A/N: OMG! Two chapters in one day! :O I just couldn't stop writing after posting the last update! :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter Eight

I wake up the next morning to yelling. As I come to my senses I realize it is not yelling but cheering. Not in Effie's house but outside. Quickly getting changed, I rush outside to see what the source of the noise is. As soon as I set foot outside my eyes widen in horror as I realize what day it is today. I've been so wrapped up in my personal issues I've forgotten about the newspaper article I read earlier in the week and judging by the whipping post set up in the square just at the bottom of the hill that the Seam sits on and the cheering of the crowd of women there, today is the day the paper spoke about.

Today is the day they kill Finnick Odair.

I've already decided not to attend such a horrific occasion when two women I don't recognize appear at the end of the road. I soon realize they're not ordinary women: they're wearing PLA uniforms. PLA's are the Panem Law Abiders who are like a police force for the individual Districts. I wonder what they're doing up here when they really should be down at the square. I watch them curiously as they approach the house a couple of houses down from Effie's and knock on the door. When there's no response, I jump when one of them kicks the door in.

A girl screams as both PLA's enter her house and drag her out. Her face is pained, tears soaking her face and her features scrunched up in rage. Her brown hair is bedraggled and messy, whipping around her head as she struggles against the Law Abider's hold on her arms.

"I'm not going!" The girl screams. "You can't make me!" I wonder what her problem is. Shouldn't she be like everyone else? Eager to watch the sin of a man put in his place? My questions are answered as my eyes lock on the barely visible baby bump peeking out from under her camisole.

This girl is Annie Cresta.

They can't be possibly forcing her to go and watch them murder Finnick are they? Now I've witnessed a lot of cruelty over the years but surely this is too far is it not? Why can't they just leave the woman be to grieve on her own? A feeling of rage bubbles up inside me and just then a slingshot lying on the pavement catches my eye. A kid must have dropped it or something . . .

Before I fully realize what I'm doing, I've picked the slingshot and a rock the size of a toddler's fist up and have aimed it right at the PLAs. As soon as I let go of the elastic band the rock sails soundlessly through the air and hits the closest woman right in the head. Both Law Abiders and Annie search for the source of the rock and before I've comprehended my actions I've sent another one flying. It hits the same woman and almost knocks her off her feet. It's when Annie's terrified eyes lock on me that I realize what I just did. I just assualted a PLA! I could get arrested for that!

Panic bubbles up inside me and I feel the urge to run but also feel planted to the ground, waiting for the PLAs to see me and realize it was I who hit them with the rocks. Something shifting behind me causes me to turn round and I'am rewarded with the sight of Peeta staring at me, his mouth open like a gaping fish. Effie must have set him the task of cleaning the windows because he has a soapy sponge in his left hand. He'll enjoy this, watching me get what he's probably been waiting for me to get ever since I arrived.

Instead of smirking or chuckling when the PLAs finally lock eyes with me like I thought he would, a sponge whacks against the side of one of their helmets, sending water and soap everywhere. "Leave her alone!" Peeta's voice suddenly yells, dragging the PLAs attention away from me. If given the choice to believe that one of their own threw a rock at them or that a slave did . . . well . . . then they'd believe it was the slave.

Before I can process in my mind what has just happened, Peeta has bolted. Jumped over the garden fence and is fleeing for his life. Both PLAs practically dump Annie to the ground as they run after him.

"Peeta!" I scream as I watch him disappear down the road and beyond. He's headed in the direction of the square where Finnick is about to be executed. I hurry over to Annie and help her to her feet. She wavers beside me uncertainly, watching as the PLAs disappear as well. Her face is slightly scraped from hitting the ground and her hand sits on her stomach protectively.

"I'm so sorry," she whispers.

"What?" I frown, dragging my attention away from the bottom of the hill.

"He's dead."

"What?"

"They won't let him survive that. As soon as they catch him, he's dead," Annie explains gravelly. My stomach coils in on itself and I suddenly feel like vomiting. "Dead like Finnick," she whimpers. My head snaps to the side to look at her and I bite my lip.

"I'm sorry," I say, hugging her. Annie shakes her head against my chest and pulls away.

"He's safer dead."

