Chapter-27

Chapter 27

The screen flickers to Cashmere stabbing the woman from District 6 repeatedly. It's bloody and gruesome.

"Who do you think it was?" Finnick asks.

"6? Or 11, but I don't think it was Cash'," Johanna says.

They walk for hours, until Beetee tells them that this is the perfect spot for camp. In other words, this is where we'll be picked up tomorrow night, hopefully unnoticed.

They all joke around and laugh, keeping their guards up but not stressing. Cashmere is nowhere near them actually, so I'm not worried. One of the perks of being in the Mentor's Lounge is being able to see where all of the tributes are, not just your own.

"Come on, we're going to get them some sponsors," Haymitch says.

I follow him to the party, where sponsors blindside us, begging to send them money. Haymitch told me that if you make it exclusive, then they want to be included.

"They feel like they're missing out on something if there aren't a lot of sponsors. Hell, you can make up an amount that someone else donated and they'll try to double it just to be better than anyone else," he explains. "Watch and learn."

I walk up to a Capitol woman and man. The man looks at me like I'm a piece of meat, but I don't back down.

"Haymitch! Nice to see you old friend," the man says.

"Lechavi! Good to see you too! Do you see Peeta and his allies? They're going to be the last standing. We had a big donation earlier, five hundred thousand. So far, he's the top sponsor for Peeta," Haymitch says.

"Only five hundred thousand? That's honestly laughable. Here, I'll send you two million right now. How many other sponsors are there?" The man asks.

"Two. We're trying to keep it exclusive. Who wants their name next to twenty others if Peeta wins? I know I wouldn't," Haymitch says.

"Yes, I suppose not. Look, if Peeta needs more, come back to me. Let's keep this circle small, deal?" The man asks.

"Yes, thank you Lechavi," Haymitch says and walks back to the Mentor's Lounge with a code to plug in.

"Type this code here and we'll get our funds," Haymitch says.

I type in the code and sure enough, seconds later, two million comes in. "Wow Haymitch, normally I'd make some sarcastic remarks, but that was honestly amazing."

"Thank you Sweetheart. Now let's send Peeta some wound cream for his hand," he says.

We send him the parachute, and he bends down to pick it up.

"Thank you Haymitch. Thank you Katniss," he says as he blows another kiss in the air.

Peeta hasn't slept yet, so Johanna and Finnick force him to sleep after he rubs the cream on his hand. It's later in the afternoon, almost night time. Now that Peeta's sleeping, I can rest too.

I lay on the couch in the Lounge, telling Haymitch to wake me if anything happens to Peeta. My sleep is fitful. It's been months since I've slept without Peeta, and I'm finding it unbearable. I miss his warmth, his soothing touches, his comforting kisses when I have a nightmare. He needs to make it out of that arena.

I finally fall asleep, dreaming of a boy with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Haymitch wakes me up frantically, telling me to come quick. The sight I see makes me scream inside my head. Cashmere and Seeder have Johanna and Beetee cornered, and Finnick and Peeta are sleeping still. Seeder must have teamed up with Cashmere as soon as she found out they were heavily outnumbered.

Johanna has two axes in her hands, ready to fight. Beetee looks scared with a small knife in his hand, looking ready to run.

"Beetee, I swear to God, if you die, I'll kill you," Johanna says. Even in a situation like this, she still manages to make you laugh.

Cashmere strikes first, slashing at Johanna. Johanna has obviously trained with Peeta and Finnick, because her hand to hand combat is nearly perfect. She seems to be able to predict the opponent's moves before they strike.

Seeder attacks Beetee, who isn't so good with fighting. It's almost sad to watch, really, because in a matter of seconds Seeder slashes Beetee's back with her knife, and turns to Cashmere.

"Let's go," she says as she starts to run. I'm confused by this, until Haymitch explains that their plan was to injure another one of them so it'll weaken them. They can't win against the four of them, so sneakily weaken one at a time, an eventually make your move. Peeta's hand being as messed up as it is, and Beetee being injured like he is means it'll be a two on two the next time they decide to fight.

Peeta's hand looks better because of the cream, but Johanna keeps examining it, asking if he can feel this touch, or if this hurts. Peeta can't feel anything in his hand, which is starting to worry me.

"Fuck!" Johanna screams into the sky. "Alright Peeta, can you move your hand?" she asks as he tries to make a fist. He can't. He probably broke a bone or two in there. "Damn it all! Fuck your Games! Fuck this arena! Fuck the Capitol! And lastly, fuck you Snow!"

"Johanna!" Peeta yells at her. She's openly bashing Snow. Peeta subtly sparked rebellion, and lost his whole family. She's openly flaming it. I'm wondering if her death will be quick…

"What Cinnamon Buns? I don't have anyone left that I love. I can say anything I want, because I have nobody left that I love! They're all dead!" she screams some more.

