The Hunger Games

Chapter 27

          I instantly feel relived and I plant a smile across my face. All the nervousness that I was feeling just a second ago is gone, completely disappeared, like it never happened.

          I look over at Danny, expecting him to look relived and to be smiling as well, but he’s not. Instead he’s just looking at me like I'm crazy and he's in shock with a terrified look on his face, moving his mouth to say ‘no’ several times repeatedly, and backing up a bit. I don’t get why he’s not happy. He raises his hands up in surrender, but for what?

          Then I realize it. How could I be so stupid to forget this moment, the moment I never wanted to come?

          We are the last two standing tributes in the 195th Annual Hunger Games.

          We are the last two tributes...damn. I was so not going for this...how can I be so stupid to let this happen?

          Immediately, my smile turns into a scared frown, and tears begin to form and fall out of my eyes, down my cheeks. No! This wasn’t what I wanted! No! I can’t be one of the finals with Danny…this just has to be another dream…it has to be! Oh god please let this be a dream! But too bad I know it’s not, and that it is real.

          Without hesitating, I run up to Danny and pull my arms around him. “I’m sorry,” I manage to say through the tears.

          “Why didn’t you shoot? You had your chance, to kill both me and Peter so you could go home. But instead you screamed, and only I could actually live through one of those. Katharine, you just made things much harder for us. You know there could only be one winner.” He says.

          “I just couldn’t kill you. I don’t want you to die. I didn’t want to be responsible for your death. I don’t want to die. I want to be able to return back home with you. You know that. I don’t want to go home alone, with no one to really talk to or hang out with.” I say. “I need you. I...I...I love you.”

          Danny releases me and looks at me in shock and sympathy. His face has a mixture of emotions, sadness, love, fear. He then speaks up. “I know." He says and looks down. "I love you too." He mumbles. He takes a while to continue. He then puts his hands on my shoulders and looks back up at me. "I know you don’t want to die. I know you want to return home with me. But still, it can’t happen.” Danny says. He releases my shoulders and takes his knife from his pocket and puts it up against his neck.

          “No!” I yell. I smack his hand and the knife falls out, and onto the ground. “No, you can’t kill yourself! You can’t! I forbid it!”

          “I have to. I want you to live. If that’s going to happen, I need to die.” He says. “You know that. And plus, just because you forbid something, doesn’t mean that I won’t do it. I’m going to kill myself.”

          “I still forbid it. You can’t kill yourself. You just can’t.” I say. “So please don’t kill yourself! Please!" I beg.

          Danny looks at me and sighs. “But Katharine, understand the fact that there could only be one winner, and you’re that person. You will be that winner. I will not let you die, no way that is happening. There could only be one, and it’s going to be you. So just let me. Let me kill myself so you could win and go home, back to your family. We’re going to stay—”

          I cut him off by wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my lips against his. This kiss, it feels different this time…not like the others. It feels upsetting. And I think I know why it’s different. It’s a goodbye kiss, because no matter what I try, Danny’s going to end up killing himself. Something I don’t want happening. He’s the one who helps me keep sane when I’m annoyed by someone at school. He’s always been there for me…I can’t let him die. I just can’t.