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

Chapter 24

One second the five of us are alone, and the next, Enobaria and Brutus are attacking, teeth bared and weapons high.

Enobaria lands a perfect punch on the cheek I had bruised when I ran into the invisible jabberjay wall. It's so powerful that it knocks me off my feet. My face hurts, but it's my head that kills me, like a pendulum is knocking inside. Enobaria kicks my back, successfully forcing the little breath I have out of my lungs.

I have to remind myself that this is not training. I can't raise a hand or pound the floor to surrender. There are no breaks, not for exhaustion, not for injury. This is now and it determines forever.

With extreme willpower, I roll over and snatch a knife from my belt, just as Enobaria plants her sword in the earth where my chest was a second ago. I crunch up and stab my knife deep into her thigh. She howls and Finnick suddenly leaps in, kicking her in the ribs and sending her flying away. Her sword remains planted in the soil and my knife falls to the ground, ripped from her leg. Finnick stands in front of me until I pick myself off the ground, but by then Enobaria is running towards Beetee.

"Go," I wheeze. He glances at me, torn. "Go!" I insist. He takes off.

I move in the opposite direction, to where Brutus is fighting Chaff and Peeta. Chaff and Peeta are strong, but Brutus is putting up a very good fight. None of them are suited for proximity. Chaff and Brutus both hold spears and Peeta is too slow to get in close. I can't throw my knives without risking hitting Chaff or Peeta. I don't like getting into close contact, but I see no other option. I need to distract Brutus so the others can strike.

I approach Brutus from behind and dart forward to slash his back. It's not fatal by any means, but it's enough to throw him off. He turns, and his anger falls on me. Brutus steps forward, but Chaff jabs his blade into his side. Brutus roars and his spear cuts through the air, flying towards Chaff.

There was never going to be enough time to save him, no matter how many scenarios go through my mind. The spear hits Chaff directly in the chest, embedding itself in his flesh. He lets out a gasp, and then collapses.

There's a yell. More dangerous than even Brutus's roar. Rage, fear, pain, recklessness. It's a yell I recognise from when the woman from District 6 was killed by the monkey mutt.

Peeta charges Brutus. The man is huge, but weaponless and caught by surprise. He does nothing to stop Peeta from planting his knife straight into his gut, a clean stab and a hopeless death. Brutus falls to the ground and Peeta's knife goes with him.

For a moment, we are frozen. But there is no time for shock, no time to stare at the two men that lie dead at our feet.

"Finnick," I breathe. "Beetee. Katniss and Johanna!"

We run around to the other side of the tree, and meet Finnick halfway. His arm is bleeding profusely - where the tracker is supposed to be embedded - and it looks like the wound in his thigh has opened again.

"Katniss. Johanna. I'll find them," are the only words he manages. Peeta stumbles after him, half delirious. I call out to him. I need to stay with him. But as soon as I take a step, a loud moan draws my attention away.

Beetee has a deep gash in his side and one in his arm - he too has cut his tracker out. He holds a knife - my knife, the one still wet with Enobaria's blood - and he has wrapped his wire around it. Breathing hard, he fights to stand up, aims desperately, and throws the knife at the forcefield straight above us. The knife hits harmlessly, fizzling and bouncing off. I'm conscious enough to jump as far away from the tree as possible. Even then, the shock that travels through the coil knocks me off my feet, and Beetee crumples to the ground, dropping the knife.

"Beetee!" I yell, and leap towards him. I hear Finnick call my name, but I force myself to ignore him. I drop to my knees and lower my ear above Beetee's mouth. His chest isn't moving.

Desperately, I start reviving him. My head wound is clearly slowing me down, but the rhythmic pumping and blowing into his lungs keeps me grounded. Just as I come up for air again, Beetee's nose compresses. He's breathing. I watch as he opens his mouth and takes a gulp of air. His hand comes up, faintly searching in midair. I grab it and hold it to my chest.

"You're okay," I say, relief heavy in my voice. "You're okay, Beetee."

His hand leaves mine and moved to my forearm. He presses down right where my tracker is, hard enough for it to hurt. He's right. I take a knife from my belt, and curl over, trying to hide myself from the cameras. The tip of my knife touches my arm, and I take a deep breath. But something distracts me, the sound of branches cracking, and I turn.

Finnick is standing a dozen feet behind me - perfectly still, with his hand jutted out, a sign for me to stay put. I follow his hard gaze, and see Katniss on her knees just a few yards away from me, bow in hand, arrow cocked at Finnick.

The pounding in my head stops me from thinking straight. "No!" I scream. "Katniss-"

Katniss's eyes are wild, and suddenly, her arrow is pointed at me. I throw myself over Beetee's body. "Peeta's here, Katniss!" I cry out, which distracts her from releasing her arrow. "He's alive!"

"Sapphire!" Finnick cries, his voice shaking. His eyes never leave Katniss. "Katniss... is this the way? Is this what you really want?"

Katniss looks down at the knife Beetee dropped, and she moves towards me. Finnick steps forward.

"No, Finn," I say, and he stops. Carefully, I reach for the knife and hold it up for her to take. She meets my eyes and blinks. Then, she takes the knife, removes the coil and wraps it around her arrow. She aims for a spot I can't see, somewhere in the force field.

Finnick uses those precious few seconds to join me. He starts to pull me up, but I gesture towards Beetee, so he grips him under the armpits instead. I push myself onto my hands and knees because standing is decidedly impossible. With all my remaining strength, I crawl away from the tree.

The lightning strikes. There's a flash of white, and I hit the jungle floor for what must be the millionth time in the last few days. I just manage to look up, although my vision is already starting to blur. Only one thing matters now.

Finnick has landed about ten yards in front of me. Our eyes meet and our hands stretch towards each other.

Then the world explodes. The ground seems to crumble, the trees catch fire. Most importantly, the sky falls apart. I take my eyes off Finnick's only to look at the hovercraft appearing above us.

It's happening. District 13 is here. We did it. I can already imagine Coventina and Malila and Annie. Caspian's smiling face floats in front of mine. I know this is just my imagination, but I smile back. Soon it will be real.

I watch a metal claw descend and pick up Katniss. It goes down again for Beetee. Then for Finnick. He's still looking at me as they lift him up, his hand reaching for mine.

I wait. There's still Peeta. There's Johanna. And there's me. But the claw doesn't return. Then a different hovercraft appears in the sky, and the world goes black.