Mockingjay: A Warrior's Tale

Chapter Five

Beety changes the program to the newest Propo. Katniss walking around District Twelve with Hanging Tree playing in the background. The screen shows Peeta again.

"Katniss?" he asks. He gets worried. "They're coming. They're on bombing you guys."

The screen goes to the country's symbol. There is scream. Code red is activated. Everyone starts going to the bomb shelter. Gale stops.

"Come on," I order. "We need to get to the safe..."

"Go," he orders me. "I'll get there in time."

"But..."

He cuts me off with a kiss. What? He pulls away and pushes me forward. The crowd pushes me forward into the bomb shelter. I wait at the entrance, counting down till it closes him out.

Five... Four... Three... Gale, Katniss, and Prim runs in as the door closes. Katniss starts yelling at Prim, then hugs her. Gale walks past me. I head to my section and sit down. Gale comes over.

"You were trying to protect them," I finally say.

"They're my family," he states. "And the kiss..."

"Just forget about it."

"But..."

"I said forget about it."

I get up and head to my brother's section. Bombs still going off.

"Hey Minnow," he says. I sit next to him.

"Hello Shark Bait," I reply.

"So you remember my old nickname sis."

"Always will."

"Mom would be proud of you if she was still here."

I look at my hands.

"You're..."

"Finnick. I don't want to talk about them."

"You'll..."

"When I'm ready."

I get up and leave. I lay on my bunk and close my eyes. I listen to everything going on. People talking to each other, Prim singing, and bombs going off.

They keep hitting wrong areas. I can tell just by the sound. After so long, I fall asleep.

=============

I look at the sign up sheet. Only one name is on so far. Gale Hawthorne. I roll my eyes and sign up. I'm getting her out of there. I have one hour before we leave.

"What are you doing?"

I turn around to see Finnick.

"Signing up for what I've trained for."

"You can get killed."

"I want to save Annie."

Finnick is speechless at that point. I guess that he must have forgot that I was planning that the entire time. I roll my eyes and walk away from him. I go to eat my meal before the take off. Gale sits next to me.

"Hey Viv," he says.

"Hello Gale," I mumble. I just mush around the food. Finnick sits on the other side of me.

"You two protect each other," he whispers towards us. Gale looks at me.

"You did sign up?"

"Yep."

He rolls his eyes and go back to eating. I finish my meal quickly and leave. Haymitch stops me.

"Be safe," he tells me.

"Why..."

"Because I know there are people that don't want you to die. And I'm one of them."

"Thanks."