Chapter 16: Crush 'n' Gusher

Too long. I sleep too long. By the time I wake up, it is morning. I hurriedly shower and dress, running down to the Mentors' Bar. I find Dean at our table from before, still remarkably awake but with bags under his eyes.

"What happened?"

"Nothing," he waves me away. "Except the Careers turned on each other."

"What?" I frantically scroll through the data pad. "When?"

"During the night. One of the guys from District 1 came out the last guy standing. Peeta's fine."

I frown. "So that leaves... the Career... Peeta... and..."

"Mine," Norman from District 10 calls out in passing, strolling by our table with a drink in his hand. "Stallion Gelding."

Watching the screens, I finally pick out Stallion. He's investigating some of the abandoned food stands; I see signs that read Let's Go Slurpin' and Surf Doggies. Probably picking over them in the hopes of finding a meal.

Peeta, meanwhile, is still floating down the lazy river on his inner tube, eating the meal Dean got him as his breakfast. Eating his fill, Peeta finally decides to exit the current and climbs onto shore.

"Shit!" Dean calls out but too late. Peeta doesn't notice Stallion from where he has exited the lazy river.

But Stallion notices him. "Hey, Twelve!"

Peeta snaps his head up in fear, and takes off at a sprint.

"Oh no you don't! You're mine!" Stallion gives chase.

"No way! He's mine!" I watch in horror as the District 1 Career joins the pursuit.

Peeta leads both foes on a chase, heading for a slide Dean identifies as the Crush 'n' Gusher. Peeta takes the stairs two at a time up the imposing structure. Stallion is right on his heels. At the entrance, Peeta seizes a inner tube built for two people and lunges for the slide. Stallion lunges for him and grabs his leg. The inner tube zooms off down the slope, taking the District 10 tribute with it. The Career grabs another inner tube and follows them.

Dean stares in almost disbelief. "What in the hell am I even watching?"

Peeta's inner tube gains a dizzying speed. Stallion manages to climb up Peeta's legs from where his body has been dangerously dragged along the slide, and clambers aboard the inner tube. The two men duel, Peeta staying Stallion's sword with his bare hands.

I clap a hand to my mouth in terror. "Oh, God, please... no..."

Using a combination of his hands and knees, Peeta flings Stallion off of him and the inner tube. Stallion slides along behind my husband, but is soon overtaken by the Career from District 1. In fact, Norman's protégé gets run over, the Career dealing a fatal blow to Stallion as he goes over. BOOM.

"I'm out," Norman groans. His eyes find me. "Rooting for Peeta now, Katniss. So is Gideon." I nod to him.

Meanwhile, Peeta is shot out at the bottom of the slide. He quickly scrambles out and barely gets to his feet before District 1 appears. Recovering from the wild ride, the last Career comes at my spouse with a samurai sword.

Peeta seizes the inner tube and uses it as a shield, blocking the attacks and using it to push the Career back.

"Give up, Twelve! I have to win!" the Career growls.

"And I have to get back to my wife!" Peeta snarls back.

It goes back and forth like this for a few minutes, neither man giving in. The inner tube is almost hacked to shreds until the Career suddenly loses his balance and falls.

Peeta seizes his chance. Leaping on his opponent, he crushes the Career with the inner tube. The Career flails, his limbs sticking out almost comically from underneath the inflatable, growing weaker and weaker until -

He goes limp. Peeta literally smothered him to death. The cannon sounds, followed by Claudius Templesmith's voice: "Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the winner of the 100th Annual Hunger Games, the 4th Quarter Quell: Peeta Mellark of District 12!"

The Mentors Bar erupts in cheers.

"YES!" Dean pumps his fist. "Finally!" He finally helped produce a Victor. Taking my hands, the two of us happily dance around in a circle.

My husband survived. He's coming home to me.