Just Tell Me You Love Me Already

Chapter 24: Thresh

Cato's POV

Two days. I've been trekking through the field of grain for two whole days, trying to find Thresh. He hasn't shown himself yet; apparently he's smart enough to know to stay well out of my way, for now. It doesn't help my mood that it's pouring rain, or that I'm soaked head to toe. My sword is out, I'm cutting through the tall grass, not caring how much noise I make. Why would I? I want Thresh to come and find me, and then, and then I'll kill him. I'll kill him like he killed Clove, without remorse. I saw her on the ground, scrambling away from him on all fours, he didn't even bother to look back after he dented her head, then he just ran back into his field, like a coward. Thresh is a coward, he killed a small girl who was scrambling away from him on the ground. He left Clove there to die, not caring how painful it is. I'll make him pay; make him pay for killing my heart and my soul. For killing everything that mattered to me, with just one blow to the head.

"YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME, THRESH!" I yell in the field. The rain continues to pour down and lightning flashes. "I WILL FIND YOU EVENTUALLY THEN YOU'RE A DEAD MAN! YOU ARE A WALKING CORPSE! GET READY, BECAUSE YOU'RE ABOUT TO DIE!"

(A/N wanted to end it here, but I didn't want to be killed by you guys)

-o_o-

On the third day Thresh finally comes out from his hiding. He leaps at me from behind. I block his attack with my sword, though I skid backwards from the sheer strength of it. It's about six in the morning and I haven't rested since Clove's death. I can't, it would dishonor her memory if I sleep before killing her killer. I don't feel tired though either, I am operating from pure anger, I can imagine Clove scolding me now, don't act from anger, use your brain stupid Cat. I remember Clove's smile and the look on her face the morning of the Hunger Games. This fuels my anger. I slash my sword towards Thresh, he blocks. Thresh carries a crescent sword. I stab, block, and slash at Thresh, he is doing the same. Every time I feel like I'm tiring I remember something about Clove, and it energizes me to keep going.

We've been fighting for hours on end. Neither of us can seem to get the best of each other. After a few hours I scream at him, "You killed her! You deserve to die! You coward! Killing a girl on the ground beneath you, she was in your mercy and you killed her!" I send a strike towards Thresh's side, he moves away from the sword.

"She killed the little girl!" Thresh replies, his voice full of anger.

What little girl? He must be talking about Rue. "She never touched a hair on that girl!" I scream my voice full of ten times more rage than Thresh's. "She was fond of her! She told all of us not to kill Rue! She forbid it!"

Thresh looks confused, "I heard her talk about the little girl!"

"Yeah and I heard her tell me that no one was to kill her!" I want to tear out Thresh's throat. "You killed her for something she didn't do! You never even looked back!"

Thresh looks dumbfounded. "I-"

He makes a mistake then and there; Thresh lets his guard down, giving me a chance to stab him in the rib cage, deep. We both have various cuts and bruises, but neither of us have gotten a real hit, until now. Thresh looks down, surprised to see my sword sticking out from between his ribs. I pull my sword out of him, blood splattering us both. The rain continues to pour down on us. Thresh swings his crescent sword at me, trying to take me down with him I guess. I block and take the spear that had been uselessly in my hand for the past three days and stick it above Thresh's stomach. Then I kick Thresh backwards, he hits the ground loudly, splattering mud all over me.

"I'm... sorry..." Thresh pants out. I know what he means he regrets killing Clove for Rue's sake, though he still killed her, I won't spare him, but I will shorten his pain.

"I don't forgive you," I tell him, "and in the afterlife you'd better hope that she has forgiven you, or else you'll never find peace." Before Thresh can say anything else I bring down my sword to shorten his pain. That is my last act of mercy though, from here on out there will be no more.