Justice, the 4th hunger games book, the story after mockingjay

Chapter Twenty

Chapter sixteen

KPOV

"Good luck." I mutter to Peeta as they place the tracker in our arms. We were sat next to each other in the hovercraft before we would be transferred to two smaller ones to reach the arenas.

"I'll see you soon, just remember that." He replies whilst taking my hand and squeezing it three times. That simple small gesture that says so many things. I take a moment to savour his touch knowing that I would not get this moment again for days, maybe weeks, maybe ever. That one thought has me fighting back tears, I cannot afford to this like that, showing that kind of weakness will get me killed. Focusing all my attention on Peeta I turn and look him straight in the eye.

"I'll remember." I say, forcing a smile which he mirrors.

"Tributes, this is where you must part ways. Loved ones, your harnesses have now been unlocked, if you would like to follow me." States a peacekeeper breaking the silence. Every other seat was now unoccupied as half of the tributes got up out of their seats and said goodbye to their other half. I didn’t focus on any as before I had a chance Peeta was there giving me one last fierce kiss goodbye.

“You’re going to need this.” I say as he pulls away. I place a small sealed envelope in his hands as the peacekeeper orders him out with the others.

“I love you.” He mouths as he’s ushered away.

“Always.” I reply though I’m unsure if he heard it.

As soon as the doors are closed again we are off. I don’t allow myself to look at any of the remaining tributes, instead I sit there eyes closed and think, just think, about everything, my home, my family, but most of all what I am going to do at the Cornucopia.

Do I run or do I stay and fight?

Most of the tributes there will have had experience killing and I will be high on their hit list but at the same time if I do run I will be deemed a coward and won’t have any provisions. I need a bow, or at least some knives, a bag with something, anything I might be able to use to survive. Even some wire or a plastic sheet is better than nothing. At least then I will be able to hunt and that’s better than nothing. If that happens I will just have to be like Foxface and be evasive. Then again if I stay and fight, there’s a great risk of me getting injured and then I won’t be able to fight later on, and that’s if I even make it out of there alive, I will be everyone primary target, taking out the girl on fire will drastically increase their chances of winning.

Although many of the mentors are my friends and want me out alive no matter what the cost and I have heard a little from Peeta about what they have been telling their tributes, that I will not be a big threat, that I have lost all my skills and so they would be better off just leaving me to die from starvation, though how much of that the tributes bought I do not know and moreover if they have communicated that to the tributes in this circle I do not know.

No.

It will just have to depend on where I am placed around the Cornucopia I decide.

If I am on the opposite side to the way I need to go I will run through pick up and cutting down anything and anyone in my path, I will be ruthless. But if I am on the side I need to head, I will grab as many provisions as I need and run, run and not stop until I am far away from there. The further I run when I am well rested the closer I get to Peeta, and that is my primary aim, we are both good as individuals but over the past ten years we have become like hunting partners. Like how Gale and I used to be, able to hunt, know each other’s whereabouts without looking and watch out for each other. Together we weren’t good, together we would be pretty much unstoppable pre-empting each other’s movements, we would be able to keep each other safe and alert. Something we will need to make it out of this one alive.

“Tributes, you will follow the two peacekeepers to your room to prepare for launch.” Come’s a voice over the speaker system as our harnesses are unlocked. I sit and wait for everyone else to file out, watching everyone intently trying to gauge their thoughts on how they are going to handle the initial fight. I nitice that there are a group of four that walk out close to each other, glancing at each other and not bothering to keep a respectable distance between them.

These will be the ones I will need to keep an eye on and avoid if I can. I recognise three of them Katelyn, the one I picked out as being a career, the man with orange hair and Marcus, I believe he was called along with another woman who looked to be in her early thirties, the one Peeta said he recognised, he never did explain how he thought he knew a women from two I muse. The final was another man I don’t recognize him from the reaping though he must have been there, he must have been one of the ones I tuned out for, coal black mid length, un-kept  hair with unforgiving near black eyes. Not a group of people I would never like to meet in a dark night. I roll my eyes at my thoughts. Of course I will be meeting most of these people on a dark night, in the middle of a forest or wherever, alone.

I finally get up, leaving a reasonable distance between me and the others and follow the last two peacekeepers down a long dark corridor I know only too well. They finally stop outside a door opening it before stepping aside allowing me to enter before closing the door. On the wall in front of me is a large digital counter, I have three minutes before I have to in the tube to take me into the arena. Taking a deep breath to calm myself I look around and notice a clothing bag hung up in the far corner of the room. I unzip it and quickly change.

Glancing at the clock forty seconds to wait, this time I'm alone. No Cinna to tell me that he'd bet on me, no hug, just the sound of the countdown and my breathing to keep me company.

Thirty seconds.

I slowly walk over to the glass tube designed to drop me into the arena and I find myself once again thankful for my clothing, light but durable, waterproof yet warm, this should serve me well.

Twenty seconds.

I step into the tube and close my eyes, calming myself, preparing myself to take in my surroundings. I will have just sixty seconds to make my decision.

Ten seconds.

I make sure my jackets it fully zipped up and my sleeves are rolled up to give me maximum maneuverability.

Five seconds.

I fumble with the locket hanging around my next and hold it tight. “I will find you Peeta.” I whisper as the tube slides shut and locks itself behind me before the plate starts to move me upwards.

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Just as a heads up I will now be alternating POV between Katniss and Peeta.