I'm in Love with a Killer

Chapter 8

Suddenly, Peeta breaks the awkward silence.

"Oh, let her stay up there. It's not like she's going anywhere. We'll deal with her in the morning." I saw the sense n Peeta's words and sat down.

"Better start a fire since we have no other choice according to Lover Boy." Clove said.

"I'll collect some wood." Jazz offered.

Soon, we had a neat fire going. I was feeling relatively safe. No one would dare attack the Careers, even in their sleep, but we still wanted to keep guard. Jazz offered to do the first shift, followed by Glimmer, Cato, Cody, Peeta, and lastly me. Glimmer tried to snuggle close to Cato, but he refused. He came down and sat next to me, much to her disgust.

"What do you make of all this so far?" He said.

"About what?" I wanted more information in his question.

"The Hunger Games. What do you think of the events so far?"

"I don't know. I seriously think they want them over fast, but not too fast. They are experimenting this year. I've never seen a fire wall. It's probably to signify Fire Girl." I pointed up into the tree where Katniss was tucked away in her sleeping bag.

Cato looked at me and smiled.

"Better get some rest. Big day tomorrow." I nodded, too tired to reply. I wrapped my sleeping bag around me and was aware that Cato was doing the same. I listened to the anthem of Panem playing. No tributes had died today. I wonder what the Capitol makes of that. I felt myself drifting off into sleep.

***

I woke to a slight tickle of sawdust on my nose. My head was confused. Sawdust? I listened intently around me and heard the sound of sawing coming from above. I opened my eyes and saw Katniss sawing off a branch. I only just realised what was on it before it fell.

"Shit!" I yelled, jumping up as the Tracker Jacker nest exploded on the ground. I looked over at Glimmer who must have fallen asleep on guard and never woken up again struggle to regain her feet as the wasps swarmed around us.

"To the lake!" Cody screamed above the noise. I raced towards the lake, not daring to look back, even for Katniss.

I heard Glimmer's scream of agony above the swarm but I kept running. I saw the lake, around 50 metres ahead of me. I dove in, with Cato, Clove, Marvel, Peeta and Cody close on my heels. We stayed under for about a minute before resurfacing. I heard a cannon shot, then another and I knew, Glimmer and Jazz were dead. They were the only ones not with us.

I would've liked to stay in the water for longer, but I saw Peeta making a bee-line for the woods where we had just ran out of. I refused to believe that he was going to kill Katniss and yelled,

"Cato!" He looked at me and I surged out the lake, pointing to the ever-decreasing figure of Lover Boy.

I ran, with Cato hot on my heels, chasing Lover Boy as he ran through the trees. We eventually found him because he was yelling,

"What are you still doing here? Get up, go! Run, Katniss, run! Go, Katniss! RUN!" He yelled. I burst into the clearing as I saw Glimmer's disfigured body and Katniss running through the trees, away from us, there was no possible way we could catch her. I turned on Peeta.

"You traitor!" I abused him, "You used us. How dare you!" I raised my knife, about to sprint at him when Cato lifted his sword aloft and brought it down on Peeta. I could tell by Peeta's scream of agony that Cato had done a good job. I watched as Peeta, barely hobbling, disappeared through the trees.

"Well, that's one loss we don't really care about." Cato commented. I examined her body, wondering if Katniss had taken anything, then I realised what was missing.