CHAPTER 13
ANNABELLA POV
It's been a day since we have been in the arena, we have stuck together and avoided the other tributes, and we decided sticking to the roofs was the way to go, we would jump from roof to roof staying low when we can, this way we could see everything and everyone coming and we weren't easily seen. The water ran out this morning and we think Eliza might be getting sick; this was not what we wanted right now, if she was getting sick then she needed medicine, that is something we didn't have, I of course have volunteered to go search the cornucopia but no one would let me, much like in Katniss' year of the Hunger Games, the careers we encountered last week had taken up camp there with all their weapons and food in the one place, guarded at all times, it would be suicide going there but dad said no and when he says no he means it.
In the moments with the Careers when they attacked us we lost another, a good and loyal person… Mrs Everdeen, she volunteered herself to distract them while we got away, none of knew of her plan until we were on the roof and she was out the front of the house being slaughtered. Gale had to cover Katniss' mouth so they couldn't hear her screaming and I covered Eliza's eyes, we didn't tell Eliza what had happened, we told her it was just safer on the roof and that her Grandma had just gone out to find some food, but I think she knew by now that her Grandma was not coming back.
Right now everyone was sleeping and I was on watch, I really was tempted to go to the Cornucopia and see what they had but if I did and dad found out he would be absolutely furious with me, but then again we need medicine for Eliza and I doubt we were going to have anyone out there sponsoring us so that we could get some supplies sent in. I checked over at dad, he was sound asleep with his sword clutched to his chest, I was going and no one could stop me, unless dad woke up.
I tip toed over and stole Katniss' bow and arrow, she groaned and woke up looking at me with squinting eyes, I strapped my spear to my belt and the bow and arrows to my back.
"I need her knives" I whispered, I was going into the lion's den and I did not want to go in blind, I was taking precautions.
"You're going to find medicine?" I nodded.
"Please don't stop me"
"You remind me of me a lot, I did the same thing for Peeta in the games" I remember she drugged him so he couldn't stop her and almost died trying to get his medicine. She gave me Eliza's knives and nodded to me with a small smile "Thank you" she whispered, I nodded to her letting her know it was no problem and started the climb down the side of the building. Being as quiet as possible…
…
…
…
Abaigael POV
We were at the arena, I couldn't believe we had actually made it, the outsides were scattered with Peacekeepers on high alert but we had found out way in, the weak spot. This is where we would enter; it was north which is good considering that's the way everyone ran, thank god. Kaleb and Peeta were eager to be reunited with their family and we were eager to show it to the Capitol that they don't run everything. We were hiding in some bushes trying to escape from the rain, it was heavy and fast, as if the universe itself was trying to stop us from entering the arena, but this had to happen, here and now.
Daniel had hold of the TV thingy and was working to program the cameras to not focus on us on the path we would take which he is also planning; this would be harder when we actually reach the others. Annie, Peeta and mum were in a heated discussion, something about Annabella wondering off to find medicine for Eliza and Kaleb was sitting by himself resting a bit. Ryder was leaning on a tree not far from me just staring.
"Abaigael, Ryder, go see how the Peacekeeper is doing" Mum ordered, I sighed but complied with her wishes, Ryder following right on my tail, we stopped at some trees that were a few layers from the last line of trees until the open area, we could move around and not be seen here.
"So freckles, when you're not on life threatening missions what do you do?"
"I've always got a mission to plan or do, or I'm training myself" ever since I was old enough to hold a sword mum has let me train with the others, between training, home schooling and missions I don't have much more to do with my time, it might not seem like much but they were very time consuming activities.
"So no boyfriend then?" I whipped my head around to face him, what was he getting at?
"I don't have time for boys"
"So you're a virgin then"
"I'm only 16"
"I lost mine when I was 15" he looked like he regretted telling me that "You should cherish yours, don't just give it away" I was in no circumstance comfortable with this situation, I was blushing from embarrassment, I'm not embarrassed that I was a virgin I was just embarrassed that he is trying to give me advice about being one "It was for money… my first time I mean, my older brother was sick and we needed medicine, I wasn't allowed to work in the mines yet and had no other way of getting money, so I did the only thing I thought I could do at the time" Why was he telling me this? "I also once stole my neighbour's clothes while she was bathing so I could see her come out of the shower naked"
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to keep going until you stop me" He stated like these confessions were nothing "I spit in Peacekeepers soup when there not looking… I needed to pee really bad in school once but the bitch of a teacher wouldn't let me go to the toilet so when no one was paying attention I peed in her canteen and never confessed, she drank the whole thing thinking the water just tasted a little funny" I couldn't help but laugh at the last one.
"Okay stop" I said through some giggles, I rested my back on the tree calming myself. Ryder had this sort of look on his face like he really wanted to tell me something but decided against it. He shook his head and ran his hands through his hair. I went to get off the tree and head back but in lightning speed he pinned me against it.
"Just one more confession" I nodded not positive on where this was going "I… I really" he choked and stopped his words stepping back and turning away from me pulling at his hair in frustration.
