For breakfast, Chaff shares with me more of the bread from District 11.
I am still surprised at how easy it was to convince him to join the larger alliance. How bread was what subdued him in the first place. He seems to guess there is an escape plan, but he has not yet asked for further details. Not a one.
Before moving out, I explain to Chaff that there is a waterfall on the far side of the reservoir and that below the waterfall we have to swim in rough water before there is a place to exit the river.
"How will I see the place?" he asks. "I take my glasses off to swim. I don't want to lose them."
I realize that with his one hand holding the glasses onto his face while he swims is not an option.
I struggle to figure out a solution. I could go first and then be there to help him out, but I am hesitant to split up. I do not want a repeat of yesterday.
I scope out our surroundings, hoping to find a solution.
There are not many things that are useful in this arena. So far only one thing has been of any use: the vines.
An idea occurs to me.
I pull some of the smaller vines from a nearby wall. It is tedious to get the knots right.
"What are you doing?"
"If I can get the knots tight enough, we can use the vines to tie the glasses to our faces," I tell him.
He sits and watches me struggle to tie the vines to my glasses by feel.
Once I am finally satisfied with mine, I hold a hand out for his. He gives them over.
"It'll be best if I can tie them directly onto you," I tell him.
"Do it."
It takes me a while to get it right. At first, he complains they are too tight. With tuning, they are on.
I am grateful that Chaff's predicament has forced me to become innovative. The water will be easier to manage this time with both hands free, even if we look ridiculous.
I similarly fasten my arrows to the quiver using a vine, and the bow to my back. It's not perfect, but it'll be enough to get us through.
It will still be difficult to see with the water in our face, but at least we will not be completely in the dark.
I rub my hands together, trying to warm myself and build my courage, before getting into the water.
Chaff is not eager to swim.
"One way or another, you were going to have to leave this place," I tell him. This is not as encouraging as I hoped it would be.
We swim across the reservoir. I get nervous as we approach the waterfall. I brace myself, but the current is not as bad as it had been the other day. Without the water rising, the current is actually only marginally strong and the swimming is not as rough. There is still a section of water with no surface room. I make sure to grab enough air before ducking under the rock. When I resurface, I look around for Chaff; I do not know how long he can hold his breath for, but even for an experienced swimmer it is a long time to have to hold it.
I am starting to get nervous, but finally, he breaks surface, gasping for breath.
The rocks where Mags, Brutus, and Cashmere died come into view.
I easily climb free of the water. Too easy.
On shore, Chaff and I wring out our clothes best we can. We remove the vines securing our glasses, as well as the vines around my bow and quiver. I keep a constant eye on the side passageways.
"Why do you want to go to the Cornucopia again?" Chaff asks.
"Because that was a part of the plan. If anyone in my alliance is still able, that's where they'll know to meet," I say.
"Then let's get this over with."
I choose the passage I know Enorbaria and Gloss escaped into last time we were here. This seems like the one that is most likely going to get us to the Cornucopia. Assuming the Gamemakers will not be manipulating the pathway.
I take the lead with my bow. I reluctantly give Chaff my knife. I highly doubt I will find it in my back, but there is still that fear. This is still an arena. Even if the circumstances have changed.
The walk is cold. Colder than usual. My wet clothes start to become stiff, as if they are growing icy.
I can clearly see mine and Chaff's breath in the air.
Again, everything is going too well. Too easy.
We find ourselves standing at the end of the tunnel, looking into the Cornucopia.
I raise a hand to stall Chaff. I lean against the exit of the tunnel, peering around the edges. I cannot see anyone in the open space, but there is a part of the stream I cannot see, and there is the raised platform of the Cornucopia blocking a significant part of the cavern.
We stand there for several minutes, gauging the situation. Waiting to hear even the smallest sound.
After nearly fifteen minutes of standing there, completely still, I conclude that there is no one here.
We enter the cavern. Chaff walks towards the Cornucopia, probably to arm himself with a spear. I walk around the side of the steps, just to make extra sure that no one has been hiding behind them.
There is a part of the steps where someone has left behind a torn piece of their undershirt. A misplaced weapon sitting beside it. I walk over. There are also remains of eaten food. Plates with sauces. Dirty cutlery. A crumpled silver parachute. It seems the Careers have not been left by their sponsors to starve. It seems there are those in the Capitol not rooting for District 12, as one would expect, considering our scores and popularity.
The Careers certainly consider this place their homebase, and while they may be away for the moment, they will not stay away forever. I am not sure how many hours have gone by since last night's showing of the dead tributes. It must be near mid-day. I am not sure how long I should wait, hanging around the Cornucopia, to see if anyone will make the rendezvous.
I walk the perimeter of the room, careful to keep my steps quiet.
