Battleborn

Consequences

 We were hovering above the arena when the force field blew up. It shook the hovercraft, and a series of cries filled my ears as people struggled to keep their feet. I clutched the sides of the craft in fear, not wanting to plummet out the door, even with a parachute. I realised after a few moments that I’d squeezed my eyes shut, and when I opened them, the arena was a wreck.

 “Stations, people!” Gale cried “Get Katniss out of there!”

 I watched as a large claw began to lower itself into the wreck of the arena.

 “Grey, look out for Mellark and Odair,” Gale told me quickly “We have Katniss in sight.”

 I scoured the ground quickly, spotting two figures. They were too far away to make out who was who.

 “I can’t tell which is which. They’re both there,” I tell Gale, gun at the ready.

 “We don’t have time to get them both,” he said quietly. He adjusted his mouth piece and spoke into it “Go for the nearest one.”

 My breath caught in my throat “You’re leaving the other behind?”

 “We don’t have a choice!” Gale snapped. He yelled a couple more demands into his mouthpiece, before fixating his eyes on me “Katniss is priority. Coin insisted.”

 “No. No, you don’t care whether Peeta gets out,” I snarled “He’s competition for you isn’t he? You don’t want him getting in the way-”

 Gale grabbed me by my collar. We were dangerously close to the open door “You listen here. You don’t know me. You’re here to do a job. I’m in charge. That’s all. Do as you’re told and don’t question me again.”

 He let me go roughly, and I considered threatening him back. What are you thinking, Karissa? You’re on the same side. It’s you against the Capitol. Not brother against sister. Leave it. Don’t sink that low.

 Regaining my cool, I aimed my gun at the ground, looking for danger. I watched as the giant metal claw scooped Katniss’ lifeless body and began to haul her up into the hovercraft. Is she dead? I tried not to think of what might happen if she was. Would the rebellion die? I pushed the thought away. Another claw was lowering and I saw a figure leaping around in the air, grasping at it to be lifted up too. Somehow, I don’t think that’s Peeta.

 “Finnick Odair boarding the craft, over,” Gale hissed into his mouth piece.

 Where’s Peeta?

 I wished there was more I could do, but I was helpless in the craft. There was no way of getting Peeta or the others into the ship alone. Sighing, I kept watch, but as I suspected, the Capitol were too slow to deal with us. They’d never have suspected this in a hundred years. We were going to get away.

 The hovercraft began to move again the second Finnick and Katniss were inside. I watched as a group of medics hauled the pair away, Katniss unconscious and Finnick yelling out in pain. It was so quick it barely felt real, and I had to blink twice to convince myself it was happening. Gale shot me a hard look, still angry as he ran after Katniss. Love struck. I watched the arena disappear out the window. Peeta. Johanna. Beetee. Left for dead.

 I slumped against the wall, catching my breath. My heart was beating so fast, I could feel it’s thump against my chest. A few other soldiers walked by, smiled at me, nodded congratulations. We’d succeeded. We had what we came for. The Girl on Fire was safe. What did it matter that Peeta and the others had been left behind? It mattered a lot. I prayed that somehow, they’d be spared. The gun in my hand trembled, but I didn’t dare let it go. I didn’t feel safe yet.