Author's Note: I have to warn before we go further because here is a dark spot in my psyche, this developed after much debate with a fellow author, the question? "Do I stay true to the book and have the losses specified? Or do I save some? All?" suffice to say when I finally decided I killed myself…It's these chapters that make me wonder where my mind warps to…more on this in later chapters. Sorry in advance for whoever like the family dynamic that developed in district Twelve. Consider this your warning for unhappiness…:(

Here is where we twist more dear readers…

…On a different note: thanks go out to my reviewers JB and HL :)

Chapter 41

Blackout

Ari POV

I am both relieved and frightened. We watched the whole night and today it's kinda kids day at Haymitch's. Well older kids. Mrs. Everdeen is over at Hazelle's with Prim today and Gale and I are playing cards with Buck and Ryen.

"Beetee is up to something other than what he is saying," I say putting down two pair, "is it just me or them all staying close to the tree kinda ominous"

"I think you're reading too much into it" Ryen folds.

Buck folds, "what else could he be doing?" he asks

Gale sighs, "well I've learned if something is bothering me it's probably a good idea to listen to my gut. They are near the forcefield what else could they be doing?" he folds.

"I still think you are over thinking things" Ryen pushes my winnings to me, and deals the new hand as the tv turns on.

They have lowered the lights in the arena its nighttime there while it's daytime outside.

Flickerman explains what has happened and we watch as Beetee and Finnick are tying several coils of wire to the tree. He hands the spool on a stick to Katniss who with Johanna by her side start the trek down the hill towards the cornucopia.

"Can that even work?" Gale asks, "I mean bringing a bolt of lightning down from the tree to the wet sand"

All three boys look at me as I watch Katniss and Johanna running down the hill, "in theory, I mean electricity wants to follow the wire, its not like water that will drip it will follow that wire right down, as long as nothing touches it. And the sea water will conduct electricity like mad, and they have enough of it wrapped around that tree to keep the current from burning thru it on contact…it could work…just never seen it done"

"Wait you're from Five, where you learn about electricity and even you have doubts?" Buck says

I divert my gaze to look at him, I number off my doubts, "experimental wire, un-natural lightning, un-natural tree…variables I don't know about, but if it was a metal pole a copper wire and a direct current it should work."

"Smartass" he mutters and smirks when I stick out my tongue at him

When they switch Johanna guarding while Katniss undoes the spool all hell breaks loose.

The wire is snapped and Johanna smacks Katniss over the head with the heavy spool she had in hand. Then she is pinning Katniss to the ground and slicing her arm open, then running off after tossing something out.

My hand goes to my arm instinctively and Gale doesn't miss it.

"She…you almost died didn't you?!" he looks at me

Before I can answer we hear Brutus say she is as good as dead as he stands over the dazed Everdeen with Enobaria. Soon after we hear Tracker bellowing after Brutus and the careers run off.

Tracer shows up, sees Katniss and helps her up.

Katniss looks ashen.

"God she really had to do a job on you didn't she?" we hear Tracer say as she plants a large pack of moss on the wound and uses the free wire to secure it to Katniss arm.

"Peeta" Katniss says sluggishly

"I'll get you to him, first we have to get Beetee" Tracer says

They race, or at least they try and race up the hill, it's dark and Tracer is trying her damndest not to make a noise because she explains Tracker is on the hunt for the two from Two.

We hear Peeta call out to Katniss and Katniss calls back when they finally reach Beetee who is unconscious and bleeding.

Katniss leans against a tree and Tracer looks Beetee over, she's asking about what happened when Katniss' eyes fall on a machete with some wire coiled on its hilt. It's not far from the forcefield, something thrown by someone with enough strength could hit it.

Or something launched.

She takes the coil as Peeta is calling out to her. She doesn't respond. She loads an arrow with the coil tied to the shaft. Aims….

And that's when the lights go out.

"What the hell?!" Buck fumbles around because I keep the blinds shut. It's pitch black in the house right now

I have a bad feeling about this. They cut it just before Katniss fired. Something is wrong.

But what? Think Crane THINK!

I close my eyes and re-picture Beetee, the knife in his hand, the coil of wire, his proximity to the forcefield…he wouldn't have…

And yet.

"I have to go outside" I say

Gale is quick to follow, Ryen and Buck follow close behind him.

When we get outside I look at the houses. They have porch lights. "Buck go try Katniss' porch light, Ryen try Peeta's" I ask, they run to them and try them. It just takes a minute but neither is lighting up.

This is not good.

"What's wrong?" Gale says, "Ari?" he touches my shoulder

"I don't know I have to make sure" I say I run to my motorbike, "I'll be back"

"Wait I'll come too!" Buck calls, as he runs and hops on the back I floor it.

It takes us just under two minutes because we don't head for the meadow, we go for the closest edge to the fence line we know. I toss a coin at one of the jumping stations. It falls flat.

"What does that mean?" Buck says as I run to my bike, "Ariana what's wrong?"

