Don't Let Me Go

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

“Wake up we have a busy day ahead!” I hear Finnick booming into my ears. I grunt and turn over not wanting to face the day ahead of me especially with things not right with Peeta. I feel exhausted and lack of sleep from last night doesn’t help, yet I force myself up and I walk over to where Beetee, Wirless, Johanna, Finnick and Peeta are all sitting eating bread rolls. I take my two and sit down between to Finnick and Beetee. Peeta gives me a look but he looks somewhat angry at me so I give an angry stare back. Two can play at this game.

I haven’t changed my mind about saving Peeta although I gather he has changed his mind about saving mine. That will be easier now trying to protect him without him trying to protect me. I don’t owe him more than that and once this is completed hopefully President Snow will go down. That will be my dying wish here. In deep thought I hardly notice everyone is going to collect water.

I suddenly feel a hard nudge unlike anything Peeta would do and I feel uncomfortable with anyone getting close to me expect Peeta. I scream “Ouwch” and get ready to shoot at whoever is touching me.

Johanna totally ignores the bow and arrow which is pointing directly at her heart, if I decided to let the arrow fly now she would be dead in seconds. But Johanna just casually raises her eyebrows and says harshly “What’s up with you and lover boy?” In my head I picture Cato and Glimmer chanting that which brings back horrible memories of the last games. I silently put my bow back and sling it around my back standing up ready for the day.

After we have all drunk as much water as we can each hold, we start a trek just looking for clues of our whereabouts, to gather some food for tonight, maybe even a helpless tribute to get rid of… I’m pretty sure that is crossing Johanna’s mind anyway. I just can’t understand that girl.

After a long time of walking and being unsuccessful I somehow feel more depressed then I did previously. My vision is starting to feel weak and my legs feel like they can’t take it much longer. The world is crashing around me violently I try to grab a tree for nearby balance but it doesn’t help, I can’t find one. I am isolated in complete darkness and my hearing has gone completely I start calling out for the only person I trust “Peeta?” I scream with such fear. I know they were just behind me when I last had vision but all of a sudden I can’t hear or see anything and this frightens me more than anything.

The next time I wake up I can see the outline of Peeta’s head by my face and this reassures me straight away. “Katniss, you passed out” Peeta screams and tears are dribbling down his face crazily. “I thought I’d lost you when I heard you shout my name like that” I look at him confused trying to remember everything that just happened, I remember tree’s whizzing around me so quickly and then the world going blank. And I do remember shouting his name.

I burst into tears because seeing Peeta so upset and worried makes I wounded. “Peeta I am sorry about last night” I sob even harder. “Katniss no I am sorry” Peeta says helping me to sit up because apparently it is important I don’t stand up quite yet. “I was so worried that I had lost you I can’t even explain” Peeta says, his eyes still filled with tears ready to leak. I push my hand to his eyes and wipe the tears from them and I hold him tighter than I ever have before. “That is how I felt when you stopped breathing before because of the force field” I whisper “It will haunt me for the rest of my life” After I have said this I realise how stupid that is, the ‘rest of my life’ could be over by the end of the day, I will be here for another night with Peeta and that is if I am even lucky.

“Oh thank god you’ve got the water” Peeta says to Johanna while she returns with a big shell full of water for me. Peeta gently holds the shell to my mouth as I take big gulps and then pours a little onto my head to cool off a little. I feel much more refreshed but when I try to stand up I still feel extremely dizzy. I try acting like I am fine but Peeta knows me too well and he knows I am not feeling well so he ends up carrying me back to base.

Johanna killed two rabbits with her sword and Finnick collected a whole bunch of berries and edible leafs with Beetee. While we sit on the beach back at camp eating the feast I start to feel much better. “Drink lots of water” Peeta keeps reminding me because he is scared I will pass out again but I honestly feel much better.

After the food Peeta and I decide to take a bath in the ocean. I strip my arena suit off and leave my under gear on but Peeta has other ideas. I scowl at Peeta and tell him "I won’t bath with you unless you put some clothes on." Peeta laughs for a while but he does put his under gear back on. “Oh yeah go on… laugh at me” I say harshly when he gets back but then I smile at him to show him I don’t really mean it. “To me you’re perfect, but you’re just so pure Katniss” Peeta keeps smiling at me and then wrestles me into the ocean. It feels like all the dirt from yesterday and today has been washed away and I feel a ton better now knowing that I got Peeta again, I know I never really lost him. I never will.

After Peeta and I have scrubbed clean and had some fun I finally turn to a serious note with him “Peeta, I think we should break the alliance with these guys soon” I say. “I don’t know Katniss…” Peeta admits. “But Peeta, I need to keep you safe and I feel like it is starting to be threat here” I say back. It is like in my head I can almost hear Haymitch cursing at me “you might want to re-think that darling” “This isn’t child play anymore” in his awful drunk tone although I do love him.

“I disagree” Peeta says softly “Lets just stay with them for the time being”. “Well I am leaving soon and whether or not you’re coming with me I don’t care” I snap at Peeta and then I feel so bad and I push him into my arms apologising a million times over “Peeta, you know I don’t mean it and you do get a say in it… I am just worried for your safety and would never leave anywhere without you, you’re the only person in the world I trust” I honestly tell him.

He comes in for a kiss and I know that I am forgiven.