A/N: Thanks for reading that last chapter! I hope you like this one!
At the place where I went up the elevator to enter the arena, Haymitch and Peeta stopped me.
"I love you, Katniss. Remember alliance with Finnick and Cecilia and you will be fine. I love you." Peeta said as he started to kiss my face all over.
"Make them think that you are going to the middle of the Cornicupia but turn away," Haymitch was saying, "turn away Katniss and go the other way, you will be killed for sure if you go that way. Trick them, sweetheart." Haymitch told me, almost pleading.
"I will, Haymitch." I nodded turning to Peeta and kissing him. "I love you too. Don't do anything drastic while I am gone." I smiled.
Peeta grinned. "I will try not to." He hugged me.
I hugged Peeta tightly back, "I love you." I whispered one more time and handed him my engagement ring.
Peeta's eyes seemed shocked. "I don't want to hurt it." I whispered. Peeta looked hurt but satisfied as he nodded taking the ring and clutching it in his hand.
Peeta and I kissed once more and then I hugged Haymitch; who actually hugged me back. Peeta and I hugged once more before Haymitch had to pull him away and the speaker said 'sixty seconds until Games start.' I smiled at them, waved, and then walked in to find Cinna with an outfit that I had to wear in the Games.
I got dressed into the outfit in twenty seconds. The outfit this year were high brown boots with little platforms, some comfortable khaki pants that fit into the boots, a simple v-neck brown shirt that had a '12' over my left breast, and a belt that could hold different weapons. My hair was in a ponytail in the middle of the back of my head, Cinna handed me a jacket with my mockingjay pin on it and I thanked him.
Cinna nodded, smiled, and kissed my forehead as we hugged.
"Fifteen seconds until Games start." The loud speaker said.
I took a deep breath and walked to the elevator to enter the Games. As the ten second countdown started, I looked to see Cinna nodding at me and mouthing 'you can do this.' I nodded back thanking him again as the elevator lifted me up.
The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes to the arena, wasn't actually the arena it was three steps to get up to the platform. I bet President Snow is just trying to test me. I thought as I climbed the three steps and my platform lit up after I placed my two feet on them.
"Ladies and Gentlemen let the 75th annual Hunger Games, Quarter Quell begin!" The horrible venomous voice of President spoke over the loud speaker and a sixty second countdown began.
The arena was more or less and ocean. All around the platforms was water that flooded over my feet. I had a feeling this was coming when they placed a pool in the training center. Still, probably not half of the tributes knew how to swim. As the clock reached thirty seconds, I began to panic.
Haymitch's advice rang in my ears, 'Turn away Katniss and go the other way… Trick them, sweetheart." Hastily I began thinking of what I could do to trick them, because if I went for the bow and arrows that were very far away from me; Haymitch would come in these Games and kill me himself. Then an idea struck me as the clock started to chime down ten seconds.
I bent my knees slightly and situated my arms as if I were preparing for a dive. I was surprised to see that it actually worked because all of the other tributes except Finnick and Cecilia mimicked me, well those are great odds. I thought bitterly.
Then, the clock struck five and my thoughts were directly on the game and what I needed to do right when the buzzer sounded. Five, four, three, two… one and as the annoying buzzer sounds the tributes all jump into the water at once towards the miniature islands that had weapons. I, however, did a complete 360, took a deep breath, and dove into the water.
I tried to not get distracted by the beautiful bottom of the ocean and glorious fish as I swam, trying only to take one breath as I saw about a quarter of a mile. Finally, finally, I grabbed a soggy jungle edge and coughing and wheezing I made my way out of the water.
I didn't get to catch my breath for long, however, because I could see the other tributes swimming nosily towards me as some of them got into fights above the water. I saw one tribute in particular with a number one on her shirt; she had a knife in her mouth and murder in her eye as she reached me first.
Fortunately, she didn't have much time to catch her breath either as I kicked her back into the water, but not before I stole her knife; she sank back into the water as I made a run for it.
"Let the Games begin." I muttered under my breath as I started dashing into the damp jungle.