Chaff has seated himself silently to the far side of the room, close to a tunnel. I make my way towards him, checking the inside of each passage opening as I go. Most of the tunnels do not appear distinct. I am trying my best to find the one that will lead us to the cliff, which will lead us back to the river.
I lean against a boulder next to Chaff.
My shoulder is bruised from ramming it against the wall yesterday while chasing the jabberjays. I rub it tentatively.
"Do you think they'll show?" whispers Chaff.
"They have to," I whisper back.
For a long time, we stand there, vigilant.
Then Chaff whispers, "Footsteps."
Sure enough I can hear gravelly footsteps. They are coming from somewhere on the other side of the cavern. We both duck into the nearby opening of a tunnel, hidden from sight, but still able to see.
Enorbaria enters the cavern. She looks around, ensuring that no one is there; Chaff and I sink further into the tunnel. Satisfied, Enorbaria begins walking towards the Cornucopia. Moments later, Gloss comes out of the tunnel.
"We are never going to find them," he says, clearly put out.
"We just have to be patient," Enorbaria responds. She throws herself down onto the steps. She crosses a leg over her knee and rubs her calf. "Eventually, they'll be back here. All tunnels basically come back to the Cornucopia."
Is that true?
If so, the chances of my alliance members reaching the Cornucopia before midnight are high.
Chaff leans close to me. "Can't you shoot them?" he whispers.
I can, but I won't. If they are dead, so is our escape plan. They are an integral part of keeping the Gamemakers off our tails.
"Not yet," I whisper back. "We wait for the others."
We wait for hours. Gloss has taken the opportunity to sleep, while Enorbaria keeps watch. She is doing a poor job; but to be fair, the cavern is huge, and to check every tunnel entrance would take forever.
I am beginning to worry.
Chaff, in stark contrast to me, is as calm as ever. He picks at his teeth.
"At midnight, we are going to lead the Careers to a cliff, that takes us to the underground river," I tell Chaff. If my alliance does not show, he will still need to know the plan. "Someone will jump first, before those left behind push the Careers, and they will take a stance on the rocks, like you had. We will pick the Careers off in the water."
Chaff nods, but I can see in his eyes that he is still turning my words over, trying to figure out the real plan.
A loud whistle echoes through the cavern. We whip around to look.
Enorbaria and Gloss jump to the ready, armed.
No one has entered the cavern, but the whistle sounds three more times.
Four times in total.
District 4.
I eye the other tunnel's entrances, wondering if I can spot Finnick.
He must have reached the Cornucopia but knows better than to come waltzing in with the Careers home. The whistling is loud, and since it echoes so badly in the cavern, there is no way to pinpoint where it came from. A message for me, then. A message to anyone in our alliance, that Finnick is here, somewhere, and that he wants to know if he is alone.
I whistle back; but instead of doing it twelve times, I just repeat his four.
The Careers are whipping their heads around frantically trying to pin a point of reference.
That's when I see him; Peeta.
Peeta stands in the entrance of a tunnel across the cavern from Chaff and I. Behind him, is not just Finnick, but Beetee and Johanna, too. I can hardly believe it. It is all too easy. Too convenient.
Peeta holds my stare. He points to Chaff and me, then to the tunnel the alliance is standing in.
He mouths the word, "Run," then waves his arm in a motion for us to come to him.
I shake my head, looking at the Careers. They are gathering their supplies, meaning to move out and check the tunnels.
Peeta nods, as if in understanding. He is pointing to the Careers, then to Chaff and me. Then again, to the tunnel at his back.
It must be the correct tunnel that will lead us to the cliff. This is the new plan. The bulk of our alliance heads down the tunnel now and will jump, waiting in the reservoir. Chaff and I will sprint across the Cornucopia cavern, drawing the Career's attention. They'll follow the two of us; especially because it is Chaff, a one-handed old man, and me, without my alliance. At the cliff, Chaff and I will push them over; or so, this is what I am assuming.
I nod, to let Peeta know I understand. He turns to Finnick and whispers to him. Finnick, Johanna, and Beetee all turn back towards the tunnel and disappear down the corridor. Peeta holds up his hands, signifying that we should wait at least ten minutes, to allow our alliance time.
It bothers me some that Peeta has elected to stay behind, waiting for Chaff and me. I would prefer he went on ahead, but there is no way for me to communicate this across the distance. I also suppose it would be difficult for us to remember which tunnel it is exactly, if Peeta were not there, so I let it go.
Thankfully the Careers are searching passages on the opposite side of the Cornucopia. They are no where near Peeta or Chaff and me.
The next ten minutes feel like an eternity.
I ready myself best I can, and so does Chaff.
When the time comes, Peeta makes a hand motion, and we take off.
