Chapter 20

Ends of the Earth

To the ends of the earth would you follow me?

If you won't I must say my goodbyes to thee

I was ready to die for you, baby

Doesn't mean I'm ready to stay

What good is livin' a life you've been given

If all you do is stand in one place

I'm on a river that winds on forever

Follow til' I get where I'm goin'

Maybe I'm headin' to die but I'm still gonna try

"3, 2, 1... "

I push my legs to sprint towards the Cornucopia, to sprint towards the bow and the knives.

Go East. Go east and we'll meet somewhere there. We'll find each other.

I'm halfway there when I spot a bright orange backpack off to the side. I calculate the extra time it would take to detour to the left to grab it, and decide it's not worth it.

I chance a look back and see tributes running in every direction, most towards the cornucopia, towards the bloodbath. I already see one body on the ground, and swiftly turn around before I can tell who it is.

I feel bile creep up my throat, and push myself to move faster.

I see figures in the corner of my eye, and I see tributes on the opposite side sprinting towards the cornucopia.

The bow is teasing me from its perch at the mouth of the structure.

I'm ten feet away when I feel something heavy wrap around my ankles, causing me to fall.

Landing hard on my wrists, my cheek scrapes roughly along the dirt. Something is wrapped around my right foot, weighing it down as I flip onto my back.

I scan my surroundings and see the District 7 tribute, Rocco, running straight for me from about 15 feet away.

I quickly look down at my foot and see a pair of bolas twisted around my ankle. So that's how I fell.

I quickly unwrap it while keeping an eye on Rocco who's getting closer to me by the second.

I barely have the bolas in my hands by the time he reaches me. He's weaponless, but his right hand swings up towards my jaw. I bite my cheek and taste copper, as the left side of my face burns from the force.

I spit blood out of my mouth directly into his face, since he's right up close. As he closes his eyes and flinches away, I swing the weighted part of the bolas at his face. It hits him in the temple and I can only see him hunch over in the corner of my eye, since I'm already sprinting back towards my destination.

I tune out the sounds of fighting. The screams, the grunts of pain, the noise of weapons clashing, fists hitting flesh; I tune it all out.

I finally reach the bow, and have it in my hands and the arrows swung onto my shoulder before I can think about it. I decide to leave the knives, and start running east, where I'll find Thresh, Rue, and Eli somewhere in the woods. Thank god the arena isn't filled with tunnels or mountains or we'd never find each other.

I have an arrow nocked, but don't pull the string back since it isn't good for the bow.

About 30 feet from the first line of trees and I'm getting closer to the cover.

I don't look back as I run, and immediately regret it when I'm tackled to the ground.

The breath rushes out of me in a pained hiss as I end up falling awkwardly onto the bow.

The person is straddling my back, and I swing an elbow back into what I assume is their stomach. Some of the weight lifts as a grunt leaves what I now know to be a girl, and I take advantage of the weight lifting as I swing my hips, causing the girl to fall to the side as I'm now lying on my left hip.

God, do I regret getting in the middle of the bloodbath now.

I grab onto the bow but since I'm too close to the girl I don't grab an arrow. I use the bow as a weapon and knock the top of it into her face, causing her to loosen her legs around me and shriek. Blood is spurting from her broken nose as I stand up and go to swing my leg back to kick her in the stomach when suddenly her feet swipe mine out from under me and I fall onto my back again.

I grunt when the force of the fall knocks the breath from my lungs. Again.

As the girl climbs on top of me, I get a good look at her bleeding face and recognize her as the district 7 girl.

I try to kick out with my legs and lift my hips but my weight is no match for hers as she wraps her hands around my throat.

Blood drips down her face and onto my jacket.

I can barely make any sound with her hands wrapped so tightly around my neck I feel as if she's crushing it.

I claw at her hands with my fingernails but it makes no difference so I start reaching for her face.

She smiles tightly at me, "Pathetic. I actually thought you'd be hard to kill."

Black spots fill my vision, same as when Callan was doing the exact same thing to me in the training center.

