Changing the Game

by always-andshewrites

This isn't just Katniss & Peeta's story. Come join the ride with Madge & Gale, Haymitch, Effie and so many more...in a world where Katniss's dad never died in the mines. Where he makes the ultimate sacrifice in hopes of a better future for all of Panem. Conspiracy's, secret alliances, supernatural objects and psychic connections. A HG rewrite. Told in multiple POV's.

15. Utterly, Insanely Out of My Mind

A/N: And finally...Chapter 15 for you guys! I can't believe we've made it this far...we are getting close to the end. Wonder what surprises await our pair as they get closer to the finish line? I just want to say thank you to all of my readers...I would not have made it this far without your support :)

I also wanted to add that in the previous chapter, when Katniss was 'sending Thresh off'...My personal beliefs are more agnostic than anything else, and the entire creation was derived from my imagination, (in addition to some Jewish traditions I've encountered.) Not that it's important, I just wanted to stick that out there. Also, I do not feel that writing 'action' is a strong suit of mine, so I ask you to bear with me as I try to get this right. I still plan on writing the next book, so I hope you follow me on that journey once this one is complete.

Sorry for all the rambling...I will stop now :) 3

Changing the Game

Chapter 15 : Utterly, Insanely Out of My Mind Frightened

~ Katniss ~

"It's not raining anymore." Peeta's words vibrate against my neck, and I shiver in response.

I am facing away from Peeta, so he is unaware of the confounded expression that fills my face. "What does the rain have to do with...Oh." My words drop off when I realize what this means.

Peeta peels himself from my body and walks to the corner of the cave that houses our supplies.

He lifts the lid to the picnic basket and begins shlopping the remainder of the food onto our plates. "We should finish it…For staying power, you know…to face Cato." He rationalizes, as if his reasoning needs justification.

I nod, sitting up and crawling over to him, grabbing a spoon to help him dish out the remainder of our food. Peeta and I both plop down on our bottoms with our plates in hand. I don't know about Peeta, but I'm just eating for the sake of filling my stomach up because I am not even hungry. What was once a succulent meal only last night now tastes dry and bland as I shovel forkful after forkful into my mouth. We eat in silence, or, well, to the viewers it appears that way.

'I'm scared.' I admit to Peeta, trying to mask the fear from my face, refusing to give The Capitol what they want.

'I know. Me too. But this is it. This is the end Katniss, the finale. One more down and we are in the home stretch. After that, there is only one more and then we'll be on our way home.'

"This tastes really good!" Peeta says enthusiastically, filling the silence as to not draw suspicions to the viewers. I nod in agreement, trying to match his smile as I chew my food. Suddenly, I wonder how ridiculous we must look. I mean seriously, who in their right mind smiles this radiantly, and speaks with that much alacrity just before preparing to face the remaining tributes? Apparently, Peeta and I, that's who.

'We should take as little as possible with us. Only the necessities.'

'You will take your bow and one knife, and I will hang on to the other two.' With those words, I realize that we are down to only three knives, which immediately sends my anxiety surging. We will need to take extra precautions and stay vigilant in keeping up with them . 'I'll wear that waist/belt backpack thing and put the rest of the dried fruit and nuts in it and…and—'

'Don't forget that transformer thing.' I finish for him. Sometime in the night, I combined the remainder of the dried fruit, nuts, and jerky into one bag since we were down to the last few bites. We now have two empty bags to use at our discretion.

"Is there any water?" Peeta asks me. 'Do you think we need them both?'

I hand him the water bottle, 'They're small enough, might as well.'

'You're right. Who knows if we might need them? And…and we'll leave the sleeping bag here.' I nod, assuaging myself into believing we will be fine for a night, two at the most without a sleeping bag. Anyway, I have Peeta to keep me warm, which is better than any sleeping bag there is. The corners of my lips turn up at the thought. 'Stop it Katniss.' I chastise myself for getting distracted.

Peeta and I devise our plan for exiting the cave, but the panic begins to sink in when I think about what happens when we get out there. What if we get separated? Just then, Rue's voice pops into my head. "There's always time for music Katniss. My sisters and I, we sing all day while we're up in the trees. It is actually my baby sister who sings to the mockingjay's who carry her song throughout the district, letting us know it's quitting time."

'Peeta, we need a signal. In case we get separated.'

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm stuffed." Peeta says, rubbing his belly. Ok, this confirms it, we definitely look like idiots to the viewers. 'Okay. What kind?' But I have to admit, Peeta is so good at this.

'We'll whistle…' I whistle the familiar four-note tune and Peeta's face goes flaccid and pale.

'Rue's song.'

'She'll keep us safe Peeta.' He nods his head, agreeing with me. Peeta licks his lips and whistles the tune back to me, trying it out to for size.

We stuff Peeta's 'belt-backpack' to capacity and then he secures it around his waist. I toss the first aid kit and two of the water bottles into the bottom of my quiver. I am down to twelve arrows, plus the golden one, leaving plenty of room in my quiver. With only four of us left, twelve arrows seem like a substantial amount, but if the gamemaker's send in mutts, (and I am certain they will) it will not be nearly enough to save our lives.

I start to toss the sunglasses into the 'Keep Here' pile, but think better of it. I unzip Peeta's pack and there is just enough room to squeeze them in. Next, I fold the think blanket around the sheet of plastic and place it on top of the other supplies in my quiver. Finally, I do one last check of the contents in my quiver, making sure everything is secure and decide to hold onto the golden arrow from the feast, I do not want to take any chances of losing it. Peeta sticks a knife in the side of his right boot and keeps one in his hand. We do a once-over of the cave, making sure we have not forgotten anything important.

'Is it bad that I'm going to miss this place?' I ask Peeta nervously.

"I think that's it." 'No, it's not bad. I feel the same, I mean, considering we are in the arena…We had some…good memories in here.'

'It was home for a while.' "Let's go home for real." I tell him, extending my hand out to him. He takes it in his, pulling me to him, and then wraps a hand around my waist. Then he turns to face me, placing a hand on either side of my face as he stares into my eyes. For a moment, time stands still as we stare into each other, terrified of what lies ahead.

"I love you Katniss Everdeen." He whispers, his mouth just a breadth away before he brushes his lips against mine. "Never forget how much I love you."

"How can I forget when you'll always be here to remind me? And...and I love you too Peeta. More than anything in this entire world, I love you…You and only you, Peeta Mellark." I whisper into his lips as his kisses go from sweet and light to deep, intense, and with the ferocity of a starving man. I wrap my arms around him, and his around mine as we get caught up in the moment.

