It is clear now that our grace period has ended. Perhaps Snow had them digging earlier than we imagined. They found Boggs' remains, briefly felt reassured, and then as the hour went on without further trophies, they began to suspect it. At some point they realized that they were tricked. And of course President Snow can not tolerate looking like a fool. He has unleashed something, likely a pack of mutts, ready to kill us all.
"Peeta."
I jump back at the proximity of the sound and draw my gun. I look around carefully for the source moving in front of Katniss to shield her with my body. "Katniss." I look down and realize that the sound is coming for her lips. Just when I was beginning to think that she was really getting better, that she might finally start making her way back to me, I see the proof of how deep Snow's torture really was. "Peeta." She begins to stir now. The hissing sound in her voice begins to grow. I position myself backwards, anticipating an attack. I place my weapon back down behind me. Suddenly, she sits up, eyes wide in alarm, and catches her breath. "Peeta!" She whips her head toward me. "Peeta! We have to get out of here!"
I hesitate for a moment. Her voice sounds alarmed, but not insane.
"Why?" I question instantly. "What is making that sound?"
"I don't know. Only that it wants to kill us," she says.
She is up on her feet and quickly scrambling for her pack.
"Come on! Run! "She hollers to the squad. "We need to get out! Go! Go!"
Jackson and Gale quickly begin splitting up the weapons so everyone has something to arm themselves with, accept for Katniss. Finnick has his trident, Gale has a crossbow as well as a spare regular style bow and sheath on his back. The rest of us carry guns. Gale takes off leading us down the tunnels followed closely by Pollux, I urge Katniss to take off behind Finnick. I then follow closely behind her. The rest of the squad is behind me with Jackson bringing up the rear.
Outside the hum of the room, the hissing becomes more distinct. At first this is terrifying, but it also now allows us to have a better understanding of the mutts location. They are behind us, still a considerable distance away, but likely gaining on us fast. I think about the wolf-like creatures from our first games, and the monkeys from the Quarter Quell. My mind begins to wonder about the monstrosities Snow has released on us now, but force myself to push it out of my thoughts and focus on the task at hand. My only hope is that we manage to reach the outside before the mutt's reach us.
We have covered about three more blocks via an overflow pipe when the screams begin. Thick, guttural, and clear as day.
"Avoxes." announces Castor immediately.
"The mutts must have found them," says Cressida.
"So they are not just after Katniss and Peeta," says Leeg 1.
"They'll probably kill anyone. It's just that they won't stop until they find the two of them," says Gale. I know that after his hours of study with Beetee, he is most likely right. The two of them spent days together discussing strategy and developing new war tactics for the field.
The only thought that comes to my mind is how more people are losing their lives because of me. Family, friends, allies, even complete strangers.
"Listen." Katniss suddenly says, forcing us all to pause in silence.
The screams have stopped, and in their absence our names have returned. The proximity of the sound is terrifying. It is below us now, as well as behind us. "Katniss…..Peeta"
Pollux starts to run so everyone naturally follows as he leads us through the tunnels as swiftly as he can manage.
Almost in unison, Katniss and I begin coughing.
"Masks on!" Orders Jackson.
Only there is no need for the masks. Everyone is breathing the same air, it is just the two of us who are coughing. Reacting to the order. Drifting up from the stairwell. Cutting through the sewage. Roses. I feel my legs begin to tremble. That is thing about mutts. They don't just aim to attack you physically, but often mentally as well. I think back to wolf-creatures with the eyes of the fallen was the most chilling feature about them. And now, this is what the synthetic rose smell threatens to do.
Pollux leads us up a ladder and we climb upward hoping to put some more distance between us and the mutts. This level is slightly wider than the one below. Just as I recognize the first pod Gale sends an explosive arrow flying through it , which instantly kills a nest of flesh eating rats. The problem with climbing back up, is the amount of active pods that will likely be waiting for us. We sprint to the next intersection, where I know one false step will cause the ground below us to disintegrate, feeding us into something labeled MEAT GRINDER.
I would have missed it completely, but Finnick pulls me away from an active pod directly to my right. He shouts a warning to the others but it is too late. Messalla is captured by a shaft of golden light. He is frozen, his mouth open as if he is screaming, but no sound is heard. We watch, utterly helpless, as the flesh melts off his body like candle wax. I go to reach for him, but something pulls me back.
It's Katniss. "Can't help him!" She demands, shoving people away. "Can't."
