The Hunger Games - Primrose Everdeen

Chapter Twenty Six

My legs are tired, I'm bored, and my eye lids are heavier than cinderblocks. We're getting into much rockier terrain and my feet are sore. By the time Rue and I get ready to go to sleep the moon is well above us and the anthem has already played. Today there were exactly two deaths. There was the boy from one and the girl from Four which leads me to believe that now the Careers are breaking up. Usually this happens at this point in the Games. There's not many people left and the tension grows between them until they fight to the death, usually leaving only one or two Careers standing. This time the girl and boy from Two both survived. No suprise. Clove has extreme accuracy at far lengths due to lethal knife throwing and Cato is, well, Cato. Strong, brutal, unforgiving, and definitely shows no mercy. Just like most boys from District Two. Right now they are probably hunting down one another. 

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As I wake up with a large yawn and stretch, I take in the heat of the morning. The dryness in the air and the unbearable sun rays glaring right into your eyes. The birds are awake and picking at the ground for breakfeast. Right below my tree is some animal tracks that by the looks of it belong to a fox or maybe racoon, something of that size. Nothing to really worry about.

"Prim!" I hear Rue crying frantically from her neighboring tree. Panicking, I jump quickly and ungracefully to her large pine tree. She's starring horrifingly at her hand. A disgusting goop sits on her hand.

"What is that?!" I ask disgustingly. Never have I seen anything more gross and revolting than this... thing.

She swallows. "I went to itch my back and..." She trails off with wide eyes. Tears dripping down her dark cheeks. What I feared has come true. She knows. Obviously she must.

"I'm sorry, Rue. I should've told you."  I apoligize empathetically.

Her face flushes and the color in her cheeks restores itself to it's original coloring. "No. What you did was the right thing. Thank you... I would have rather not known." It's easy to tell that she is not thinking of herself but her family. Those young poor innocent children that do not deserve any of this. That she helped feed, just like Katniss kept me alive for as long as she could. "How long do I have?"

For a secound the question knocks me off of my feet and I'm just falling to the ground, tumbling out of the tree, my back hitting branches until I hit the ground and all of the air leaves my lungs. If only that were true. It'd be less painfull. I puff out air as if I have to think about it when I really don't. It's all I could think about for the last few days. "Three, four, five days tops. You'd be lucky if you got to four days. Five would really be pushing it..." 

"Oh." Her throat releases tears and her head falls into her hands and for just a brief secound she loses her balance but I reach out to her and steady her. As I go to take my hand away from her wrist but she just grabs me and gives me a hug that she needs so badly. I pat her back soothingly, trying my best to calm her. Never is it easy, calming a dying child or just anyone in that case, but I can do it. But Rue is different, she's must stronger and braver than all of those other kids and even adults. 

"Hey, it'll be alright. It's not going to be painful and it will most likely come in your sleep. I'll be here with you the entire time. Promise."  I coax softly. She nods her head like the young child that she is, that we all really are.

She smiles shyly. "I wasn't going to win anyways. Never had a chance. No one even thought we'd make it this far." We both begin to pack up our stuff, I jump carefully to my own tree and clutch onto it tightly. 

"Don't doubt yourself! Either of us could win in that time period." I shout quietly over to her and she just laughs knowingly. What? Is it too ridiculous for a young girl to have some hope in herself? I contemplate this as I continue shoving my bad into my small pack and take a big swig of water. 

While Rue gracefull climbs down her tree I more of just slip down. My leg is absoulutely killing me so right as I reach the ground I kick off my shoe, pull up my pant leg and rip off the linen bandage. Not as bad as before believe it or not. Healing but still hurts like hell. Quickly, I rush over to the river and clean it off before applying some ointment to the wound and then wrapping the bandage back on. 

"How's your leg?" Asks Rue as I hobble back over to her. 

There's no use in lying to her so I just answer honestly. "Better actually. I mean it still really aches but it's duller now and the swelling and redness is dying down a little bit." I smile and she grins back hopefully.

Walking, walking and then some resting. Nothing happens for nearly two hours. But two hours isn't enough now is it?

In unicence Rue and I shriek loudly as we are startled by an eagerly waiting Cato and Clove. What are they doing together? It doesn't matter. What matters is my survival. Not Rue's. Not theirs. Mine. Rue will die anyways and I don't care for Clove nor Cato. Without thinking I run but something catches my calf forcing my knees to buckle as I go crashing to the soft ground. Screaming in agony, I yank out the knife and chuck it blindly at an advancing Cato. He attempts to dodge it but it hits him in the wrist. No big deal to him though, he just pops it out and gives it to Clove who is trying to follow Rue up a thickly guarded pine tree. My heart sinks as I realize Cato is only a couple of feet away from me and there is no chance of me getting up and scattering away. 

Using my only resort I take out my knife and throw it at him. There's a thud as it lands in his right shoulder. He gives small cry as blood spurts out but it is not the result I wanted. I wanted a lethal throw. Me, young, kind, innocent Primrose Everdeen wants a fatal wound on some other poor child that I don't even know. None of us deserve this. I am just as guilty as he is. 

While he struggles with the knife I dart for a tree and climb frantically. Rue is hopping from tree to tree, making her way over to me. Glad to see that someone still cares for me, I meet her in the next tree over. We both breathe heavily and tears run down our fresh faces. "Prim, what are we going to do?!" 

"I don't know. Just stay calm, we'll get through this together, right?" Even though what I say makes a good point, I am doing the opposite. 

There's a deep bellowing laugh beneath us and I look down to see Clove slowly making her way up to us, Cato's spear is in hand and he is taking aim. I notice it in time to move but it skids over Rue's leg, brushing her just enough to leave a mark. 

Stil freaking out and not thinking, I jump to a tree that doesn't even exist and land painfully on the pineneedles. "Prim!!!" Cries Rue as she peers at me. Everyone knows what's coming next. Clove runs over to me, grinning evily. I know this is it. Rebeliously, I shut my eyes. Breathing calming. Feeling the air on my soft light skin. Loving every secound I have left. "Prim! Prim! Go! Prim!!! Please!" But I don't. I don't move. I don't wince. I just let the knife drive deep into my heart.

Yet I still have time to say, "I'm sorry Katniss." while the life is draining out of me. 

So I think we all knew that was coming eventually..... Hope I made you cry.