We are saying good-bye. In case. Just in case this is the last one we will get. And we make it count. I'm sure the viewers are loving this, and then I wonder what our friends and family back home think about all of mine and Peeta's displays of affection I wonder what my dad thinks. Oh crap! On second thought, he is probably one of the few people not loving these tender moments between Peeta and I.

Finally, Peeta pulls back and tucks the stray hairs behind my ear. "Let's do this." He says, intertwining our fingers as we exit the cave.

As soon as we step outside the cave and into the light of day, a parachute comes gliding down toward me. I reach my hand out, palm side up and it lands perfectly in my hand. My eyes narrow as I look at Peeta, confused as to what this could be. We just ate so we don't need food, I have plenty of arrows and we still have three knives. But whatever it is, it is tiny. I remove the parachute and open the small box.

Inside the tiny box is my mockingjay pin. My eyes widen in shock, wondering how this made its way back to me. Peeta peers into the box and pulls out a tiny note. Once again, it is in Haymitch's indistinguishable code that I never bothered to learn.

"What does it say?" Peeta holds a finger up as he studies the symbols, trying to figure it out.

'To protect you, to keep you safe…All the way to the end.' "Almost there." Peeta says for the viewers, if Haymitch sent the message in code, it is probably important to keep it a secret.

"That's…cryptic." Peeta says, taking the pin from my hand and securing it to my jacket, next to the zipper, approximately where my heart lies.

And just like that, we set off with our heads held high, sporting all the confidence that really isn't there.

'Prepare for the worst, hope for the best?' It is something my dad says, and I smile, wondering how Peeta knew.

. | . | . | . | . | . | . |

0o0o

~ Ric (Mayor Undersee) ~

The moment I enter my office, the phone rings. I know it is him before I answer, I have been expecting President Snow's call.

"Mayor Undersee, how can I help you?" I pick the receiver up and place him on speaker, allowing me the freedom to roam my office.

"And what a good afternoon it is, indeed, Alaric; you don't mind if I call you Alaric, do you?" It is as if all the blood has been drained from my body and replaced with ice, sending a shiver up my spine when I hear the pestilent voice that is President Coriolanus Snow.

I summon my courage, bravery, confidence and vigor as I clear my throat, "What a pleasant surprise President Snow, and yes, of course you may call me Alaric. What do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

"It has come to my attention that your wife has suffered for many years with a rare condition that leaves her bedridden from debilitating headaches to which The Capitol supplies her the morphling in which barely alleviates her suffering." If I didn't know any better, I might believe he truly cares; except I know better.

"Yes, that is a fact sir." I enunciate my words clearly and concisely, thankful that I sound much more unperturbed than I feel. 'Dammit Grace. Why couldn't you just wait.' I silently yell at my wife.

"As you may know, we have exceptional doctors here in The Capitol. We have medical advancements the districts could only ever dream of.—" 'Stop it Ric, this isn't her fault.'

"Our doctors here are working on an elixir that will soon replace morphling. It will provide all the pain-relieving effects of the drug without the addictive…ahh… side effects. I will arrange a train for you and your wife. If your tributes happen to win the games this year, you can just hop on the train that delivers them upon their arrival. If they are not crowned victors, you will hear from me the night in which we crown our victor."

I do not have a choice in the matter, that is made clear. "That sounds wonderful President Snow. What a wonderful gesture, how lucky we are that you thought of us. I look forward to seeing you."

"Certainly, Alaric, certainly." He expels a chuckle of deleterious nature before ending the call.

I am no longer frightened and apprehensive for the consequences of my wife's actions, no that has passed, and in its place is unadulterated hatred for the man we call our president. I am pissed to the high heavens, outraged beyond measurement. If I could have reached through the phone and wrapped my hands around the president's throat, I would have squeezed the life from his iniquitous body. And reveled in it; I add as an afterthought, my teeth clamped down from the insurmountable anger.

As the acrimonious rage surges through me, I chuck my glass of scotch, slamming it into the wall, sending a mess of alcohol and shattered glass to the floor. 'Get it together, Ric.' I warn myself and then proceed to pick up the phone to dial the number I had hoped to never make use of.

The phone rings twice before she answers.

"Amnesty Heavensbee speaking."

"It's time." Are the only words I speak; they are the only words I need to speak for her to understand. I know the moment I hang up with her, she will soon place the call to the next contact on the list, and so on, and so on, until all the parties involved have been informed.

"Yes sir. I am ready for duty, sir." Returning the receiver to its home, I scratch my chin wondering how the hell I am going to pull this off.

I knew what I was signing up for when I set this into motion, and I'll gladly die if it means saving the children of our nation and putting an end to these detestable hunger games. But most importantly, to President Snow.

Children. Madge. Oh God, Madge. My beautiful, intelligent, amazing, and fearless daughter. What will become of her when this is set into motion? Will the president punish her? Will she be okay emotionally? There isn't a doubt in my mind that my daughter possesses the strength of a warrior, much like her late aunt. Should I tell her, or is it safer…will it be easier on her if she remains in the dark?

It is too late to turn back now, the only thing left to do is prepare.

There is not much time, the games are coming to a head. No, there is not much time at all.

. | . | . | . | . | . | . |

0o0o

~ Madge ~

I pick my pen up and take a deep breath, trying to gather enough courage to write Haymitch a message. Blowing out the remaining oxygen from my lungs as I look out into the horizon from the tree I am perched in seems to do the trick. But I am still scared. No, scared is not a big enough word for the feelings inside me. I am terrified, petrified, utterly, insanely out of my mind frightened. For my mother and father's lives, for Katniss and Peeta, for my own life. For everyone, all of us; none of us are safe.

What did President Snow mean? Does he know what we did? Does he know about what is to come? And what about my friends, does he know of their role, what their actions in the arena have stirred up throughout the districts? Does he know about my part, our part in changing the games? Did he hear my mother's confession? Is he going to punish her, kill her even? And what about my father, surely he knows my father has known all along. And then there is me.

'Stop it Madge.' I tell myself. All of these questions are sending me in a downward spiral and it's not doing anyone a bit of good. If I don't stop now, I am going to send myself into a panic, and then what good will I be to anyone? "Spiraling out of control is not an option I have, so, get it together." I tell myself.

I need to talk to someone, tell someone what I overheard. But not Prim. I hate myself for bringing her into this, for inviting her over for some girl time, for her overhearing my dad's call. Why did I invite her over? Why didn't we just stay in my room? If only I had suggested we go back to my room two minutes sooner, neither of us would have heard anything. She is much too young to be caught up in any of this. Oh my god, what have I done?

