The boy with the bread: The back story to Peeta Mellark

Part 2: Chapter 13

All characters and story lines belong to Suzanne Collins, from Mockingjay-2010 

***

Part 2: In the Capitol 

Chapter 13

This isn't going to work— the plan. He knows that separating wasn't a good idea, or even an option. He knows that there's something weird going on, and he's scared that she'll break her promise. 

'I'll see you at midnight' 

Her words are still haunting his mind and now she's gone off with Johanna to fulfill Beetee's plan that he still thinks isn't going to work. 

Peeta debates screwing the plan and running off to find her, go off on their own, together. But Finnick is watching him . . . which is odd because he's supposed to be looking out for the left over careers. Not at him. 

It's getting darker by the minute, which means the lightning is coming soon. The gamemakers are probably going to end the games tonight. He can feel it. He remembers how it was last year around this time. But their opponent was Cato. 

Cato. A boy long gone. A boy who was a  career just wanting to fulfill his lifetime goal: to win the games. But there is no winners. Now, his opponents are also careers: Brutus and Enobaria. 

Peeta turns his head to face Finnick, he is flipping his trident while pacing back and forth. He looks nervous, like he's waiting for something to happen. In the middle of his thought, Peeta's ears ring as a scream fills the silence. 

Katniss. He automatically thinks. 

He looks at Beetee, then at Finnick, then decides to run, but gets stopped.

Finnick is grabbing his body, pushing him towards the tree. 

"I have to find her! Let me go!" Peeta screams while fighting Finnick. 

"The wire." Beetee says quietly. 

Finnick is still holding onto Peeta, and says to Beetee, "What?" 

Beetee speaks a bit louder, "The coil is broken. Someone cut it. They're after —"

"Peeta!" Finnick calls out as Peeta breaks free of his hold. 

He runs through the jungle, pushing past any branch or plants that get in his way. Then. . . silence. It's quiet for a good minute. 

Then, all hell breaks lose.

                                                   *    *    *

Beep. Beep. Beep.....                                                                                                                              . The sound doesn't stop. Its continuous beat rings Peeta's ears and he's desperate for it to stop. 

Groaning, he opens his eyes, which feel like they've been closed for weeks. Immediately pain shoots through him—down his spine, up his torso, and back to his head, where the thumping is as annoying as the beeping. 

Speaking of, why is there beeping? Where am I? He thinks. 

The last thing he remembers is is being in the arena and the screaming. Finnick and Beetee and the  wire— 

"Katniss!" he screams, regretting the decision right away. Then he realizes something, I'm in the Capitol. It all makes sense: the white walls. Fancy decorations. The faint feeling of being in a hospital.                  As soon as he puts the pieces together, he hears the sound of doors being opened and closed, he wants to get up, find out more about what happened, but his legs are too weak.