The sprint across the room takes longer than I wish. We have to jump over puddles, swerve around boulders, and try not to trip over vines or slip on the mossy stone. Chaff is not nearly as fast as me, but I do not slow down for him. I can see only Peeta, waiting for me, and the thought of escape consumes me. I reach the tunnel, and I am sure the Careers have seen us, and are preparing to give chase.
Peeta does not give a greeting. He merely turns when I reach the tunnel and together we sprint up the corridor. As we run side by side, I have a brief flashback to our last Hunger Games. Running across the clearing, trying to escape the mutts with the eyes of the dead tributes. I have to shake my head to clear it. The uphill slope of this tunnel slows me some. Enough for Peeta to keep pace with me. I can still hear Chaff behind us, his booted feet clomping in the gravel, so at least the Careers have not managed to spear him down.
We do not stop running until we reach the cliff. There, Finnick waits for us.
"Beetee and Johanna have already jumped," says Finnick. He speaks quickly, aware that the Careers will have given chase, and we have no way of knowing how quickly they will catch up.
"Katniss and I will wait here and push them," says Peeta, breathless. He is hauling in the air almost as hard as I am.
I brace myself against my knees for a moment.
Finnick gives us worried looks but agrees. "I'll jump then."
Chaff, who's presence no one has questioned, walks up to the cliff. "There's water below?"
"Take your glasses off," I tell him. There is no time for innovation. "Finnick will be there to help guide you. Right?"
Finnick does not question it. "Right," he says.
Finnick discards his net, but keeps a firm hold on his trident.
"Keep the prongs pointing away from you," I advise him.
He rolls his eyes, and then jumps. Chaff jumps moments later.
It is just Peeta and I.
The Capitol anthem begins to play, pounding against our ears. There are no dead tributes to showcase, but it still plays; the Capitol seal projected onto the rock above us.
Peeta turns to me with a sense of urgency.
"Katniss," he starts.
"Don't."
Peeta removes the locket from his neck and latches it around my own. I look up into his face, angry. I do not want to say goodbye. I will not. I refuse to say goodbye. There is still a chance that we both get out, that we both live. I will not surrender until the last moment, and I expect the same from him.
"I love you."
I know that, is what I want to say to him. Of course, I know that, you idiot.
Instead, my lips part without my permission, and just before I say it, before the words, you, too slip from me, we can hear the Careers approaching. I turn away from Peeta, bow raised.
Enorbaria throws a knife. It misses me by an inch. I let the arrow fly; but only with the intention to wound, not kill. The arrow grazes Enorbaria's torso. She laughs.
I cannot figure out why she is laughing until I feel Peeta's hand on my shoulder. I look back in surprise. The knife had missed me, but not him. The hilt of the blade is protruding from his shoulder.
He moves his hand as if to pull it out.
"Leave it!" I say. "Jump, go!"
I pull another arrow from my quiver, and my hands are shaking. The blades of Enorbaria's throwing knifes are not long; it is unlikely she has hit anything vital or extremely fatal, especially in his shoulder. But if the knife had been just a few inches to the left, he could have been dead right then and there.
Enorbaria is reaching for another throwing knife on her belt. Gloss is no where in sight. He must be much slower than her.
Peeta leaves the knife in his shoulder, but he ignores the rest of my order. He ducks under the next knife Enorbaria has thrown, and then he is standing before her. She looks small next to his stocky frame. Almost carelessly, Peeta grabs the woman by her raised forearm and swings her over the cliff.
"Gloss!" shouts Enorbaria as she falls.
I stand in shock for a moment. I think we both do. But the shock Peeta is in, might have to do with being stabbed.
"Go!" I tell him, I have my bow loaded, and I am waiting for Gloss to come up the corridor at any moment.
"I'm not leaving without you," Peeta says.
I glance at him. I realize that he means those words. I have no choice.
I turn back to him in a hurry. He still stands just beside the cliff. I do not think Peeta suspected even for a moment what I meant to do; I merely reach out with my leg and shove him over.
He will struggle to swim with his wound. He will need the head start. Plus, he's a liability.
Peeta screams my name as he falls, and I try to block it out.
I decide to abandon waiting for Gloss moments later. I do not want to fall too far behind the others. The plan is well underway, and I cannot be sure how much the Gamemakers have bought into our subterfuge. They may already be making plans to thwart us.
I toss aside my bow and prepare to jump after Peeta.
I catch a glint of metal out the corner of my eye, and duck; just in time to miss being decapitated by Gloss' sword.
He stands over me. I reach for my bow. I get it, but not with enough time to load it. I use the metal grip as a means to block the second swing of his blade. The metals squeal on impact.
I can see no way of winning this fight, so I roll away from him, and right over the edge of the cliff.
As I fall, I wonder if Gloss will follow, and how my alliance is getting on. Will they still be in the reservoir, or are they following the river by now?
Just before I slam into the water, I hear a cannon shot.