Everybody Talks: Sequel

Chapter Thirteen: Official Combat, Unofficial Death

***Finnick's POV***

I wake with a start, flying up in my bed to the sound of gunshots gong off. I look at the alarm clock beside my bed and it's 2 in the morning, not normal for training. Everyone else begins waking up like me, and we all give each other questioning looks. Out the window everything still looks dark.

"I'll turn on the light." I say getting out of bed and walking towards the door where the light switch is, only to be stopped by the door swinging open almost hitting me.

"Everyone up!" General Boggs says, holding as many guns as he can, passing them out.

"What happened?" Gale asks, getting out of bed and putting on his shoes.

"We are under attack, do as I say." He shoves a gun in my hands, and I hold onto it closely. We are under attack? We are actually going to have to fight other people? For the first time since we've been here, I've actually had the fear of dying. Not only for me, but for my friends as well. I pull on my clothes and my boots like everyone else, and I pick the gun up again where it shakes in my hands. With a deep breath, we follow Boggs outside to where Coin and Thread wait for us, along with everyone else in the camp.

"Listen up, this is the first time you've ever been put in a life or death situation here. Even when we drowned you it wasn't as bad as this..." Coin starts but I don't listen, though I really should. I start moving through the crowed looking for the person I know has to be the most freaked out, Peeta. It is very dark, but his blonde hair should make him stick out. I continue to search until I find a pair of blondes standing side by side. I go to them and it's Peeta and his brother. Riley is trying to keep Peeta calm, slowly speaking to him and assuring him he will be fine. I suppose that's what older brothers do for their younger brother, though I'm sure he is freaked out just as long as everyone else.

"Peet?" I say going up beside him.

"Hey." He replies trying to be strong.

"You'll be fine dude." I know my words will have no effect on him. The generals and Thread separated us into different groups, telling us to go in different directions. From what we've been told, the entire base is surrounded with enemy troops, but they are a large hill they have to come over to get directly to where we are. So we will have full view of them. Everyone had to line up around the perimeter of the fence, training our guns into the darkness. I stay next to Peeta and Riley, hoping if we do have to fire at people we only wound them. Who actually wants to kill someone? Seriously. So I train my gun out into distance, and whenever they shoot a gun and the darkness lights up, we shoot in that direction. The gunfire is loud, people are screaming and being shot all around us. I'm surprised I haven't froze yet! I've noticed though, with Peeta and Riley in my right, the people on my left are beginning to drop. Slowly, not all at once of course, but every now and then they go. Then, out if nowhere, those few people who had the guts to come over the hill turn into what seems like a thousand. Everyone begins running over the hill and we are forced to open fire in hopes that we will shoot someone. As I pull the trigger, they'll enemy does too, All at once, so the night lights up. I grow nervous, not knowing what to do. I shoot, and I watch the bullet hit someone in the head. I know they will be dead for sure. The guilt of killing someone hits me right away, but how could it not? I mean, that was someone's dad, son, brother, and friend, and just like that he's gone. What will his family have to go through now because I choose him to shoot?

"Fall back!" I hear the orders from a general and everyone starts running towards the center of the base. I'm not sure how I manage to move with al the remorse that's weighing me down but I do.

"Grenade!" Someone else yells and something falls right in front of Peeta. His eyes grow and he turns to run, along with Riley and myself, but we aren't quick enough. It goes off, sending everyone in that area flying in the air. I'm lucky, I smack into the ground, but I hit my head and become suddenly tired. Things are still flying through the air and people are yelling for aid. Something in the sky comes towards me, as it comes closer it becomes larger. I'm hit in the face with someone's dog tags, and it takes a lot to knock these off of someone so whoever they belong to are probably dead. I grab them, my eyes half closed and my hands shaking, so I can read the name. The only thing I see because I black out it the name "MELLARK."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-Hannah