The Hunger Games (Peeta's Point of View)

Chapter Twenty Two

Despite the storm that is brewing outside, the cave seems inexplicably warmer. The lightning illuminating the sky, I see a handful of stars dotting the horizon like shards of glass. For how long have I slept? I try to absorb reality. Drugged with those berries, the last thing I remember is Katniss. I don't remember her moving my body in a more comfortable position. But the gratitude I feel for that one small act is not strong enough to negate the betrayal I feel.

        Lightning strikes again, revealing the picture of night to me again, and I realise I can't afford to dwell on that fiasco; I need to move. Flexing my fingers, it suddenly occurs to me that it doesn't hurt to move (bar a slight ache in my arm), my mind isn't as clouded and my thoughts are rational- at least, they are to me. Yet, I have blood poisoning. This doesn't make sense. Could it be possible Katniss returned with the medicine? That thought seems outlandish and for a moment I wonder if my thoughts aren't as reasonable as I previously thought. I move my arm again to focus on movement rather than my thoughts, when I feel something warm and wet between my fingers. Suspiciously like-

        Then, with a third flash of lightning casting light on it, I see Katniss' body. Next to me, she's lying in a pool of blood. Her blood. Panic jolts through me as if I've been struck by the lightning. Is she breathing? Hurriedly I maneuver myself so I can check her pulse, the swelling in my leg making it all the more awkward. But I don't even need to check to see if she's breathing- her breathing is so rapid as her body struggles to maintain life.  There's a wound on her head, just above her right eyebrow, which is where the blood's coming from. A slow trickle now, but it's still bleeding.

        The little I know about treating wounds floats out of my head. I know what I'm supposed to do but try as I might I cannot recall it. I rack my brain but I'm mesmerised by the deep crimson that emphasises the frailty of Katniss. Stem the bleeding! I scour the cave for bandages then adjust Katniss' body so I can apply it without drenching myself in her blood. Tilting her head, I wrap it around, nice and tight, praying that she doesn't wake up now. I dread to think of her reaction. She'd probably still be able to summon the strength to push me away.

        The bandage seems to swamp her tiny head but it does the trick. Next I move her out of the blood and to a more comfortable place near the back of the cavern. It's hard work and I have to rest at least three times, but eventually, wrapped up in a sleeping bag, Katniss appears comfortable, or as comfortable as she can be. Looking back at the blood, I notice something small and shiny, like an island in a river. A syringe. That must be what Katniss stuck in me. I cannot believe she would go to such lengths to save me. The thought that something from the Capitol cured me is so disgusting I grab and hurl the syringe as far as I can- which isn't very far- anything to distance myself from the Gamemakers' taint.

        It's then that the piercing Capitol anthem sounds, and I can't stop myself from scurrying to the mouth of the cave to catch a glimpse of who Katniss could have killed and who could have killed Katniss. All I see is a flash of dark hair, and for a moment I'm petrified that it's Katniss, that she suddenly slipped away in those moments. But then I see Clove's defiance and I'm reassured. Did Katniss kill her? Something tells me she wouldn't be able to.

        When I return, Katniss is shivering in her sleep- nothing like a killer at all.  It probably doesn't help that there's a leak in the roof and the water's dripping on her face. So, I locate the plastic square and squeeze it between the rocks above her. Rain drips through other holes in the roof but I have no way to stop them. At least part of Katniss is covered. Drops still splash on her, waist down, though. To help warm her even more I remove her socks and shoes- they're soaked- which cannot be helping her recover in any way.