Galaxies | Cato Hadley

Chapter Ten

FINCH HIT THE GROUND, HER SCREAM STILL ECHOING OFF THE TREES. Wren watched as Clove fell down with her. In a flash, red and black mixed together.

"Get up!" Clove shouted panic spread throughout her entire body. She felt a sharp pain in her ankle but ignored it. "Red, please!"

Finch cried as Clove picked her up. For as small as Clove was she could carry a lot when needed.

The peacekeeper vehicle was merely forty feet away. Marvel helped Clove carry Finch as he noticed her slight limp.

By the time they reached the vehicle, everyone piled in. Clove kept the pressure on the gunshot wound. It was in a nasty spot, right in Finch's shoulder. It was a clean shot that went straight through.

"W-We have to stop somewhere. One of the Districts," Clove said with tears. "Which one is the closest?"

"Nine," Marvel told her. "We could stop in Nine."

"The Capitol would be looking for us there." Said one of the other nameless team members.

"They're going to find us anywhere," Wren said.

Cato got a good look at her. Wren was thin, mostly skin and bones, she was paler than she was, and the markings on her back made him livid.

"We can hide in the hayfields of Nine," suggested Marvel. "It's our only option."

"No, it's not," Wren said. "We can go to District Ten."

Everyone looked at one another.

"Are you sure?" Marvel asked.

"It's just past Nine, maybe a little south but we can make it." Wren looked at Finch, she was paling by the minute. "Hurry."

Cato pressed the gas harder and they were on their way to District Ten.

Up in the passenger seat, Wren finally felt like she could breathe. She looked at the moonlight as Cato drove. His blond hair looked lighter in the moonlight and Wren smiled as she saw the stars above him.

Cato reached over and grabbed her hand, he brought her knuckles to his lips and placed a kiss on them. "I'm so glad I got you back."

"Me too," Wren said, "Thank you."

"Guys!" Clove shouted in near tears. "She stopped breathing!"

Cato almost slammed on the brakes.

Marvel checked Finch's pulse, "Her pulse is low. My guess is that her body went into shock."

Cato continued driving, but said, "Start chest compressions!"

Marvel started compressions and Clove looked at the red hair on her head. She pushed a piece away before she pressed her lips onto hers and blew air in. As Marvel continued compressions, Clove continued mouth to mouth.

After five minutes, they got Finch's pulse up and she was breathing on her own.

"We need to get to Ten as fast as we can," Marvel told Cato. "Or she won't make it."

Clove ripped the bottom of her shirt off and pressed it over the shoulder wound. It quickly soaked up the blood.

"I-I think the bleeding is slowing," Clove said.

Wren turned around, "We have maybe two hours, is there anything back there that might help?"

Marvel looked around, shuffling through boxes. As he peered into one he found bandages and medication. "Found it!"

He handed the medication to Clove and carefully removed as much of her sleeve as he could. He gagged at the wound. Marvel held his breath as he cleaned the wound as best as he could before placing a gauze over it and wrapping it.