The Last Mockingjay [ON HOLD]

12. Just a Trap

I grasp Peeta. 'They... they can't see us, right?' I whisper.

'I don't know. It's like... they are staring straight at us. I thought that Beetee made us fully transparent.' he replies.

I nod, and clench his hand even more tightly. 'Let's go,' I say. As we take a couple of steps, I can feel the deers following us. What's happening? How do they know? We try to ignore the deer, and keep moving. Across the dusty road I can see The Hob. Although it was rebuilt after the Capitol demolished it, it still doesn't have the secretive, trusting feeling. Now it is just a modern building, which, apparently, is used for the Hunger Games. I shudder at the thought, and keep moving on.

On the road I see a couple of rusty knives. Probably from the Hunger Games. I wonder how many are dead. Peeta must've seen too, because he whispers something to me. And that's when I remember, we have no weapons.

'I... I forgot my bow... Peeta, I don't have anything that I could use to free Finnick,' I panic.

He grabs my arm gently. 'Hey, it's okay,' he says. 'I'll... use the knives here. You can rescue him, and I'll try to fight the guards off. I nod, still uncertain. When Peeta grabs the knife, I am sure it isn't going to work. So battered and old, it is on the verge of breaking apart. What's worse is that while Peeta is transparent, the knife isn't. The knife just floats on thin air, as we keep walking.

'We're here,' Peeta says. We slowly open the glass gate. I stare at the marble statues and fountains, gaping. How could they have transformed this place so... so completely? I walk quietly inside. However, Peeta makes an effort to snap every branch there is. Not realising how loud he is, Peeta continues to walk at the same level.

Then I really get to see the place. twenty-four clear, glass chairs surround a big square table. In there is a aerial view of the arena - District twelve. I can see where each tribute is - struggling to keep alive, crying out of pain. I stare at the mentors, enraged. They laugh at the kids' pain and just keep drinking wine, talking about their week. Haymitch... Haymitch wouldn't have been like this. I quickly search for Finnick.

And there he is. Staring at us, just like the way that the deer had. Staring straight at me, his eyes completely blank at hollow, yet so focused. Staring at me like his only job is to kill me - like the way Peeta stared at me in District 13, when we rescued him.

Peeta wraps his arm aroud me. 'Wait, Katniss. Now isn't the time.'

'I know,' I whisper. I know exactly when to get him. When the anthem plays, and everyone's distracted. I see the small stopwatch. 12 more seconds to go. I let go of Peeta and walk quietly behind Finnick's chair. His eyes follow me creepily. How does he know? What's wrong with him?

10 more seconds. I extend my hands, reading to grab hold of him. My plan is to grab him, quickly tell him that it's me, and then escape.

8 more seconds. It feels like such a long time. For a second I glance at the aerial view. There is the boy from two, girl from three. The boy from nine, the girl from... eleven. I realise that I am the only person who has volunteered. What are all their parents doing? Why didn't they volunteer for the children? Why... am I the only one that isn't a child?

4 more seconds. I look for myself and Peeta, wondering where we are. I find us, but something's weird. The girl, instead of a pristine white like the others, glows in a radiant red. Almost... as if I am on fire.

2 more seconds. Where am I in the view? Where is this big, white building that Peeta and I are meant to be standing? Next to a dusty path, where a lot of deers are located?

1 more second. I finally realise.

I am still being tracked. The girl on fire, is in The Hob. They all know. Almost as if he was waiting for me to understand, Finnick grabs me.

As the anthem plays, I am escorted to a small room where Greasy Sae used to sell her soup. 'PEETA!' I screech. But no one can hear. The anthem is too loud and others are distracted.

I sigh to myself. I thought that I was a good judge of character - clearly not. This wasn't a rescue mission. It was a trap - set up by Beetee, who knew that we were still being tracked. Who knew that the camera deers would be following us. Who knew that Finnick would already be damaged, and long for us to be dead.

I grit my teeth. It was just a trap. And Beetee -

You are going to pay.

I'm sorry if this chapter was really boring - it's just that the way I ended the last one, I had to continue with it. Thank you all for reading, and leave comments! @EileenAlex, thank you especially! And I decided to write this chapter anyway :)