My lungs continue to burn as I claw at her arms, drawing blood, but it's no use.

"Your little distric-" her smile freezes on her face as her eyes go wide and she groans.

Her hands loosen around my neck so I can get oxygen in my lungs, but the air is painful going down my throat. Her hands remain on my neck as her upper body jerks, and that's when I see the tip of the sword peeking out from her stomach as it twists. It makes a mushy sound as it's withdrawn, and somebody pushes her body off mine.

I'm gasping for air as I see Cato, wiping the blood from his sword on his pants and scanning his surroundings before reaching a hand out to me.

"Are you okay?"

I don't even think before grasping it, and he swiftly pulls me to my feet, grabbing my upper arms when I stumble.

His wild eyes are staring into mine when he lets me go and nudges me in the direction of the tree line.

I'm somewhat in shock so I don't respond in time before he starts talking again. "Go! Run and I'll find you guys later. Remember the plan!"

He darts off before I can respond, and I watch him go for a second before I pick up the bow and arrows once again and start sprinting through the woods.

I try to make as little sound as possible as I run through the woods. I run for about an hour and a half before I stop when I hear the cannons.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

The bloodbath is over.

8 tributes. Less than usual.

That means 16 of us are left.

I do something I haven't done in years, something illegal. I pray and pray to whatever god is out there that my allies are safe. That they weren't any of those cannons.

I continue at a jog for another half hour before slowing to a walk.

I keep an eye out for other tributes, but I'm mainly searching for Thresh, Rue and Eli. My mouth is dry and my throat hurts from running. Well, my throat also hurts from being choked but whatever.

Find water and shelter before it gets too late.

By the time it gets dark and there's no sign of water or my allies, I decide to climb a tree and sleep there for the night.

I continue walking until I find one with thick and sturdy branches for the night.

I start climbing, something that's easy for me not only because I did it all the time in the woods at home but because my body size makes it infinitely easier.

I'm about 40 feet up when the branches start thinning to the point where they'd be unable to hold my weight. The leaves provide minimal cover, but enough that I stay where I am. The branch I sit on is wide enough for me to sit without falling, but if I were to move in my sleep I'd fall to my death.

"Damn it," I mutter.

I think through my options.

I could take my jacket off and use it to tie myself to the tree, but it's already chilly and it'll only get colder as the night goes on, and I'd be pissed if I died from the cold. Hell, I'd be pissed if I died from falling out of a tree too!

I scan the length of the strap that holds my arrows, but it isn't long enough.

I tilt my head back in defeat and rest it against the tree, closing my eyes for a few moments trying to think.

I lean down to rub my ankle that feels bruised from the bolas, when I get an idea.

I quickly open my eyes and look down at the standard issue boots that go up a little lower than mid-calf. The laces are quite long on each boot because of this and are surprisingly thick. If I tie them together it'll be long enough to tie myself to the branch so I don't fall.

I quickly start unlacing the boots and set to work on tying them together. When I'm finished I'm able to wrap it around the branch and myself twice and spread it a bit so the top of my thighs are tied and so are my knees. I hang the strap of the bag with the arrows onto the branch above me so it's a foot away from my face and I can reach one easily if I need to, and just hold onto the bow in my lap tightly.

I jump when the anthem starts playing, and look out into the night sky as it starts showing the faces of the dead tributes.

District 3 boy. Taj.

District 5 boy. Paxon.

District 6 girl and boy. Esma and Braedyn.

District 7 girl. Sylar.

District 9 boy. Wes.

District 10 girl and boy. Damaris and Brix.

The light flickers away and I'm left staring at the fake stars in relief as I see my allies, my friends, are safe.

Tears fill my eyes as I bring my three fingers to my lips before raising them in honor of the fallen tributes.

My stomach is growling painfully and I'm exhausted from running, but I play a game in my head, imagining what all the people I care about are doing at this very moment.

I can picture it in my head.

