Liberosis - The Hunger Games

46

It was at that moment that I recognised it; I knew she felt something.

I saw it in myself at age fourteen, the desperation, the not knowing, the terror that I would be destined to live the rest of my life without him. I would never stand on the face of the Cove with him again, never eat fruit on the beach, or talk to Mrs Driscoll from the flower store. I knew I couldn't live without him that day and that perhaps, as a naïve fourteen-year-old girl, I had my first experience of what love felt like.

It felt like pain, a clawed hand puncturing my skin like shards of glass and ripping my heart from my body. I felt incomplete without him, as if when he left I saw my entire future laid out, a future without him. I felt as though I couldn't breathe until I was with him again, until I ran up to him at the train station, flung my arms around his neck and begged him to never let go.

I saw that emotion in Katniss' eyes, this boy had saved her life in more ways than one, and now, close to death, she was dying with him. As her arms tightened around me, I stroked the back of her head, it felt motherly, but somehow, right. Katniss needed someone to be strong for her right now and she had turned to me, I felt an overwhelming sense of adoration for the younger girl.

Suddenly Peeta wheezed out a cough, Finnick jumped back moving his hands from the boy who was sputtering with his first few breaths, trying to fall back into the same rhythm. Katniss detached herself from my embrace and flew over to the boy, holding him in her arms as she continues to cry. "Careful," He utters in exhaustion, "There's a forefield up there,"

Katniss was still crying as she let out a relieved laugh, "You were dead," She choked, "Your heart stopped,"

I find my way over to Finnick, who is still shaking from the events, "Clem," He whispered to me as I reach him. I don't restrain myself from wrapping my arms around him comfortingly, his arm finds a familiar position around my waist as he pulls me closer into his arms. A sudden relief washes over the group, but Katniss is still crying as Peeta shuffled into a seating position.

Atlas is seated by a tree, examining the trainwreck he is still witnessing, two emotionally destroyed victors, Katniss blubbering and Finnick shaking like a sapling in a gust of wind. "Everdeen," He calls out, his voice laced with threatening concern, "You alright kid?"

Katniss nods her head, but the sounds from her mouth don't stop, "Katniss?" Peeta whispers soothingly, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. Finnick and I let go of each other as we moved together to be a closer-knit group. Atlas and my eyes are fleeting around the surroundings with the hopes of not hearing anyone approaching us. Katniss and Peeta, that's our job, anyone who attempts to hurt them must die at our hands.

"It's just her hormones," I go to smack Finnick in the gut for his comment but he adds to it defensively, "From the baby!" He holds his hands up and I purse my lips. The baby, of course, Katniss is supposed to be pregnant, though none of us believe that for a second, we nod our heads in understanding. Katniss opens her mouth to argue, but all she can let out is another round of sobbing.

Atlas rolled his eyes, moving over to a hanging tree and ripping a piece of moss for her to use to wipe her eyes and nose. She nodded at him gratefully, before she and Finnick locked eyes.

He's recognised it too, what I had seen in her heartbreak, her desperation. Ever so slightly, I feel his hand gravitate towards mine as he cocked his head, analysing the couple on the ground. Before he can open his mouth to say anything I cut him off, "We need to keep going," I picked up my collection of spears, sliding a pack over my shoulder. Atlas nodded in agreement at my statement, though the other look reluctant to continue.

"No," Katniss argued, "he needs to rest,"

But he can't, she knows that and Peeta knows it too. This isn't the same as their games, the career pack would already be on the hunt by now, I'm proved right by the sound of the cannon. Peeta flinched as the booming noise rang through the trees, "I don't think that's an option. Staying here, with no protection, no water." Peeta began, "I'm all right," He interject at Katniss' concerned expression, "If we could just move slowly,"