Chapter 6
I wake up shaking in a cold sweat on my living room couch. Weird, I don't even recall coming up onto it, last thing I remember is being on the floor watching the Games… Pulling the blanket off of me & slipping into the kitchen I see Annie sitting there with a cup in her hand & her gaze lost out the window. I quietly take the seat next her & begin to speak. "How are you feeling?" I know how hard this is for her; it's only the worst pain to know that the one person you love more than anything is basically fighting for their lives, & all you can do is hope that the odds are ever in their favor.
"Terrible." She answers simply, eyes still fixed ahead. "You know what's worse than all of this? Worse than the Games? Not only am I losing Finnick, but I'm losing you too." Turning her head to stare back at me with sad, deep green eyes.
At first I'm confused- I'm not going anywhere. But then reality slashes me & I remember. I am to be wed tomorrow. As I fail at hiding the disappointment & my voice croaks, "You will never lose me. I will always be with you no matter what." I take her dark curls in my hand & kiss her on the forehead like I used to when she was only four years old. She's grown so much- we both have, but it still feels like we're back together as only children. All alone, fighting against the odds just to survive.
I barley touch my breakfast because now I'm feeling too troubled to choke anything down. In just less than 24 hours I would be Mrs. Narielle Audante Heavensbee, doomed to a life of emptiness, hatred, & sorrow. But isn't that my life already? There are only two people on the planet that I actually care about, so why should it matter if I'm just living in a new place with another person just to keep them safe? That doesn't really help comfort me. I sit on the fluffy white sofa & wrap my blanket back around my shoulders. The TV comes to life & a grinning Caesar Flickerman cheerfully gives us the updates on the Games. The whole thing made me rot inside- how unpleasantly glad he was to announce this, how people in the Capitol actual cheer when he announces the current deaths, & worst of all when he speaks Finnick's name, how wrong it sounds coming from his thin & prepped lips.
They catch us up on the latest action: Lightening in only one section of the arena which kills only one. "It must be some kind of clock, or something of the sorts." Caesar points out, which sends so many possibilities up in the air. What could they do with some sort of clock arena? Well from what I can tell, it means out running every deadly event the Gamekeepers sic upon them. The cameras flash to present time, where a sleepy Finnick trades shifts with a wild looking Katniss. She looks so stressed, so focused, yet so tired. It must be because of the baby. I wonder if she really is pregnant, but even if she is she can't be much longer. In her condition, that baby will be killed in a matter of hours if it isn't already. This just proves another point of how sickening the Capitol truly is.
While Katniss is staring out into the empty jungle, she quickly notices a thick fog crawling towards her & the other sleeping three. She jumps swiftly to her feet & shakes them all awake. They all awake startled & immediately a small Mags hops onto the back of Finnick who begins to charge through the vines. Because of his previous injuries, Katniss is left dragging Peeta through the carpeted rain forest trying desperately to outrun the eerie mist. Over & over again Peeta stumbles & falls, Katniss begging him to keep going, to not lose hope, but you can tell that he's slipping fast. They begin to slow & the places the fog touched them is now sagging lamely, resembling a melting candle. Half of Peeta's face drooping down in a disgusting manner that made me want to turn away- but I can't. I have to know if they will survive. If Finnick & Mags make it through the jungle. After a couple of painful minutes, Finnick stops & asks if Katniss wanted to trade him. Reluctantly she agrees, although you can tell on her face that she hates getting his help. Finnick pulls a tired Peeta onto his back, with Mags riding on Katniss. They try once again to outrun the fog, but it's no use. Katniss's leg has now been affected by the oozy smog & has turned it into a spastic limb, uncontrollable & tripping her with every step. At this pace, there is no way she can make it out of that wall of thick haze.
A feeling of dread overcomes me as the four stop & try to work it out. There's no way that Finnick can carry both at the same time & there's no way that neither Peeta nor Mags can outrun it on their own. At last Mags takes a step forward & kisses Finnick goodbye. My heart drops as she simply walks straight into the deadly vapor, without a glance back. She never asked for anything in return. No reward or gift, she just said yes. Yes to saving Annie. Yes to going back to the awful Hunger Games, Yes to saving Peeta, Katniss & Finnick. Nothing in return, just her dead twitching body left on the jungle floor.
The three continue hiking through the green mass, & eventually collapse on the beach next to the ocean. Katniss is the first to test out the water, & remarkably it helps regain her strength & tightens her sagging skin. She welcomes the boys in too, but only Peeta wades in with her. Do it Finnick, it will help you. I will him in my mind. Why isn't he? Doesn't he realize it will save him? Once Katniss & Peeta finish bathing in the clear salt water, they both take Finnick & slowly dip him into the water, helping to cure him of the poisonous mist. Eventually he recovers his strength & they wander into the jungle vines once again.
When Peeta leaves to retrieve fresh water from a tree, Katniss & Finnick find themselves suddenly surrounded by a large group of monkeys. I haven't really seen a monkey before, yet somehow I know what they look like. Stop Peeta, don't move. Katniss tries to signal him, but instead the monkeys begin to pounce over & over. Katniss swiftly shoots multiple bodies with her arrows, striking several through the heart, others through the eye, & a few in the skull. Finnick slaughters a good amount also with his trident & Peeta with his knife, but still they keep multiplying. The camera focuses on a single monkey, gliding effortlessly through the vines & soars through the air straight for Peeta. The moment seems to be slowed down, & I know in my gut that could end him, that single flying monkey with barred teeth & outstretched claws. Peeta is busy stabbing another monkey to notice, & Katniss has noticed much too late. But out of nowhere a skinny body flies between them, her large eyes blindly taking the bite, her arms open wide almost to welcome the beast to feast upon her flesh, & that's exactly what it does.
Suddenly I hear a loud ringing from the kitchen & realize it's the phone. I hear Trinity call for me as the monkeys are called off the four victors. I slowly stand & walk into the kitchen, dreading the news I know I'm going to be hearing.
"He wants to talk with you." Only 6 simple words & I know exactly what is going on.
"Hello?" I say calmly into the telephone.
"Hello, Narielle. This is Audante. We will be sending the hovercraft in a few minutes; will you be prepared by the time it arrives?" He spoke so formally that it made me want to cry. Doesn't he contain any ounce of human emotion? How can I possibly spend my life with him if we can't even have a normal conversation?
I clear my throat & reply in an even tone, "Yes. I will be ready."
"Great, I will see you when you arrive in the Capitol." He confirms & hangs up the phone. I can feel the tears begin to swell as I try pushing them back but fail. I don't want to live in the Capitol. Not with him, not today, not tomorrow or any time after. I don't want to marry him & leave behind my sister. I don't want to be another fake & crazy Capitol citizen who can't think but must be told what to do. But I must, & I will. For Annie's sake.