I have never been such horrible situation. Though I've survived two hunger games but now it seems almost impossible. The time is running out. I wish Finnick can get the other rebels out of their drunken slumber and lead them to the safety banker. Gale is turning around the hospital like a whirlwind, gathering the patients, all the sick and injured. Most of them are panic. The medics, the immobile or mobiles are all in same situation.
"How can we go?" the young woman who lost her left leg clutches my wrist. The bloody bandage across the stump is socked, the smell of decomposing flesh is almost making me nauseated.
"Come here, follow me." Gale is calling the others, a bunch of patients accompanied by their doctors rush through the tiny entrance. It is almost impossible to pass through the tiny gate.
Tick tock. Twenty five minutes…
More and more hovercrafts join the first one in the sky.
"Where we will go?"
'It is not possible."
The panicked words, the frightened faces, among all these a small baby begins crying adding more panic to the crowd.
"Stop it." Irritation rises among the people "They will know our location."
The mother is trying to hush the baby, but the scuffling of the hovercraft startles it.
"Give him to me." Gale takes the little baby in his arms. I am just amazed with his bravery. May be, may be he is much better than me in controlling situations.
At last we can lead all the patients and the medics out of the hospital. The shuffling of the hovercraft is approaching closer and closer. We run.
Unfortunately it's really hard for me to walk with my prosthetic leg, moreover when I'm carrying the disable woman in my arms.
'Hurry." I hear Gale saying to the crowd. Soon I join him too. the night sky is almost clear with the bright flashlight as the hovercraft begins gathering around the abandoned rebel house. But we have already crossed the mountain and in a safe distance from them.
Tick tock. Thirty seconds.
The flashlight almost blinds our eyes. And the first bomb drops.
We stop near an old banker, a tiny door opens while Finnick, Boggs and Mr. Cresta welcomes us inside. We haul the rest of the frightened people while their frightened eyes begin searching for the safe shelter. I dump my rider in a muddy bed at a corner, panting with all the exhaustion I've sustained; I let myself flattened over the floor.
It is dark inside. There is no electricity in there.
In the dark I feel the people now flooding across the tiny room, holding each other, not caring even if they are related. All they want some comfort, some support to hold on. Mr. Cresta and Finnick are busy in talking about something I guess I must be about Annie. Gale collapses at another corner, exhausted. I hear his heavy sigh, feel the lines of pain riddling his handsome face. I even don't want to meet his eyes.
I know how he feels in the right moment.
How I actually feel?
Grief, guilt, pain, loss….even every other kind of emotions I can hardly process. All I did just to mend up our lost Mockingjay's image, but in result I brings her a great havoc. I close my eyes shut, trying to imagine what else Snow can do to her. Torture her, whip her, burn her….
Or Kill her?
"Peeta!" I can even hear her dying whisper in a darkness of a closed Capitol hell, blood trickling down along her neck.
"Goodbye, Mockingjay!" blood trickles down along Snow's red lips.
"Peeta!" My eyes fly open with a voice from beside. Finnick.
"Don't worry Peeta, they won't kill her."
Anger courses through my veins. I pull myself up from the lying position now staring back into his green eyes in the dark "How could you possibly know that?"
"They have my Annie." His smile is grim "They won't kill her, Peeta. Just like they won't kill my Annie."
"What makes you so sure?"
" Because her father is leading district 4, like you are leading us. They will do whatever it takes to break you."
I nod as I finally understand his words. They will torture her, beat her, and do whatever they want to do to her to render my useless – to break me. Katniss is my life. I have made that fact public knowledge. To think all I wanted was to help her and now my affection for her had put her in the worst possible situation. It may get her killed. "Finnick, are you broken?"
"No." He tells me in a soft, quick tone.
"Why?" My head shot up, surprised.
He says nothing but points towards the other side of the room where there is a single candle burning and Mr. Cresta is talking over an old telephone. Watching my curious look he slumps down the receiver and nods.
"President Coin from District 13 is amused with Katniss's wit. She decides to send a party to rescue her. So she chooses Mr. Howthrone to lead the mission."
"What?" my jaw drops, surprised.
This time Gale's eyes lights up with joy. He stands up from his sitting position and nods "I'll go."
()()()
The rest of the night passes like almost a nightmare. We have no idea how many of us managed to escape that night. In the dark we can't even mange to see the faces or count the heads. Yet I want to believe that all of us make a good escape.
I jolt wake with a hard knock at the door. a frightened whisper rises among the panicked people, while they again begin tangle with one another.
"Who?" Mr. Cresta at last decides to speak up.
'Me, Marsella, from District 13." A familiar voice speaks from the other side "We come to take Peeta and the others back to 13."
We all exchange looks, relived at last. Mr. Cresta walks over the door and opens it.
"Of course." I hear him talking while Finnick hauls me up on my feet. He is wearing a big grin, possibly from the hope of saving Annie. Gale is already ready, so the medics of 13.
"Come on." Mr. Cresta waves towards us "They are here to take you back."
A large hovercraft is waiting for us, as we follow his lead. For the first time in the day light I can see the ruin of district 4. Ash flying all over the places, covering the green tress with thick layers of grey. The air smelt like ash too.
Like my visit in the district 12.
The rest of 4 follow us, teary eyes, saying goodbye. The young woman who was much rude with us earlier now hugs me, saying "Thanks Peeta." Her eyes are teary "I'll miss the little medic of yours Prim."
"I'll say that you are…." I hug her back. and suddenly my words stops at the midsentence.
The rest of district 13 team has already boarded in the hovercraft. Gale is talking something with Marsella, he is taking another hovercraft for the rescue mission to Capitol. Now the medics are boarding.
But wait…someone is missing.
One, two, three, four, five and….
Suddenly my blood freezes in my veins. There is no one with two golden plaits, small slender figure among them.
Prim is not there.
"Where is Prim?" I look at my companions wildly; none of them have seen her.
No! Now I can't loose her. I can't loose Katniss, I can't loose her sister either.
'What happened Peeta?" Mr. Cresta throws me a wild look while I rush inside the bunker calling for Prim.
No she isn't anywhere.
I remember I saw her last night before saying goodnight. Suddenly I realize she wasn't even there when we hauled the people out of the hospital. Then where is she? I remember the ashy ruins of the rebel house. I squeeze my eyes shunt as if I'm waiting for a mutt attack. "Oh, no," Mr. Cresta says. We both know I'm right. I rush out of the banker, wild eyes, Boggs is waiting for me outside.
"Everyone is boarded, Peeta. Gale is already gone for his mission." He says.
No! What I'll answer Katniss now. I turn my wild eyes to him and say "Prim is missing."
'What?" he jerks, holding my shoulder tightly.
'Yes." I nod almost at the verge of tears. Boggs is stunned.
"Before the bomb strikes, she is gone to the jungle to get her cat." Right then someone says from behind.
Both of us turn towards the informer.
'Where?" I ask almost desperate.
"There.' He points to the north, where the green trees had turned into fossils.
"No!" I whisper.
"Peeta, I'm sorry." I feel Boggs hand over my shoulder. But no, I brush him away of my way.
The next time I find myself running through the woods.
What happens to Prim? Or will Peeta & Katniss ever meet again?
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