Peeta
(Ten) Doubts About the Games
“Here, take this, Cato!” Glimmer offers him the bow and arrows. I see the look of shock on Katniss’ face, knowing that her rightful weapon lies in completely incompetent hands.
“No, I’ll do better with my sword.”
I wish I had laser-shooting eyes so I could burn a hole right through them. Instead, I look away, trying to hide my face so they can’t see every emotion bottled up inside of me. But somehow, it doesn’t even matter to me anymore. If Katniss is killed, there’s no point in staying with the Careers anymore.
I don’t want to watch, but I can still hear Cato struggle up the tree. He falls, landing right next to my feet. I dare to glance up, and I see Katniss perched almost at the top of the tree, and I can barely even see her. I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Let me try. I’m lighter,” says Glimmer.
“Yeah, get her, Glimmer!” the others shout, laughing in cruel unison.
She starts up the tree, but after a minute or so, she jumps back down. “She’s too damn high!” Glimmer shouts. “Now what do we do?!”
Cato swears under his breath, and Clove starts hacking the bark from the tree with a knife, though we all know she won’t make much progress.
Exasperated and worried, I raise my voice harshly. “Oh, let her stay up there. It’s not like she’s going anywhere. We’ll deal with her in the morning.”
Everyone except Cato nods in agreement. He glares at me, furious that he couldn’t catch her – and probably looking for a way to blame me – but, like everyone else, he’s drained.
The anthem starts, and we all stare into the sky, knowing there won’t be any new deaths. We set up a camp for the night below the tree that Katniss is now residing in.
I volunteer to keep watch first, but Lilliana insists, and the other Careers choose her over me. As everyone else falls asleep, though, I stay awake, watching Lilliana as she stands under the tree, wielding her deadly mace.
Is Katniss asleep up there? It seems frightening to sleep in a tree, but I guess her resourcefulness and ability to adapt is one reason why I like her so much. I admire the fact that she can do anything she has to do without complaining.
But it’s more than just admiration now. I love her...in a completely unrequited way. I want to protect her, but here, there’s not much I can do, other than stay awake and make sure no one touches her in that tree.
In the middle of the night, Lilliana wakes Glimmer up to keep watch, but Glimmer quickly falls back to sleep in her guard spot. I quietly get up, careful not to wake anyone, and circle the tree. There’s nothing I can do anymore but hope that Katniss sneaks down and runs while the Careers are sleeping.
She doesn’t, though, which gives me doubts about the Games and her plans.
I slump against the tree on the opposite side of Glimmer. Katniss probably loathes me now, though. She doesn't realize why I teamed up with the Careers – to keep them from her, to acquire the bow and arrows. I just hope the sponsors and people of District 12 have noticed that I'm not just here for myself, so that they sponsor us and give Katniss whatever she needs in the arena.
Streaky signs of light begin to appear in the sky through the trees. I look up quickly, realizing I dozed off. I look around though, and nothing seems changed; Glimmer is still sleeping on her guard post, and the rest of them are nearby, under their sleeping bags. I quietly make my way back to mine, acting as though I had been asleep this entire time.
“No, I’ll do better with my sword.”
I wish I had laser-shooting eyes so I could burn a hole right through them. Instead, I look away, trying to hide my face so they can’t see every emotion bottled up inside of me. But somehow, it doesn’t even matter to me anymore. If Katniss is killed, there’s no point in staying with the Careers anymore.
I don’t want to watch, but I can still hear Cato struggle up the tree. He falls, landing right next to my feet. I dare to glance up, and I see Katniss perched almost at the top of the tree, and I can barely even see her. I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Let me try. I’m lighter,” says Glimmer.
“Yeah, get her, Glimmer!” the others shout, laughing in cruel unison.
She starts up the tree, but after a minute or so, she jumps back down. “She’s too damn high!” Glimmer shouts. “Now what do we do?!”
Cato swears under his breath, and Clove starts hacking the bark from the tree with a knife, though we all know she won’t make much progress.
Exasperated and worried, I raise my voice harshly. “Oh, let her stay up there. It’s not like she’s going anywhere. We’ll deal with her in the morning.”
Everyone except Cato nods in agreement. He glares at me, furious that he couldn’t catch her – and probably looking for a way to blame me – but, like everyone else, he’s drained.
The anthem starts, and we all stare into the sky, knowing there won’t be any new deaths. We set up a camp for the night below the tree that Katniss is now residing in.
I volunteer to keep watch first, but Lilliana insists, and the other Careers choose her over me. As everyone else falls asleep, though, I stay awake, watching Lilliana as she stands under the tree, wielding her deadly mace.
Is Katniss asleep up there? It seems frightening to sleep in a tree, but I guess her resourcefulness and ability to adapt is one reason why I like her so much. I admire the fact that she can do anything she has to do without complaining.
But it’s more than just admiration now. I love her...in a completely unrequited way. I want to protect her, but here, there’s not much I can do, other than stay awake and make sure no one touches her in that tree.
In the middle of the night, Lilliana wakes Glimmer up to keep watch, but Glimmer quickly falls back to sleep in her guard spot. I quietly get up, careful not to wake anyone, and circle the tree. There’s nothing I can do anymore but hope that Katniss sneaks down and runs while the Careers are sleeping.
She doesn’t, though, which gives me doubts about the Games and her plans.
I slump against the tree on the opposite side of Glimmer. Katniss probably loathes me now, though. She doesn't realize why I teamed up with the Careers – to keep them from her, to acquire the bow and arrows. I just hope the sponsors and people of District 12 have noticed that I'm not just here for myself, so that they sponsor us and give Katniss whatever she needs in the arena.
Streaky signs of light begin to appear in the sky through the trees. I look up quickly, realizing I dozed off. I look around though, and nothing seems changed; Glimmer is still sleeping on her guard post, and the rest of them are nearby, under their sleeping bags. I quietly make my way back to mine, acting as though I had been asleep this entire time.