Everybody Talks: Sequel

Chapter Thirty: Plans

*** 4 WEEKS LATER***

*PEETA'S POV*

"Have you heard anything?" Finnick asks, walking quickly into the computer room. It's just me and him, and every day he comes in hoping for an email from Annie, talking about the baby's position. We haven't gotten much. Last we heard they were keeping him in ICU and were going to be watching him. Finnick has been a mess, we have been in three small conflicts since we came back and he hasn't preformed well in any of them. They have been talking for a few weeks about how our military is stronger than theirs, and we could just march through enemy lines and take them out once and for all, completely end this war. But for right now, that's all dark and no bite. I haven't seen them making any plans for an attack. I suppose that would make sense, to keep it on the down low.

"I'm not on your email." I get up and let him sit down. I know he will continue to worry about the baby and Annie. While the rest of us worry about the other girls, what they are doing and how they are coping. I don't like the ocean between Katniss and I. I watch Finnick, typing furiously on the keyboard. After a few moments, the guys and Johanna walk in. Jo never really understood what it was liked to be loved and love someone, so now that she does know this trip over has been even worse on her.

"Everyone to the mess hall." Cato says.

"We've been called for a meeting, talking about an attack I think." Marvel adds, explaining a lot better.

"Alright, Annie didn't send anything so might as well." Finnick leaves his chair and walks over to us.

"Um, you guys go ahead. I'm going to stay behind for a few minutes." Gale says, walking towards the computer.

"But-" I start.

"I will only be a few minutes." I only nod in response, sensing he has something he needs to do. Probably email Delly or something. We all begin to walk to the Mess Hall, very silent I might add. When we get there, everyone is sitting around waiting for us. We walk in, unashamed of our tardiness, and take our seats in the back.

"Anyways, like I was saying..." the general begins again, annoyed by our interruption. He basically covers everything he's already said when Gale bursts in.

"Are you kidding me?" he exclaims, throwing his hands in the air. "Mellark, fill Hawthorne in on what we just went over, I'm not doing it a third time." So Gale sits next to me and I begin to explain the plan. They want to use a surprise attack from our group, and our neighboring groups, to hit the core of their military base, taking out their leader which could possibly send us all home.

"And, one more thing about all this. If we lose this and we are captured, these capitol people will torture you. They will torture you to the point that you wish you were dead." With that, he walks out of the room.

We all sit in the middle of the dorm, packing our stuff up to be ready. If we do win, we will be out of here within a week. But if we lose, we have no idea when we will get back. It all deoends when we get rescued, if we do. But we can't afford to think like that right now. If we think about losing we will lose. If we think about winning, we will win. It's all a mind game. So we will just have to keep our eyes on the prize.

They call us out to the mess hall again, where we will be leaving here in a few moments for the enemy's camp. The thoughts of Riley come back to mind, how he sacrificed himself for me and how since that day I have sworn to live my life, not waste it. Not that I would purposely be wasting it, but that I'm putting myself out there again for the possibility i could die. As we walk out of the dorms, I pull Gale aside.

"Are you ready for this?" I ask.

"I don't think anyone is actually ready, we just have to be." He says. "But, what happens if we win, and someone dies?"

"I know what I'm doing." I reach in my pocket and pull out several pieces of paper. "I've written a note to Katniss and my family. I'm giving a copy to everyone because the chances of everyone in our group dying is unlikely." I say giving him the copy. He looks at it, pauses, and then places it in his pocket.

"That's a good idea. I'll write something on the way there." He says and we both step into the cafeteria. We sit in our usualy seats, and I hand out the rest of my papers to the others, explaining my ideas. They all agree they should do it too and begin writing letters while we wait. I watch them fold papers, write names on them, and take a deep breath. Finnick writes "Nemo" On one of the papers. I know him and Annie are the only two he is thinking of. Gale has Delly on his mind, along with his mom and younger siblings. Johanna is thinking of James, Cato and Mavel have their girlfriends written all over their faces. Myself, I'm trying not to distract myself with Katniss. So I think of my mother, James, my dad. My mother first because I feel I have to, that I at least owe her that. James and my dad rush through my mind, all the things we use to do when I was younger. Football in the mud, baseball in the rain, wrestling in the house. All of these were done while mom wasn't home of course. And of course, avoiding the thought of Katniss is inevitable. Her beautiful face flashes in my mind, her eyes grey but shinning, and her soft pink lips. Her lips waiting for mine, but not sure if they ever will. Her telling me she could never have kids, killing a piece of me. But not all of it. The only way to break my entire heart is to completely remove her from my life. And unfortunately, I may be removing myself from hers.

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

-Hannah