A Million Pieces - Hunger Games (Catching Fire & Mockingjay)

Chapter 18

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Seventy-fifth Hunger Games begin!"

The glass recedes and I focus on my surroundings. Right in front of me, the Cornucopia is on an island surrounded by water. I instantly recognise the smell. Salt water. For a second, the breath is knocked out of me. Snow has chosen to replicate my home.

Twelve strips of land sprout from the island, connecting it to the shore. In between each strip are two tributes. About half of them are my enemies, the other half potential allies. One of the morphlings is on the metal plate next to me, and he smiles at me.

The gong sounds and I dive into the water confidently. I may be the newbie to the Hunger Games, but in the water, no one except Finnick is as at home as I am.

Finnick. I have to find Finnick. And Katniss. And Peeta.

I'm the first to reach the island and I run to the back of the Cornucopia, where I crouch out of sight and grab a long knife. I look out from around the pile of weapons and see that Finnick and Katniss have reached the island. They are talking tensely, their weapons drawn. I think of how easy it would be for me to throw my knife and kill her. Just have a normal Games. Just try to survive. But I know I won't.

I see the man from District 5 creeping up behind Katniss and I jump to my feet. She and Finnick turn their weapons on me, startled.

"Finnick!" I shout and point at the man advancing on Katniss.

In his commanding voice, Finnick yells, "Duck!" Katniss hits the floor and the man is impaled by Finnick's trident.

"Don't trust One and Two," he says. I nod and snatch up a belt strapped with knives, securing it around my waist. I try to avoid looking at the District 5 man, but my heart is pounding.

"Katniss, stay with Sapphire!" Finnick orders. "I'll take the other side!"

Although I know what we'll find, we dart around the Cornucopia to look at the rest of the supplies. We find that Gloss and Enobaria have just reached the land.

"Anything useful?" we hear Finnick shout.

"Nothing but weapons!" Katniss calls back.

"Same here. Grab what you want and let's go!"

Katniss shoots an arrow at Enobaria but she jumps into the water and avoids it. Gloss receives an arrow in his calf as I grab an extra quiver and another set of knives. I toss Katniss the quiver, which she catches swiftly and slings over her body as we run to meet Finnick at the front of the pile.

"Do something about that, would you?" he says, pointing at Brutus running towards us. Katniss shoots at him but he blocks the arrow with his belt and rolls into the water.

"Let's clear out," Katniss decides and she starts running towards Peeta, who is still latching on to his metal plate. I stop Katniss before she can dive in. The water is no place for a flame, no matter how daring.

"I'll get him," I say. By the time she opens her mouth to argue, I'm already in the water.

"Better not exert yourself. Not in your condition," I hear Finnick say to her.

"Cover me!" I shout.

There's a bit of a current, but I glide through the water easily and reach Peeta in no time. He is hesitant, and in this moment he just looks like a scared little boy. I point at Katniss and Finnick, who are watching us attentively.

"Come on, Peeta," I say. "We need to hurry."

It's enough to convince him. I sling one arm across his chest, like Talise taught me as a child, and pull him along with me. When we reach the sand, Katniss hauls him out of the water. They exchange a quick kiss and a few words while Finnick helps me to my feet.