A frown etches onto my face but Annie doesn't elaborate, she just walks back to her house soundlessly, as if in a dream, and climbs over the front door, practically ignoring the face it is no longer on it's hinges. A gunshot rings out, echoing around the entire District and I shut my eyes, breathing out through my nose. Well that's that then. Finnick Odair is dead.

The cheering continues though and I frown, wondering why it hasn't died down now that Odair has been taken care of and I turn, locking my eyes on the whipping post in the square. The two PLAs who had a hold on Annie are now holding a struggling blonde, marching through the ground towards the colourful woman who stands out in the dull crowd like a sore thumb. Effie.

I run down the hill, my feet pounding against the ground. Harder and harder and harder until my legs feel like they're not there anymore and I'm running on air. I stumble at the bottom and nearly fall over but I pick myself up and push through the crowd of people standing around in the sqaure. "Effie!" I yell. "Effie! Get out of my way!" Finally pushing through the bystanders, I come out into a small circle formed by the crowd who are watching the drama inside with deep curiousity. The square has fallen silent as the PLAs continue to talk to Effie.

Effie herself is looking dumbstruck, her hand placed on her chest in a gesture of shock and her mouth hanging open as the PLAs explain what happened to them. My eyes lock on Peeta and I swallow hard. His expression isn't scared or even angry, he just looks tired. The PLAs know how to do their jobs I'll give them that. They caught him in what? Under five minutes? Hold on, am I complimenting them? No. Forget that thought it's just horrible.

"It wasn't him!" I blurt out, making all four people (and the crowd) look at me. "I fired the rocks with this!" I hold my hand, still clutching the slingshot, out to them.

"Don't be stupid Katniss," Effie hisses. "You know better than to assualt a PLA."

"That's it! I'm stupid!" I reply. "Remember? Duh, why are we not equal to slaves?" I put on a dumb voice for the latter setence and hit my forehead. No-one looks convinced.

"You have no aim Katniss, of course it wasn't you!" Effie exclaims.

"But-"

"Now let the grown ups talk," interuppts Effie. "Hush!"

I sigh in exasperation and look desperately at Peeta. A small smile grows on his lips as he locks eyes with me and he shrugs. Nice try, the gesture says.

"I'd suggest a whipping," one of the PLAs say.

"No!" I blurt out. "I mean, that's a bit harsh don't you think?"

"Nothing is too harsh," the Law abider replies stonily.

"That obviously is!" I snap back.

"Ignore her," Effie says to the PLAs. "She's a bit slow. Mentally disabled, doesn't see the world like the rest of us."

"Excuse me?!" I exclaim.

"Go home Katniss, I'll talk to you there," Effie says.

"No," I scoff. "Try and make me!"

"Would you like her removed Miss. Trinket?"

"Yes, I think that would be best," Effie sighs.

"What?! Effie!" I exclaim, hurt. A hand grabs my shoulder but I shake it off. "No, I'm staying here," I say firmly. Two hands grab me this time and pull me backwards. "Let me go!" Something sharp pricks the crook of my elbow and the earth begins to spin, causing me to stumble over my own feet. I blindly reach out for something to use for leverage but it does nothing for me. I hold on tight to whatever it is though, clinging onto it like a lifeline.

"Katniss," a soft voice whispers into my ear. "Let go, it's Ok." I drowzily realize that I'm holding onto Peeta's arm and would be slowly sliding to the ground if it weren't for his hand holding onto my elbow.

"I can't," I slurr, holding on tighter.

"Yes, you can, it's alright," he whispers.

"Can't leave you," I mumble.

"I'll be fine, I promise," Peeta replies, slowly letting go of my elbow until my back presses against the ground. I'm momentarily blinded by the sun shining in my eyes but people's silohuettes suddenly block the offending source of light.

"How dare you touch her!" I vaguely hear Effie shriek.

"Shall we proceed with a whipping then?" a PLA asks.

"Yes! Of course! Whip some sense into the bloody animal!" Effie yells.

"No," I croak weakly before my eyes droop shut and all I can see is the dark. But it's not the dark. Because a pair of bright blue eyes stare at me through the darkness, unblinking and unmoving.

The eyes . . . they're his.

A/N: A bit of action in this chapter to get your blood pumping. Better get used to it because there's a whole lot more action to go! ^_^

Please R&R :)