CHAPTER 2.11
'Are we running out of time?
Should we look into the light?
Could this be the day we die?
This could be the final fight.'
Alternating between Finnick and Cato, the intelligent man from District Three was still too injured to walk so was being carried up the steep slope that led to the large tree. The main rivals of the 'ally group' were bringing up the rear due to the fact that they could do far more damage with a sheath of arrows than the others as they only had close contact weapons. As they neared the tree, Katniss abandoned Indiana so that she could listen out for force fields ahead but Cato joined her side.
Grasping his fiancée's hand, Cato's eyes scanned the trees for the smallest sign of a threat. "I think we should leave tonight. After the electrocution is done," he whispered.
"Good idea. There's only a couple of us left and with the way the Gamemakers are throwing things at us, this thing is coming to an end by tonight or tomorrow."
Dividing up their duties, they had collectively decided that Indiana and Finnick would stand guard whilst Beetee examined the tree. After all, he was the most important part of this plan; the most vital piece on the chessboard. Johanna tapped for fresh water as the group were beginning to feel slightly dehydrated, Peeta gathered some nuts for lunch, and Cato and Katniss went hunting for food. Together.
Centuries of worrying had passed before Cato strolled over to his fiancée, rats slung over his shoulder and a big grin sliding onto his face when she beamed up at him. Wrapping his arms around her, Indiana felt herself relax slightly, relieved at the reassurance that he was safe. Any time he disappeared from sight in this arena, Indiana panicked that he wouldn't be coming back. Regardless of what happened or where they were, the young couple always felt safe in the other's embrace.
Sat on her own on the grainy floor of the soft sand, Indiana was watching Beetee work when a silver parachute dropped in her lap. The rest of the group stopped their activities to turn around and stare at her. Prying open the metal lid, the note on top informed her that the contents of the tub were solely for her – not for the group.
Pulling out a silver locket (to replace the gold one Cato had given her), the photos made her want to cry but her blue's eyes remained dry, as she was aware that there was six people watching her.
On the right side was a photo of Indiana and Marvel; they were six years old and her lips were pressed against his cheek with his arm slung over her shoulders. They looked happy, carefree and innocent. On the left side was Cashmere and Gloss holding a baby Indiana in their arms. Despite her parents having recently died when the photo was taken, Cashmere and Gloss were beaming with joy and love as they stared down at the little bundle in their arms. Engraved on the back of the locket was a short message; 'Keep going, Sweetie. Love Mr & Mrs K.'
Letting out a shaky breath, Indiana's heart clenched once she realised the locket was a gift from Mr and Mrs Kentwell, Marvel's parents. She hadn't even realised that they would still be watching her. Noticing her hands were shaking violently, Cato took the locket from her and clasped it around Indiana's tanned neck – just as he had done with the engagement ring now adorning her finger.
The Kentwell's had been right, Indiana thought to herself, she couldn't give up.
She had to ensure that that her and Cato made it to the final two, regardless of how the people needed Twelve to live. She had to ensure that Cato lived and she had done something right with her second chance of life. After all, Marvel hadn't been given a second chance.
At (predicted) nine o'clock, the party of seven left their makeshift camp on the beach to make the long hike up to the tree. Finnick assisted Beetee in securing the wire in the right positions whilst the other five surrounded them and the three, ensuring that everything went according to plan. The three girls were directed to take the coil through the expansive jungle, unwinding it as they went and then dropping it into the water before making a run for it. If they went now, they should make it to safety. It was a big risk and an important job but it was one worth taking.
"I want to go with them, as a guard," both Peeta and Cato declared simultaneously.
Looking at each other suspiciously, the pair tried not to look too dejected when Beetee informed them they were needed at his side instead. Knowing they had no other choice and that protesting would only rise unwanted questions, they both agreed to stay. Any further arguing would also delay the girls' departure and they couldn't afford for them to leave any later otherwise they'd get caught in the crossfire.
"Please come back to me." Cato pleaded, pressing his forehead to her own. His eyes filled with pain at the idea of being separated from her. "Please."
"Of course I'll come back. I'll see you at midnight." Indiana took his face in her hands and kissed him softly before turning back to Katniss and Johanna.
"You two guard, I'll unwind." Johanna turned to walk down the slope, leaving the other two with no choice other than to follow her, bows at the ready.
When Johanna's wrist began to tire, Katniss took over and that was when everything went to shit.
Johanna pinned Katniss to the floor and began carving the tracker out of her arm before wiping the blood from the wound onto Katniss' face, making it look as if the woman had been severely injured. Stamping on the tracker, Johanna turned back to Katniss.
"Stay down and give this to Cato," she hissed to Katniss, folding something into the palm of her hand before dashing into the trees.
Passing by Indiana, Johanna ran faster when she noticed the blonde girl was beginning to wake up. She hadn't had enough time to tell the girl about the plan so had taken the quickest course of action and knocked her out. Guilt coursed through her when she knew that it was unlikely that her and Indiana would make it out of the arena.
However, she knew Indiana wouldn't want her engagement ring falling into the hands of the Capitol and being sold so she had slipped it off the younger woman's finger and given it to the one woman destined to escape.
Clutching her head in pain, Indiana panicked at her bare left ring finger and began searching the forest floor for it. Unfortunately, advancing voices startled her and scrambled her way through the jungle, retracing her steps to the large oak.
Head throbbing, Indiana tried to find Cato as quickly as possible. She had to find him so that they could get away from the group because the alliance had clearly fallen apart, considering Johanna had knocked her out. A cannon went off and despite knowing how strong and stealthy he was, there was always a high possibility that the cannon had been Cato's. Everyone in this arena had killed before. And than there was the horrific mutations that Capitol produced.
"Cato!" Indiana screamed, not caring who (or what) heard her. She had to know if Cato was alive.
Foot catching on a tree root, Indiana's body slammed into the ground, already cut and bruised head bouncing off another rock. Nausea washed over her instantaneously and if she hadn't had a concussion before, she definitely did now. Despite the protests her body gave, Indiana forced herself to continue running.
Vision blurring, she tried to ignore the ringing in her ears and the frantic pumping of her heart as her determination to find the blond brute from Two won out.
"CATO!"
Another cannon went off and Indiana's heart leapt into her throat. The probability of her fiancé still being alive was slimming. Anyone could be killed in the mad panic to survive this chaotic night.
"Indiana?" A masculine voice echoed in her ears but it didn't belong to the right blond man.
Instead, Indiana collided with Peeta and he had to wrap his arms around her in a struggle to keep her upright as the world began to spin and she started seeing multiples. Staring at three versions of Peeta, she could see his mouth moving but no words could be heard as blood poured down the side of her face, mixing with her blonde braids.
Spacing out, Indiana's vision focused momentarily as the world exploded around her.
'I feel the instinct to survive.
Today is not the day we die.
You'll never take me.
You'll never take me alive.'