After hounding me relentlessly, I finally gave in and told Prim the absolute bare minimum to keep her curiosity sated. At first, I tried to play it off as the president truly wanting to help my mother, but she's too smart for her own good and didn't believe a word of it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I fed her enough to keep her at bay; she can't start asking more questions. Knowledge is dangerous, I know that better than anyone. Knowledge can get you killed.

I click my pen three times, activating the writing mode and press the tip to the paper, gliding it across smoothly in my neatest chicken-scratch.

Haymitch, it's Madge. Haymitch, I'm scared, I'm so scared and I don't know what to do. Or who I can talk to.

I lift the pen from the paper and close the notebook, tapping it to my chin as I wait for his response. 'He could be in the middle of something, so, he may not respond immediately', I tell myself, trying not to work myself into another panic. Or...I don't even know how this thing works or how long it takes for a message to reach a person if they are on the other side of the country.

Haymitch must have responded immediately because moments later, I feel the vibration of the pen and open the book back up, shining the light on the paper to read the encrypted message.

Take a deep breath and tell me everything. EVERYTHING. DON'T LEAVE A SINGLE DETAIL OUT.Oh dear.

So, that is what I do. I write and write and write, explaining everything to Haymitch. Just like he asked, I do not leave out a single detail. I start from the night my mother made her confession to me, all the way to sneaking Prim into the walls and overhearing the conversation between my dad and our president.

Dammit Madge, this is bad. Okay. Madge, I need you to listen very carefully and I need you to stay calm. You are strong and I need you to stay that way. Do you know how I know you are strong; a fighter? Because a piece of your aunt lives in you and she was the strongest person I knew. So, you stay strong and you stay quiet. Do not let anyone know you overheard that conversation. Do NOT tell Prim anything else, and you MUST tell her not to repeat what she heard. Stress the importance of this to her without scaring the daylights out of her.

I will be home soon. Katniss and Peeta are almost done. They're in the home stretch now…It won't be long. I will not let anyone hurt you, I promise. I will protect you if it is the last thing I do. Do you hear me, do you understand? I will…I will talk to Ric and see if I can figure out a way for him and your mom not to get on that train. Do you understand me Madge?

By the time I have read all Haymitch's words, tears are falling from my eyes. But I am not strong, why does he think I am? I am no fighter; I am just the mayor's daughter. I am an entitled, stuck up, spoiled girl who happens to be the daughter of the mayor who has never known pain or hardship in my life. At least that is what Gale used to say. That was the girl he believed me to be for so long, and that is who I want to be right now, even though I know it is the furthest thing from the truth.

Okay. Is this only word I write in response. Haymitch must be able to read my thoughts because seconds later, I feel the vibration again.

Once they announce the winners, Katniss and Peeta will be rushed to The Capitol where they will spend roughly one to two weeks in medical while they heal. You will know that we will be home in ten days the night of their first interviews.

I mean it Marjorie Amaryllis Undersee. Did your parents ever tell you how you got your middle name? It is what Gracie always wanted to name her daughter if she ever had one. The real Gracie. She is a part of you whether you want it or not. If you get scared, all you need to do is pick that pen up and write to me. I will do my best to respond as fast as I can, but depending on when they announce our victors, I may not be able to answer right away. You can do this Madge. I believe in you.

Something in his message gives me the strength, the courage to hold my head up a bit higher. A little voice in the back of my head whispers, 'You know what? Haymitch is right. If Katniss and Peeta can brave the arena, face tribute after tribute, look death in the eye and spit in his face, then I can do this. I WILL do this.

'Thank you Haymitch. I won't let you down.' I stuff the pen into my pocket and wrap the journal in the towel I stole from home, placing it back inside the hollowed part of the tree I have been keeping it in.

As I make my way home, I remember what I forgot to ask Haymitch. What did the president mean? Surely there is some hidden message in the president's words, he does not truly mean to help my mother, right?

. | . | . | . | . | . | . |

0o0o

~ Peeta ~

Katniss and I exit the cave hand in hand, just the way we left our district. From the moment we were presented on the stage in front of all of Twelve, we have defied The Capitol every step of the way, claiming solidarity as we remain by each other's side throughout this entire charade. We came in as a team and we will go out like that as well; together.

Katniss stands tall, holding her head up high as we walk out into the unknown. It could be minutes; it could be hours or even days before this is over, but eventually it will be over. One way or another, these games will come to an end. The question is whether we make it to the other side with our lives intact, or stuffed inside of a pine box.

We head into the forest, not speaking a word for the longest time. 'We should fill our bottles up anytime we pass a water source. And don't say anything out loud the gamemaker's can use against us.' Katniss warns me, keeping her eyes straight ahead.

Just as I make out what I think is a stream up ahead, I notice Katniss is lagging behind. I turn to look behind me to make sure she is okay and quietly call out her name. She is down on one knee, tying her shoe. When she stands up, her face transforms into that ever present scowl of hers.

"Peeta, why are you limping?" There is a calculating look in her eye as she looks me up and down skeptically.

"I'm not limping, what are you talking about?" I face forward so that she cannot see my face as she sprints to catch back up to me just as we reach the stream.

"What's wrong with your leg?" She tries to lift my pant leg up to inspect my leg but I push her away.

"It's nothing, I'm fine. Stop it."

Eager to refill our water bottles, the incident is soon forgotten; for the moment at least. While we wait for the water to purify, Katniss and I submerge our bodies in the stream to wash the grime away. Soon, hopefully…We will be able to take a real bath, or even a shower. I for one, plan to scrub every bit of this arena from every square inch of my skin once I have access to some soap. No, I do not want any reminders of this place, other than Katniss. Well, Thresh and Rue; I will never forget them, and I wouldn't want to even if I could.

My limp is all but forgotten as Katniss takes down a rabbit and I set a few snares in case we end up back in this part of the arena; not wanting to pass up the chance for some real food. Katniss wraps the rabbit in the square plastic before shoving it into her quiver for later.

"Peeta, I want to venture out over there—" Katniss points toward another section of the woods, "Why don't you set some more snares and do some gathering while I go? I'm afraid if we're both traipsing through the woods, it'll scare all the animals off."

With narrowed eyes, I scrunch my nose up and shake my head, I would rather starve to death than risk losing her.

