Crisis of Faith

15

"Go, go, go!" Gale yelled.

The oil flowed fast, sending the squad into panic mode. Finnick kept his hand on Peeta's back to push him forward but, then separated to get up to higher grounds. The footsteps synced, and the same goal steamed throughout the unit. Survival was the only thing on any of their minds.

"Let's go!" Holmes shouted.

"Move!" Jackson instructed.

The commands were unnecessary, and didn't pay any homage to how fast everyone was moving.

"Fuck!"

Kaianna turned around, and instantly rushed to pick Brooke back up to her feet, "Go!"

"Get to higher ground," Holmes advised fearfully, "come on!"

Kaianna pulled Brooke along with her as she ran up the steps. Their movements were halted, when Peeta threw Katniss into them.

"Come on," Kaianna pulled Brooke up, and pushed her up the rest of the steps, "keep going!"

She looked back to see one of her fellow soldiers tackle Peeta to try to get him under control.

"Finnick," Jackson yelled, "restrain him!"

Finnick ran towards the boy but, it was too late. By time he could get to Peeta, the blonde had shoved Mitchell into the sea of oil, and brought him to his end.

"Mitchell!" Holmes screamed painfully.

Finnick watched the man being strung up in horror as he wrapped his arms tightly around his former ally. Katniss stepped forward to help the fallen soldier but, Gale pulled her in the other direction.

"Come on. Come on." Gale mumbled.

"Settle," Finnick muttered, tightening his grip on Peeta, "settle."

Peeta's pants grew louder as he struggled to break free, the frustration, and terror evident in his short breaths.

"Come on," Gale kept Katniss in a tight hold as he raced up the remainder of stairs, "come on! We gotta move!"

"Get inside!" Jackson commanded.

Holmes fired at the glass in front of them before seeing the remainder of the unit through the entrance.

"Everybody inside," He demanded, "go upstairs! Go! Hurry up!"

Kaianna let Gale and Katniss pass her before shoving Brooke into the building.

"Go!" Finnick grunted, struggling to get Peeta over the last step.

She ignored his command, and instead assisted him with getting the boy into the building so they could head up the stairs.

"Keep moving!"

"Get to the top! Go!"

More commands yelled in an attempt to keep everyone going. The soldiers raced up the steps, their goal of making it to the top, being dwindled when they recognized a section of the stairs that had been blown out. The injured Leeg let out a painful groan when Castor set her down.

"Hey, hey," Finnick spoke calmly to Peeta, regardless of the struggle he was having to pin him against the wall and administer the sedative, "I got you."

He lulled Peeta into a calmness, every once and again shushing his mutters of protest. The group watched the black waves fearfully, expecting for them to reach them at any moment. They were cornered, and there was nothing they could do but, wait.

"It's slowing down." Cressida pointed out hopefully.

Kaianna let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding in, "Are you alright?"