No Hope Left-A Mockingjay Story

Chapter 9

I am lying by the river bank, my leg on fire. I had covered myself in green paint, hoping the camouflage would pay off. It did. So far I heard two tributes pass me by. I pray that the Careers don't find me. Somehow I wish that Katniss will find me, but then, she tried to kill me. Or did she? This is so confusing! Last time I remembered it things seemed so much simpler. But then, last time I didn't think Katniss tried to kill me. Or did she? I could think about this forever, but new footsteps approach. A familiar voice softly calling my name.

"Peeta!," Katniss calls. I try to sit up and my leg screams in protest. I groan and flop back down.

"Peeta!," Katniss says again, but this time she knows where I am. "You're still alive! I thought you were dead"

She pulls me up and pulls me into an awkward embrace. When she pulls away I hear her mutter "should've stayed dead." I'm hallucinating. Katniss would have never said that. Or would she? Here we go again. She pulls me up crudely and I cry out in pain.

"Sorry," Katniss says rather dryly. "Let's go find a place to hide."

She starts walking on ahead, into the forest. I look back at the river and quickly wash my face before limping after her. She is walking at a fast pace and I have trouble keeping up on one foot.

"Katniss! Wait!," I call. Katniss looks back impatiently.

"The Careers will be here any moment," she says. "Hurry up."

I keep limping, putting pressure on my injured leg to go faster. It hurts like hell, but I force myself to keep going for the Girl on Fire. I keep my eyes trained on her, but her brisk pace puts more distance between us. She gets farther and farther away.

"Katniss, please wait!," I exclaim. But she cannot hear me. I hear a noise behind me, and look around. Suddenly I am knocked to the ground and the air is knocked out of my lungs. I gasp. There is someone sitting on me, having me at a chokehold.

"Peeta?," the voice says. I crack my eyes open to see a familiar face.

"Thresh," I wheeze. The tribute from District 11 slackens his grip around my throat.

"I thought you were Cato," he said apologetically. I smile despite the situation. Thresh stands up and offers me his hand, which I accept. I look back at where Katniss was, but she is already gone. I can feel my heart sink. Why would she leave me? I quickly explain to Thresh that I have to follow Katniss and his eyes darken.

"Be careful," he says. "She's dangerous."

Just like that he disappears into the bushes. I wonder what he means, but I follow Katniss anyway.

I sit up, rubbing my eyes. Thresh seemed so real...even more real than my last...whatever this is. Snow smiles and motions for Dr. Cornelius to ask me his questions.

"Your name is Peeta Mellark."

"True."

"You are seventeen years old."

"True."

"You are from District 12."

"True."

"You're in love with Katniss Everdeen."

"What's the point of this?," I demand angrily. "You know what I am going to say! Of course I'm in love with Katniss!"

Dr. Cornelius keeps going as if he didn't hear my outburst.

"The Capitol knows what is right."

I don't answer. I feel fed up with this. Another part of me is confused, because I'm not usually angry. Especially not after some weird dream.

"The Capitol knows what is right."

I stare at Cornelius. He stares back. Eventually he wins.

"False," I huff. "One hundred percent false."

"Katniss left you behind in the First Hunger Games."

I look down at my hands, twisting them in my lap. I really don't want to answer this question. I know what the answer is, but I really wish it were the opposite.

"True."

Hadrius shoves me back into my cell and I land on my knees, facing the wall. Brett and Neil are missing, which would explain the screams I heard on my way back. I can feel how tense the air is between Enobaria and Johanna. I remember watching a really old movie called "Star Wars" where people used something called the Force to move things. It was made before North America was destroyed and Panem became a country. Maybe, if I walked between the two women, I would experience what the Force could feel like.

"Peeta, why aren't they torturing me?," Annie asks. I look at her, furrowing my eyebrows.

"They're...not?," I repeat. Annie shakes her head.

"Well, I did promise that nothing bad would happen to you," I joke weakly. Annie laughs.

"I'm mentally unstable, not stupid," she says. I decide not to question that. I close my eyes. Be careful. She's dangerous. I see Katniss walking away. Why did she leave me behind? What if I had been less lucky and someone else, not Thresh, had attacked me. But what about the times in the cave? What about the time on the beach? Doesn't she love me? The door sways open and Brett is dragged in and thrown into his cell. His head is bleeding heavily. I scramble to my feet and run to the bars.

"Brett?," I breathe. Johanna also jumps to her feet, momentarily forgetting her hatred for Enobaria. Brett sits up and touches his head; when he pulls away all of his fingers are stained red.

"M'okay," he moans. "M'okay."

He falls back down and I can tell he won't open his eyes for a long time. I look at Johanna and she looks at me. We both know it won't be a long time before things get much worse.