Katniss attempting to make dinner while Gale sits at the dinner table having just gotten off from the mines and covered in coal dust. Katniss has this problem where she mutters under her breath and slams things around while she cooks. Gale, thankfully, finds it hilarious and always stares at her like it's the most interesting thing in the world, with a huge smile on his face and affection in his eyes. They'll have a conversation about their days while she cooks, and she'll always interrupt here and there with a curse and then continue on talking like she didn't say anything.

Rory sneaking out of the house, walking along the Seam towards the meadow. He kicks at the dust on the ground or a pebble every now and then, but otherwise he's silent, with his hands in his pockets, looking deep in thought as usual. Once he makes it, he sits on the grass and rests his arms on his knees. He plucks blades of grass, shredding them with his fingers as he stares at the sky.

Vick and mom are working alongside each other on a man who got stabbed with a pickaxe by accident when his partner sneezed in the mines. The cut is deep, and mom stands behind Vick giving him instructions, pointing to this and that. Vick flinches every time the man makes a noise of pain, and my mother always rests her hand on Vick's shoulder when she sees it.

Hazelle is helping Posy sew clothes for her doll, Rosemary, from old pieces of clothing that the kids have grown out of. She makes dresses and shoes and hats and mittens. Her face scrunches up every time she pokes herself with the needle, and it gets so bad Hazelle has to take over. It's not that easy though, because according to Posy it needs to be just right.

Haymitch… Haymitch is probably watching me through the cameras in the arena as I imagine all these different scenarios.

All of which I know aren't even close to true, because I really know that they're forced in the town square to watch the first night of the games. But I like the scenarios I made up better, so I convince myself that's what they're doing.

I start shivering in my jacket and when I zip it up all the way to my neck I see the gold tint of the mockingjay pin even in the dark, and upon closer inspection I notice the blood covering it. I quickly lick my finger and start rubbing the surface, wiping it off.

I start drifting off, safe in the knowledge that I made it the first night.

I jerk awake a few hours later when I hear multiple pairs of footsteps crashing through the forest, not even trying to be quiet as they laugh and joke around.

The careers are hunting.

I stay quiet and hope they don't come near this tree. I quickly untie myself and grab the arrows from the branch above me as I get in position with my bow just in case.

The voices are getting louder as they near and I'm able to make out words.

"Where is everyone? We haven't found anyone and I'm itching for a kill," I hear a boy say.

"Just be patient. We've only been at it an hour. Besides, you've killed plenty today, Wilco." I recognize the voice as Lana's from District 4. The boy who spoke must've been Wilco.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"It means, you moron, that-"

"God, will you two shut up?" My heart skips a beat as I recognize Cato's voice. "Let's keep moving."

"What are those?" I hear Wilco ask, his voice closer.

"What are what?" Another male voice asks.

Four different voices so far.

"Footprints. Look, they just stop right here," Wilco responds.

"Maybe they died," the other male voice is Marvel's.

"We would've heard a cannon. There haven't been any since the bloodbath." I recognize the voice as Clove's.

Five voices.

"They just… stop, though," Clove continues, her voice now directly under me.

I see glimpses of figures through the leaves, and figure they must've seen my footprints, which probably stop right under the branch I had hopped onto. They'll figure out I'm in the tree. Soon.

I hear heavy footsteps as someone walks away from the group, the group that continues to bicker over possible reasons the footprints stop.

I scan the trees, trying to come up with a way to get them to leave.

As I'm scanning, I catch navy blue eyes about twenty feet away staring in my direction. How I see him in the dark, I have no idea.

He looks worried for a second before shouting Marvel's name.

I glare in his direction. So much for being allies! He's about to tell that I'm in the tree!

He raises an eyebrow before holding up a finger, like saying 'wait a minute'.

I hear fast footsteps as Marvel jogs in his direction.

Cato leans over to whisper in his hear, his eyes still locked on mine as he points at me.

Marvel's head whips in my direction, and he squints as he tries to make out my figure in the dark.

Once he sees me, he waves.

He waves.

Cato starts pointing in the opposite direction of where I'm located and starts talking too quietly for me to hear and too fast for me to even try to read his lips.