"I'll keep watch, I need to cool off," Johanna says.

Peeta tries to go back to sleep, and does for an hour or two, but is woken up by Finnick. "We need to talk to Jo'."

Peeta and Finnick make their way over to Johanna, who is slouched over Beetee checking his back, muttering obscenities under her breath.

"Johanna, there's six of us left. Well, five if you don't want to count Beetee. Keep your cool! We don't have time for this shit!" Finnick says.

"Sorry, it's just frustrating! How is Peeta going to be able to fight with a mangled hand? How is Beetee going to be able to fight if he can't even stand up!" Johanna yells.

"I get it, I feel the same way, but don't go flipping out on Snow. You know how that could end," Finnick says.

"Sorry. I'll calm down," Johanna says.

I know what they are saying, although they're talking in code. Snow sends something for them in the arena, and ruins their plans to escape.

In twenty four hours, Peeta will be back in my arms. I just need him to last that long.

The anthem blares in the background of the arena, showing the deaths from today. Brutus's death was the worst because Peeta was so close to being the one to kill him, but thankfully Finnick stepped in. It's weird knowing I killed someone and Peeta didn't yet we both won the same Games.

"Let's rest. Peeta, you take the first watch. I'll take second, you take third Jo'," Finnick says.

Peeta pulls out his necklace again, staring at my picture and kissing it lightly. "I'll see you guys soon, I promise."

He puts it back around his neck, and continues to watch. Cashmere and Seeder must be asleep, but it's dark and I can barely see the screen.

Eventually, he wakes Finnick, and goes to sleep. I rest for a little bit too, telling Haymitch to wake me if anything happens.

I wake up on my own, which is a good sign. It's only six o' clock. I'll see Peeta and Prim in sixteen hours. I can't wait.

I watch Peeta sleep for two hours, staring at his long eyelashes and beautiful face. I never told him how perfect he was when he was here. I need to make a list of things I don't tell him enough.

I don't tell him I love him enough. I don't tell him how nice his eyes are enough. I don't tell him how much I love his lips enough. I don't tell him how I love waking up in his arms enough. I don't tell him how much I love watching him knead dough enough. I don't tell him anything enough. I will though. Just make it out Peeta, and I'll tell you all of these things everyday for the rest of my life.

Peeta wakes up around ten in the morning. Johanna has been keeping watch, mumbling about how pissed off she is that Beetee still can't move.

"Jo', why don't you rest for a little bit. I'll wake you up in like… two hours," Peeta says.

"Fine, thank you," she says as she lays next to Finnick on one of the mats of moss Finnick wove.

Peeta watches for another two hours, and wakes everyone up.

"Alright, I say we hunt for Seeder and Cashmere tomorrow. I say we keep camp here and let Beetee rest. But tomorrow; we're getting them and then we'll end the alliance," Peeta says. "Sounds good?"

"I can't wait to get my hands on you Cinnamon Buns," Johanna says with a wink.

They've been tapping trees all day yesterday and today. It's gotten hotter in the arena, or at least it seems like it. I'm not there, so I don't know, but Peeta is sweating even more than yesterday.

They hang around and talk, keeping an eye out for Seeder and Cashmere, but still relaxing. Beetee can't move still, so he's stuck there.

At seven o' clock at night, Haymitch comes up to me. "What do you say we send Peeta one last gift?" he says. I nod.

We end up sending him four cheese buns, to remind him of us. To remind him that we're still here. He, of course, shares with everyone else.

"Wow Cinnamon Buns, I'd say these are the second best buns in the arena," Johanna says with a wink.

Finnick and Peeta laugh with Johanna, lightening the mood greatly. They all know that in less than five hours, we'll be rescuing them.

"Alright Sweetheart, let's go," Haymitch says. "We need to rest. We have barely slept in days. Back to the tribute center."

This is code for, Let's get our allies. I can't wait to "rest."

"Get in, Cinna will drive us," Haymitch says. We get in Cinna's car, and Cinna starts driving.

"How are we going to get out of here without getting caught?" I ask.

Cinna smirks. "That's where I come in, of course. I'm taking you to my house. I'll do your makeup, give you wigs, and make you look like totally different people. Haymitch has your fake I.D.s in case anyone stops you. They won't be able to tell it's you guys until we're out of here."

Cinna didn't lie. I look like a completely different person when he's done. And my new name is Yannie Flouret. I don't even know how to pronounce it, but I hope it works.

Cinna continues driving us down to the edge of the Capitol's walls, where a hovercraft will be waiting for us. It's on the opposite side as the arena, so Snow won't have extra guards here.