Amazingly, she seems to be the only functional one in the group, trying to get us moving again. And we do. We sprint to the next intersection and a spray of gunfire brings down a shower of plaster. I jerk my head from side to side looking for pods. This is when I turn and see a squad of Peacekeepers pounding down the tunnel towards us. With the meat grinder pod blocking our way, there is nothing to do but fire back. In perfect unison Gale and I draw our weapons and step our bodies in front of Katniss so we are standing shoulder to shoulder with her behind us. They outnumber us two to one, but we still have six original members of the Star Squad, who aren't trying to run and shoot at the same time like our enemies.
Bursts of red begin to stain their white uniforms. Three quarters of them are down and dead when more begin to pour in from the side of the tunnel. I turn my head trying to get away from the smell again when I realize it.
These are not Peacekeepers.
They are white, four-limbed, about the size of a fully grown adult male, but the similarities stop there. Naked, with long reptilian tails, arched backs, and heads that jut forward. The mutts swarm over the Peacekeepers, living and dead. I watch them clamp on to their necks with their mouths and rip off the helmeted heads. Within seconds all the Peacekeepers are decapitated. I turn my head to Katniss, expecting to find her lost to the world from the stress of this impending situation. Instead I find her standing tall, her feet positioned to run, and her eyes clear.
"This way!" Gale shouts, hugging the wall to make a sharp right turn to avoid the pod. When everyone has joined him, Gale fires an arrow into the intersection with the MEAT GRINDER label. It activates and huge mechanical teeth burst through the street and chew the tile to dust. Surely this will help to stop the mutts from reaching us. Yet the hissing still continues to burn in my ears.
I see Gale grab Pollux's arm. "Forget the mission, what is the quickest way up?" He asks with urgency.
We follow Pollux for about ten yards and head through an open doorway. Between Finnick and I we have managed to keep Katniss in between the two of us since leaving the room we had slept in. We begin crawling on a thin ledge and onto the main sewer platform connected by a bridge. Finnick is forced to remove Katniss' handcuffs in order for her to be able to successfully crawl across the ledge. A yard below us is a brew of poisonous human waste, garbage and chemical runoff that is bubbling. I am thankful when I see Finnick grab hold of Katniss' vest as we crawl, anchoring her to the ledge. I can tell that if someone were to fall in, they would not be coming out. We make our way to the narrow bridge. Pollux smacks a ladder with his hands and points up the shaft. This is it. Our way out.
I do a quick glance at the squad and instantly know something is not right.
"Wait! Where are Jackson and Leeg 1?" I ask.
"They stayed back at the Grinder to hold the mutts back," says Homes.
"What?" I try to lunge back toward the bridge, not wanting to leave anyone behind with those monsters. I can not stomach another person dying on my behalf. Finnick pushes me back.
"Don't waste their lives Peeta."
"Look!" Homes yells and points to the pipe, where the mutts are slithering onto the ledge we crawled across moments ago. How they managed to catch us so quickly I will never know.
"Stand back!" Gale shouts. With an explosive arrow, he rips the far side of the bridge from its foundation. The rest sinks into the bubbles just as the mutts reach it.
For the first time we get a good look at them. A mix of human and lizard. White, tight reptilian skin smeared with blood and gore. Their faces are a mess of conflicting features. They are hissing and shrieking our names now as their bodies seem to contort in rage. Despite the toxicity, the mutts begin stomping through the brew of waste below.
Along our bank, everyone opens fire. They are mortal, but it takes nearly two dozen bullets to finally bring one down. There are so many now, pouring down the pipe. The stench of the roses is so overpowering, as if Snow himself was breathing right down my face, telling me I am about to die. I turn my head and look at the ladder. Just steps away. I need to get her out of here. There is no way she will survive this attack if I do not. I turn to grab her shoulder, to begin pulling her towards the ladder to escape when I realize she is not there. I am looking for her frantically when I hear the others begin yelling at me. Before I have time to react a mutts claws graze my ankle. Gale sends an arrow down it's throat just in time. But then I realize Gale is facing the other way shooting mutts that are attempting to crawl onto the platform. It wasn't Gale who shot the arrow at all. I spot her a few people over, positioned on one knee sending arrows into the bodies of the mutts at rapid speed. I don't know how she managed to get the extra bow and arrow set from Gale's back but she did. And again Katniss Everdeen has saved my life. She is up on her feet now and motioning everyone to run to the ladder. I follow along with Cressida and Pollux. Homes, Castor, Gale and Finnick are doing their best to fight off the mutts.
"Climb!" Katniss announces pushing Cressida forward up the ladder to follow Pollux.