"Okay" What a weird moment… I actually got off the tree this time before he came for me again, but this time he didn't pin me to the tree or say anything. He grabbed my face in his hands looking deeply into my eyes.
"I really like you" He whispered, wait, really liked me as in; he liked me as more than a friend or just a friend?
"What do you-" Just as the words left my mouth Ryder crushed his lips to mine holding my head in place, it took me a while to respond. He was kissing me, really kissing me, not just a peck between friends and family but really kissing me like a boyfriend and girlfriend would. I smiled slightly kissing him back and moving my arms up his body, one to the back of his neck and the other to his chest.
We were both soaking wet from the rain but I felt like it was only bringing us closer, I could feel his body pressed against mine as if we were naked.
My first kiss, he took my first kiss and I was glad he did, I do admit that from day one I have found him to be very handsome but it took a while for me to actually think of him romantically, probably just recently actually.
"Thank you" I pulled away keeping my hands on him.
"For what?" he asked.
"For making my first kiss special"
"Anytime freckles" he moved his hand up stroking my hair out of my face so he could get a good look at me "Really, anytime" I laughed and reached my hand up moving the wet hair from his face.
"In that case" I leaned up about to kiss him one more time before we go back but my moment was ruined by someone's throat clearing.
"If you're done we would like to rescue people now" Kaleb was scowling at us "Like my mum and little sister, and my girlfriend who I thought you cared about too Ryder? You guys spent all that time cuddling up to each other right?"
…
…
…
GALE POV
"Where is she?!" Katniss was begging for me to be quiet, she was even crying. The nerve she had to cry! I had woken up because a sort of siren went off and the arena lit up like it was a really hot day but we couldn't feel any heat. And to my surprise Annabella wasn't here when I woke up, Katniss knows where she is and if she doesn't tell me so help me I will-
"She went to get medicine"
"And you just let her go? That is my daughter Katniss, you had no right!"
"She was trying to help Eliza"
"Don't Katniss. You know for damn sure if the situation were reversed you would never in your right mind have let Eliza do that for Annabella, she is all I have left Katniss!" I growled advancing on her, "Is this my payback? Is this the price I have to pay for Prim? I thought we were good Katniss but obviously not"
"You know that's not true Gale, I love Annabella like a daughter, she is carrying my grandchild, I wouldn't let her go unless I knew she could handle it and I know she can, there is no way she would ever put herself in a position to hurt her baby, Gale it's okay"
"She's not you Katniss, she isn't as strong or as level minded as you, she overestimates her abilities"
"No she isn't me, she is you"
"Katniss! Katniss!" we looked over the edge of the roof surprised at what we saw, it was Peeta, Kaleb, Ryder, Annie, Johanna and a boy and girl I didn't know, I'm guessing the girl is Johanna's daughter Abaigael.
"Peeta!" She jumped off the roof and leaped for him "How did you find us?" I jumped off the roof with Eliza in my arms and with Haymitch and Effie right behind me. The man I didn't know held up a thick looking remote type thing with a screen, it was playing us in the games. The screen changed to that of Annabella, she was at the pile and ready to strike but she didn't see the girl creeping up on her until she was too close.
"Bell!" I ran for her, I had to protect my little girl, I would not let her die, I promised her and myself.
Peeta, Katniss, Johanna, Annie, Abaigael, Kaleb and Ryder followed me while the mystery man was leading Haymitch, Effie and Eliza in the other direction. I needed to get my little girl out alive.
…
…
…
ANNABELLA POV
I screamed as the girl pulled my hair back yanking with all her might, I used my knife to slit her arm as deep as I could, the girl screeched like a banshee clutching her arm, I grabbed the bow and an arrow and shot it through her head, she shut up quite easily after that, I went to make a run for it but others had already been alerted to my presence, the other 5 had woken and were now looking at me as if I were a meal to them, this is crazy, why did these people want to kill me so badly? Besides the fact that I have a bounty on my head. I shot a few more arrows only hitting one of my targets and missing the other three because they were moving around too much. I placed the bow and arrows to the side and grabbed my spear swinging it around and trying to intimidate them, I'm not so sure it worked though.
"I'm going to gut you like a pig" the voice was behind me so I quickly turned stabbing the girl through the stomach and jerking it upwards, she choked a little before losing consciousness. I gagged a little at all the blood wanting to puke but keeping it down with a lot of self-control.
"Bell!" one of the tributes was punched out by dad and the others challenged Katniss, Peeta, Kaleb, Johanna, Annie, Abaigael and Ryder, the tributes put up a good fight, a very, very good fight but in the end we won and they lost, they lay dead as we ran to save our own lives "What were you thinking?" Dad scolded me.
"I got the medicine" I threw the vile to Katniss and she thanked me "Wait" I took another head count and looked at all the faces, yep he was missing "Ryder" We stopped and looked back, he was on the ground and a dead tribute was on top of him keeping him nailed to the ground. I went to go back but Kaleb beat me to it, Kaleb of all people went back for Ryder? They hate each other!
