5th Chapter – Did I hurt you?
As the elevator goes, I feel adrenaline rising without control, and fear crystallizing , there's no more time for that, game's getting rough, now. As soos as this damn thing will open, I'll go looking for Andrew, or I won't be lucid enough for nothing else. I arrive in what seems like a forest, thick and very wet. When my capsul opens, an asphyxiating heat wraps me. Now I get why these uniforms are so thin, there will be 4o degrees here. I can't even lay my foot on the leaves that the cannon already shots. The Cornucopia will be witnessing the first massacre. Maybe it's not thad bad to stay away from there at first, I told Andrew to run away from his location, get far from the group and hide. Certainly I can't call him loudly when I'm unarmed, it wouldn't be very smart. I get close to a tree to grab a branch, better than nothing, but I still feel a little ridicolous.
Immediately a little bird attacks me, running away the second after and leaving me with a bleeding cut on the neck. How much time went by, ten seconds?
I venture more into the forest, lending an ear to try to catch some noises, different from the leaves' screetch. I have no clue of where I am, I have to pick a direction at random. Cannon shots two times more, it seems to hear it everywhere and nowhere. Voices follow in the background, they do seem close, but I don't recognize them. I climb a tree as fast as I can, and about a minute after Brutus and Enobaria penetrate the forest with a real arsenal, they didn't even take a look around.
I get down cautiously and go the other way, towards where I suppose being the centre of the arena. The leaves still screech innaturally behind me. Could that be that mum and dad bear are back?
" hi" Peeta's whisper makes me jump. My heart went parachuting and then came down again.
" oh Peeta, thank God " he already has red face and the uniform tore, but he also has a great sword, and he gives it to me a second later.
" Katniss thought this could work " I grab it and give him a huge smile.
" thank you so much, this is like saving our lives.. where's Katniss by the way? "
" here I am, I had to be sure Brutus and Enobaria were gone away " she answers coming out of a bush.
" yeah I saw them passing by, other way "
" I have to go find Andrewm did you see him? "
" no, but he wasn't there at all " this fills me with relief, good boy.
" we'll meet later" I don't leave them the time to answer and rush away.
I frantically run through the trees, trying to chase away the panic raising in my stomach. It all looks the same in here,there's no way to orientate myself.
But I'm armed now, so I give it a try and call him loudly, I don't care about the consequences, I will never find him if I had to search behind every single bush.
" he's certainly better than you at hiding" the sound of his voice makes the blood in my veins frozen, literally. I didn't really need this right now, I'm not mentally ready to face him, but I try to gather power and courage, and reconnect myself. It's worth my pride.
" Finnick" I hold the sword tighter istinctly, here he is, with his inscrutable smirk.
" hi sweetheart, did you miss me?" hi sniggers and takes a step towards me, my senses are telling me to run away as soon as possible.
" like the Reaping day" I take a step back, even if I don't want to, I'll be damned the day I'll run from this guy.
" oh come on, it's really too easy this way, why you're here all alone?"
" let's say you don't particularly stand out for your IQ, do you?" we both know it's not true, but insulting him makes me feel better and safer.
" you decided to spend your last moments insulting me?" ok maybe it's not very smart, but what am I supposed to do? I certainly won't beg him or something, it's always a matter of pride.
" I've decided that since I first saw you, actually" he nods and wields the trident in a way I don't like at all.
" you haven't been very nice to me, we could have got on better"
" come on Finnick you don't need me. I heard there are a lot of people in Capitol you.. get on well with". I finish in a smirk. They're just rumours, actually, but they say he's the most loved and he has fans in every corner here at the Capitol. What I say makes him snap and before I realize, my legs move the other way, to avoid a bad blow. We end up fighting again, this time his energy has increased so much, and it's really hard for me not to break down. I'm forced to step back and shirk his trident. I can't attack him directly, it'd be a suicide, he seems determined to blow me off.
"what's wrong, honey, are you afraid of me?" I squeeze my eyes and I jump towards him, but I realize too late that my move was stupid and damaging, it's really to easy for him to get the sword out of my reach, and get me stuck against a tree trunk.
