I don't own The Hunger Games.
The tunnels are freezing cold, and even as I run I shiver slightly. As I am still using my cane, we run at a slow pace. At first I protested, but I gave up trying to talk to Katniss after she threatened to shoot my vocal cords if I didn't shut up. Her smile told me it was a joke, but her eyes told me that she knew the pain. My bullet wound didn't hurt much, but it ached. My Mother doesn't want me to put unneeded strain on it. If I was to slip and land on it or it just gave out and fell from underneath me, there could be some long term damage.
"You alright?" Finlay asks from in front of me.
"I'm fine." I respond. He runs backwards for a while and watches my leg. My limp has gotten worse, as we have been running solidly for thirty minutes. Except for Finlay, we are all Victors. He is the son of Finnick Odair, and takes after him in many ways. This means that we are all in good shape, but we can't keep running forever.
"Really? We can stop running, if you like." He says, raising an eyebrow. He brushes his black hair out of his eyes and runs next to me, facing forward.
"I don't need your sympathy, Finlay." I say bitterly.
"I understand how you feel, Lillia. Two years ago I broke my right foot. I was fed up of people thinking I couldn't do anything and offering me their sympathy. So as soon as I got my cast off I jumped off of my mother's boat into the middle of the ocean, but my foot wasn't ready. I would have drowned if she hadn't of saved me. So I'll ask you again. Do you want to stop and rest, Lillia?" He glances at me, concern in his eyes.
"What difference does it make to you if my leg is permanently damaged?" I ask. I am being unfair, but I hate appearing weak to others.
"You're my friend." He says, and looks away. After that, we run in silence.
"Johanna, I think we need to take a break." He says half an hour later, smiling slightly. I punch him in the shoulder when she says okay.
"But we've only been going for an hour! The Capitol could easily catch up to us if they find the tunnel." I protest.
"We're not invincible, Lillia. We can't keep running forever. I'm exhausted, and I'm sure everyone else is to. We'll take a fifteen minute break." My mother calls to me from the front.
"If the Capitol attacks us, they'll have to face me." Johanna adds. I frown as everyone sits down in the tunnel and take small sips from their water bottles. I make my way over to Trent, and sit down next to him. He is the only person who hasn't managed to annoy me today.
"Hey, kid." He says, pulling a packet of dried fruit out of his rucksack.
"Hey." I say. He opens the packet and holds it out in front of me. I take a small handful and push the fruit around my palm.
"Something bothering you?" He asks, tipping his handful into his mouth and resealing the packet.
"How's everyone in 12? How many people are dead? Have we had an uprising? What about the rest of the Districts, and 4? All of these questions are bothering me, Trent. I was wondering if you had any answers." I ask. He sighs and puts his fruit away before turning to face me.
"They're not good. Snow's men came and shot up the District, as you know. Your friend Ruby's parents are both dead. Six of Horatio's friends. The Head Peacekeeper and his brother. Twenty coal miners and about sixty other Seam folk are dead as well. It's estimated that there was between ninety and one hundred deaths. We haven't had an uprising. All Districts are on lockdown until they find you except for 1, 2, 4, 6, 10 and 11. The ones on lockdown are under house arrest. Nobody leaves their house, and food and water is delivered to the citizens weekly. The ones not on lockdown have had an uprising. 1, 2 and 4 have taken control of their Districts. 10 and 11 are doing well, and 6 isn't doing too badly. But that's half the Districts. The rest will follow soon." He tells me.
"That's bad news and good news all rolled into one. It just makes me even more confused." I say.
"Why?"
"Because now I'm torn between being sad for all of the deaths and being happy that we're finally making a change. If we have a war and win, we'll save twenty three extra children a year."
"Think of what Snows' face will look like when you throw a spear at his heart. Think of how he killed your best friend and the boy you loved so now you'll kill him."
I do as he says and find I am not happy, or sad, but more determined than ever to defeat Snow.