Hi! *waves hand like a maniac while she's a maniac plays in the background* oh gosh I'm sorry for not updating in like two weeks. So, I don't want to keep you waiting any longer so I present to you chapter twenty of Peeta's Story.

Nothing but darkness. Water droplets falling from the sky that I can't see. I can't see the water droplets either, but I can feel them and hear them fall. Suddenly, I feel like I'm melting away with the rain into deeper water. I go under, but I can't swim.

I submerge into a lake surrounded by trees. I'm bobbing in the motionless water, trying my best to keep my head above water. From the midst of the trees, Katniss appears with Gale following behind her. From where they stand, Katniss shouts out to me.

"I don't need you to protect me. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself," she says with disgust. "Even if I let you protect me. What can YOU do? Tell me that."

"What can a baker boy do?" Gale asks with a triumphant smile plastered on his face. Then I drown.

I awaken in my bed. I rub my eyes and sit up. It was all a dream. Katniss, Gale, the reaping, the games. It was a figment of my imagination. I get up and change into my casual clothing. I comb my hair with my fingers and open my bedroom door. My mother is standing there with an angered expression on her face.

"Why aren't you already up," she exclaims. "You were suppose to be preparing the dough before your father opens. Now, your brother had to do that for you. Why can't you do what you're suppose to do?"

She grabs my ear and tugs me to the kitchen counter.

"The least you can do is frost that cake," she says bitterly. "That is the Mayor's anniversary cake. So, don't mess it up, you worthless thing!"

My eyes slowly flutter open, but once revealed to the sunlight, they shut close. The light is too blinding. With my eyes close, I prop myself up on my elbows. Just that small task brings pain to almost every part of my body. I open my eyes just a squint and see a mixed blur of brown, green, and a hint of pale blue. I blink repeatedly until my vision adjusts to the brightness.

With my vision now clear, I take in my surroundings. There are brown trunks around me and tilting my head back slightly I see green leaves sprouting off the branches. I look up at the bits of sky I can see through the foliage. It's probably some time before noon.

I'm not dead. Not yet. I'm still in the arena. I'm still in the games.

I somehow get myself into a sitting position. I have never felt so much pain in my life. Not when wrestling. Not when I burn myself baking. Not even when being struck by my mother. All those, I can clench my teeth and the pain would soon pass. I can't do that here. The only thing I can do is wait to die.

I have idea how long I've been out and no way of knowing. I don't even know if Katniss is still alive. No, I'm sure she is. Haymitch wouldn't let her die. He just can't. Please still be alive, Katniss.

My dry throat is what breaks me from my thoughts. There is that river only a few feet away. I can do that... I think. I'll just have to be very careful with my leg.

I take a look at it, a good look. Cato cut it deep down. All the way to the bone. My leg is slightly swollen, but from the small amount of time I took observing it, the leg had swollen even more.

After a few failed attempts, I manage to limp over to the river. I lean down and scoop a handful of water and put it to my chapped lips. I heard that if you're extremely thirsty, then water would taste so much more refreshing. They were right. This is the best water I have ever tasted, even if it wasn't disinfected. I don't care. I'm going to die anyways. Might as well die with as much comfort as possible, but I'm too much in the open.

If a tribute was to come this way, they would see me. I force myself to move. The farther away I get from the river, the more rocky and muddy the ground becomes. I try to focus on where I am in case I get lost, but I can't stay focused.

I'm not even aware of where I'm going. I notice that I'm smearing blood. Surely something would come across my trail and hunt me down, tribute or animal. I have nothing to clean it off with, so I try to wipe it off with my hand. It only makes it worse. I suddenly feel dizzy. With every step I take I lose more and more blood.

I finally stop when I can't walk any farther. I can tell I'm near blacking out. I sit below a large rock in the mud. I have an idea. The last defense of the dying. Camouflage. I scoop up a handful of mud and spread it around my right leg. I get more mud and spread it around my lower left leg. I do this over and over again until my whole lower body is layered with mud. I made sure to be careful around my swollen leg. Then, I pull out surrounding plants and stick them around me and on top of me. I lay down on my back and cover my torso with mud. I feel a bit weird at first, but I ignore the feeling. Then, I put mud on my shoulders and neck. My face is the hardest part. I can't see what I'm doing, so I have to feel what I'm doing. I'm careful from getting mud in my eyes, nose, and mouth. I actually got some in my mouth. It didn't taste too well. I put weeds and moss on my stomach and collarbone, even behind my ear. Once, I'm done with that, I put my arms to my sides and use my left arm to decorate my right and my right to decorate my left.

Then, I just lay there. My head still hurts, so I close my eyes and rest. I'm certain I won't last much longer in these games. I drift off to sleep. I am awaken by the boom of the anthem. There were no deaths today. I wonder if anyone died while I was out. Once it's over, I drift off to sleep again.

Each time, I drift off to sleep, I dream of Katniss. I like to think of my dreams as the source of my comfort.
While I'm awake, I think of home. I think of my family. I think of my friends. I'm sure Calum and Delly are worried about me. So, would be my father and brothers. I think of their futures. I always pictured Calum and Delly getting married and having children. Of course, their children would have to face the Reaping. I don't think any child should have to face that, but that can't be changed.

Suddenly, I hear multiple boomings in the distance. That was most definitely the Careers' campsite. Their supplies exploded. What worries me is who set it off?

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the The Hunger Games.
I hope you liked it. I'm sorry if it was short. Well, it felt short to me. Anyway, please review. Members and Guests, please leave a review. I want to know from all you that I'm doing good with this story. I need some reassurance here. I want to hear more from the readers.

~SecretTHGluver~