing. It's not my weapon of choice but everything helps. Reunited with my bow, I feel a stronger sense of security. I know that the girl from 8 headed in the same direction as I need to go to get back to the cave. So I decide to take the long route back, walking around through the tall grass. I could set up camp here, but I left all my supplies back at the cave, wanting to keep the one place in this hellhole that feels homely. It was Peeta's home too, after all.
I get back to the cave at sunset. It was a long journey to walk as slow as I did, but I got faster as the medicine slowly healed me. I'm still in so much pain. The gashes on my sides have stopped bleeding completely, but they're still open wounds. I apply the rest of the medicine generously over my sides and dress them with the little sleeping bag I have left. It has been quite the tool. I wouldn't have made it this far without that damn thing.
I feast on half my rations, knowing that I won't be in here much longer. The dark sky begins to shimmer slightly, indicating that the death recap is about to begin. But before the anthem sounds, a cannon goes off. I jump a little, and my heart begins to race.
The sky lights up with the Capitol seal, and Clove's face appears, followed by the girl from 8 and finally Thresh. Of course Cato and I are the final two. They couldn't have given me an easy win.
Of course the final battle had to be between Cato and Katniss ;) Next chapter will be the final games chapter!