"It'll be okay Peeta, we'll call out every few minutes to check in. And…I won't stay long, I promise." Her eyes plead with me, and I scoff at how easily she gets her way with me. After a moment's hesitation, I finally give in to her pitiful face. I am such a sucker.

"Fine." 'Every few minutes. No exceptions.' I demand.

'Promise.' She says and then disappears into the thick.

Katniss goes in one direction while I linger around to set another snare and then wander around until I come upon a section of bushes filled with berries. The gamemaker's have placed gazoodles of berry bushes throughout this part of the forest, I think to trick some unknowing tribute because I happen upon a nightlock bush.

'Not these Peeta, NEVER these. Do you see the lighter purplish-pink spots on the underside of them? That is how you distinguish nightlock from your ordinary berry. If anyone were to sink their teeth into one of these, they'll be dead before it reaches their stomach.' Mr. Everdeen's words blare into my head as I inspect the underside of the berry; and sure enough, those lighter spots are present.

I remember asking Katniss' dad how it could kill you so quickly if you don't even swallow them, it just seemed impossible to me. He informed me that the moment your teeth clamp down on the berry, the poisonous juices fill your mouth, and then something about the tissue absorbing it into your bloodstream. I can't remember exactly what he said, he used a lot of medical terminology. The most important thing to remember is not to even put them in your mouth. Prevention is key.

Before I have the opportunity to turn away from the nightlock bush, I hear a branch snapping and quickly turn my head in the direction I think it comes from. My ear is still not at full capacity, but I'm not completely deaf either.

As quickly as it appeared, the flash of flaming red hair is gone in an instant. Five; I am certain it was her. Had that been Cato, I would not be debating this with myself right now. She was watching me, not to kill me though, but because she is hungry. Images filter through my mind of the foxy red-headed girl dancing her way across the mined field to steal a handful of the career's goods. She is a sneaky one, that is for sure. Suddenly, I conjure up an idea, as sinister as it is, but it is the only way I can do it. I toss a few berries into my mouth, humming and smiling jovially as I pretend to be oblivious to her presence.

'Come on Peeta, you can do this. Just do it.' I try to goad myself into doing the unthinkable.

I can hear the racing thrum of my heart pounding in my head when I return to the nightlock bush and begin plucking the dark purple balls, placing them into one of the clear plastic bags that I have turned inside out, allowing me to distinguish it from the others. Once I have enough, I walk to a small clearing and spread the berries on their plastic wrap onto the ground, and then make my way in the opposite direction, giving the girl from Five ample time to steal my treasure.

Closing my eyes as I walk away, I am filled with guilt for the trap I just set for her; certain she won't realize what I've done until it is too late.

What kind of person does this? Like dangling a carrot in front of a rabbit, but instead of a carrot, it is actually leading her to her death. Unable to go through with my plan, I turn around to throw them out, but I'm too late. Over half of the berries are missing.

I turn back around, heading in the direction Katniss went. I tread slowly, hating myself. 'It was the only way. But that doesn't make it right.' Distracted from internally fighting with myself and flooded with guilt, I am surprisingly startled when I hear the cannon echo throughout the arena.

"PEETA! PEETA!" 'PEETA WHERE ARE YOU?' In a frenzied panic at the sound of the cannon, Katniss screams out to me.

'Crap, I forgot to tell her.' I scold myself for not thinking this through. "I'm sorry." I whisper to Victoria's family as I make my way to Katniss.

"PEETA! PEETA, WHERE ARE YOU!" Katniss' screams are aghast as she seeks out to find me.

''It's okay Katniss, it wasn't me.' I try to calm her, fighting back my own tears. She runs to me and I to her until we crash into the other. Slamming into me, she wraps her arms around me so tightly, she nearly cuts off my air supply.

"I'm okay Katniss, it wasn't me." I tell her, soothingly, wincing in pain once she loosens her grip on me.

"Who?" She bores her eyes into me, wondering if the cannon she heard was my doing, or if Cato is nearby.

'Five. It was Five.'

'Foxface?' She asks, and the corners of my lips turn up slightly at her nickname for the foxy tribute from Five.

'Yes. She was…She was watching me Katniss, so I set a trap. But then...I changed my mind, but by the time I turned around it was...it was too late.' A silent tear escapes my eye as I open my hand to reveal the murder weapon in which ended the life of one more obstacle to home. "She must have eaten some of these." I speak for our audience to hear.

She slaps the berries from my hand, "PEETA! That's nightlock! That'll kill you before it reaches your stomach!" I eye her questioningly, obviously I knew that, which is why I set the trap.

'For the cameras.' She explains her reaction to me. My eyes light up in recognition just as we see the hovercraft lift the dead tribute's body from the arena. 'Her name was Victoria. I can't remember her last name though.'

Katniss crouches down, carefully picking the berries up that she knocked from my hand.

"Katniss, what are you doing?" I yell out defensively.

"Maybe Cato likes berries." She says surreptitiously and with a glint of mischievousness. Oh, if only it were that easy. She places the berries into the inverted plastic bag, allowing us to easily identify them so that we don't accidentally kill ourselves, and then places that bag inside one of the empty bags, sealing it closed and rinsing her hands off.

'It's just a hunch.' She says, standing back up and looking around. What is she planning?

"I got two squirrels and another rabbit, let's build a fire and then climb into a tree for the night." I look at her as if what she says is preposterous.

"You want to build a fire? In the arena? Right now?" I question her.

"If you were Cato, would you come looking for us?" I take a moment to think about what she is insinuating. Cato would have heard the cannon, and he most likely saw the red hair being lifted into the hovercraft, meaning that he knows it was one of us who killed her. Which also means he is aware that Katniss is healed, meaning it is now two against one. No, if I were Cato, I would stay far, far away.

"Okay, I see your point." I tell her as we walk around collecting pieces of branches and leaves, anything that we can burn to get a fire going. We each skin and gut our dinner and then using a knife, I whittle a few skewers to impale them into the carcasses and then roast them over the fire.

Once our stomachs are full, we find a massive tree right next to a hidden pond to climb into for the night.

"Peeta, what happened to your leg? And don't you dare lie to me and say 'nothing.' You have a very noticeable limp when you walk, and I saw you grimacing in pain earlier." 'And we don't keep secrets.' She adds.

"It happened at the feast, when I was getting your medicine. The girl from Two—"

"Clove?" I wince when Katniss says her name, I've been steering clear from using the other tributes' names.

"Yeah, her. She threw a knife into my calf. It's fine though, nothing to worry about. It's just sore."

"Let me see it." She demands, refusing to take no for an answer. I lift my pant leg up to show her the wound and she sucks in a deep breath when she sees it.

