The Hunger games - I'm still breathing (Everlark)

Chapter 18

It feels like I have been waiting for hours before I hear footsteps returning to me. Two sets of footsteps. They march at a rapid pace, one louder than the other. I crawl away from them, convinced that it is the marching footsteps of the peacekeepers coming to arrest me. The insane lunatic.

I pull myself up on the nearest tree, my legs trembling beneath me. The pressure on my wrist causes me to wince as a sharp pain courses through it. I try to take deep, even breaths through the smoke that clouds my vision. Although I can no longer smell it, the images still keep flashing back. I can't tell anymore if they're in my head or right in front of me.

A hand on my back startles me. I turn round, ready to attack my pursuers but find that there are no peacekeepers to be seen. Instead, two recognisable faces fade into view. The smoke around me begins to clear and I'm brought back into reality. Back into the woods.

"It's okay, Katniss," Peeta says, stroking my hair away from my face.

It's not okay. Why does this keep happening? What's wrong with me? I lean back against the tree and slide down it, scratching my back along the way. Peeta follows suit and crouches down in front of me. I focus on the sting of the scratches, trying not to think about the events in the past hour.

"Where were you?" I ask, accusingly. "I needed you and you weren't here." Hot, angry tears sliver down my cheeks.

"I know. I'm sorry I wasn't here, Katniss. But I'm here now, I'm not going anywhere."

He swivels around so that he's sat next to me and places an arm around my shoulder. I lean into him, resting my head on his shoulder. I cast my eyes upward towards Gale and am shocked by the long trail of blood that is dripping from his nose.

"What happened to your face?" I ask.

He shrugs his shoulders and holds his arms up in defeat.

"Today is the first and only time that I will ever admit that I got beat up by a girl," he laughs awkwardly.

"I did that to you?" I ask again.

Of course you did, all you're good at is hurting people remember?

I shake my head, casting the voice aside.

Gale nods.

"I tried to pick you up so I could carry home but you weren't having any of it. I was talking to you as well but I don't think you could hear me. I eventually gave up and sprinted back to get Peeta," he explains.

"I'm sorry, Gale," I whisper.

"It doesn't matter. Are you okay, Catnip?" He asks, locking eyes with mine. I see the genuine concern written on his stormy irises.

I shrug my shoulders.

"I just feel bad for you. Your face isn't pretty anymore," I say, shooting him a halfhearted smile.

This seems to lighten the mood between the three of us as we laugh together at my comment. All of a sudden, the tension doesn't feel so overbearing anymore.

"I think we should probably get you home now," Peeta says, getting to his feet and pulling me up with him.

I leave Peeta's side and head towards a moss-covered tree. I pluck the lushest looking piece off and hand it over to Gale.

"If you hold it on it will soak up some of the blood," I state.

"Thanks, Catnip."

"Where did the Catnip nickname come from?" Peeta asks, smiling at the both of us.