Peeta
(Five) See For Yourself
"Dammit, where is everyone?" says a clearly frustrated Clove as she turns to us. "This arena is too big!" Under her breath, she continues on, ranting about how infuriated she is and conjuring up some swear words.
It's true. We've been walking for hours and there have been no signs of any of the other tributes. This may very well be the biggest arena I've ever witnessed in the Hunger Games; then again, it's the only one I've actually been in.
That's when we see it: a glowing light ahead. A tribute has built a fire. It's not Katniss, I assure myself, and even if it is, she would have left it by now. We run towards the fire; there's a small girl sleeping there. I don't know what District she's from, but I sigh in relief that she's not Katniss. The Careers, however, are all over her instantly.
She wakes up, panicked. Her arms are being held behind her by the girl from District 4, while Marvel and Cato are both pointing spears at her. "No!" she cries, "Please, not now! I'll do anything!" Unrelenting, Marvel thrusts the spear toward her chest. She screams, then falls to the ground. "Twelve down, eleven to go," says Clove. The others laugh conspiratorially.
Cato looks at me with victorious eyes. I lay down my own spear and take out the switchblade to check her for supplies. "Nothing good," says Cato, looming over me. "We better clear out so they can get the body before it starts to rot." I'm left shaky about the kill and my conscience is haunting, but the Careers are ruthless. We hurry on.
Suddenly, Clove stops under a tree. "Did you hear a cannon?" she asks. She leaves no time for a reply when she follows with, "Why didn't it go off?"
"She's gotta be dead, I stuck her myself," Marvel says.
They start arguing about how well she was stabbed, and if she'll actually die or not. Annoyed by this pointless disagreement, or perhaps just trying to prove that I'm one of them, I stop their argument. "We're wasting time!" I say, "I'll go back and finish her off so we can continue."
"Go on, then, Lover Boy," sneers Cato, "See for yourself."
I turn around, using my flashlight for guidance. The Careers stand there in a huddle with their torches while I make my way back to the girl. I can see she is definitely alive, her chest rattling as it rises and falls. No, this girl would never make it, anyway.
I take a deep breath, assuring myself that this is the only way to let Katniss live. I stare into her desperate eyes. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, choked on my words. “So, so sorry.” My spear goes up, and I stab her heart.
The clustered bunch breaks apart as I approach. "Was she dead?" Cato asks sharply.
"No, but she is now." The cannon boom justifies my reply. "Ready to move on?" There was no point in asking the question, as I already knew the answer.
We continue on, marching all night with no more kills. We reach the camp where Glimmer is starting to doze off, just as morning lights the sky. Lilliana, the girl from District 4, says she'll guard as the rest of us sleep. I'm exhausted. I haven't slept since I've gotten in the arena.
I fall asleep with the rest of the Careers. None of us bother with tents or sleeping bags, as the air has gotten pretty warm. I fall asleep almost immediately.
It's true. We've been walking for hours and there have been no signs of any of the other tributes. This may very well be the biggest arena I've ever witnessed in the Hunger Games; then again, it's the only one I've actually been in.
That's when we see it: a glowing light ahead. A tribute has built a fire. It's not Katniss, I assure myself, and even if it is, she would have left it by now. We run towards the fire; there's a small girl sleeping there. I don't know what District she's from, but I sigh in relief that she's not Katniss. The Careers, however, are all over her instantly.
She wakes up, panicked. Her arms are being held behind her by the girl from District 4, while Marvel and Cato are both pointing spears at her. "No!" she cries, "Please, not now! I'll do anything!" Unrelenting, Marvel thrusts the spear toward her chest. She screams, then falls to the ground. "Twelve down, eleven to go," says Clove. The others laugh conspiratorially.
Cato looks at me with victorious eyes. I lay down my own spear and take out the switchblade to check her for supplies. "Nothing good," says Cato, looming over me. "We better clear out so they can get the body before it starts to rot." I'm left shaky about the kill and my conscience is haunting, but the Careers are ruthless. We hurry on.
Suddenly, Clove stops under a tree. "Did you hear a cannon?" she asks. She leaves no time for a reply when she follows with, "Why didn't it go off?"
"She's gotta be dead, I stuck her myself," Marvel says.
They start arguing about how well she was stabbed, and if she'll actually die or not. Annoyed by this pointless disagreement, or perhaps just trying to prove that I'm one of them, I stop their argument. "We're wasting time!" I say, "I'll go back and finish her off so we can continue."
"Go on, then, Lover Boy," sneers Cato, "See for yourself."
I turn around, using my flashlight for guidance. The Careers stand there in a huddle with their torches while I make my way back to the girl. I can see she is definitely alive, her chest rattling as it rises and falls. No, this girl would never make it, anyway.
I take a deep breath, assuring myself that this is the only way to let Katniss live. I stare into her desperate eyes. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, choked on my words. “So, so sorry.” My spear goes up, and I stab her heart.
The clustered bunch breaks apart as I approach. "Was she dead?" Cato asks sharply.
"No, but she is now." The cannon boom justifies my reply. "Ready to move on?" There was no point in asking the question, as I already knew the answer.
We continue on, marching all night with no more kills. We reach the camp where Glimmer is starting to doze off, just as morning lights the sky. Lilliana, the girl from District 4, says she'll guard as the rest of us sleep. I'm exhausted. I haven't slept since I've gotten in the arena.
I fall asleep with the rest of the Careers. None of us bother with tents or sleeping bags, as the air has gotten pretty warm. I fall asleep almost immediately.