The Hunger Games: Peeta's Story

Chapter Sixteen: The Cave

Chapter Sixteen: The Cave

We frantically look for a place to go, a place to hide. Katniss struggles to carry me and my severed leg. We stop for a moment and rest upon a rock.
"You could've left-"
"Peeta!" She snaps, "I am not leaving you in pain! Even if I were to live for only another day, the guilt of knowing I didn't help you would kill me quicker than any Career could."

"Wow.." I gasped.
I am truly taken away by even a slight glimpse that this girl cares about me. But again, why do I care anymore? We're both in the thick of the games, it's impossible we will ever be together in a few days time.

As we continue through the forest, I spot a cave of some kind.
"Katniss, look!" I point towards it. Without any words, she continues in that direction.

I stumble inside and she lays me down on the damp floor.
"They won't find you here" she reassures me.
"They already have..." Looking down at my severed leg.
"You just need medicine" she replies. Medicine? We have nothing!
"I don't get many parachutes" I tell her.
"We'll figure something out". Her futile attempts to assure me I'll live only dampen my spirits, like this cave is.
"Like what?" I ask her, expecting no decent suggestion.
"Something" she replies. As I sigh my hopes away, she leans towards me and kisses me on the cheek. That is perhaps the only thing that can assure me some positive feeling right now.

Hours pass. Katniss goes out and hunts for food, I worry for her, but like a dog and its owner, I wait for her return eagerly.

While she sits and looks after me, the iconic twinkle like noise of an incoming parachute can be heard. Without a word, Katniss rushes off out of the cave. On her return she holds a silver cylinder, about the size of a coffee mug.
"Medicine?" I ask hopefully.
"Soup."

Soup... Not medicine... Soup.

She feeds me, and the soup is surprisingly nice. Has a herbal taste to it. But at this moment I truly believe this beautiful girl feels something for me. Why hasn't she just taken the soup, and left me to starve?
"You saved me once." Of course, the bread!
"I think about that all the time" I reply, stupidly telling this girl my thoughts, "how I tossed you that bread."
"Peeta-"
"I should've gone to you! I should've just gone out in the rain and-" she hushes me quiet at this point and touches my forehead.
"You feel hot" she says, attempting to change the subject.
"I remember the first time I saw you. Your hair was in two braids instead of one. And you sang in front of the school, the teacher said 'who knows the valleys song' and your hand shot straight up" I blurt out without a care, laughing in nostalgia as I do.
"After that I watched you come and go every day" I tell her, her face is in awe. Then there's a silence as she looks around.
"Well... Say something" I tell her.
"I'm not good at saying something" she says, which is quite obvious.
"Well come here... Please"

She slowly lowers her head onto my chest, and we sleep holding one another.

"Attention, attention tributes. Tomorrow there will be a feast at the Cornucopia." Feast? This is making no sense. "But this will be no ordinary occasion, each of you need something... Desperately. And we plan to be Generous hosts-"
"Your medicine!" Katniss points out and gathers her gear.
"I'm not going to let you risk your life for me!" She ignores me. I grab her arm "I won't let you!"
"You'd do it for me wouldn't you?" She's right. I would. But why? We're in the games together, and there's only one winner.
"Why are you doing this?" I ask.
She instinctively kisses me. Love. She must love me. That's why she won't kill me and leave. Love.
"Now there's no way I'm letting you go" I tell her, I will not let the only person I love leave me and die for me.
"Please... Stay"
"Okay. I'll stay" she says staring deep into my eyes. She returns to her previous position on my chest.

___________________________

Thank you all for reading! Comment if you want more!

I'm quite determined to get this one and Catching Fire finished before Mockingjay Part 2 comes out in cinemas!

I'd love to write the Peeta's side of Mockingjay!

Thank you one again!😊