We Remain

Chapter 8: By the Waterfall

"Ladies and Gentleman! Let the seventy-fifth annual Quarter Quell begin!" says Claudius Templesmith.

Everyone begins to sprint. I run. I watch Peeta grab three backpacks and a few weapons and jet off up the hills of the mountain. I run and Brutus, from 2, blocks me. I try to swerve around him. But the man is huge. Matilda, also from 2, starts walking behind him swinging her long knife killing a boy from 10 and a girl from 3.

I'm trapped. I'm going to die here. Right now. This is it. Other tributes fall beside me. Soon I will be with them. Going home in a wooden casket to District 12. I close my eyes and wait.

"Step away from her!" a male voice yells. Peeta! I turn around and see Finnick. My heart stops. "She's mine to finish!" He holds a trident in his hands. Jabbing it at the District 2 tributes, making them back away. Annie takes my shoulder, probably not to threaten me. But of course my instincts are horrible to safety's touch. I elbow Annie in the gut, I take a backpack and my precious bow and arrows and I run off.

My body reacted on it's own. Annie never meant any harm. But I know Finnick is unpredictable. I run fast. Sprinting up the steep hills. I only saw a few tributes try to run up.

The others went are into a rainforest, or what I think to be a rainforest, I've only seen pictures. And the arctic. I remember from the 70th annual games. The whole arena covered in white ice. Which in my opinion is stupid since our outfits don't fit the certain weather arrangements for the arctic. Although the huge body suits inside the cornucopia. I keep runnning. I have no real idea

I trip over a log, face first into mud. My thoughts have blurred my vision. I slowly get up and wipe my face. I rub the mud from my hands on my pants. I sit against a tree. A bunch of trees give my coverage. I am fine here. Anyways I'm as far as I want to get tonight. Mud equals water. Trees equal shelter.

I pull over my green backpack. I open it and find a loaf of bread, dried beef, and dried plums. Then I hear a boom. Not the type that signifies a death. But more of a small explosion. I pack my stuff up quickly and peek around the corner. Then I see the smoke and small fire.

My curiosity has taken the best of me. I load the bow and walk over watching the fire. I slowly approach. I see a small fire in the trees. Then I see the horrific sight. Willow, from 11 Rue's sister, lies face down on the dirt. Her back blown to bits. She had been following me. Her backpack with a red blinking light. It had been rigged to explode. I swallow hard. She had been following me, the way Rue did, in the trees.

I start to bend down next to her. The a faint rustle comes a few yards ahead of me. I start to run. I will have to leave my perfect spot. I run up the hills trying to get far from the culprit.

Soon all the bombs go off. I count 10. Unusual. But a lot of tributes got away from the blood bath. But the rigged backpacks have doubled the amount. Peeta! He took three! Three backpacks! I will have to wait for tonight. To confirm my suspicions. I start to shake in nervousness. Or how cold it has become. The sweat on my collar. The light of the day is dimming. I find a bush. Trees would be too cold. If a career won't kill me it would be the weather. I'm not taking any chances.

I open my pack and go through my things again. At the bottom of the pack is sleeping bag. One thing I will sure need. I fix myself inside.

The Capitol logo projects in the sky. "The Fallen" it reads on the bottom. 

Brites, the girl from 3. Both tributes from 5, 6, and 8. Lotus, the boy from 9. Both tributes from 10. And poor little Willow, from 11. Her face in the sky. I raise three fingers to the sky. And I know the cameras are on me. But I don't care. Peeta! He still is alive. Thank goodness. My heart rate lowers. He's fine.....but maybe hurt. It goes up once again. The consistent rhythm of my heartbeat, helps me drift to sleep.

The sun peeks through the leafs and branches. I get up and pack quickly. I will need to find water. I don't know if the person or thing is still following me. I get up and start to walk up. It's not steep anymore. Normal paths. Then I see it, small smoke. I could walk over and shoot them out or turn around. If it's the careers. I am instantly dead. I could kill them from a tree above?

I climb the nearest tree and perch myself on a sturdy branch. I load the bow. And clearly I see Finnick and Annie. He holds her in his arms, rocking her back and forth. Her hands cover her ears. I lower my bow and sit back. Peeta. Peeta. Peeta. I wonder where he is. I jump down from the tree.

I am instantly pushed against the tree. Her forearm pressed to my throat. The oxygen escaping. I grip myself for instant pain.

"He's by the waterfall," Johanna says. She jolts me a bit more. She lets me go. I hit the ground, gasping for air. "You owe me!" She says. Then she's off.

I get up. Johanna just told me where Peeta is. And now I owe her. I hate owing people. Was she the one following me? This is all she wanted me to know. She never said he was hurt or needed my help. I guess, I am the one that needs help this year....