Hunger Games (Peeta's POV)

14

A sudden movement above my head surprises me,  but doesn't shock me. I stare up to the canopy of trees above me and squint to make out the movement of the girl above me. She's climbing higher, even higher than I'd deem sensible for a squirrel. The branches hold her, but she is careful when selecting each hold. I rack my brain for a reason she'd climb higher with us so far below, but I come up short. 

She stops climbing, settling onto a branch high above me and waits. The seal of the capitol shines in the sky and the anthem comes through the speakers hidden around the arena. With that sudden noise, she begins sawing a branch furiously. I try to imagine her plan. Would dropping a branch on us give her any way to escape? I can't imagine it, but maybe she knows something I don't. 

The capitol seal lights her slightly than the moon had, and I can see her outline more clearly. I follow my eyes down the branch that is shaking with her saws, then I see it. A nest of some sort. We've studied nests in school, ones like that. Nests of wasps and bees, then it hits me, right as the seal disappears and the sawing stops, it's a tracker jacker nest. Mutts from the Capitol specifically designed to target the part of your brain that houses fear. She's going to drop a nest of murderous hornets on us. I work to keep my muscles relaxed, the people surrounding me need to die and I need to make sure this is the thing that kills them. 

I know she'll wait till we're all asleep to risk sawing again, so I'll be ready to flee the moment she begins. I'll run as far as I can before rounding back and finishing off whoever's left. 

She inches down the tree carefully, I can tell the stress of the day and whatever injuries she has are wearing her down. She moves less carefully then she should. I look towards where she'd been resting before and see a silver parachute, a gift from Haymitch. I know him well enough to know he wouldn't give her something if she could survive without it. 

I've always imagined that my sacrifice will be the key to her winning, but it takes a moment for me to realize I could be sacrificing myself for nothing if she dies another way. I assumed that if she outlasted the careers, she'd win; all I'd have to do is help her get rid of them. But, I know that injury didn't come from one of us. She could die from a number of other causes that I'd never even imagined. The anxiety settles into my stomach and, for the first time, I'm not sure if sacrificing myself is the right thing to do. 

I spend the night wrestling with my own head, trying to find a way to save her. But, I know tonight is the night, it's the once chance I can give her, I have to hope she takes it. 

As the birds begin their calls of dawn, I watch Katniss rise. I glance around the little camp I'm in, the fire is out and our watch is asleep. I tighten my muscles, preparing myself to run at any moment. 

Katniss pauses on her way up towards the nest, but it's still too dark for me to be able to tell why. As she reaches the nest, she pauses before beginning to saw. I tighten my muscles and jump when I hear the telltale break of the branch. I run as hard as I can away from the group, I've dropped everything but a knife in my attempt to run away. I realize too late that I should've brought as many weapons as I could hold. But, now, all I can do is run. The rest of the group is following me, yelling of the lake, swarms of Tracker Jackers following them. 

I start to feel the stings, they slow me down, but I push myself forward. I reach the lake long before anyone else, plunging myself under the water, forcing the Tracker Jackers to move on. I emerge from the water in time to see Cato, Marvel, and Clove enter the water. I know I have to go back, to protect her. I run as fast as I can, ignoring the fog that's overtaking my head. My mind is foggy, but I run as quickly as I can on wobbly legs. I hear Cato coming to follow me, I know he know's my plan. I know that he know's I'm going back to save her. 

I force myself forward, forcing myself to complete this task, "Do this, do this for her." 

I crash through the brush to a pile of weapons, I can feel myself losing conciousness, but I have enough sense to grab a spear and continue. I expect to crash into the clearing and see Katniss has long since been here. Instead, I find her crouched beside Glimmers body, trying to shoot an arrow at me. I can tell she's losing it just as I am. But, I force myself to speak, "What are you doing here? Are you mad?"

She barely reacts to my words, but I can hear Cato closing in on us. He's approacing quickly and I have to get her away from here. I'll fight him off, but I need her to try and get a head start. I prod her with the shaft of my spear, "Get up! Get up!"

She follows my directions and I take it as a good sign, "Run! Run!"

She does as I say, crashing through the brush, away from me and Cato. I turn around just in time to see him enter the clearing.

"Lover boy," He forces out, "I thought we agreed that you'd let me have her and kill her."

"You aren't going to kill her," I think I say. Everything around me is sparkling and I can't quite distinguish what is real anymore. 

I can't tell if he falls or lunges forward, but my movements are too slow. His sword connects with my thigh and I'm met with blinding pain. I collapse immediately, but he takes off in the direction Katniss ran. I have no control left within me to chase him. So, I lie there, and my own personal hell begins.