The Third Everdeen

Chapter 27

When we finally got to the tree I was surprised to see it barely looked like it was struck by lightning multiple times. 

"Minimal charring," Beetee commented, "It's an impressive conductor. Let's get started," cautiously we approached the tree, "Typically a lightning strike contains five billion joules of energy," He explained as he wrapped the coil around thick branches close to the ground, "So we don't want to be anywhere in the vicinity when this hits," He finished and looked at Johanna and I, "You two girls, go together now." He handed me the rest of the coil, "Take this and unspool it carefully. Make sure this coil is in the water. You understand? Then go to the tree at the two o'clock sector; we'll meet you there."

I looked at Johanna ready to go when Peeta spoke up, "I'm gonna go with them as a guard."

"No,no,no. You're staying here to protect me," Beetee told him, "And the tree," He added.

Peeta started to get territorial, he came up by me, "I need to go with her."

"There are two Careers out there, so I need two guards."

"Finnick is able to protect you fine without my help," Peeta tried to reason with him, but Beetee wasn't going to change his plan.

"Better yet; why don't Peeta and I take the coil, and Johanna and Finnick stay with you?" I asked.

Beetee approached us, "You agreed to keep me alive till midnight, correct?" He confirmed, the both of us nodded.

"It's his plan, we all agreed to it," Johanna told us, only slightly annoyed.

"Is there a problem here?" Finnick asked looking between us.

"Excellent question." Beetee commented.

I looked at my feet, knowing this was one battle I wan't going to win, "No, no problem at all." I closed the space between me and Peeta and kissed him gently, "I'll see you soon," I whispered and Johanna led the way. I turned and followed her.

As we walked I noticed how heavy the coil wrap actually was, so I put the knife I was holding in my left hand back in its place on my belt and switched hands on the coil.

"Let's keep moving, I want to get as much distance from that tree as possible," Johanna stated not looking back at me, "Frying is not how I want to go."

I took another step but something on the coil held me back, I tugged on it cautiously, something was stuck on it. Just then the wire got really loose and I saw one of the Careers pop up, I dropped the coil to grab a knife when suddenly I got hit in the back of the head and fell roughly to the ground. My vision blurred as I struggled to see who had hit me. Then a  sharp excruciating pain erupted as someone cut open the inside of my elbow. I screamed but a familiar voice shushed me; Johanna. She put her hands on my neck and urged me to stay down, her hands were wet with my blood. I was paralyzed as she got the Careers' attention and ran off, leaving me there; bloody and vulnerable.

When I finally got my senses back I sat up, and another familiar voice called out somewhere in the distance, "Johanna, where are you?" Finnick sounded worried.

A part of me was wondering why he was here instead of guarding Beetee with Peeta. And because of what Johanna had just done to me, I wasn;'t sure who I could trust so I hid myself inside the little curve of the hill, hoping I wouldn't be spotted. I was clutching a knife, just in case.

I heard thumping as Finnick ran closer, "Johanna?" He whispered, thinking she was hiding. Not getting a response, he continued on.

Worried, I got up and stumbled as I tried to get back, "Peeta?" I wondered aloud. Why had Finnick left? The blood loss was taking a slight tole on me, I was stumbling and I felt dizzy. When I made it to the clearing where the lightning tree was I noticed on the ground, the coil had been cut. Peeta and Beetee were no where to be found, "Peeta?" I called out cautiously. Suddenly I saw someone get shot back by the force-field, I gasped as I ran over. I saw Beetee twitching on the floor, it was like he had been electrocuted and was having a seizure. I looked on the ground by him and saw a branch from the tree with the coil around the end and a sharp point on it. I looked at the force-field in confusion. Just then I heard a cannon and shot up, "PEETA!" I got a knife into my other hand and stood up in the clearing, I didn't know where he was but I did know that I needed to find him, "PEETA?" I called out but got no answer.