Just Another Games....

Chapter Twenty-one

A/N There is a part in here that is going to be a bit gory, so if you are grossed out or don’t like that stuff, please don’t read it. Before that starts there is a little squiggle thing that looks like: ~~ I am sorry, But thanks for reading this far!

It didn’t really take all that long. They slowly crept out and looked around. “Did you see how crazy she looked?” Johanna said.

“Johanna, can you please not talk about her like that? I know you don’t care for her, but I did. I do. She is my friend.” Gale looks fed up.

“Really? After she played you then went to Peeta. If you don’t I’m going to. We can pretend we broke off or something. Whatever you want babe.” She smiles and kisses him on the mouth.

I don’t know what to do. I slowly climb down, trying to be as quiet as possible. I climb down and hide behind the tree. They are on the other side of the stream, so if they turn and run they would have a huge lead. If I could get them over to this side though...

I start breaking twigs and see that they both look over. I run past and opening in the trees crouched down with all my stuff hiding in a bush. I don’t want anything noticeable. Just another tribute.

I peer between some leaves of a bush and see that they are making their way across the stream. I quickly grab my stuff and wait until they are out of the water before I move out of the tree line.

“Wha- Katniss?” Gale says. “What happened? We went looking for food and you were gone. We have been waiting here for you ever since. Did you see anyone in the woods?” Gale sounds sincere and if I didn’t know better I would have believed them. Johanna is still giving me the stink eye.

“No, I haven’t. Why, did you see someone?” I look around like they would just materialize next to us any second.

Gale and Johanna glance at each other before Gale says, “Oh no. We heard something, but it must have just been you.” Gale knows very well I can walk on anything in the woods and not make a sound. I haven’t for a very long time.

“Okay if you won’t,” Johanna looks pointedly at Gale, “Then I will. What happened last night? And where’s your little boy toy?” I resist the urge to hit her.

I raise my eyebrows at Gale. “Peeta? He is dead.” The shock on Gale and Johanna’s face at my bluntness, I can’t help but smile. Johanna quickly covers it, Gale, not so much. The smile leaves my face as I realize how that sounds.

I sound like a cold blooded creature. “I mean,” I quickly try to cover, “We got attacked.” I quickly describe what happened. I leave out the part about the ‘love you’ though. “I’ve been wandering around, walking up and down the creek ever since.”

Gale pulls me into a hug. “I’m sorry Katniss.” I hug him back, but only for a second. I stand back and smile at Johanna. Gale, thankfully, doesn’t see. Johanna turns away with a little ‘hmph’ sound and walks off. I go the other way.

A small smile forms on my lips. Have fun, Gale. I think. “Wait, Johanna, Katniss. Where are you going?” A quick glance over my shoulder says Gale picked Johanna.

The smile is gone when I hear Johanna scream. I turn and run. I slide the bow off my shoulder but don’t get an arrow. Something seems off. Johanna is laying on her back, a knife sticking out of her stomach. A circle of red accompanies it. Gale is nowhere to be seen. There is the sound of leaves crunching, and I don’t stick around long enough to find out who it is.

I don’t stop until I feel I am far enough away. I slow to a walk and start take small sips of my water when I hear the cannon go off. I stop with the bottle halfway to my mouth. There isn’t another one. I hope I don’t see Gale in the sky tonight. I quickly scale a tree and find the sun in the four o’clock region.

I climb back down and decide to make camp in the tree for the night. I set up snares for small animals and a few that could leave someone dangling upside down by their foot. By the time I am done it is dark. I eat a few roots and pick some blueberries and start heading back to my tree. I take a circular route around my snare line then weave a way to my tree.  I climb up, trying to prepare for the faces in the sky.

The Panem anthem plays and the Capitol seal appears. The only faces are Johanna and Peeta. Seeing Peeta in the sky, it makes me want to stab President Snow. I tie myself to the tree and try to get comfortable. My bag is on my back and my bow and arrows are hanging secure on a branch above me.

When I reach into my pocket I find only one knife. I check my pack and quiver. The other knife is nowhere to be found. Johanna, on the ground with a knife protruding from her chest, pops into my mind.

But I didn’t kill Johanna, I walked off and then found her with it already there. She screamed. Did I somehow lose my knife? That is the only logical reason I can think of so I chalk it up to that and snuggle deep into the sleeping bag, hoping sleep will come.

~~~~

Johanna just walked off. I start walking the other direction and hide behind a tree. When Gale doesn’t follow, I head toward Johanna. I see Gale and without a sound put a knife to his throat and whisper in his ear, “You make a sound I will cut your throat out. Got it?” Gale nods. I take away the knife in Gale’s pocket, and after making sure that is all he had, I stab the knife into his arm.

I am on Johanna before she has time to raise her ax. I take my knife and stick it hilt deep into her stomach before twisting the knife. I then take a few steps back and turn to run.

~~~~~

I wake up gasping for breath. My heart is pounding, and I think back to what I was dreaming about. All I can remember is Gale.