I grip onto her shoulders. "I'm not leaving you behind again!" I am yelling, looking directly into her gray eyes.
"Then come on!" She hollers "They are gaining on us!" I climb the ladder quickly and look to make sure she is following me.
"Gale!" She screams pleading with him to run.
"Hurry!" I shout down to them both urging them to climb because I know I will not survive if she dies in this tunnel.
I watch as Gale pushes her forward and they climb as urgently as they can. Cressida shines the light from her gun down the tunnel. I reach for Katniss' hand and pull her up onto the small platform. I hold her close to me and I can feel her gripping my arm as well, not daring to let go. She crouches next to me when I look down and notice Finnick struggling as three mutts begin tearing at him. Castor and Homes are down there too. Gale attempts to shoot the beasts with a fiery arrow as he climbs but it is useless.
"Finnick!" Katniss screams, and I hold her body back, scared she may try to go back to get him.
I can feel the tears forming in my eyes because I know what is about to happen. He won't make it out.
It is as if I'm Finnick, watching images of my life flash before my eyes. The mast of a boat, a silver parachute, Mags laughing, a pink sky, Beetee's trident, Annie in her wedding dress.
I look down as one mutt yanks back his head to take a death bite. Gale rips out the Holo from his pocket and I hear him say, "nightlock, nightlock, nightlock." He releases the Holo into the tunnel.
Within seconds the Holo erupts. The explosion is deafening and rocks the platform that we rest on. I pull in Katniss closer to my body, holding her head into my shoulder, shielding it from any debris. Bits of mutt and human flesh shoot out of the pipe and shower us. Gale directs us upward to finish the climb. We have no time to wait.
There is a loud clank as Pollux slams the cover over the pipe and locks it in place. We quickly escape the tunnel entrance and take shelter against a dark brick wall. Pollux, Gale, Cressida, Katniss and me. We are all that is left. I work to push the debilitating feelings aside because now is certainly not the time for human feelings.
"We can't stop here." Gale announces. At this point blood is gushing from a wound on his neck. Cressida hands him a white bandage and he fastens it around his open wound. This won't be sufficient for long.
Everyone is up on their feet. Only one figure stays huddled against the wall.
"Katniss!" Gale says. There is no response.
Her eyes are black pools, the pupils dilated. Just five short minutes ago she was in the tunnel, firing arrows to save our lives. Completely herself - strong as can be. Now Finnick is gone. She trusted Finnick and he looked out for her, protecting her when nobody else could. He is dead. It was too much.
"Do what you have to do to end this. Remember why we came here. Leave Katniss behind if you have to." Boggs' words echo in my ears. This is what he would want me to do. This is the moment I am sure he was anticipating would happen. But I can't, and I won't. There is nothing at this point that would make me leave her behind.
Gale is down on my knees facing her. He reaches forward and grabs her shoulders, pulling her against his body is a tight hug. "Katniss please," he begs her.
But she is fighting him. Pushing herself away. I can hear her mumbling words to herself trying to sort out what is real in her own brain. Then without much of a second thought, he grabs her cheeks and kisses her right on the mouth. I watch her bring her hands to his chest. She rests them there. No. She pushes his body away from her with force and screams.
"No no! Get away from me! You are all trying to kill me!"
Gale is shocked and quickly moves away from her. She pulls her bow out from behind her back. Preparing to kill us all. But when she reaches, her sheath is empty. There are no arrows left from fighting off the mutts.
Without thinking I bend down and grab her wrists. I grip hard and force her to look into my eyes.
"Katniss! Stay with me." I tell her. Looking directly into her eyes with mine. Hoping that somehow the memory will come back to her. The Capitol should not have touched this one, they didn't have access to it.
"Stay with me." I repeat. "Stay with me".
Her breathing is rapid but her eyes lock onto mine. "Don't let Snow take you from me again. Stay with me."
She takes short, shallow breaths, but I watch as her eyes slowly begin turning back to normal coloring.
"Stay with me." I say to her once more in a whisper, so only she can hear.
"Always." She finally replies. She is still trembling.
I help her up. "Let's move," I say, directing to Pollux.
Cressida helps Gale to his feet. I glance at him quickly and see the defeated look plastered across his face. I know it too well.
We round the first street corner when a woman exits the building in front of us. She wears a bright turquoise silk robe embroidered with exotic birds. Her magenta hair is fluffed up like a cloud and decorated with gilded butterflies. The expression on her face says she recognizes us. She opens her mouth to call for help. Without hesitation, Gale shoots her through the heart.
