Hunger Games (Peeta's POV)

11

Sixty seconds. That's how long you wait on the metal circle staring at the other tributes. Sixty seconds until people begin to die. Sixty seconds to make a plan. I begin to look around, finding a lake to my right, surrounded by woods, and to the left tall grasses. I ignore the Cornucopia ahead of me, I need to run away like Haymitch said. Then, I understand the flaw of my confession of love, once in the arena. We'll be apart, no one will understand why we're not starting as a team. I continue to look around as my head races with thoughts. Then, my eyes land on her. 

She's staring at a bow in the center of the Cornucopia, the very place Haymitch told us not to go. I shake my head, praying she'll see me and realize what I mean. She's staring at me all the way until the gong sounds and I know I've disrupted her plan.So, I run, hoping she'll follow my lead; or at least have the sense to clear out. 

I run towards the woods, running until I can't run anymore. I wander through the woods, then. It's all I can really do. The threat currently lies at the Cornucopia. No one is hunting yet, no one is coming for me yet. I make my way carefully. I've never been outside of the beaten paths of District Twelve, even the meadow is a far stretch to compare to this. I try to think of what Katniss would do in this situation, she knows how to live off of what she finds in nature, but I don't want to risk eating anything poisonous until it's absolutely necessary, so I just continue to walk. I find a stream pretty early on and follow that, knowing having a source of water could save my life. 

The walk is a pleasant one, I've always wondered what it's like in the woods beyond District Twelve, I imagine it's similar to this. I know the cameras will show me periodically, showing that I'm alive, uninjured, and on the move. I start having to take breaks, sitting by the stream, drinking water. It's been hours when the cannons sound, the ones alerting us of casualties. There have been eleven deaths and the cannons sounding means the killers have stopped fighting. This means they're on the move and very well could be on their way to me. 

For a moment, I think of Kantiss. Is she dead? Did she run like I know she should've. I won't know until tonight, but I have to remain hopeful. I know facing the possibility of her death would be too much for me. 

Night is coming quickly and I focus on figuring out where I'm going to sleep when I hear their voices. The careers. Only they would be confident enough to walk in a pack talking loudly. I do the only thing I can do, I run as fast as I can. But, the group of them overpowers me easily, the biggest boy forcing me to the ground. I wait for them to kill me, not expecting to hear any last words from them. The feeling of a fist connecting with my face shocks me, very rarely do they play with their prey like this. I'm sure they're doing it for the cameras, trying to give the sponsors a good show. I lay there fighting as much as I can as he pins me to the floor. There are too many of them to fight back, I know if I get him off of me another will kill me. So, I take the beating. I'm surprised when the boy speaks,  "Hey, Lover Boy. We've been looking for you." 

I growl out a reply, knowing all cameras will be trained on us, "Have you now? Why would that be?"

"You have something we want," One of the girls says with a laugh.

"Yes, that's very true," the boy, Cato I think, continues, "You're gonna help us find your little girlfriend." 

"Oh?" I try to think of a way out of this, "Why am I going to do that?"

"Oh, because we'll kill you if you don't," he replies bluntly. Suddenly, my plan is clear, I'll distract them, leading them in the wrong direction as long as I can; until they kill me. That'll be my sacrifice. 

I struggle against him, trying to look unconvinced, when suddenly a knife lands beside my head; clearly having been thrown with precision.

"Fine," I cry out, "I'll do it."