" I take the sword, you've defaced me enough" I hardly breathe because of his grip, I take a look around, searching for an ispiration.
He gets closer, scanning me with a smile; what enrages me most is giving him this satisfaction.
" Come on, do it. I know you're enjoying the moment, but someone can come and screw your plans"
" Are you such in a hurry to die sweetheart?"
" Are you able to construct a sentence without these stupid pet names?!"
" Appearently I'm a big romantic guy, child" oh sure, no one believes that but him, barely. Something scratchy and cold walks on my hip, and straight after I feel the typical cut's sting that makes me bleed a little.
" oh I'm sorry, did I hurt you? I didn't mean to, you're a great girl after all" he harshly repeats the trivial excuses I foisted Caesar to throw at my face how ridicolous they were.
" That's how you wan to do that? Piece by piece?" I don't even fight anymore, I'd just foster his ego.
" I don't know, I'm thinking about it " somehow it seems he doesn't really want to kill me, I know it sounds ridicolous, I mean, we're in the Hunger Games, anyway he's hesitating too much. He caresses my cheek with a crooked smile. Oh no, death's fine, but humiliation is not. I brusquely move my face, making him grin more.
" I take this" a brunette little head comes out from a bush, taking away Finnick's trident. My stomach gets rid of a burden and m spirit refreshes somehow.
I gropingly look for the sword, keeping an eye on Andrew, the situation can became dangerous for him, for now he's just escaping from Finnick.
" come on, kid, give me that damn thing" Andrew doesn't liste to him and keeps going. It'd be fun if circumtances weren't so depressing.
While Andrew tries to reach me, Finnick grabs him by the uniform and pulls him up.
" you dare to touch my brother, I swear you'll have to say goodbye to all those gooses that come after you!" I try to sound as intimidating as possible hoping he will listen, or I'm afraid fear could paralize me.
" not that I care so much about them.. " he grasps the trident tighter and holds Andrew in an arm; finally it happens to me to see the sword on the ground, but he guesses my intention.
" Not a good idea" he tells me shacking his head slowly, while I'm silently hating him.
" why don't you give that sword to me?" I said I'd do anything for Andrew, and so I will. I throw the sword towards him and he smiles in satisfaction. He puts Andrew back on the ground, who immediately runs by my side. I stay there motionless, waiting for Finnick's next move.
" Did you really think I would have hurt a child?" I didn't take it into consideration, actually. I was freacking afraid if I have to be honest.
" but you would hurt unarmed girls"
" trying to use the pity card?"
" No, Annie has already done that " I'm playing hard, I know. But it's worth our survival. Seeing the expression in his eyes, I push Andrew out in a rush.
" Andrew, run " I whisper in his ear, he shakes his head refusing to leave me. What a stubborn child!
"come on, it's not the right time to be pretend to be the bigger brother" I scold him, but it's as if I haven't spoken at all.
" I'm not the only one with a terribile IQ I see.. " he says with a bunch of threats in his voice, ready to attack.
"Finnick what are you doing?" Peeta's voice is all I needed to hear right now.
" what I promised to do " sounds almost prophetic, not that he's on a saving-the-world mission.
" put your warrior spirit down and give it a rest" Katniss intervenes.
" It doesn't seem to me I asked your opionion, did I? mind your boyfriend" the harshness in his voice hasn't gone.
" no, I mind my allies, and right now, two of them are trying to kill each other"
"What?" we exclaim in unison. Oh God, is he Katniss's ally too?
" Are you kidding me, right? " when Peeta shakes his head, Finnick snorts loudly and pulls the trident off.
" give her the sword back" Katniss encourages him; I go close to him and open my hand.
" it's not done, you know that don't you? " another threat, I'm fed up with his threats. He hands me the sword and reach the group.
" Where's Mags?"
" behind those bushes, she was looking for you " oh, too bad he was busy trying to kill me.
The forest is quiet, almost in deadness; Andrew holds my hand tight, Mags is on Finnick's shoulders and Peeta trims the branches blocking the way.
Katniss' screaming rips the quietness and in a heartbeat we're all hurled on the ground. Peeta's the only one who hasn't got up.
