Part 5: The Girl On Fire

Chapter 15

"There's no way they'll cancel the Games again. They can't." I said sadly. Peeta looked at me with sympathy. Haymitch and Effie walked in. Me and Peeta were instantly to our feet.

"Baby bomb was a stroke of genius. Unfortunately Games are still on. This is goodbye for now." Haymitch said. I was about to be on the verge of tears but I stopped myself. Effie held up two boxes.

"Presents for the boys." Effie said. She gave one to Peeta and gave Haymitch the other.

"What is this?" Haymitch asked. He opened his box and inside was a gold bracelet.

"Your token. Remember? Hair for me. Pin for Maddie. Gold bangle for you. And for Peeta, the medallion that we talked about." Effie said. Peeta held out the necklace in his hand.

"Thank you Effie." Peeta said sweetly.

"We're a team. Aren't we?" Effie asked. I nodded my head.

"And I'm so proud of my Victors. So proud." Effie said choking up. She hugged me and Peeta tightly.

"You're so....... we'll you both deserved so much better." Effie cried.

"Thank you Effie." I said sadly.

"I am truly sorry." Effie said then she walked away. Haymtich stood in front of us.

Thank you Haymitch. For everything." Peeta said hugging him.

"Any last advice?" I asked.

"Stay alive." Haymitch said. Then he turned around.

"Haymitch said." I said. I walked up to him and embraced him into a hug.

"Remember our deal. Do whatever it takes to keep him alive. Promise me." I whispered.

"Okay. Maddie when you're in the arena, remember who the real enemy is." Haymitch said. I nodded and then Haymitch walked away. Remember who the real enemy is. The words bounced around my head. The real enemy.

***

I laid next to Peeta. We've both been awake all night. The early morning sun shines through the window.

"I don't want to be in there with anyone else. Just you." I said softly. I lifted my head and looked at him.

"If that's what you want." Peeta said.

"That's what I want." I said. Then there was knocking on our door. It's time.

"I'll see you soon." Peeta said. Then he got up and left.

***

I stood in the elevator next to Cinna. I was dreading this. I never thought I'd be in the Games again. It's a nightmare coming true once again. The door opened and me and Cinna stepped onto the helicopter. We sat down in our seats. Once we were in the air a doctor came over to me with a needle.

"Your tracker." The doctor said. He inserted the needle into my arm releasing a tracker inside. I winced at the pain. I sat back in my seat as we started off towards the arena.

***

"The suit is light. No thermal. So I'd guess tropics or desert." Cinna said.

"Sixty seconds til launch." The PA said. I looked at Cinna.

"That dress was beautiful. I think it was the best one you've ever made." I said.

"I thought you'd like it. Newt would've loved it." Cinna said. Newt. I told Cinna what happened because he was so concerned. I'm glad he kept it a secret.

"Thank you. I just wanted to tell you because I don't think-" I started but Cinna interrupted.

"Stop. Remember I'm still betting on you, Girl On Fire." Cinna said. He pinned the Mockingjay pin onto my sleeve. He rolled the sleeve up so the Gamemakers wouldn't see it. We hugged tightly.

"Ten seconds to launch." The PA said. I let go of Cinna and looked at him one last time. Then I stepped into the glass elevator. The door shut. Cinna stepped in front of it. I hated leaving like this. Suddenly the door to the room opened and Peacekeepers swarmed in. They knocked Cinna to the ground.

"NO!" I screamed. My voice was muffled by the glass. I kept screaming and screaming. The Peacekeepers continued to beat Cinna. I punched at the glass but it wouldn't crack. Cinna fell unconscious as the Peacekeepers kicked him to death. Tears streamed down my face as I continued screaming. The Peacekeepers started to drag Cinna away as the elevator started moving up. I started hyperventilating as the room disappeared from my view. I went up and up and then I was outside. Now I'm standing on a podium in the middle of a large lake. All of the Tributes were on podiums in the water. I looked for Peeta but I couldn't see him.

"Let the 75th Hunger Games begin. May the odds be ever in your favor." The PA announced. I saw the center where the weapons and backpacks would be. Rocks in between each podium made a path towards the center. I saw a bow sitting in the center. Anger surged through me. I tucked my hair behind my ears. I'm ready.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." The PA said. Then a gunshot sounded.