As I ran I started to notice things, such as; the damp green jungle ground started to get drier and drier as I took every fast step, also the Gamekeepers seemed to be out to get all of us as huge rocks would come out of the ground and blocked one of the ways I was trying to go, and the last thing I noticed was that every tree I touched was spiky and clawed my hands as blood broke.
They are definitely trying to get me out this time. I thought to myself. After I ran for about ten minutes, I found a small hiding spot behind some fallen trees and tried to catch my breath.
Suddenly, the cannons started booming. I counted them as they sounded; nine. Nine! Were already dead! That meant there were only fifteen left already! It hadn't even been an hour!
I suppose, I reasoned with myself that between the fighting, swimming, and trying to hold your breath a lot of people didn't swim to well. I was suddenly reminded of Finnick as he told me that he could breathe underwater; then he made it out, didn't he? I prayed he did, he was for sure my alliance.
I gasped as I thought about little Cecilia fighting someone in the water and still swimming through it. No, I calmed myself, I saw Cecilia swimming she was excellent at it. Plus, she is perfect with a knife. She is alive, Katniss! I nodded to nothing, trying to reassure myself.
I started to ring out my hair and dry my clothes as much as possible, using my hands, as a parachute descended towards me with a number twelve on it. I grabbed it before it could fall to the ground and opened it. There were two full water bottles and some crackers in it with a note.
"'Great fooling them, sweetheart, they will be talking about that for decades.' – H" The note said as I read it quietly to myself. I looked towards the sky and made a 'thank you' motion with my hands and could almost hear Haymitch's drunken laughter.
Since I was not hungry yet, and I need to conserve my food and water; I placed one water bottle in a large khaki pocket and I took a few sips of the other and carried it along with me as I started to run again. Keep moving, keep moving, I kept telling myself as I started to get tired I would find another area to hide in, but I didn't dare go to sleep.
That night, the faces of the tributes who had died flashed in the sky, the nine that died were; three small boys from 2, 3, and 5, four medium sized girls from 5, 4, 3, and 2, the girl from 1 who I kicked in the water and stolen a knife from and finally Michael Rodgers.
Poor Michael, I gave him an ounce of sympathy as I went back to strategy and thinking. Both tributes from 2, 3, and 5 are dead. A twig of fear set into me as I realized I could have killed the I kicked into the water, could I, I mean I did give her a bloody nose as I feel back in but that couldn't have killed her did it?
I also began thinking of others who were still alive, Johanna Mason, Finnick Odair, the Thresh-looking tribute from 11, some other kids I didn't know the names of, and finally Cecilia. Cecilia and Finnick were both still alive; both of my alliances were both still alive!
For a second, I wondered if they were together and looking for me. I hoped that they didn't think I was turning away as a way to betray them; it was because I simply had too. If I hadn't, I would be flashing through the sky and the disappearing forever from the world. I nodded to myself, hoping when I did find them that they would understand.
That night, I did not fall asleep because every time I would try; I would hear a noise and have to move again. So the next morning, I was slower as I ran through the woods; not seeing anyone. I started to get hungry after a few more hours and sacrificed one of my crackers and a gulp of water. After that, it was back to running, and the next night; I didn't sleep again.
When I got up to start moving again, another parachute came down and landed at my feet as I picked it up I saw a full loaf of bread and a note.
"Get some sleep. I love you - Peeta." I read as I looked towards the sky and thanked him; knowing he would be watching.
I became slightly giddy as I realized that this bread would be from Peeta's family bakery and would taste like Heaven above, but I had to save it, so I allowed myself one slice of enjoyment before running again.
As that day dragged on and the night fell, I tried hard to go to sleep but I still couldn't but for about five minutes before two cannons went off and awoke me again. As I stretched, making my sore muscles loosen up, I scrambled to see the sky; to look at who died; a girl from 8 and boy from 4. So that means both 4 tributes are out too.
Today without three days of sleep, I was sure I looked something like a zombie. I could feel that my eyes were bloodshot and my hair was a mess; I pulled it back into the ponytail that Cinna gave me as I kept walk, not even trying to run as I tried to keep in my energy.
At about noon, I came across a girl who was lying on the floor; it was the girl from 8 that had died this morning and she still had bow and arrows on her! Trying my best not to touch her, I grabbed the bow and arrow from around her body and I instantly felt safer. I kept walking as I ate another piece of bread and drank the rest of the first bottle of water.