"Why didn't you say something Peeta?"

"It's fine Katniss, it's not that bad and it doesn't even hurt all the time." She looks like she wants to object but thinks better of it.

"Okay." She says warily.

Once we get situated in the tree I take my shirt off and hang it on a branch to dry. Our clothes are still slightly damp from our 'stream bath', which is a little uncomfortable.

"I think it's safe enough and we're high enough for you to let yours dry too." Katniss' eyes narrow at me in disbelief.

"I don't think so." She retorts, rolling her eyes.

'I'm sorry, I completely forgot about the cameras.' Katniss curls into me, resting her head on my bare chest.

'Tomorrow Peeta, we go home tomorrow.' Katniss tells me before curling further into me for the night.

"I love you Katniss." I make sure to tell her before my eyes close.

. | . | . | . | . | . | . |

0o0o

~ Haymitch ~

I can't stop pacing the floor, worried about the mayor's daughter. Madge. She wrote to me; she wrote to me because she was scared. I'm not sure when it happened, because I have always tried to keep my distance, but I love that girl. Not like I loved Gracie...I am not some pervert, but…I think I love her like…like I would have loved any kid of Gracie's, whether it was mine or not.

When Madge told me about May's confession, I felt a sense of relief. Finally, it is not only my burden to bear. But at what cost? She probably just made her daughter an orphan. No, not probably, she definitely did, it's just a matter of when. "Dammit Ric, what the hell." I mumble, forgetting that I am not alone in this room.

"What was that Haymitch?" Cinna asks me, taking his eyes off the screen to look at me.

"Nothing, talking to myself. What are they doing, are they okay?" I have not seen my kids since they left their cave. I don't know how Cinna did it, but he managed to get my pin back.

A few hours ago:

Cinna walks up to me, a mischievous grin on his face as I sit slouched on the couch in the control room, drink in hand; as always I look up at him, wondering why he is sporting that ridiculous smile.

"You look ridiculous." This only makes him grin even wider. "Did you need something?"

"On the contrary, I have something to give you. I…found something that I believe is yours. My friend…my friend requested that I return it to its' rightful owner."

"If it's not another bottle of whiskey, I don't want it."

"Oh, I think you'll want this. In fact, from your reaction earlier, I am certain of it."

"Well, get on with it. What is it?" Cinna extends his arm, his hand balled up as if he wants to give me something. I open my hand and he releases his grip on the tiny object. It's my pin. The one Grammy gave me, the one I gave her. Gracie.

"How did you…Where…When?"

"It doesn't matter, all that matters is that it's back with its rightful owner."

"It's not mine. It's hers." I look up at the screen, referring to the girl. To my tribute, to Katniss. He quirks an eyebrow up in confusion.

"If it made it back from…It found its way to her somehow, so it's hers. It will keep her safe. I want to send it back in to her." This seems to take him by surprise, by the perplexed expression on his face

-0-0-0-

When I saw my pin on my tribute earlier, I was shocked into a state of bewilderment, wondering how the hell Katniss Everdeen came to have my Grammy's pin as her district token. It all came back to me after my conversation with Madge. I had thrown back a few shots of scotch before the reaping, which apparently made me forget the meeting in the tunnel. But I remember now. I remember Ric handing Madge the pin, and something about 'giving it to her.' The 'her' must have been Katniss.

I shake my head, clearing the memory from my mind. We are getting down to the end, and I am not sure what to expect. What kind of tricks are the gamemaker's going to pull on my tributes? I know the end game is getting them out of there alive, but what kind of nightmares will they face for it to happen?

Suddenly, a cannon booms and I race to the screen, as if being closer will do my kids any good.

The girl panics when she hears the cannon and then yells for the boy before taking off in a run. The boy closes his eyes and says, "I'm sorry." Wait a minute, did he do that on purpose?

"No shit."

"What?" Portia pipes up.

"Kid's smarter than I gave him credit for."

"Come again?" Effie asks, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"He did it on purpose…laid out those berries. He must have known she was there…Watching him. He laid the berries out for her." I pick the remote up to rewind it and show them how the boy closes his eyes, guilt ridden as the tears drip from his eyes and apologizes.

"Well, I'll be. I believe you are correct Haymitch." Effie chirps.

"Effie, I need you to go to The Green Room." I tell her.

She looks at me, shocked and confused. "Why? There is no—"

"I need you to listen to the chatter. If I go, all those idiots will clam up. You're…you're one of them so you have a better chance—" I notice the hateful glare she sends at me.

"You know what I mean. Please, Effie." I mouth to her, and I think she understands.

. | . | . | . | . | . | . |

0o0o

~ Portia ~

I accompany Effie to The Green Room just to have a change of scenery from the same four walls. Watching the games has never been one of my favorite activities, but this year I cannot seem to not watch. I am invested in our tributes this year, but it's more than that, I love them. If anyone knew my true feelings, there is no doubt, I would face repercussions. On my way back to the control room, my attention is stuck on one of the many screens in the hallway.

It's the boy from Two, Cato. With a machete in hand, he is slashing his way through the wheat field. After finding Thresh, I suppose he believed there could be some sustenance in the field. He definitely appears dehydrated and malnourished and I think he may be going a bit crazy by now.

Having received no sponsor gifts since before his district partner died, he is near starving. Career training only taught him how to wield a variety of weapons, never focusing on survival skills. Career's are usually at the top of the food chain in the arena, but Peeta foiled that plan this year.

"Goddammit, mother fucker, I will kill those piece of shit tributes from Twelve. Do you hear me girl on fire? I'm coming for you, you little bitch!" He's more than aggravated that he can't seem to find his way out of the field, and I feel a little guilty that I find his behavior amusing.

"Portia, what are you doing?" I jump when I hear Cinna's voice and turn to look at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I walked Effie to The Green Room and got distracted by Two's antics." I point up to the screen and smile.

"I was just worried, there is no rush. Our kids are fine at the moment."

"Let's go." I tell him, already bored of watching this 'Cato' make a fool of himself and we head back to our room. The halls are crowded, filled with escorts, sponsors, and stylists, so I feel that it is safe enough to inform Cinna about what I heard.

"There is unrest in Eleven. After Katniss 'sent Thresh off', the people were angry. They gathered enough of their people and began attacking Peacekeepers."

"Casualties?" Cinna whispers, looking straight ahead.

"Peacekeeper's or—"

"Both, either."

"Beats me." I mouth to him, shrugging my shoulders.

"Interesting turn of events, if I do say so myself."

