Just a Game

Chapter Ten

Clove's plan involved me hiding in the brushes, waiting to kill anyone who comes my way. She would go out and grab our pack, and kill Katniss. Of course, she wanted me to try and kill that District 11 guy, because he was the only other person in this arena who could potentially win. I was so bored, waiting for something to happen, that I wandered off, searching for some none-poisonous berries. I'm only gone from my spot for a few minutes, when I heard a scream.

"Peeta!" screams a girl, whom I can only assume is Katniss.

I whirl around, half expecting to see Lover Boy charging at me with a weapon. No one appears. After a few seconds of distant shouting I hear another scream.

"Cato! Cato!" It was Clove.

"Clove!" I shout back, but I'm not sure if she could hear me.

I stumble back through the bushes, cursing myself at leaving my post. For what seems like an eternity, the clearing at the Cornucopia is finally visible. I see Clove on the ground, barely moving.

"Clove!" I shout again. I can hear my voice crack.

Katniss runs off, leaving a trail of blood behind her from a gash in her head. Thresh sprints off in the other direction, back into the corn fields, carrying my district's pack. Instead of rushing to get Thresh, and hurry over and kneel beside Clove.

It's obvious that she's dying. There's a deep dent in her head, indicating that her skull had somehow broken. Her chest was only moving ever-so-slighly. I suppress my tears, grabbing Clove's hand with my empty one.

"Please stay with me, Clover," I beg. "Don't go. You're going to be fine."

She blinks, squeezing my hand. "I'm dying, Cato." Her voice suddenly sounds panicked. "I'm dying." She repeats. "It hurts. It hurts." Clove is moaning, and sounds in so much pain, that I almost begin to cry. I smooth her hair back from her face, wanting to see her clearly. Her tough-girl face is completely replaced with a frightened little girl's.

"I'm sorry, Clove," I apologize, bowing my head. "I left my spot. I'm so sorry."

"Not your fault," she whispers. "One of us... has to go."

"Don't say that," I snap. "It is all my fault."

Clove shakes her head, a tear dripping down her face. I lean closer to her, and press my lips onto hers. She manages to kiss me back for a couple seconds. Tears finally fall from my face, and onto hers. I wipe them off clumsily.

"Win. For me," she says so softly, I have to strain to hear her. But then, she goes limp.

I don't move. I hear a cannon and know that she's dead, but I don't move. I am frozen with shock and pain. I don't care that all of Panem is probably watching me. I don't care that I am out in the open, with only my grief and a spear. I only care about the fact that the only girl that I've ever cared about is dead.

I let out a terrible scream. I pound the ground with my fists. After letting out all my pent up anger and despair, I let out a low moan. I can't think straight. I must seem like a wounded animal.

It could have been seconds, or maybe minutes, before I finally grab my spear and stand up. I am determined to kill Thresh. I wipe my wet face, and run into the corn fields.

Hours later, I haven't managed to find Thresh. Either he knows that I'm looking for him, or he had found a particularly good campsite. On top of the high stalks of wheat, it began to rain heavily, making it very difficult to see where I'm going. Twice, I almost fell into a pit, full of rattling snakes. Occassional flashes of lightning disorientate me, and loud claps of thunder make me jump.