Marvel quickly runs to where Cato pointed and I lose sight of him at the same time Cato suddenly ducks behind a tree.

I stare in confusion before I suddenly hear Marvel shout, "Hey guys! I think I found something!"

The careers quiet down and I hear their footsteps as they run past Cato -not even noticing him- towards Marvel. When they're past, Cato leaps out of his hiding spot, and starts jogging. I follow him with my eyes until I lose sight of him. I lower my bow as I try to comprehend what just happened.

"Prim!" I hear whispered right below me.

I snap my head down, scanning the darkness.

"Get down here for a second!" I make out Cato's voice.

I debate it for a second, wondering if I should trust him.

"Hurry up, Marvel can only distract them for so long."

I start climbing down the branches, not making a sound.

I'm able to see him the closer I get to the ground. I stay in the tree, but close enough that we can clearly see each other and have a conversation.

"What do you want?" I ask, my voice quiet.

He just stares at me, his eyes tracing my face. He slowly lifts his hand, pointing in the direction they came from.

"Rue and Eli are that way. Water is over there too. I think I saw Thresh go into the wheat field. Callan is with us. Marvel and I'll keep him distracted."

I look into his eyes for any trace of dishonesty and find none.

"Did you talk to them? Rue? Eli?" I lower myself to the branch below, getting closer. He smiles.

"I was lagging behind the group when they went ahead. Rue-" he laughs "-she hit me in the face with a berry to get my attention."

I smile at the image of Cato getting hit in the face with a berry.

"She has good aim. She asked if I'd seen you and then told me that if I did, to send you in her direction. So, that's what I'm doing."

I nod my head slowly. "Thanks."

"Cato! Where are you?" I hear Glimmer shout.

"Better get going then," I say, my voice still quiet.

He turns his head as he shouts, "Just a second!"

I cringe away at the volume of his voice. "I think you just blew out my eardrum," I joke with a smile teasing my lips.

He smiles at my tone with a "sorry" we both know he doesn't really mean.

"Don't punch me in the jugular this time." He grabs something from his back, and the two knives he's holding out to me glint in the moonlight.

I laugh quietly as I remember the morning when he tried to cut me flowers and I punched him immediately when I saw his knife.

"Here, take them. You can use them better than I can. I stole them from Clove. She has so many she won't notice they're gone."

I slowly reach out for them.

His voice is shaky when he starts talking. "Listen, we need to talk about the other day at trainin-"

A scream fills the air.

We both turn our heads in the direction the voice came from. Where the careers ran off.

"No! Please just let me go!" The crack in the girl's voice causes goosebumps to rise on my arms.

She starts crying uncontrollably, her voice getting closer.

Cato turns back to me, his eyes panicked. "Go back up there and hide! I'll find you tomorrow. Remember our deal. Go!"

I scramble up the tree, but don't make it as high up as before by the time Callan comes through, dragging the district 9 girl, Zadie, by her hair as she whimpers.

I can see them clearly from my new spot, am able to see Callan as he stops dragging her, the careers as they trail behind.

He has a grin in his voice when he calls out. "Clove, hand me one of your knives. Wilco, Lana, hold her down."

My hands are trembling as I'm unable to do anything but watch as they hold her down.

Callan straddles her, his knees digging into her arms to stop them from moving. Wilco has hold of her legs.

"Where to start? Hmm?"

Zadie has her head turned away, her eyes squeezed shut as she cries.

"Lana, grab one of her arms. Hold it out. Yeah, like that."

I can't stop the tears from falling when I see the knife start sawing away at her arm.

Her screams echo in the night, and I'm sure the whole arena can hear them.

"Oh don't worry, it'll be okay. It's okay. Just breathe. It'll be over in a minute," He starts mocking her. "Okay, that last one was a lie."

Everybody but Cato, Marvel and Clove are grinning in excitement. The first three just look indifferent to what's happening. Cato looks bored, but his eyes are active. He'll look at what's happening only to glance away immediately after, his fists clenching at his sides. Marvel can't take his eyes off the scene, his eyes wide, his fingers twitching. Clove isn't even watching, she's just using a rock to sharpen her knives, but she cringes at every scream.