"Indeed."

The rest of our walk to the control room is made in silence. Cinna and I have never felt the need to fill our space with empty words.

. | . | . | . | . | . | . |

0o0o

~ Peeta ~

Katniss and I climbed high enough in this tree for the night, high enough to feel that it is safe for both of us to sleep at the same time. We need more than just two consecutive hours of sleep for what we are about to face.

I woke up sometime during the night freezing cold, thankful my shirt was dry. Luckily, I managed to fall back asleep, pulling Katniss back into my arms.

My eyelids open just before the sun rises to the blackened sky. Katniss is fast asleep in my arms and I tighten my hold on her to bring her closer to me. I hold her in my arms, and plant a kiss on her forehead, just savoring the warmth of her as I witness the miraculous sight before me that mother nature has bestowed upon me. I am so thankful, or maybe it is grateful that the gamemaker's did not take something as simple as the sunrise and sunset from us. I absorb the colors that bleed into the sky; the radiant hues of reds, the stunning purples, and the magnificent cluster of shades in deep oranges, until finally the sun is completely in the sky, our signal that it is time.

The daylight fills the sky, waking Katniss from her slumber. She sits up and runs her fingers through her tangled hair until I pull her into my lap, stealing the band from her wrist. I separate her hair into three sections and begin twisting; left over middle, right over middle until I reach the bottom, tying the band around the end to secure the braid. Just like she taught me. It isn't as beautiful as when she does it, but something inside me is pleased, satisfied knowing that I did this. She tightens the band a little more, pats the back of her head, feeling the lopsided braid and turns her head to look at me, smiling.

"You've gotten better." She says, proudly. We both take a deep breath, anxious as to what the day awaits. I am not sure about Katniss, but for me, it is the uncertainty that frightens me most.

We inspect our bags, secure our weapons, and leave the safety of our tree.

"We should stop—" Katniss spins around, scowling at me and I give her a bemused look, wondering what I did to deserve that glare.

'Don't say it out loud.' She warns me.

We stop by the pond to refill our water bottles, guzzle the water down as soon as it is ready and immediately proceed to fill it again. The moment we twist the cap of our bottles to seal them shut, the water in the pond seems to get lower and lower, as if they are being drained right before our eyes until there is nothing left but an empty hole in the earth.

Each minute that passes, I feel the air become thinner and colder, until eventually, I can see my breath. Just like the water in the pond, the sky slowly grows darker and darker until the darkness completely takes over and we can see nothing; the gamemaker's have blinded us.

. | . | . | . | . | . | . |

0o0o

~ Gale ~

"What's wrong Gale?" Ma asks me as we sit on the couch together folding laundry. I try to help her when I can, though I know I don't do it nearly enough.

"Oh, nothing ma. I'm fine." I tell her, giving her a dazzling smile as if to prove my point.

"No, you are not fine, do not lie to me Gale Hawthorne. You are my son and I know when something is bothering you, so spill."

A blush rises to my cheeks and I offer her a bashful grin.

"It's…uh…Madge." I finally admit. She gives me a knowing smile, almost approvingly so.

"Madge Undersee? The mayor's daughter?"

"No, not the mayor's daughter, but...yes, Madge Undersee." Ma looks at me quizzically, confused by my response. Sure, they are one in the same, but I have come to realize that Madge is much more than just 'the mayor's daughter.'

"She's just Madge. She's not the 'mayor's daughter' or 'the girl from town', she's just 'Madge'."

"Okay, so why is 'Just Madge' bothering you? Do you want to talk about it?"

Do I want to talk to my ma about my non-existent love life with Madge? "Uh…no, not really. Well, maybe."

"You can talk to me Gale, it's 'No Judgement Thursday'." Ma says in that joking banter of hers as she slides her pile of laundry to the side, making room for the next one.

"Well, I guess—" How do I tell ma this without embarrassing myself? "Well, you see, we have been hanging out. As friends, I mean. And I thought…I thought something was happening, but then I haven't seen or heard from her in days. I'm not sure if something is wrong and I should go to her, or if she's avoiding me and I should stay away." I leave out the part about Madge's mom. I don't doubt that information such as that could have the potential to get you severely punished, probably a whipping in the town square.

"Gale, you know I'm not going to tell you what to do, all I want is for you to be happy. Whether you and the may—Madge are just friends—" I smile when ma corrects herself.

"—or if you are something more, communication is the basic fundamental for any type of relationship. You should go to her and see if she is okay, that is what a friend would do. And the key to a successful relationship; whether it is romantic or not is friendship." She pauses for a moment and shoves her second pile of laundry over. Damn, how is she so fast at this? I'm still on my first pile. "Do you think that it's possible that she is waiting for you to come to her?"

I scrunch my nose up, thinking about ma's words, and I see that she has a point. "I don't know...maybe? I never thought about that. I'll see if I can find her tonight in the square."

"Find who? Miss Madge? I like Miss Madge, she is so pwetty. And she bwaids my hair, just like Catnip's!" Posie enters the room and I rush over to her and scoop her up, swinging her into the air.

"Maybe we'll see her tonight." I give her a cheeky grin, sitting her back down.

I finish helping ma and then we all get ready to head to the square for the mandatory viewing tonight. After tonight, the games will be showing non-stop in the square as well as in our homes until the end. Mandatory viewing will be from six o'clock until ten o'clock each night, but those who want to watch more are 'welcome to', as The Capitol says. At least we'll have power.

"You looking forward to next week?" The five of are making our way to the square when I run into my friend Thom who is straggling behind his own family. We strike up a conversation to fill the silence.

"I don't know, what happens next week?"

"Orientation for the mines." My heart sinks in my chest, with so much going on between the games and Madge, I had completely forgotten about the dreaded mines.

"Oh. Thanks for reminding me." I bellow out sarcastically.

We are late getting to the square; all of the close up sections are taken. If we could squeeze through the crowd, I'm sure Catnip's family wouldn't mind if we joined them, but we opt for a small section near the back. Rory and Vick spread our blanket out and sit down at opposite corners. In a way, I am thankful that we can barely see the screen because I don't want Posie waking up in the middle of the night, kicking and screaming with nightmares. Last year I didn't get to her fast enough and she saw a boy die from a knife to his heart. She woke up petrified and hysterical for weeks before I finally convinced her it wouldn't happen to her.

I stand on my tip toes, peering over everyone's head looking for Madge. When I do not see her, I'm filled with a sadness I don't recognize and then I feel someone poking my back. When I turn around and peer into the most striking pair of blue eyes, sparkling in the moonlight, I am immediately filled with a sudden light. My face lights up in a smile when I see her, and I spontaneously pull her into a hug.

