Forever in the Games- Book 2

Chapter Sixteen

My mothers blood splatters on the glass in front of me. I move my hand away with such force that I manage to throw myself back against the other side of the glass. I scream, as my elevator starts to rise up into the arena.

They've just killed my mother. The only blood relative I had left. The only thing the Capitol couldn't take away from me.

But now, the Capitol has taken everything. 

The tears well up in my eyes as those thought cloud my mind for a moment. But then, it isn't pain, I mean it's hurting like hell sure, but I feel angry. Angry at the Capitol for taking her away from me. 

I'm going to make them pay. 

I force myself to stand, as I rise up into the arena. I will make them pay for everything they've ever done to me. To us Victors, my proper family. As my head reaches the top of the tube, the smell of salt water hits me like a tonne of bricks, and the sun blinds my eyesight for a few seconds, but I raise my head high anyway. I will not appear weak. 

But I'm not the only one who's tube had a delayed start. To my left, I find Katniss only just arriving to the party too. Trees surround the cornucopia, it sort of look like a tropical rain forest. 

"Let the 75th Hunger Games, begin" I remain facing forward. I won't give the Capitol the satisfaction. "May the odds be ever in your favour" I stand up straight, not even preparing to dive into the water, as the countdown begins for the final time.

"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3..." I prepare to dive, until I get the horrible gut feeling that the water I am surrounded in isn't like the others. I can't breathe. He's going to kill me before anyone else gets the chance. 

"...2...1..." The cannon sounds, and the Games begin. 

I'm still frozen when everyone dives forward and into the water. He's going to electrocute it as soon as I dive in. I know that. How? I don't know, but this is too simple for him. So instead, I watch the fight progress. Well, I watch Katniss at least, she seems to be a good swimmer, and she's running to her bow so she'll be fine. Some Tributes run straight into the jungle, but some stay and fight for their weapons. 

Out of the corner of my right eye, I see Woof from District Eight, a sword in his hand, heading towards Peeta, who's struggling to stay up in the water... PEETA! 

I immediately snap out of my stupid daydream, and focus. Peeta can't swim well, how could I be so stupid, he can't defend himself in water if he can't even swim! I position myself to the right. I'm going to have to jump into the next section of the water. Jump over the rocks sectioning us Tributes apart.

Woof's getting too close to Peeta, I need to go now, or Peeta's not going to make it. Without even thinking I jump as far as I can, in a diving position. I feel like I'm in slow motion, diving as far as I can, but I can see the electricity sparking to life, and I feel like I'm falling to my death.

But instead, I land on the rocks that separate the two sections. I groan in pain, as I feel like my stomach has shrunk in size. But my legs are still in the water, and I can feel them being electrocuted. I groan a bit louder this time, as I force my legs out of the water. I almost laugh, thankful to the miracle that I'm not paralyzed. but realize what I need to do. So I dive into the next section, and keep going until I reach Peeta's section. 

Woof is so close that I can feel his struggle in the water. When I'm close enough, I launch myself on top of him, and push his head under the water. He fights, and waves his sword about like a lunatic. He grabs my arms, and throws me over him. Pain screams for attention, but I don't give it the attention it wants. He throws the knife down by my throat, but I grip hold of it, preventing the knife from reaching my neck. I hold onto it tightly, but he pushes my under so water fills my lungs.

Suddenly, Woof lets go of me, and goes splashing in the other direction. I tread in the water, and feel like I'm spilling my guts out. Blight has him in the headlock, blocking the air for his lungs. I swim towards him, but he slices his knife across my face, forcing it to bleed. I grab the knife from him, and slice it across his neck. Blight lets him go.

"Thank you" He nods, and goes running out of the water and into the rain-forest.

"Luce!" I turn around in the water. Finnick holds the handle of a whip, and motions for me to grab the other end. I do so, and he pulls me out the water. As soon as I'm out, he shoves a small knife into my hand "they think you've only got a whip" He nods in the cornucopia's direction, to where the Careers have met. I nod, and turn back to Finnick "You alright?" 

"Yeah" I reply, slightly out of breath.

"No you're not, you've been cut"  He wipes some of the blood from my face but I can feel a lot more on me

"Don't fuss over me, we need to get out of here. Now" 

So we do. Finnick pulls Mags onto his back, and I lead everyone into the forest. "You two go first" I push Peeta forward a little 

"Katniss go go go" Finnck says to her. She runs after Peeta. He doesn't need to tell me to go next, because I do anyway. 

We run through the jungle for what feels like years. Sweat begins to appear in little beads on our foreheads, the heat in here is just about bearable. 

"Alright hold up!" Finnick calls from behind. I slow into a jog, and eventually stop, and kneel down on the balls of my feet, breathing lightly... well, trying to. Peeta sits next to me, and Katniss sits next to him. I stay silent.

"God it's hot" Peeta pants "we need to find fresh water" I stare at the floor, the image of my mother's face still fresh in my mind. 8 cannons sound after a few minutes. 

"Well, I guess we're not holding hands anymore" Finnick laughs. I take a breath, look up, and then turn to him, no emotion written on my face. 

"You think that's funny?" Katniss questions

"Every time that cannon goes off it's music to my ears" He points to the sky "I don't care about any of them" Suppose it ends better if you don't care about anyone.

"Good to hear" Katniss pulls a long knife from her quiver, and points it at Finnick.

"What, you wanna face the Career pack alone? What would Haymitch say?" My head snaps towards Finnick. Haymitch, I didn't say goodbye. I stand up, and walk towards Katniss

"Haymitch isn't here" She snarls at Finnick. I flick the knife away from him, and Katniss stares up at me. 

"Point it at the enemy. For now, we need to trust each other Katniss." I say. Her eyes flicker down "We need to keep moving"

Katniss hands the knife to Peeta, and I walk off in the same direction we were running. We don't want to be running into a fight while we're out of breath. We'll take our time. 

"Luce" Peeta loudly whispers "Luce wait!" I come to a halt, waiting for him to catch up "What's the matter?" I can't tell him, not here. I'll wait until we're both out of the arena, when we're safe. 

"Nothing. We just need to keep going" 

"Sure" He isn't convinced, but doesn't pester me "wait there" He slices a rather large leaf from one of the trees, and folds it "It'll help with the bleeding"  he hands it to me, and I smile

"Thank you"  I hold it to my head, and continue walking. Peeta in front this time, slicing the leaves out of the way. 

We continue to walk, and it seems to get steeper and steeper the more we do. But I feel more sorry for Finnick, carrying Mags the whole way. I'd be dead just carrying her. I turn and see Katniss come to a stop, examining what's ahead of us. I turn back around and carrying on walking.

"Peeta NO!" Katniss screams, I half turn around, but an explosion sounds in front, and I'm sent flying backwards, and crash into the roots of one of the trees. Well there's that knife wound bleeding again. I roll over slowly, and find all of us lying on the ground, but there's smoke coming off Peeta. Katniss crawls towards him, and feels for his pulse. 

"He's not breathing!" She shrieks "He's not breathing!" I drag myself up, and run towards her. I grab hold of her quiver, and pull her away from him. I kneel next to him, and Finnick on the other side.

We're not letting him die. We both know that's not affordable.

I'll let Snow kill me before I even think about letting Peeta die.