Suddenly, I heard a twig snap in front of me from behind a tree. I had my bow and arrow off and ready in what seemed like a millisecond. Slowly and quietly, I started too walked around the tree as a knife came hurling at my head. I dodged it and shot the girl from 9 in the leg and as I loaded another she came around the tree so we were face to face and she had another knife out.
The girl from nine that looked exactly like Clove laughed, "How I wanted to kill you and now I can't do it," she uttered shaking her head but keeping her knife up.
I saw this as a trap, however, and responded with, "Maybe we should just go different ways then." I suggested testing her as the Clove girl nodded.
"Maybe but—"She was cut off from a howl and heavy paw-pads that I could hear started to come down the hill that was behind me.
Now, I had a decision to make; first, I could trust the girl that I just met and turn around and kill the wolf, or, I could run and hope the wolf just ate her; but I was the one with the food. The wolf seemed to realize this and started to knaw at my leg, I decided to go with the first option and completely turned my back on the Clove-girl and I shot the wolf; it stopped chewing my leg and fell over.
I turned back around with another arrow ready as the knife of the girl sank into my ribcage just bellow my left breast. I stumbled backwards, holding my hand tightly over the wound to keep it from bleeding so much, the girl then started to advance on me again, as another howl came she looked terrified.
"Go, then." I whispered looking her in the eye. She ran back into the woods without another word.
What do I do? What do I do? My hand was covered in blood now and I didn't know what to do.
"Peeta…" I whispered, not wanting anything but for his name to be the last words murmured from my mouth.
Then, I remembered there was a dead girl from 8 and she had a bag. Maybe, just maybe, there would be bandages in there, but first I had to get up. I braced myself against the spiky tree and moved my hand so that I was using the strength in my arm to pull me up. The whole time I was keeping in my screams.
When I finished, I pulled back my hand and saw the damage; there were several cuts all along my palm that made me remember polka dots. I then walked as slowly as I dared to the dead girl. I fell down beside her and thanked the Lord again that the hovercraft hadn't come to pick her up yet. I unzipped several sections and found weapons, but not bandages.
Finally when there was only one zipper left, I found a package full of bandages and gauze. Thanking the Lord I braced myself against another tree to keep myself up. Then, I started to lift up my shirt as far as it would go until it reached where my hand was still holding the wound.
I figured what I had to do was lift my hand off the wound and use that hand to help place the bandage into place. "Three…two…one," I whispered to myself.
On one, I lifted the hand off my wound and pulled the sticky parts off the bandage and placed it and sealed it over my cut. Momentarily, I was happy with myself. Then, I realized that I still had to make sure that the bandage would come up when I walked. I stood up and walked every way and even ran a couple steps; the bandage stayed completely on me.
Smiling, I took the bag off the girl and stored the bandages and gauze back into the pouch; knowing I would need those later. I started running again and at I would guess to be about seven o'clock I heard some yelling behind me and I hid; my bow loaded in a second.
"Katniss Everdeen! We are coming to get you." A man yelled I rolled my eyes; they are just asking for someone to come and kill them. Sure enough, a group of people came rushing down the woods at them and I could hear knifes hit knifes as the battle commenced.
I started to run away but then a blood-curling scream came from behind me and I stopped and turned around, knowing in my cut who it was, "Cecilia." I whispered and ran towards the fight.
I saw her on the ground with the Cato-sized man before her with a sword. I loaded my bow and arrow and shot him before I could think twice. Then, I dashed forward to get in front of her.
When I was in front of her, I put the man out of his misery by shooting him in the heart.
"It is her! She is here!" A woman yelled. I looked around and before I could check on Cecilia two men were about to cut me. I stood up in the middle of them, swiftly fighting my wand through with just karate.
I loaded my bow again as a man with a trident came out of nowhere. I was about to shoot him when it spoke.
"Katniss, we are alliances remember?" I blinked a few times to see Finnick standing with a trident before me. I was glad to see him when everything suddenly went black…
A/N: Thanks for reading! Sorry for the clip-hanger! Stay tuned for next chapter!
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