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

Chapter twenty-six

Chapter Twenty-six

KPOV

I spend the next couple of minutes deliberating whether I can make it to the forest, all the while slowing edging my way closer to the trees. I'm worried about what will happen to be out here all alone, unprotected and exposed. With my injured arm still oozing blood I realize I don't really have a choice. This wound needs cleaning and disinfecting. I not be a healer but I know something about looking after a wound from cleaning up the many of cuts and scrapes Rue and Fin have received throughout the years.

I will make it to the forest I tell myself. I need to security that comes with it. Taking a deep breath I push on through, half jogging half walking for fear that with the exhaustion threatening to take me under will leave me with no energy to make it to the safety of the trees I concentrate on my breathing, making sure that i keep it steadly and calm I can't afford to beginnings of a panic attack. It takes a bit longer than it should but just as the sun sets I break through the last row of houses, if you could even call them that anymore. They are more like ruins, piles of old unused rubble that would offer no protection from the elements.

In the rapidly fading light I know that something is wrong. I pull out an arrow and notch it to my bow slowing my pace to a predator's stalk but I'm certain there is no one else around who will be able to see me and attack. I slowly leave the protection of the last row of ruined houses ad creep forward making no noise at all. My arm protests as I lock my bow out ready to fire at a seconds notice but I manage to ignore it as my survival instincts kick in.

At this point I can barely see my hand in front of my face, darkness has fallen fast, apparently the games makers don't want me to go any further tonight. For once I listen to them reasoning that I know the head games maker, Plutarch is clearly sending me a message not to go any further until there's some light and decide to wait until the Capitol plays the anthem and shows the fallen, that should give me enough light to see why he doesn't want me to move until the morning.

Instead of going back to the shelter of the ruins I just settle down where I am and wait, the closer I can be to whatever the games makers don't want me to see until tomorrow the better. I need to get to the forest and the closer I am to the trees when I get that extra bit of light the better. I am only sat for a matter of minutes before the Capitol anthem begins to play and the dead tribute from both blood baths are being shown. I pay little attention to the first twenty knowing that I will not see Peeta's face for a good couple of minutes, if at all. He will be alive, he is cleverer than to get caught up in the fighting. He will be on his way to find me like I am on my way to find him and together we will make it out of here alive.

With the vast amount of light the screen showing the days fallen gives off it is easy to see why the games makers didn't want me to go any further. Less than a metre from where I've sat there is a cliff. I crawl to the edge and look down, it must be nearly a hundred metres and at the bottom I can see my beloved forest spreading out for miles in all directions below. Perfect, I think. Just perfect. But the more I think about this situation the more perfect it seems. I am a good climber meaning that I should be able to climb down these rocks with ease, I have some rope too so it would be safer than it would be for most of the other tributes.

The games makers are really making it difficult for the tributes to reunite. They want these games to go on for a long time, their aim and intent simple. To make the citizens of Panem suffer and watch as we all lose our minds, die slowly of starvation and of broken hearts. I can imagine what Paylor is thinking with this. She is reminding people who is in charge and giving everyone a glimpse of what life could go back to, that she has been kind and ensured that everyone is properly fed, that people can move between the districts with ease and that their lives are considerably better than they once were. This is a reminder of what their lives could resort back to if they step out of line too much. I can just imagine the broadcasts that are going out along with the games. What the likes of the new chat show hosts are being forced to say, playing old videos of the games, of the war and of everything that goes with it.

I know I am going to be unable to make it down the cliff tonight and I think to myself that this cliff is more of a blessing to me than anything else. It will give me a chance to find the river, possibly a waterfall that I can follow down, I will have to be careful though, by day break many tributes could be at the same point I am and there could be a number of fights, where can I stay for the night? I need somewhere safe but it's clear to me now that I am unable to make it to the forest tonight. So close but there is nothing I can gain from trying to make it down that cliff in the dark. I will make sure I am awake at first light to assess my situation and see if I can't find this river. It will be easier from up here then it ever will be from on the ground.

I begin to see what Plutarch has given me here. A vantage point. A distinct advantage. I am almost positive that if Peeta were to climb a tree, not that he ever would go high enough to clear the canopy, that he would be able to see this cliff and know to head towards it just like many of the other tributes but I assume I am one step ahead. I killed the closest tribute to me and I know for a fact that there are no more in front of me. All I can hope is that the pitch black of the arena will be enough to stop any tribute for the night. I move back to the relative safely of the piles of rubble as I do I look up just in time to see the loved one for team 11 flash up and I hold my breath hoping that the next face isn't Peeta's. I breathe a sigh of relief when the seal returns and the anthem plays once more. Peeta is still alive and that has just confirmed it for me. I sigh, mildly contempt with my situation. I am ahead, I know I am and I know my next more but most importantly one of my reasons for surviving this game is still alive, my only hope, the only thing keeping me going aside my children is still alive and I am one day closer to finding him.

"Peeta, I love you." I breath. "Good night Rue. Good night Fin I love you both." I finish, somehow knowing that this will be playing throughout Panem.

I can't imagine many of the tributes will be talking at this minute so they will be sure to show that the survivors are all ok, alive and kicking and all that. I then stare straight up at the sky and pull out my locket making sure it can be easily picked up y the cameras and do the only thing I can think of. I slowly rub the Mockingjay on the top, a silent message to Paylor and the rest of the world that I am still the Mockingjay and if I make it out of here alive I will be pitting a stop to this, the hunger games, fonce and for all. This has gone on long enough! I smirk before turning my attention to my pack and unpacking my sleeping bag I wriggle into it, laying down with my back to a wall, maximizing protection and minimizing the chances of being seen the last thing I do is pull out my own Mockingjay pin and rub it between my fingers before attaching it to my jacket and settle in for a long and restless nights sleep.

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I would say i'm sorry for not letting her get to the forest before nightfall but i think this little problem adds a bit to the story. Sorry for it being so short and that its more of a thinking chapter than an action chapter but we can't have Katniss having all the fun in the arena now can we?

Until next time! Please comment and vote! the more comments and votes I get don't forget, the faster I will update!!