The Hunger Games: Death of the Mockingjay

Chapter 22

I wake with a sick feeling in my stomach. Part of me doesn't want to ever wake up, to hide from the grief and pain that wracks my soul. Only the presence of Peeta makes me open my eyes, my head resting in his lap as he gently strokes my hair. I sit up and look at him in the gloomy light but I have no words, I'm numb.

He struggles to smile "It's okay Kat, I know what you're thinking. That you can't believe what's happened, it's the same for me but I know it must be so much worse for you"

"I can't believe he's gone" I say sadly as I rest my head against his chest and his arm closes around me.

"I know, there's nothing that I can say that'll make this any easier but you've gotta try and think what he'd want, what would Gale say if he was here right now?"

I sit up and look Peeta in the eye "I guess he'd say to stop moping around and get on with it, to fight"

"Exactly, and that's what we're gonna do. Sitting here doing nothing isn't gonna get us out of here or beat the Brotherhood. When this is over we'll grieve for all the friends we've lost, Ellie, Johanna and Gale"

"But there could be more"

"I know, let's just hope we somehow manage to win and get out of here without losing anyone else"

So what happens now?" I ask as I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand.

"I honestly don't know, Cato has kinda withdrawn into himself, I guess he feels partly responsible for what happened. Gale was a master tactician and an officer in the military, he no doubt had a plan as to how we were gonna win this thing and I think Cato relied on his experience and training, now he's gone I think Cato's started doubting himself"

"Hey" says Cato quietly as he steps out from the darkness. I stand and face him although I'm not sure what to say. I'm filled with sadness and anger, anger at Cato and Gale's disrespect for the arena. I guess I can forgive Gale what with his inexperience of the Games but Cato should of known better. Like he said before he's trained for this, been grown in a mutt tube just for the Hunger Games.

Cato reads my conflicted expression. "I'm sorry Katniss. I know you must hate me for what's happened"

"I don't hate you, what I don't understand is why you had to go for the ship then, why couldn't you of waited until dark. Because of your overconfidence we've lost three of our pack"

"I know but...."

"There's still 41 members of the Brotherhood out there, and after your failed move on the ship there's just 11 of us left, that's almost four to one. It'll be a miracle if any of us come out of here alive"

There's a quiet crackling in my ear as Plutarch weighs into the conversation.

"I hope you've learned your lesson" he says over our earpiece's.

Cato just sighs and looks down at the ground in shame.

"Anyway, Peeta's right. Gale wouldn't want us to just give up, so we're going to take the ship and this time you're gonna listen to me. Part of me understands why you felt the need to take the ship when you did, I know you're all hungry and thirsty but I need you to be patient, at dusk we'll follow mine and Beetee's plan and by dawn tomorrow you'll have food and water"

*

Cato and I sneak out through the door at the rear of the bunker and enter the dunes. It's dark and Plutarch has programmed the weather to give us a starry night and a light wind with no moon to illuminate the dunes. Our first objective is to head north undetected then make our way across to the section of dunes which look down on the beach. We know from the gunfire that the Brotherhood have the shipwreck overlooked from the north and south. The plan is for us to take out the shooter to the north, then make our way south and take out the others. But Plutarch has informed us that there are actually two groups of cult members grouped around the shooters, a sort of defensive shield. Both Cato and I will have to draw these away from the beach front for our plan to work.