We Remain

Chapter 18: Playing Games

"Who's left?" Finnick walks over to us. "We counted Brutus, Cashmere, Gloss...We are missing someone."

"Chaff." He's still out there." Peeta says.

"The final eight." I say. "We are the final eight... We should have waited! We shouldn't have got rid of our trackers just yet! What if they go after Prim! My mother!"

"Katniss...don't worry. They probably have done the interviews already. Prim is back in 12 safe. She's waiting for you to come home." Peeta says. And I believe him. Every word.

"Listen, soon, they will find us. They won't just let us go that easy." Finnick says. "Sorry for interrupting...this." Finnick walks away.

At night fall, Finnick gives us dried fruit he finds at a bottom of a backpack. He hands us a sleeping bag. Johanna is still angry at my stunt. I drink from the canteen and lay down next to Peeta. His arms holding my waist.

"She would have been as strong as you." Peeta whispers.

"Huh?" I say half-asleep.

"Willow...she would be exactly like you. Strong, beautiful, and life changing." Peeta elaborates.

"Peeta don't..." I whisper.

"I won't lie to you." Peeta says.

"Peeta when you go back...I want you to-" I begin to say my last goodbyes.

"Katniss stop. Don't say that." Peeta sits up.

"I won't lie to you Peeta. We both know only one of us will come out. It's not going to be me." I admit.

"Katniss that's not true. We've- I mean you've done this before. You got us out." Peeta says with encouragement.

"This is different. I can't..." I shake my head.

"You can't give up now." Peeta almost begs.

I grab his face with my face. "Listen, You will win and go home..." He shakes his head. "Tell Prim I love her, my mother and-"

"Gale." He whispers. "Katniss you won't die!"

"Tell Haymitch he was the best mentor I could have had. Thank Cinna and Effie for me." I begin to tear up at Peeta rejecting my words. I move tighten my grip on his face and make his eyes meet mine. "You have been the best thing that has changed my life."

"No." Peeta closes his eyes.

"...you know the truth." I'm starting to get angry.

"You know I'd die before anyone or thing would hurt you." Peeta says.

"Maybe it won't work out this time though." I whisper.

"You don't know that." Peeta looks at me straight in the eyes.

"The odds haven't been exactly in my favor..." I slide my hands down his face. I place them in my lap and look down.

"Look at me. We are all going to be okay." He lifts my chin.

"All?" I question.

"Yeah...Finnick, Johanna, You, and me." Peeta says. He's crazy. Four victors. Never. Impossible.

"You promise?" I still go along with it.

"Yes. No one else is going to die. Not you or me." Peeta promises.

I lean in and kiss him. We separate and lean my forehead against his chest. Inches away from my nose is the mockingjay pin.

"Guys! We have to leave!" Finnick comes running.

"What? Why?" Peeta stands up.

"No time." Finnick says. We pack and we are on our feet.

We walk for hours. It's past midnight. Peeta looks drained and I'm tripping on my own feet. If only we could have an hour of sleep. Johanna looks fine but not fully awake.

"I'm stopping. I can't take it any longer." I stop walking. The moonlight is the only light and way we could see through the foggy night.

"No no no. No time for stopping." Finnick grabs my arm. I try to pull away.

"Let go of her." Peeta steps in.

"Do you want the careers coming and killing all of us at night? That's maybe there plan. Also, if we stay in one place the capitol will find is faster." Finnick pushes.

"Let go Finnick." Peeta says. He's crushing my forearm.

"Fine. Stay here. We needed to break apart anyways. Right?" Finnick says angrily. He turns to Johanna. "You coming?"

"Gladly." She says. They walk away into the dead of night. They leave us two backpacks.

"Maybe is was time to split." Peeta says. He lifts my forearm and looks at the already bruising marks.

"Do we scale a tree?" I suggest.

"I guess we have too." Peeta sighs. I choose a tree and make Peeta climb up first. We stop at about 15 feet high.

The heat has lower immensely. It's actually very cold. Peeta and I put on our jackets. We pull out a sleeping bag.

"We cut it into two." Peeta says. "We make it blankets." I nod. He grabs a knife and starts cutting the seems of the bag. He lays on a thick branch right next to my branch. I tell him to tie his belt around his thigh so he won't fall off.

"Why do you think Finnick was so eager to leave?" I say.

"The "power" we gave him went to his head. Don't you think?" Peeta says. He puts on his hood and leans his head back.

"Yeah. He was being a bit pushy.Gee could be right though." I admit.

"True...I just hope they can find food out here. Without you, they're screwed." Peeta laughs. I smile.

I open my eyes. I turn and see Peeta asleep. Dew drops on the leaves. But it's cold. Incredibly cold. And cloudy.

"Wake up." I say. Peeta opens his eyes and stares at me.

"The temperature dropped. Didn't it?" He yawns.

"Yes. What are they doing to us?" I say referring to the gamemakers.

"Playing games." Peeta says. 

"There won't be much to hunt in this weather." I point out. Then a parachute comes down. Peeta raises his eyebrows at me. He grabs it and hands it to me.

"How did they know where we were?" I ask.

"They found us Ms. Everdeen." Peeta says. I open the metal container. Some soup, bread and water. Also two notes.

"Stay warm. They found you." The note reads. The other says. "We found you. Stay safe." Well, why two? And what's the difference between "they" and "We". It's the same?

"Well, what does the mean?" Peeta says confused.

"I wish I knew..." I say.

Peeta sets up the food. We both drink the chicken broth. Dipping the bread in occasionally.

"I hate to say it but we have to move." I say. Peeta sits back after finishing the food.

"Arrgg. Fine." He whines. We begin on foot again. Then we hear screaming...