Ryder POV
I couldn't move this guy's fat ass, why did he have to be so damn fat? I groaned trying to push his fat ass off of me, I lifted him a little but he fell back down, I braced my hands on his shoulders and pushed with all my might. He flew off of me without much effort on my part. The last person I could ever imagine coming back for me appeared above me offering his hand. I looked at Kaleb Mellark wondering if this was some trick and as soon as I went to grab his hand he would leave me as if it were all a joke.
"I won't leave you behind" I knew I could trust him, just by the look in his eyes, he was not kidding, he was 100% serious. I reached up my hand grasping his hand firmly and let him pull me up.
"Thank you" I gasped. We ran side by side toward the others making sure each other didn't fall behind; I guess he wasn't so bad after all.
"Come on you two" Johanna had waited back for us in case there was any danger following or coming while the others were a little bit a head "Hurry" we ran like hell gasping for our breaths.
We heard a loud humming and everyone looked up to see a giant hovercraft flying in the sky above us, it shot down a pole from a small opening, Kaleb had stopped to see what was happening and I couldn't exactly go on without him due to my injured leg. One after the other Peacekeepers started sliding down the pole and firing freely. I'm guessing the cameras are off because they would never do something like this if the whole world was watching. Kaleb started running out of no-where dragging me along next to him carrying half my weight. I was too busy trying to stay upright and Kaleb was too busy helping me run to my fullest. We never even noticed Johanna drop back to fight the oncoming Peacekeepers.
"Mum!" Abaigael was in front of us running towards the fight instead of away, I had to reach my arm out and grab her to stop her from getting herself killed. She was running with such determination that I was nearly knocked to the ground when I reached out my arm securing her. I wish I could control my thoughts but as soon as my arms wrapped around her all I wanted to do was kiss her. This was definitely not the time for those types of thoughts.
"We have to go" Kaleb pulled me with all his strength but it was a struggle with a resistant Abaigael in my arms trying to go back and help Johanna.
"Go!" We caught a glimpse of Johanna before she was struck down, she didn't stay down long though, she was tougher than she looked and she looked pretty bloody tough and scary "Go Abaigael"
"No! No!" Gale sprinted over to us throwing Abaigael over his shoulder with one last look over to Johanna.
"Go!" he did as she commanded and took off as if the kicking and screaming Abaigael on his back wasn't fazing him at all. Kaleb continued helping me to where they had gotten in.
…
..
…
ANNABELLA POV
3 DAYS LATER
It was my fault, everything was my fault. The deaths of our friends and family, the injuries we had all gotten during our time together. I don't want to have this guilt hanging over me but I can't help the nagging feeling in the back of my head telling me that it is my fault. My fault my friends were captured in the first place, my fault Rain, Webber, Raven, Archer and Terra were killed in the Arena, my fault Penelope stepped off of her platform too early, my fault the others came after me for getting the medication, and my fault the other tributes killed Mrs Everdeen. I wonder if any of this would have ever happened if I didn't volunteer, in an alternate universe would I still be pregnant. Would it be Kaleb's. Would Kaleb have died in the games, would I even be friends with anyone I am now?
I wonder if me volunteering and being with Kaleb triggered these events.
I guess my father and I now have something else in common, we are both responsible for the death of someone close to Katniss.
And Johanna, I will never be able to get the look of Abaigael's face when her mother went back out of my head, her mother was her life and now that's gone.
Today we were paying tribute to those we had lost. We were in a field outside of District 12. When we ran we didn't stop until we reached the end, we refused to stop in case we were still being followed; we only stopped when we hit District 12, we know we can't go back there, we will have to start again.
I placed flowers that I had picked next to the tree, we had ripped off some of the bark and carved all their names into it with a small message.
'Mrs Everdeen
Johanna
Penelope
Rain
Webber
Raven
Archer
Terra
Jessup
Prim
Saskia'
'Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you'
They were lyrics from the only song I knew, the song Katniss sings frequently.
"Where do we go now?" I spoke up looking around at everyone. Ryder was clutching a sobbing Abaigael tightly; Daniel was off to the side sitting to the side slicing an apple, Haymitch and Effie were standing, Haymitch with his arm around Effie, Katniss, Peeta and Eliza were huddled together mourning Katniss' mother, dad was next to me holding my hand and Kaleb was on my other side standing as close as possible without annoying dad.
"We start again" Daniel stood walking over to join us all "fresh beginnings"
"But where will we go, if you haven't noticed we are being hunted" Ryder said, his eyes were red and puffy, he had been crying for Johanna, not as much as Abaigael but enough for her to let herself lean on him. He hadn't let her go since we left and she calmed down enough for Ryder to grab her. Abaigael peeked her head out from Ryder's shoulder.
"We have nowhere to go" She whispered her voice cracking.
"Sure we do, somewhere no one would look because it's too obvious but unguarded" Daniel smirked placing his knife in his holster.
"Where?"
"District 13 of course"
THE END
Thank you everyone who has followed my story and stayed with me through my horrific writing, it meant so much to me that people liked it and reviewed.
So for the last time PLEASE REVIEW and let me know how it went