"Can I sit with you guys?" She asks, her voice timid and shy.

"Miss Madge! You came!" Posie squeals excitedly at the sight of Madge, wrapping her tiny arms around Madge's waist. Madge sits on our blanket and Posie immediately climbs into her lap. I get a pang of jealously, wishing…no, never mind. Madge talks to Posie animatedly, hanging onto Posie's every word. But something is wrong with Madge, I can tell because her eyes lack their usual sparkle and I make a mental note to ask her about it later.

Considering that Madge is an only child, she is surprisingly good with kids. She gives my sister her full attention with this hand slapping game, and then a game with a string and lots of finger movements, keeping Posie occupied and her attention averted from the screen.

Catnip and Peeta leave the safety of their cave, ready and prepared to face the remaining two tributes. When they split up, Catnip goes off to hunt in the woods while Peeta stays to set snares and collect nuts and berries from where he is. When they get home, I will have to ask them how Peeta got so skilled at setting snares. I hate to admit it, but he might actually make a decent hunting partner. Maybe.

My eyes are glued on Madge when I hear gasping sounds coming from near the front of the square, causing me to look up at the screen. On second thought, maybe I was wrong about baker boy. Peeta just popped some berries into his mouth, smiling merrily as he plucks the nightlock from the bush. Then, he heads to a small clearing and places his collection of berries down and walks away. Is he an idiot? He must be an idiot not to know those are nightlock. EVERYONE in Twelve knows what nightlock looks like. Or maybe not.

"I thought he was smarter than that." I blurt out and Madge sends me a hateful glare. I jump when I hear the cannon and my eyes search the screen, eager to know who just died. It is not Peeta, but the girl from Five. She must have been watching Peeta as he collected the berries, and when he walked away, she took advantage of his absence and helped herself to a handful of berries.

At first alarmed by the sudden booming of the cannon, Catnip's head jerks up; realizing the sound was a cannon, the unrealistic terror sets in. Immediately, she stops what she's doing and takes off in a frenzied run to find Peeta as she screams out to him.

As I watch Peeta and Catnip run to each other, I cannot help but notice the contrite expression on Peeta's face, and...did he just apologize? But to who? But then it hits me. He did it on purpose. He must have known she was watching him. Okay, so maybe the baker's son is smarter than I gave him credit for. Maybe.

Mandatory viewing comes to a close and we are free to return home. My heart smiles when I see Madge squatting to Posie's level, their arms wrapped around each other, saying goodbye. But then Madge turns to leave, and I am suddenly filled with irritation at the fact that she is just going to take off without at least saying goodbye to me. I look at Ma and open my mouth to tell her I will meet her back home later, but she must already know what I am about to say because she just nods her head and smiles at me.

"Thanks, ma." I mouth to her before jogging to catch up with Madge.

"Hey you." Startled, she turns around to face me, a sad smile on her face.

"What are you doing?"

"Um…Walking. What are you doing?" Okay, so she's in one of her 'smart ass' moods tonight.

"Well, yeah. But I mean…Do you wanna…I haven't seen you since…the other night. You know, in the meadow."

She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and then blows the air out of her mouth, opening her eyes back up. "Listen Gale, I know what you think about me. You have made it very clear for longer than I can remember, so, you can stop…You don't have to do this, okay? I…I know that I am just a filler until Katniss gets back, and that maybe…well after crying in your arms you were just feeling sorry for me. And… I don't need or want your pity."

I am shocked, no hurt. That is not how I feel or what I think. Anymore. She turns on her heels to storm off and it takes a moment for my brain to register…and then it is yelling at me to stop her. I grab her arm and look into her eyes, begging her to listen to me.

"Madge, please. Stop for a second. That's not…I don't…You're wrong." Is all I can come up with.

"Am I?"

"Where is this coming from? I thought we, I mean, I thought you and me, us, that we—"

"We what?" Dammit Gale. Spit it out. GOD! This girl is infuriating! Why does she always turn me into a blubbering, stammering idiot?

"Madge, I like you okay. I was wrong about you…before I mean. I like you and I think…I think that you are wonderful. I like being with you and spending time with you and…I…I've missed you."

She looks at me, astonished by my words and I see her chin begin to quiver, her eyes filling with water. Her mouth begins to move as if she is going to say something and then she turns away, running at full speed this time. I chase after her, refusing to let her get away. Something is wrong with her; this isn't my Madge. Wait. What? When did she become 'mine'?

Huffing and puffing and out of breath, I finally catch up to her. "Damn, Madge! I never knew you could run so fast!"

"There is a lot you don't know about me." She mumbles under her breath. "What do you want Gale?" She asks, refusing to meet my eyes. Using my finger, I tilt her chin up, forcing her to look at me.

"I told you Madge. I've missed you. What's wrong? Why are you so upset?"

"I'm not upset Gale. Why won't you go away and leave me alone?" I might actually believe her if it were not for the tears streaming down her face. I stare into her eyes and reach for her hand, thankful she doesn't pull away. "I…I…Can we…Do you think we could go to the meadow?" Her voice is so tiny and far away, but I still hear her.

"I thought you'd never ask." I pull her close to me, resting my arm on her lower back and my hand on her hip.

. | . | . | . | . | . | . |

0o0o

~ Seneca Crane ~

Standing on the balcony of the 'Game Make' center, I watch from above as Katniss Everdeen collects a handful of the poisonous berries she knocked from her district partner's hand and carefully places them into the bag, sealing them up with a knowing curious look glimpsing across her eyes. You would only notice it if you were looking for it, and I happened to be looking for it. Instantly, a light bulb goes off in my head and I race down the steps. I do hope they will forgive me. I shake my head, scratching that. I will be dead, so I suppose it won't matter.

I run down to where my fellow gamemaker's are sitting at their computers and begin composing a design for some mutts to send in. This is my cover story; the true reason is from that glint in Katniss Everdeen's eye.

The berries. I would not put it past those two to eat those berries once the rule change is revoked. Now that I think about it, it is the only way they'll both make it out of there.

In-between composing my mutts, I am able to deactivate the poison in the nightlock, turning them into ordinary berries. I configure my design, upload it to the system, confirming it with a simple keystroke. There, it's done. I set a timer to re-activate the berries once the victors are announced, on the off chance that someone comes back to look. There, everything is ready. Everything is complete. Everything is perfect.

