A/n: Hello everybody! Today is February 10th, 2021. I literally just had an argument with myself OUT LOUD where I was just yelling at myself because I was debating making a decision about one of my other books and it was just me yelling at myself in the middle of my Zoom meeting.
WARNING: this is a very gruesome chapter. there is stabbing, a lot of death, a lot of blood, and just overall torture. PLEASE be careful, but know that this is one of the last chapters.
Y/n and Katniss run back to the cave. Rue looks up at them. "You noticed the sky too?"
"How could we not?" Y/n huffs. In the far distance, they hear heavy rustling, and suddenly, a cannon shoots off and echoes through the jungle, bouncing off the trees until it slaps the three girls in the face.
Behind them, they hear rapid and aggressive movement. Y/n looks behind her and draws her weapon. Through the thick darkness, she sees multiple glowing eyes. But not just any eyes. The eyes of the slain.
A growl erupts from the group of eyes and Y/n jolts Rue to her feet. "RUN!" She screams. They all grab their weapons and take off, jumping over roots and dodging swinging tree branches. The heavy thundering of many paws are quickly advancing on them. Y/n, Katniss, and Rue break through the tree line into the clearing.
Across from them, they spot Cato running towards the Cornucopia as well. Katniss boosts herself up on top of the slick metal structure and holds her hand out. Y/n scoops Rue up and boosts her up into Katniss' arms. "Try to stay behind us," Katniss directs as Y/n hoists herself up, just as the Mutts come up and try grabbing her leg.
The second Y/n gets on the Cornocopia, Cato grabs her and puts her into a tight headlock. He grabs a knife that Y/n had tucked into her jacket pocket and lifts up her shirt just over her ribs. She tenses against him. "Don't touch me," she growls.
His dirtied fingers trace over the scarred skin of her wound. He traces the tip of the knife along the ridges of it. Rue peeks out behind Katniss, trembling. Actually, they're both trembling. "Leave her alone, Cato! Take me instead!" Katniss yells.
"Katniss, no! This was always going to happen, bug. Ok? It's going to be okay! You're going to take Rue home to her family, knowing you did the right thing. You let happen what was meant to happen!" Y/n says, smiling through the tears.
Cato grins at them. "How sweet." With that, he plunges Y/n's knife back into her wound, the cold blade splitting her skin and puncturing the healed flesh inside her again. A blood-curdling scream rips out of her throat and she keels over. Cato grabs her hair and yanks her back up, a maniacal grin on his face.
Katniss notches her bow, her tears slicking the feathers. "Go on, shoot. And we'd both go down and you'd win," Cato taunts. Katniss hesitates, glancing from Y/n and Cato to the yapping Mutts below. "Go on. I'm dead anyway! I always was, right? I didn't know that until now. Isn't that what they want, huh?"
She widens her stance, getting ready to shoot, but Cato twists the knife in Y/n's stomach, causing her to scream and cry out in pain again, her drool and blood mixing, spilling out of her mouth and dripping down the sides of the Cornucopia. The Mutts lap it up and become even more feral at what they were designed to crave so much. "No! I can still do this. I can still do this. One more kill. It's the only thing I know how to do. Bring pride to my district. Not that it matters," Cato yells.
Y/n looks at Katniss and mouths for her to shoot. Y/n uses what little remaining strength she has to rip herself away from Cato's grasp, falling down onto the Cornucopia. Cato yelps in surprise and slips, falling to his death with the Mutts. His screams tear through the dark night's air.
Katniss shoots into the pile, silencing him forever. She slings her bow over her and runs over to where Y/n lays, coughing up blood, spattering all over her face and clothes. "Attention. Attention, tributes. A reminder of the rule. We are allowing for two victories. Only two victors may be crowned. Good luck. And may the odds be ever in your favor," Seneca calls out.
Y/n grabs Katniss' hand. "Katniss, look at me," she says sternly, pulling Katniss' trembling face towards her.
"No," Katniss mumbles.
"KAT! Look at me, baby. I'm not going to make it. No matter what. Okay? You have to let go. You have to save Rue and go back to Prim and Mom. Please. For me. This is my dying wish. You can't take that away from me," Y/n begs, salty tears mingling with the dry blood.
"No, no, no, no," Katniss sobs. Y/n pushes her hair out of her face. "I love you, okay." She motions Rue over. "And I love you too, Rue. Protect everyone, okay? You two have the power now."
Rue nods, clutching Y/n's hand tightly. Y/n reaches her other hand into her pocket and pulls out a handful of berries. "Y/n, no! What are you doing?!" Katniss weeps.
"Saying goodbye. I love you. So, SO much," Y/n says, a little smile on her face. She tosses the berries into her mouth and crunches down, the poison spilling down her throat and landing in her stomach. It seeps through her, filling her veins, her stomach, her lungs, her brain.
She smiles brightly at Katniss and reaches up, sweeping the sweaty brown hair out of her face. Her eyes widen and she stills, her hand falling down to her side. Katniss screams and buries her face in Y/n's chest, crying for her to come back.
Rue sits back on her heels in shock, silent tears rolling off her cheeks. "Ahem. May I present the 74th Annual Hunger Game Winners!"
i am SO sorry. this was how it was always supposed to go. its not finished yet, though. im sorry. i love you.
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