Fiery Payback

Chapter 77

Matthew's P.O.V

I watch Camille stab a guy with her katana. Then, Johanna takes a pack, hesitates, then takes two more backpacks. I realize that this is my chance.

I run towards the Cornucopia. I hear footsteps coming towards the Cornucopia. I look for my backpack. Once I find it, I grab it. Then, I get pushed to the ground.

I try to get up, but can't. Some guy is pinning me to the ground. Jem.

"Well, look who I have here." He says, tauntingly. I struggle to break free from his grasp, but he just tightens his hold.

Then, something flies towards us and hits Jem in the arm. He screams in pain, rolling of me. I then see that an arrow is lodged in his shoulder.

I look around and see my mom holding her bow. I quickly get up. Then, I hear more footsteps coming towards me. I turn around and see some tribute I don't even know come after me. She charges after me, but I take a knife that was on my belt and throw it at her. It hits her in the chest. She collapses on the ground, her cannon going off.

"Matthew! Come on!" I hear my mom shout. I grab her backpack, seeing that she hasn't taken it yet, and run towards her. Once I reach her, we both run into the forest. Right before I enter the forest, I hear a cannon go off. I don't turn around though. I just follow my mom.

We keep running farther and farther away from the battle that is way behind us. Finally, we stop to rest.

I lean back on a tree, breathing heavily. "Thanks... for saving... me." I get out, gasping between the words.

"No problem." She says in return. She isn't breathing as heavily as me. She must be use to it.

I throw Mom her backpack. She catches it, then looks at me. "Why did you get this?" She asks me.

"Because you didn't grab it yourself." I simply say. She doesn't say anything else and opens the pack.

I open my own backpack and see some water and food. I take out a packet of peanuts and begin to eat it. I look up at my mom and see that she is silently crying. "What's wrong?" I ask.

"Nothing." She says, hastily wiping away her tears. She looks up at me, then back down at the backpack. She takes out a piece of paper and hands it to me.

I look at it and see that it is a family photo. A photo of Mom, Dad, Alyssa, and me. Alyssa is dead, and I haven't seen Dad anywhere.

"Our family is being torn apart." She says. "We only have each other now."

"Yeah. I know." I say, not tearing gaze from the photo.

"Promise me that if it came down to the two of us, kill me." She says. I look up at her at that. "I want you to win. No one else. Only you. Please promise this."

I sigh and look back down at the photo. I look back up at Mom and see she had a pleading look on her face.

"I promise."