Satisfied, I head back up to the balcony, where I find Plutarch.

"It's almost time." Plutarch says, keeping his eyes focused on the screen.

"Yes, it is. Are you ready?" I ask him, with slight trepidation. It does not matter if any of us are ready, this is happening regardless.

"Now or never."

"Truest words I've heard all day."

"Everything is set." I confirm.

"I'll be in touch with her. And as for our conversation earlier. You have my word Seneca." He turns and our eyes lock. "It's been an honor and a privilege."

I avert my eyes, unable to maintain our stare.

"Likewise. Oh, and Plutarch?"

He turns his neck, meeting my eyes.

"Do not let me down."

And that is when the arena goes black.

. | . | . | . | . | . | . |

0o0o

~ Peeta ~

"Gamemakers." I confirm to Katniss, reaching out and latching on to her arm, refusing to let them separate us.

I have seen previous games when the gamemaker's are intent on bringing the games to an end by depleting all water sources: leaving only one, hoping to force the remaining tributes into one place. By that time it is either face starvation and dehydration, or face the remaining tribute. Apparently, this is what they are doing right now.

Out of nowhere, we hear a whooshing noise of what sounds like wind. "Let's climb a tree to see if we can see anything." I suggest, pulling her closer to me. We shuffle our feet while waving our free hand around trying to feel our way to a tree, until Katniss pulls me to a stop.

"Hold on Peeta, I just remembered something." Katniss unzips the pack around my waist, fumbling around for something, but I do not dare release my hold on her.

"Aha! Found it!" She proclaims, having found whatever it is she was looking for.

"I'm so glad I didn't throw these out!" She says excitedly.

"What is it?" I ask her just as she places the object in my hands. Using my sense of touch, I feel all around the object, flipping it over in my hand, trying to ascertain what the object of such excitement is. It is small enough to fit in my hand, it's hard, and it feels like…plastic? It has two long 'extensions' on either side of it. So, what is it?

After only a moment, I've figured it out. Night vision glasses. My excitement is squashed when I realize there is only one pair, leaving one of us at a serious disadvantage at all times. I get an idea and snap the glasses in half. It is not the most ideal, and perhaps not the smartest thing to do, but we'll have the upper hand if we are both able to see, even if the end result is impaired vision.

"We can just take turns with the glasses. I don't understand how they've managed to make it so dark?" Katniss says when I place the other half of the glasses in her free hand, and then we hear a noise.

"Peeta, what?" Katniss questions as she takes the other half.

"I snapped the glasses in half so that we can each have one, it's better for both of us to be half blind than for one of us to be completely blind."

"How poetic." Katniss says as we start climbing the tree that we bumped into.

"What do you mean?"

'I mean…this is going to sound so corny, so don't you dare laugh at me, but…but you're my other half Peeta. You complete me.' I smile at her sentimentally.

"We share a heart, and now we share sight." I can't see her because she's behind me, but I know that a smile forms on her lips.

'And a mind, can't forget about that.' She adds.

We have climbed high enough to be able to see a decent portion of the arena.

"Katniss, look over there, what do you think that is? It seems like it's moving in a zig zag pattern."

Katniss squints as she peers off in the direction I am pointing.

"I think it's...Cato? I mean…obviously it's Cato, he's the only one left besides us. He seems to be running….and…. screaming? Is he running…away from something? It's hard for me to tell without any peripheral vision." I squint harder to see if I can get my eyes to focus on the objects.

"Well yes, that's Cato, but what's that thing behind him? I think its…. Katniss, I think…Katniss, it looks like a tiny tornado. I remember seeing one of those in another arena a few years back. I am not positive, but I would almost bet my life on it. Except the tornado I saw was gigantic, like twenty or thirty feet high, and that thing is maybe twelve feet tall at best." I tell her, not completely certain of my assessment.

"Peeta, we need to get down. If that is what you say it is, those things can take trees down, they can like…suck up anything in its path." Her voice trembles in fear.

We slide down the tree, and I have to hold the glasses up to my face to keep them from falling. Cato's screams keep getting louder and louder signaling that he is getting closer to us, and it turn; the tornado, until he is just mere feet away. The tornado is at least twenty feet behind him; it doesn't seem to matter how fast he runs, the tornado seems to remain at that distance. It's almost as if it is chasing him toward something.

For a moment, I am afraid he is charging for us but then he runs right past us, not seeming to even notice our presence as we watch his arms flail around and hear his petrified screams. The cyclone is still zooming along in a zig zag pattern, sucking in leaves, sticks, branches, bushes, and who knows what else in its' wake. Each time it inhales pieces of the earth, it seems to gain power, causing me to think the earth is its fuel. The wind is blowing so hard that Katniss and I are having a hard time difficult time maintaining our balance. It is like…It's like it is eating the arena.

"KATNISSSS!" I scream out to her, and even though she is right next to me, she barely hears me. The wind continues to roar, picking up and spinning everything in its path. What it doesn't inhale, it sends flying through the air.

"GRAB ON TO THE TREE, IT'S GOING TO SUCK US IN!" I scream out at the top of my lungs.

If she doesn't hear me, she at least understands what we need to do. We grab on to the branch of a tree to keep from getting sucked in. Katniss and I are both hugging onto the same branch, our bodies being lifted with the force of the wind. It is getting harder and harder to hold on and I gradually and slowly feel my fingers losing their grip.

I breathe out a sigh of relief when I see that Katniss has her bow hooked around her body, securing it in place. Somehow, I manage to secure my grip on the tree just when I notice Katniss slowly losing the fight with the wind. I reach out and grab her hand just in time.

For a split second I'm overcome with relief, feeling the warmth of Katniss' hand. I am certain this is one of the gamemaker's creations. The stump of a tree comes flying toward my head and my instincts take over, sending me dodging to the left. The simple movement causes my fingers to slip, and I meet Katniss' eyes letting her know I cannot hold on much longer.

Time stops with what happens next. Even in the darkness, I see the gleam in her eyes. Like when they air tributes in the arena and show it in slow motion so the viewers can watch every miniscule detail. She wiggles her fingers, loosening my grip on her, she tells me she loves me, and she lets go, allowing the wind to suck her inside of the tornado.

Whew...Sorry for the cliffie :( Gotta keep you engaged somehow, right? Thank you for reading, if you have a second, if you would kindly leave me a review/comment/feedback. (Ppsst...One liners are a favorite of mine)

From Chapter 16...Our line comes from Ric:

And Haymitch…stop by sometime, I've got the best scotch in the district, if that helps."