So sorry for no update yesterday everybody! My USB's drive overloaded, and I somehow managed to basically crash it and lose some chapters I was trying to prep for this story. Lost time, and chapters. :/ Guess what though? TOMORROW IS FRIDAY! Which means, updates this weekend! And maybe I can prepare more chapters so problems like this don't happen again… Your reviews are so entertaining! I can't always follow what you all want, but I can try to incorporate them! I have got a good master plan, so no worries. Here is Chapter 24.
Peeta walks me home that night, and I catch the recap before they start streaming live on the Games. Nothing major had happened, a few tributes died. I see Gale and Rue are still safe, and let out a sigh in relief. He found a bit of water, and has chugged a bunch of it. The Careers are making their rounds again that night, and take down another two tributes. Fifteen tributes are now dead. Gale is strapped into the tree, when smoke is shown coming up on him. The trees blaze with flames, and I shriek aloud. Prim scrambles to my side, holding my hand tightly. Wake up Gale, is all I think. Wake up before you burn to death!
He coughs, and looks around sleepily. Another cloud of smoke covers his face, and his eyes widen in panic. With quick, practiced moves he undoes the belt and throws the sleeping bag into his back, and slides down the tree quickly. His legs stretch in long strides, pulling him out of the burning area within minutes. That is, until fireballs rain down hard. My hand is clenching Prim's tightly. This could be it. Gale could die right now. A ball skims his thigh, and he cries out. The steady steps falter momentarily, but he pulls through and runs as hard as he can. The fire stops, and he crouches to wretch fiercely. After a few moments of catching his breath, he squeezes his thigh tightly. His face grimaces, but he utters not a sound. Come on Haymitch, send him some medicine. Nothing comes, and Gale stands shakily. Taking small steps, he walks in search of water. It must be hours of walking, because soon they show him collapsing into…mud? Mud! That means water is near! Gale must come to the same revelation, because he suddenly starts crawling, following the wet mush. After about five minutes, a small creek comes into view. He grins like a fool then precedes to flops his face into the water. I laugh out loud with Prim, and then quiet down remembering where he was. His throat bounces several times, making his gulping obvious.
The screen flips over to the Careers, and I feel a bit better now knowing Gale is alright temporarily. Sara is chatting arrogantly with Clove about who is better with knives. There is no way Sara is better than Clove, but she seems to think she is. Clove gets up to pull a knife on her, but Sara is somehow quicker, and holds the sword against Clove's neck.
"One twitch and your neck gets it." Sara snarls, and Clove grins maliciously, then her hands moves toward her pocket anyways. By this time, the rest of the Careers are watching. Sara follows through on her threat, and slices Clove's neck in one swipe. Marvel's eyes widen in surprise, and Cato smirks. Pearl has a matching look with Glimmer, disgust littering their faces. Clove's body slumps to the ground and cannon sounds off her death. Sara pulls that small bottle out again, putting a bit of Clove's blood in it also.
Prim's face is hiding in my chest, and my hand rubs her back soothingly. I'm starting to worry why Sara is keeping all that blood. I glance towards Mother, who looks at me with her nose wrinkled. The interviewers will be here tomorrow then, since the pool is down to the final eight. I focus on the TV again, and see Sara stand proudly.
"Well well, seems you are vicious 12." Cato says, and claps. "Just find your boy, and you'll be great." Sara grins in response, and then stands out of her crouch.
"Shall we back away? We all know the Head Game Maker is itching to get the body out. I'm hungry too." She trots over to the food pile casually, jumping the intricate patterns to the pile and avoiding the land mines. The screen flips to Foxface, who's at the edge of the woods memorizing her steps. When Sara reaches the pile, she scurries away in another direction.
The TV sprouts a reminder, saying the required time is over. Mom quickly flicks it off, then stands.
"Well, I think it is time for bed. Tomorrow is probably going to be a busy day." Prim stands also, and pulls me up with her. We all file upstairs, and switch into our warm pajamas. I slip into bed, and wait for Prim to come in. She slides in next to me while Mother blows out the candles. I feel her small body squirm into my side, and I wrap my arms around her. Dreams overtake me with pictures of the Games.
I sit on the Cornucopia, and see Gale running towards me. A tree branch is what it looks like at first, but really is a dead body, trips him. I see Rory's lifeless figure roll over. Sara comes charging through the woods and I shout loudly to Gale. "Run! RUN!" He ignores me, weeping over Rory's body. Sara's sword punctures his chest, and she pulls it out. Her tongue runs along the blade, licking up the loose droplets. She looks straight into my eyes, and sports a bloody red smile. I see Peeta chained at the bottom of the Cornucopia, and she rises up to start walking towards him. I scream loudly, and feel my body shaking.
"Katniss! KATNISS! Wake up!" I wake up startled, and see an anxious Peeta bent over me. Prim stands in the back ground looking awfully concerned.
"P-Peeta?" I stutter, and burst into tears. His arms envelop me, and my shoulders shake with sobs. "I-it was S-Sara. She k-killed G-gale and Rory, and was going to kill you." He whispers into my ear with calming words.
"It was just a dream. It's alright." I quiet down, and slowly start to function again.
"Why are you here?" I ask suddenly.
"The interviewers just got off the train, and Madge wanted me to come get you and Prim. She said something about you guys getting interviewed along with her and the Hawthorne's of course. I need to take you to her home." I nod, and stand. His hand holds might tightly, and Prim smiles.
"I'll just get changed then. Here Katniss." She hands me a dark green dress, similar to the blue one I wore on Reaping Day. I smile, and head behind the folding wall we have for changing.
"How's your morning been?" I ask Peeta while slipping off my pajamas.
"Busy." He laughs, and I smile to myself. "Made extra cookies and breads, the interviewers love our product."
"Oh! I didn't come in!" I say while slipping the dress up.
"We got up extra early, you wouldn't have known anyways. It's fine; we had a ton of your cookies from yesterday leftover." I slip around the wall, and turn.
"Zip me up?" I ask, turning my back to him. The floorboards creek as he moves towards me, zipping it up quickly and ties the ribbon into a small bow on my lower back. "Thanks."
"No problem. Shall we?" I nod, and grab a green hair ribbon from the small box, and tie it to my braid.
Prim stands by the door, in a pale yellow dress. "Oh! Little duck, you've grown a bit!" Though it hadn't been long since the Reaping, she had grown in height and filled out more. The dress was still a bit big, but not too big. Her golden locks were tied into a high ponytail with a yellow ribbon.
She smiles shyly, and Peeta pipes in. "I bet Rory is going to love that dress." This causes her cheeks to grow tomato red, and I laugh.
"Let's go get this thing over with." Peeta says and the three of us slip out the doors.
Hey! That was a longer chapter guys! I'm impressed I pulled off a decent chapter. I know it wasn't my best one. Sorry about that… Well, you know what to do. Review? (: