Chapter three
When I wake the next morning, my heart fills with dread. Today was the day. It was the day Peeta would be put in the arena and there was no guarantee he would ever emerge from it. I struggle to keep my breathing steady and force myself out of bed, I had to get down to the square to watch him, even though all I wanted to do was hide under the covers of my bed and pray for it to be over. I mentally scolded myself, I was not the one being forced to fight 23 other children to the death, I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself and focus on Peeta. He had to survive.
I through the covers off of me and quickly get dressed, a simple T-shirt and trousers was fine. I wanted to be comfortable. My hair is still as it was last night, what on earth did they use on it to keep it so perfect even when I had slept on it? I decided to leave it down, it was most likely that there would be a camera trained on me today and I thought that the better I looked the more likely people are to support us. I had left the makeup on too in hopes that it would keep but it had smudged overnight so I decided the just wash it off.
As I dried my face a quite knock came on the door. I hoped to god it wasn't Gale. I was in no mood to deal with him today. I take my time making my way to the door and reluctantly open it to see Madge Undersee, the Mayors daughter on the other side. "Madge? What are you doing here?" I ask a little shocked at her sudden and uninvited visit, yes she was my friend but she had never travelled down to the Seam to see me, she was the Mayors daughter and the Mayors daughter was not allowed to play in the dirty Seam. She offered no answer, just pushed past me and walked straight into the kitchen. I followed her stuttering over my words before Madge pulled a chair out and pointed to it. "Sit." She commanded, pushing her long blonde curls out of her face and tucking them behind her ear.
I comply and take a seat, thoroughly confused as she began to dig around in the bag I didn't even notice she had been carrying. "Madge what is this about?" I ask, she finally shows me her hands and the few bits of makeup placed on them. More make up? I couldn't think of anything worse. She noticed my face scrunch up in reluctance and slammed her hand down on the table, causing me to jump and turn my head to quickly look at her.
She was angry. "Katniss Everdeen you will sit and you will let me put my make up on you because it will help Peeta." She wagged her finger in my face, I felt like a naughty child. "He deserves all the help he can get because he is a good person, a very good person." Her squeaky voice breaks a little and I realise she is close to tears so I nod and sit back and let her work. She lets out a frustrated sigh "I only use it for special occasions, it's expensive and incredibly hard to get a hold of out here, but I thought this was more important than any silly parties my father holds." She says calmly as she begins to apply a powder, I assume to hide any imperfections on my face, and the under eye bags I had developed over the week. It had been hard to sleep.
"They were installing new cameras in the square today, they will be all looking at you, and you need to look and act the part." She says sternly, I nod. I wonder why Madge cared about Peeta's fate so much, I didn't think they were close and I had never seen them together.
"You must look worried, look sad, and cry if you have to! Shout out, act like you care." She pleads and begins to add make up to my eyes and cheeks.
"I do care." I reply quietly.
"Well you need to show it." She snapped. Madge went silent and I was given a chance to ponder her words. She was right, anything I do from this point on could directly affect Peeta, I needed to look how they would want me to look, act like they would want me to act and be who they would want me to be. The thought sickened me, I had to do everything a certain way or Peeta could die. I was never the best at showing my true emotions. I had learned a long time ago to hide them and keep them hidden until I was alone and In less than an hour I would be expected to open my heart up and let it bleed for everyone in all the districts to see.
She stepped back to view her work. She smiles, and I assume she is happy with it. She shows me in a little compact mirror that was encrusted with multicoloured gems. I look pretty, like I don't really have make up on at all. She has made me look natural but flawless. I look up at her and mutter a small thank you.
She takes my hands in hers and stares into my eyes. "He cares about you more then you will ever know Katniss. Now it's time to repay him. Give them what they want and they will see he is taken care of." She says softly she pulls something else out of her bag, it's a dress nothing too spectacular, just a light blue number that stops just above the knee. She hands it to me along with a white cardigan and pair of slip on shoes, no heel thank god, and before I can thank her she is gone.
I pull on the dress and slip on the shoes, I look down and the dress and cardigan seem to fit me pretty well. I glance out of the window and see that people are already moving towards the square to view the beginning of the games, and I rush out to join them.
-x-
When I reach the square It is already pretty full but I push my way to the front, most people let me pass easily, looking at me with pity in their eyes. I want to scowl at them, I hate it when people pity me, but I restrain myself and remember the words Madge had said, I needed to act the part. So as I arrive at the front I look up at the screen with sadness in my eyes and grip on to the metal railing they have put up to keep us back. Caesar is sat at the desk he always sits at to commentate the games, he seems to very excited. I feel sick.
I look to the side of the screen where there are two cameras installed both are pointing straight at me. Madge was right, they were there only to film my reactions. They do nothing to calm my nerves.
"And now folks we go live to the arena where the 74th annual hunger games are about to begin, let's wish all of our tributes luck. May the odds be ever in their favour." Caesar smiles and the screen goes black for a moment. I chew the inside of my cheek and tap my foot impatiently. How can I deal with this everyday for weeks? Waking up every morning to rush to the square all the way praying that he hasn't been killed during the night. My stomach feels like it tied in a million little knots.
The screen finally comes back to life, showing an open patch of grass, to the left a woods, to the right a lake and in the middle stands the cornucopia. I see the tributes begin to rise from there metal plates, I instantly begin to search for Peeta as the countdown begins. 60 seconds.
60 seconds to gain your bearings, 60 seconds to look into the cornucopia,60 seconds to decide whether to run in and take your chances for the weapons and supplies or to retreat and hope that none of the tributes follow you.
I know Peeta will have been instructed to run away as soon as cannon fires, so it calms me to know he will be out of harm's way for now at least. The camera lands on him and he stares around for a moment, before bracing himself, staring forward. He looks so focused.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
The cannon fires and I watch the arena erupt into movement. Half the tributes run away and into the woods, and the other half towards the cornucopia where the blood bath will begin. I try to spot Peeta's blonde hair retreating into the trees but I fail to spot him. Then to my horror the camera focuses on the cornucopia and I see Peeta, and he is running straight for it.
-x-
I grip the metal barrier tighter and my knuckles turn white. I see him running at full speed, he bends down slightly to grab a backpack from the ground as he goes. A tribute running next to him is taken down by a flying dagger straight to the neck, and Peeta leaps forward to dodge the next that was aimed directly at his head. It's the girl from 2, she must be incredibly fast to have made it to the weapons by now and already be starting her rampage.
I want to close my eyes and look away but they are glued to the screen, and Peeta is still running. He pulls up his backpack and holds it up to his face as another dagger flies into it, I almost smile. Now he has a weapon, perfect. Now run away Peeta.
But he doesn't, he continues into the cornucopia, it's a massacre. Children who were brave or stupid enough to run for the weapons and supplies are just being slaughtered left right and centre. Peeta run straight to the weapons stand and picks up a small sword, next he turns and picks up a pack of what looks like dried up meat. He shoves them in the backpack quickly and looks around for the clearest path out.
As he runs back out on to the field a sword, much bigger than the one he is wielding collides with the metal side of the cornucopia, inches from his face. It's the huge boy from 2, Cato. Peeta's eyes widened and he immediately runs for the trees with Cato in quick pursuit.
I feel my stomach drop, I can't watch, I can't watch this.
My head drops and close my eyes. My grip on the metal barricade is beginning to hurt my palms but I don't release it, I can't, my legs feel like jelly and I feel that if I let go I would crumble to the ground. I hear the crowd around me gasp and my head shoots back up again to see that Cato must have caught Peeta half way across the field as they are now engaging in some hand to hand combat. Was Cato actually cocky enough to throw away his sword and take Peeta on hand to hand? Peeta had put his sword in his backpack and must have had no time to retrieve it and I mentally curse him for it. My whole body is ridged as they circle each other. Cato jumps forward and they begin to attempt to wrestle one another to the ground. I had seen Peeta lift bags of flour bigger than me over his head before now, not to mention he was in the schools wrestling team, second only to his brother. He was strong so he was able to hold Cato off. In the midst of the struggle Cato manages to land a punch on Peeta's jaw, he flies back and hits the floor and I let out a strangled gasp as Cato approaches him, sitting on his middle and wrapping his hands around Peeta's neck.
"No." I whimper, it can't be over this soon! I see Peeta's face turning red and I feel tears roll down my cheeks, I didn't even realise they had gathered in my eyes.
"No" I see Peeta gripping Cato's hands in a desperate attempt to try and pull them off but they don't budge, his eyes are beginning to soften.
"NO!" I scream as loud as I can finally letting go of the metal to wrap my arms around myself and grip hard, It feel like my arms are the only thing keeping me together.
Peeta will black out soon, it's been too long. Then suddenly with what I assume is his last bit of strength Peeta pulls his fist back and punches Cato straight in the nose. Cato roars in fury and his hands lift to cover his now bleeding face. With the moment of weakness Peeta manages to throw Cato back, on to the ground. Peeta is on his feet in a second, he quickly reaches down and retrieves his backpack, but Cato's hand grips his wrist as he tries to pull it up. Peeta rips his arm from his grasp and delivers a well deserved uppercut kick to Cato's chin sending him flying backwards once again. With this a shout of Cato's name echoes across the open plane, the camera pans and shows the rest of the career pack running across the field to aid him.
Peeta turns and barrels into the woods not stopping for a moment. "Just wait lover boy, I'm gunna cut that pretty little head RIGHT OFF OF YOUR BODY." Cato screams into the trees as the careers reach him, he spits blood onto the ground and stops Clove from running into the woods after him.
"You know the plan, back to the cornucopia." He commands, and lifts himself from the ground rubbing his jaw. They turn and begin to jog towards the big metal horn.
-x-
I finally am able to breathe again, everyone cheers as Peeta come back onto the screen and is seen running through the forest, putting as much distance between the Careers and him.
The next few hours are uneventful but I don't look away for a second, Peeta had sat himself at the base of a tree and finally had a chance to look through his back pack. To my delight he had managed to pick up, a sleeping bag, a pack of crackers, another pack of dried meat, a bottle of Iodine. A box of wooden matches, a small coil of wire and a two litre plastic bottle with a cap that's completely empty. He had a knife and a small sword too. I was ecstatic.
That was a good start, a very good start. He packed it all away again and slides the knife into his belt. He rises to his feet again and wipes his brow. He had been running for so long he was probably already feeling the onsets of dehydration. Natural causes could kill just as well as any sword, he needed to find water.
I watch as he walks away, rubbing the bruise forcing on his jaw, he disappears into the woods as the cannon starts to fire, I count 11 in total. Only 13 tributes left. The screen flicks from tribute to tribute none of them seem to be close to Peeta from what I can see and I allow myself to relax a little. I allow a smile to creep onto my face. My boy with the bread, my boy on fire is alive and he is safe...For now.