May the Odds Be Never In Your Favor [EDITING]

Chapter 9 - Monkeys, Monkeys Jumping In the Trees

Prim's POV

"No!" Cory screams. "No!" She leans over him, pushing on his cheeks, falling on his chest bawling and screaming. Katniss looks at me stunned, like I'm just telling a joke and pretty soon I'm going to burst out laughing and say he's fine.

But he's not. And Katniss knows it.

She starts shaking her head softly. Then she leans over Peeta, like Cory is doing, just she's able to see his face. She grabs Peeta's cheeks between her fingers and says, "Peeta? Please, wake up. Please wake up. Don't leave me already."

And just as I'm fixing to try and pull Katniss and Cory away from Peeta, I see Finnick share looks with Bram and Mags. Then he pushes his way to the body on the ground, knocking Cory out of the way and making her topple into me. Katniss doesn't budge. She sits by his side, crying.

"Cory," I say, trying to calm her down as se warps her arms around my neck, crying so hard it's making my shoulder shake. "Cory, it's okay. It's okay."

But I'm not really paying attention to her. I'm watching as Finnick gives Peeta CPR. Blowing air into his lungs and pushing on his chest, begging his heart to start again.

And just as I'm loosing hope, trying to find a way to make sure Katniss and Cory will deal with it, I hear a sharp in take of breath and Finnick pauses.

"Peeta?" Katniss breathes.

"Peeta!" Cory flings herself at him. "Omigosh! Omigosh! Omigosh! I'm so sorry! You died! You were dead! Omigosh, I'm so happy you're not dead!" She hugs him while he lies on the floor of the jungle.

Katniss wipes at her tears and stands up, taking a deep breath. I didn't realize I was crying until I smile through my tears.

"I think I need to stand up." Peeta says.

"Oh yeah!" Cory helps Peeta up as best she can and when he's standing, she flings her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest.

Peeta's eyes cast to Katniss and she walks over to them, wrapping her arms around his neck, crying softly on his shoulder. Peeta murmurs comforting words to both of them.

"Not much for hugging, eh?" I spin to find Bram standing there with a smirk. The image of Finnick looking at him and Mags weaves its way into my mind. I wonder what they were thinking. I can't remember what their faces actually looked like, I just remember being scared for Peeta.

"I don't know why it concerns you." I turn around and join the only people I can trust.

___

We set up camp a little after that. With Mags and Heavenly having to ride on Finnick's and Bram's shoulders, with Peeta recovering from a near-death-experience (if it was "near"), and everyone tired and dehydrated we couldn't go on much farther at all.

Katniss is out hunting for game and water, while the rest of us try to build a suitable overnight camp. Most of us failed besides Finnick and Bram, who have done an excellent job of making a tent-thing out of huge leaves. Peeta helps them out. Mags has made bowls out of vines.

And Cory and me have sat here, looking on gloomy.

"He keeps looking at you." Cory says, nodding toward Bram who quickly looks away when I turn. "I think he likes you." Cory says. I blush and look at the ground. "I think you like him."

"I do not!" I say a little too quickly.

Cory rolls her eyes. "How stupid do you think I am, Prim?" She starts drawling lines in the soil. "You two can't stop drooling over each other."