Star Crossed Lovers (Clove And Cato Book 2)

26. Escaping The Killers Curse

26.

You’ve heard all about them at school, when you were old enough, and you couldn’t wait to be reaped and win. No, not anymore. I hate these ‘Games’. They just don’t make sense and make me want to puke. Literally, I could just bend over right now and just vomit. Beetee said he wanted to put his plan into action tomorrow, promising that it would all be over in the next few hours. It’s not tomorrow, and now…my stomach is in twists of thinking about it. Butterflies keep fluttering around me, like in my first Games and Renn got me prepared for my send off. Renn.

Just thinking of my stylist getting beat to a pulp sends shivers down my spine. She has to be okay, I would kill myself if she died, if no one in here got the honour to do so first.

“Clove you alright?” Cato brings me back to the real world, and I feel my heart race slow. Yeah they always say the one that you love makes your heartbeat fasten, but with Cato it brings me back to heaven, and slows me down. I look up and see him; his hair looking clean and fresh, his body cleaned and smoother looking from before. I forget that he went down earlier this morning to wash with Wiress at his heels. She’s not OK, still a little bonkers, but better. If that’s possible.

“I’m fine, just a little worried that’s all.” I say biting back my tongue to silence me. Beetee bursts in, a wire coiled around his waist, his glasses falling down his nose.

“Okay everyone, we better hurry. I have everything planned out. It’s very exciting, isn’t it?” Beetee says in a happy-go voice that makes more knots form in my belly.

I muster out a small smile, and avert my eyes from Cato penetrating gaze.

“Ecstatic,”

***

I know that when I said to Beetee I was ready, that I was. Now though, with my knife in hand, and Cashmere sulking behind me, I regret my swift decision.

“Cashmere and Clove will take the wire down to the southern tip of the arena and coil it around the passing trees which when the clock strikes will send off an electric current, frying up the waters. Once the knife sails into the force field you can say ‘home-sweet-home!’” Beetee says quickly, handing Cashmere the wires. Cato doesn’t protest being away from me, and I nudge his arm before stalking after my ‘happy’ ally who mutters curses as we enter the dense forest. Branches keep scratching against my forehead and nettles and vines keep managing their ways to rub against my legs. I don’t let the pain show, and scamper after Cashmere who keeps rolling her eyes at me.

“Hurry up!” she puffs out, her eyes scanning our surroundings quickly as a cannon- we think- signals off.

“I’m right behind you; don’t get your knickers in a twist.” I mutter, my lame come-back twisted in with my ignorance.

Cashmere and I carry on, till suddenly the arena dims.

“Oh no,” Cashmere trails off as multiple cannon sounds start playing off, again and again.

I hear footsteps in the clearing, and quickly fall to the ground, trying to make the forest my blanket.

Cato, he has to be alright. He can’t die. I can’t let him

I grab out a knife and keep it up, looking out for tributes that might be passing by.

Cashmere shrieks and crawls over to me, after quickly wrapping the wire around the trees. She knocks me to one side and slashes at me with my own knife! I scream as she injects the knife into my arm, and starts cutting a dense hole into it. I don’t care if anyone hears me as I let out an ear-piercing scream that sends birds flying from the trees.