"I mean, yeah, these are the Hunger Games. The point is to kill. But why not have fun with it, right?" Callan continues in a light voice.

"Stop! Please!" Zadie sobs.

I'm surprised when he actually listens and stops swing away at her arm. But then I see why.

Her arm is completely disconnected from her body.

"There we go," Lana says animatedly.

I can see what Finnick meant when he said that his tributes scare even him.

Zadie is still crying, thrashing around and trying to escape their hold.

"Hey, calm down. It's okay, sweetie," Callan says, brushing her hair out of her face.

I bring the bow up, but I can't stop crying enough to see.

"Hmm, what next?" Wilco asks enthusiastically.

"I have an idea."

"Well make it quick. We only have a few hours before sunrise, we need to keep going," Marvel says quickly.

Callan glares at Marvel before turning his attention back to his victim. "Actually, I was thinking we should cut off the other one. Make her match. But then I remembered that anatomy class in school. You know, there are certain nerves on your body, kind of like pressure points, that paralyze you, meanwhile causing pain a thousand times worse than what you're feeling now from that dead arm."

Zadie starts screaming again, and I see Cato take a step forward. I wipe my eyes and draw the string back, trying to aim somewhere fatal.

"No. That'll take too long. Let's just go. Let her bleed out slowly," Cato says, sounding bored. But his eyes are showing anguish. He doesn't want Callan to draw this torture out.

Callan snaps his head up, analyzing him suspiciously for a second.

"We have the time," he drawls.

Lana leans back from Zadie a little to reach up to wipe a strand of her own hair out of her face. She lessens her grip on Zadie's arm while she does so, probably assuming that Zadie won't notice, since she's crying uncontrollably.

"No we-" Cato starts, but stops when Zadie rips her arm out of Lana's hold and grabs for the knife in Callan's hand. Callan was too busy looking at Cato to react fast enough.

I lower my bow as I try to register what I'm seeing.

Blood is gushing from where Zadie slit her own throat.

I cover my mouth tightly to silence the sob escaping from my throat.

"Damn it! There goes that," Callan says angrily, getting off of Zadie and wiping his bloody hands off on her shirt.

"Ugh! That was your fault Lana!" Wilco shouts.

"Whatever. Let's just go, find someone else," she replies a little shakily.

"I didn't hear a cannon," Clove says, standing up and avoiding looking at the girl on the ground.

"So? She'll be dead in a minute. Let her bleed."

They all get up, and make their way out of view- Marvel, Cato, and Clove, trailing behind slowly. Cato makes eye contact with me before he goes.

I wait a minute before climbing down and rushing silently towards the girl.

I examine the wound as she stares up at me with lifeless wide eyes.

She didn't cut deep enough to kill instantly, so it'll take a while before she dies from blood loss.

I can't do anything but sit with her until she goes.

Tears are trailing down my face and I wipe them away before reaching down to put her head in my lap. I trail my fingers through her hair as she stares at me.

"It-It'll be okay. Just wait, it'll be over soon. The pain will be gone. I promise," I whisper.

Her hand reaches up to grab mine tightly.

Katniss and I both jump as we hear a thud on the window. We both start running outside to see what caused it. I start crying as I see the bird twitching on the ground underneath the window it flew into.

"Katniss! We have to help it!" I flutter my hands uselessly around the bird, not sure how to help, where to start.

"Nothing we can do. It's too far gone."

"But we can-No!" I scream, as Kastniss slams a rock down on the bird's head. The twitching stops.

"Why would you do that?" I scream at her, pushing her away from the bird.

"It was going to suffer. I killed it quickly. If I didn't it would've been in pain longer than necessary. It would've been cruel not to."

The memory from when I was little comes to mind and I push it out immediately after. No. No, I cant do that. I'd never forgive myself.

I start humming a tune, and her eyes close when I sing the words.

"Just close your eyes

The sun is going down

You'll be all right

No one can hurt you now

Come morning light

You and I'll be safe an-"

Boom.