"They don't expect people to run so they shut off the power" I say revving the engine.

"What do you mean?!" he gets on as we race back to Haymitch's, when we arrive I jump off my motorbike and race to Gale, "we have to get everyone out. Now!"

"Wait what?" Ryen comes over and holds my shoulder, "Ariana talk sense!"

I shrug him off, "we have to get everyone out now Ryen, please trust me!" I look worried, "the fence is down the power is out! It means one thing cuz they did that to Thirteen back in the dark days!"

It dawns on him, "I'll head for town center and the mayor, Buck get the market quarter run! Now!" he looks at Gale, "get the seam out Gale and take care of our sister" before they leave Ryen and Buck give me a brief hug each and run off.

Gale and I race inside I grab my satchel and doctor's bag he grabs a game bag. We mount my bike and head for the seam.

Just as the mokingjays cry out.

At first there is no sound. Like all the air has been sucked out but then it comes crashing back to me. We yell throughout the seam, "get out!" we rap on doors, burst in sometimes urging people to run.

It's chaos, wound up in anarchy and tied with a neat bow of panic.

What a nice gift the capitol has bestowed on people that did nothing to them.

Hazelle gets the boys and Posy out with Prim and Mrs. Everdeen who help us vacate the other shacks when the first ones burst into flames.

Children cry out, women scream and dive for cover only to be grabbed to their feet and urged to run.

To where? They ask. Where do they go?!

The meadow, there are no targets there and it's the closest place to the woods. I keep to the back on my cycle picking up stays and handing them to adults who are a bit more sure footed and less panicked, well less than the kids who are crying and screaming.

Even I'm having a hard time keeping calm as I feel the heat of some of the old hovels that are aflame.

Some people don't come and they are killed either instantly or almost by the flames. I can't help them, if I stop for one person I might loose ten.

We get to the meadow and I get to Gale.

"Get them into the woods and stay down" I tell him, "the fence is down" , I go to turn Gale puts his hand on my shoulder

"Where are you going?!" he asks

"I have to help them!" I look at Gale concern is mirrored in both our faces I'm sure, "they are my family as much as they are Peeta's Gale"

"Yeah and Ryen put you in my protection" he looks at me we are about to have an argument when we hear gun fire far off, "no way are you going there right now!"

I wrench my arm from him, "like hell I ain't, get them out, get them to the forest and keep them there I'll be back" I pass him my satchel and my med bag but I touch my satchel, "I'll be back for this, and you" with that I rev my bike and dart back into the chaos.

The fastest route is our old running path and I arrive in city square.

It's a mess of flames and smoke and I almost choke on the smell of charred flesh, gun smoke and sulphur.

If this is hell then Snow is the devil.

"Ryen!" I cry out to him, "Rye!" I search the smoke filled streets, hoping I find him and bring him to safety. I see some being stumble several yards ahead.

"Ryen!" I cry out and head over, the person falls to his knees then onto his side, It's him!

I catch him just before his head hits pavement. He has blood covering his shirt and there are bullet wounds, the blood is covering my hands, and he's coughing. He's so pale.

"Ariana" he says to me his eyes hazy, "go!" he forces the word out

"No" I say, "not without you!"

His breaths are catching in hitched spasm, the doctor part of me is crying for me to let go, he won't make it, but my heart won't do it.

"Please" he manages, "go…run!" he tries to reach my face but he coughs and his hand falls limp, he's dead!

"Ryen!" I hold him , shake him but then I hear peacekeepers and more gunfire. I have to run, maybe I can get to Buck and Harry. I have to!

I get up gently laying Ryen down, I don't know how to react my feet are steering me and my brain is in autopilot. Forgetting the blood that has stained my pants and hands. Forgetting the smell of the fire claimed dead. Forgetting the collapsed justice building and the mayor house in ruins. The market! The market surely they wouldn't have hit the market!

The smell permeates even here as shops have been blown apart. Some bodies, no one I recognize, mostly older people, who couldn't run fast enough or far enough. I get to almost the edge where the bakery should be.

Should be. But isn't.

I know what numb is now.

And I don't like it, two yards from the entry lay the remains of Buck. He's badly burnt but that's not what killed him.

There is a bullet hole in his head. Someone killed him. The remains of Harry and Maris are no where but I know they were here. They were manning the shop.

For all I know Harry tried to get Maris out and they were taken by the flames. Even the pig is dead and the apple tree is destroyed.

My stomach twists uncontrollably and before I know it I'm throwing up. Tears spring from the force and I can't help any of this. None of it is fixable and nothing can be saved.

Peeta has no more family than I do. He's alone.

'He has you!' my brain is trying to console me but its not reaching my heart. Because my heart isn't working anymore, not in the emotional sense.

'Get up and get out!' my brain orders and I do so.

I make it back to the meadow, my eyes scan but no one is there.

Until I look at the fence.

Gale is standing there, my satchel over his shoulder.