" He's not breathing! He's not breathing" Katniss is desperate so Finnick tries unsuccesfully to revive him.
" Come on Peeta!" as I get closer, I realize Finnick's not doing it right.
" Let me help you" he allows me without saying a word, at least he's not such an ass, I put my hands right where there's supposed to be the heartbeat and I start pressing, while Finnick's up to mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. My boosts are not very strong, and seeing that Peeta's not recovering, he covers my hands with his, pressing harder.
" Stronger, you're not picking flowers damn it!" I just ignore him and let him go on, while Andrew caresses Peeta's hair. He opens his eyes and Katniss literally throws herself in his arms, how could they say they don't love each other? It's crystal clear, geez. I watch them hugging, but Andrew's swallowing distracts me, thirst is felt.
" We need to find fresh water" guys nod and we start walking again, letting Katniss to lead us. Appearently she's the only one able to recognize force fields covering this zone.
Night is on its way, and so is tiredness, Andrew lets himself being carried by me, and Finnick is panting too because of the doble effort he has to make. We haven't find anything to drink or eat, but at least we deserve some rest.
" Shall we camp here?" Peeta asks
" Yes, we should be fine" Barbie Odair answers.
Mags lays down on the ground, so I let Andrew reach her, cause I know she will take care. Peeta pulls out some dirty blankets he found in the bag at the Cornucopia.
" I can cover the first turn" says Finnick with his usual easiness.
" no way, not alone" the mistrust in Katniss's voice is evident, the blond one rolls his eyes and starts to preach about saving Peeta.
" before dawn's here too, I will keep an eye on him" I interrupt them, or they will never find a compromise.
" you like playing with fire, huh?" I ignore him and I sit down with the weapon. Peeta lays down too and dozes off next to Katniss, and Mags has hugged Andrew to keep him warm, since as sun faded out , a frozen breeze started blowing incessantly.
" Mags's an amazing women"
" yeah, she is " he just says, better not bring the subject on, or I will surely end up insulting Annie.
I barely meet Finnick's eyes, while I enjoy the calmness around us. I squeeze the blanket on my shoulders, but it doesn't help so much, coldness pervades your bones.
" What happened to the child?" he asks with detachment.
" effort, grazed knees, nothing a good sleep can't heal" silence falls back, I can only hear his smooth breath.
" Are you.. cold?" I use detached tone too, it's just easier.
"No". it's not true, I thik he's freezing. But he acts like nothing's wrong and goes covering back Mags and Andrew who dropped the blanket in their holy sleep.
" Since we're obviously allies, I suggest to call a truce" I guess is the most sensible thing to do, but he doesn't seem to agree as he looks at me, sniggering.
"of course it's convenient for you" I feel like rolling my eyes and look away, it'd even be easy if I didn't hear his teeth-chattering.
" Come on you're freezing! Why don't you just admit it?"
"Why don't you mind your own business?"
"Because you could be helpful in protecting Andrew" he seems proubing my mind, triing to find out if I'm cynical or just pretend to be. Actually I'm kind-hearted, and I don't like seeing him freezing to death. Damned ethic, always suggests you things you don't want to do.
"Do you want..?" I widen my arm to show him the blanket.
" I'm fine" keeps on undaunted. I leave him alone for a while, until wind intensifies, turning into a silver blade laid on your face.
At this point I get up and get close to him, wrapping him in the blanket.
"blockhead!" I slobber. He gest interdicted for a second, but then he tries to complain because of his stupid pride.
" I didn't call a truce, stay away from me"
" I did, so shut up" he lets it go and adjusts the blanket on his back.
" you come closer or you let it go" he intimates coldly. Actually I'm a bit far from him, and the hem I left him won't be very useful. I loudly puff and I come nearer, shoulder-to-shoulder.
" if you laid on my lap we'd be warmer" I take a look at his serious face.
" You are kidding, aren't you?" I ask with a little fear and disbelief in my voice. He laughs straight away, of course he's kidding, but for just a second is felt like he wasn't and that would get me really upset.
: This one a little too long, but I hope you enjoy!:)