Cinna drops us off at a warehouse by the edge of the Capitol walls, and abandons his car in an alleyway.

"Come on Sweetheart, we have to move," Haymitch says.

I run alongside him, for what seems like a mile until we finally find the spot we're looking for. The District 13 hovercraft stands before us, waiting for us to get in.

"Strap yourself in, and prepare yourself. Things might go south," Haymitch says as he buckles himself in. "God, I need a drink."

"Katniss?" I hear Prim ask. Prim! I get up and run to her and hug her tightly.

"I've missed you," I whisper.

I hug my mother too, and they explain that they're here to help in case of a medical emergency. It makes sense, and I'm thankful they're safe.

We fly low so we aren't detected by the Capitol air signals. It's nerve wracking, yet I'm oddly calm. If we fail, then Peeta dies too. This should make me worried, but I've come to realize that I can't live without Peeta. So it's nice that the fate of our relationship is for once on me living, and not him living. I've been nervous since he went into the arena, but now it's my turn to fight.

We get to the outskirts of the arena in an hour. The arena is actually invisible to us. The forcefield is like glass, but you see through the other edge. It's weird to me but Haymitch says it makes sense. It's around 9:30 at night. thirty more minutes until District 5 blows up the dam. Thirty more minutes until we are free from Snow's reign.

We have to camp out until District 5 completes their part. Then, we pray District 6 does their part so Snow doesn't bomb the districts, and the Colosseum if he can find us.

Haymitch speaks on a telephone to District 13 officials, and District 5 and 6. They're ready for their tasks. District 5 starts in ten minutes.

"They're starting?" I ask when he hangs up.

"Yeah Sweetheart, get ready to see the boy," he says.

The other guards in the hovercraft are preparing their guns and suits, getting ready for this. It could mean people die, or it could go smoothly.

"They're setting the bombs now, get ready to fly," Haymitch says to the pilot. He nods and turns the engine on.

Suddenly, the arena is visible. The walls seem to be crumbling without the electricity running through it.

"Electromagnetic walls. Without the power, the walls have nothing holding them up," Haymitch explains. "Let's go get them."

Our hovercraft flies above our allies, and one by one we retrieve them into a basket. Beetee first, then Johanna, then Finnick. Just as Peeta's about to get in, Cashmere and Seeder pop out of the thick wet bushes and leaves, knives in hand.

"Peeta!" I scream. But it's too late. He has to fight them.

I watch Peeta dodge and dodge, not finding any openings to attack them. He ducks and moves back, looking around almost frantically, trying to find an opening to attack or escape.

"Come on Cinnamon Buns," Johanna mumbles.

Peeta's having difficulty fighting two people with only one hand, but his hand to hand combat with Finnick in the training Center is clearly helping greatly.

Peeta ducks one attack as Seeder slashes his cheek. It's probably deep, but he uses this as his opening and cuts Cashmere's ankle and steps back to dodge any attacks. Cashmere falls to the ground in pain.

Seeder hurls her body at Peeta, but Peeta's faster than her and moves out of the way. He kicks her to the ground and dashes to the basket.

"Raise it!" I yell at whoever is controlling it.

They press the button and raise Peeta up, but not before Seeder slashes his foot through the boot. He winces and cries out, but Seeder can't reach him anymore.

He's in pain, crying out into the hovercraft. Everyone else but Beetee is relatively fine, but Peeta's hurt badly. His foot is gushing blood through the boot, and his cheek too.

Prim tends to his cheek while my mother gently pulls off his boot and sock. The sight is not pretty. It isn't as bad as his cut the first Games we were in, but it's still terrible.

My mother silently bandages and splints Peeta's foot, while Prim cleans and bandages his cheek.

"I'm fine, it just… just hurts, that's all," he says to Prim who is berating him with questions.

"Look at his hand. Something's wrong there," Johanna said.

Prim looks at his hand while my mother helps Beetee. "Oh my God Peeta," she says. "This is the same hand as before, right?"

"Yeah. I think that's why I couldn't feel it, but it hasn't come back yet," he says.

"Oh God," Prim says as she examines it. "Mom, when you're done I need you."

"What is it, Prim? He's going to live, right?" I ask frantically.

"Yes but unless there's some Capitol cream that will fix this, he'll have troubles with his hand for the rest of his life. Whoever's knife he grabbed got him good," she says.

We fly for two hours before making it to the Colosseum. We got news that all of the districts blew up their train stations, Justice Building, and warehouses and mines. Snow is probably extremely mad right now, now that his precious Capitol has no supplies.

We fly through the bunker into a large room that holds the hovercraft. We all step out once it lands, Peeta limping next to me. I try to hold him up using my body.

"Behold, the Colosseum," Haymitch says. "Here, I'll show you around."