PLATINUM • THE HUNGER GAMES ²

| 26. THE COLLAPSE

BOOK TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

( THE COLLAPSE )

IF THE CRASH AND BURN of the arena wasn't able to eradicate my and Will's existence from the universe, then we were both certain we could have faced anything together. After our separation, after the turmoil of the Quarter Quell and the Reapings, anything could have attempted to get in our way, but nothing would ever get between us. I wore that mindset with steel clasps; I wouldn't let anyone break it; I wouldn't let anyone tear us apart. Not after everything. Not ever.

So when we ran through the 11 o'clock section of the Arena in attempt to find our way back to Beetee and the others hand in hand, I had not expected to see the sky fall in front of us bit by bit - slowly disintegrating the Arena with each piece that fell. Will snapped his head towards mine, stopping himself before we could go any further and grasped onto my hand tighter than I had ever felt him do before.

"We can't get through that," he said. "Is this another one of their tricks?"

"No, it isn't. Well. . . I don't think so."

"Then I know exactly what's happening!" Will exclaimed, pulling on my arm as he raced forwards - probably in a direction in which he was uncertain where it led to. "Is this the way to the beach?"

A puzzled expression panged onto my face. "The beach? We can't go to the beach! It's Beetee's trap - he's electrified it all!" But my remark was only received by Will with a short laugh, his hand pulling on mine a little more willingly towards the direction of the beach. His grasp was tight, firm, a little rushed, something I hadn't expected from someone who had experienced much less grief than I. Nevertheless, he pulled me forward, guiding me under the unexpected branches and over the rocks that led the way through the abundance of trees and foliage and to the sandy beaches of the horizon.

There was a shock that escalated through me as I blinked and followed him blindly. Of course, he must have known the way better than I. After all, he had spent his last few days before entering the area watching me from above, unlocking the potential to draw a detailed map of the arena in his head prior to departing into the world which I struggled to live. A map made from a spectator was greatly valued, for I was sure if I had spent only minutes separated from the group I would have gotten lost somehow, knowing my rocky perception of direction - especially when everything in the arena looked exactly the same.

In the wake of the natural disaster presenting itself in front of me and Will, our path grew wilder with each step we took through the inexhaustible rainforest that covered the edges of the arena's perimeter. Yet, a sight that caused me to exhale with an ounce of relief, the large lightning tree finally sat in reaching distance of the two of us.