The Hunger Games

Chapter Seventeen-The End

I blink my eyes over and over as I wake up. Another night. Another gruesome, tear-filled night I had slept through. I stroke the pillow that President Snow left for me and feel another tear come out. Gosh, I am such a baby. I cry and cry. I never do anything without crying. It's just something I do. I cry about everything. It's how I express my emotion. Even when I'm mildly happy I'll cry.

I pick myself up and look around. Kelin and Peeta are gone. It's hard to believe I'm alone again. Alone. I really am alone. I've witnessed three people I was close to in the games die. First Rue, the Kelin, and then Peeta. I have no one else to turn to anymore. There are only three other people left in the games. And they're all the roughest boys I've ever known. Cato, Axel, and Marvel. Hopefully they"ll all kill each other before I have to.

I take a double take on my surroundings. I'm not where I was when I left. I'm back in the Cornucopia. I glance over to where all the backpacks were. There's a small orange pack sitting there, and I think I can make out a number 12 on it. I sprint for the pack and examine it. Yes! It was a District 12 pack! Peeta must not have picked his up. Or maybe President Snow left another one for me. Either way, I was happy. I open the pack and empty out it's contents.

There was a pack of crackers, fruit, a bottle of water, and a set of arrows! Just what I needed. I'm tired of using a knife. Arrows are more my preference. I hold one of the arrows in my hand. It's so beautiful. It's carved with some type of wood that only the Capitol has. Katniss used to tell me to always settle for the best arrows, but I never listened. I thought I would never be hunting, so it didn't matter to me. I guess these are the arrows she was talking about. I wonder what she thought of them. I hold the arrow up to the camera and smile.

"Katniss, are these good arrows?" I ask. Maybe she'll smile back and nod to the television set. I sling the pack over my shoulder and hold the bow in my hand, ready in case someone attacks. I make my way for the forest, hoping I'll find at least some sort of protection. The sun is starting to warm up, and I feel the sweat sliding past my mouth. How thirsty I was. Would now be a good time to drink some water? I decide I'll have three small sips.

I check to see how much water I have left afterwards. A quarter of the way empty. I smile approvingly and place the water back in my bag. I continue walking and still can't find a shelter. Well, it wasn't that hard last time.

I force myself to keep walking when I'm suddenly stopped by an unforgettable cannon. It came from behind me, and I hear rumbling in the bushes. I scan the area. No hiding spots. Whoever it is, I'm just going to have to fight. I hear grumbling from the bushes and I'm able to recognize the voice. No, not Cato! I'd fight anyone but him!

I dodge into the nearest bush and wait for him to pass. He emerges from the bushes and stops as if he's heard something. He looks behind him and then at the bush I'm hiding in. I hold my breath and stay still. He creeps up to me and squints his eyes. Just as he's about to pull the bushes back, my side begins to hurt. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from screaming, but can't contain myself.

I let out a scream and Cato backs away. I crawl backwards before he can find something to defend himself with. My broken rib stabs at my side again and I cry out in pain. I can hear the bushes rumble but there's no chance of me getting up. I can barely move. The arrows are too far a distance away and I wouldn't be able to shoot anyways. I clench my fist and use all my strength to crawl into another bush.

Cato comes running out and curses to himself when he doesn't see me. He turns and walks the other way. My rib is literally killing me, and I feel as if I'll drop dead any second. My hand grasps the dirt and I pull on it tightly until my hand turns red. The pain is so excruciating. I crawl into a ball and lay there, crying. I'm pretty sure I was there all day, because when I finally get up, the anthem is playing in the sky.

I look up to the sky to see which tribute said his farewell today. Marvel's picture flashes on the screen. Axel and Cato and I are the only three that remain now. The anthem plays and the sky goes dark again. I look around and scan the ground for my bag. I put my hand to the ground and use it as a source of where I'm going. I finally feel the fabric of the pack and pick it up. I continue searching for my arrows. They should be next to pack. But I don't feel them. I frantically run my hand through the dirt again and again. It's not here. My arrows are gone! They were my last source of a weapon.

I place my face in my hands and cry. Cato must've taken them. I should've grabbed them before fleeing into the bush! I stand up slowly and waddle around the forest. I can't sleep. Maybe I'll find some type of weapon in here.

The sun is starting to peek up when I finally am ready to rest. I pull out my water and take another quick sip. I eat all of my fruit and walk again.

Just as I feel the warm sun on my back, I feel a cold shiver run up my spine. I look behind me and see in the distance, some type of fog rolling in. It looks harmless, until I see it pass a deer and it drops dead. The fog passes some squirrels and they too fall to the ground. That's when I realize it's poisonous.

I turn and began to run. But I don't really get anywhere because of my rib. I look back and the fog is much closer to me. It's moving faster and faster. I try to sprint and my pace picks up a little bit, but even then I can feel the fog's mist on my back.

I clamp my mouth shut and cover my nose. Now I'm starting to move. So is the fog. It goes out for at least a hundred yards, so there's no chance in turning in a different direction. I spot a tree, easy for me to climb, and it goes high up, where the fog won't touch it. I muster up all the leftover strength I have to make it to the tree.

Just as I grab the first branch, I see another figure running towards me. It looks like Axel. He's coming from the east of me, with fog traveling behind him. I pull myself up the first branch, and continue climbing until I'm too far for the fog to reach me. Axel climbs behind me, but stops further down than me, but he's still higher than the fog. I look out to the rest of the forest. It's actually pretty up here. I can see everything from up here.

Out in the distance, I see another set of fog, from the North of me. And right in front of the fog is Cato, sprinting his heart out. I don't believe it. The Capitol put the fog in here to bring us all to one spot for the end of the Hunger Games. The climax. This is the games at it's best point.

Cato runs faster and faster to the tree, and puts his hand out, knowing he'll make it. The fog is moving way faster now, and it's right on the heels of his feet. Just as he is about to grab the branch, an explosion goes off, and he's blown up right before my eyes, in the same explosion my father was killed in.

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Uploaded! Short chapter, yadayadayada. I'll update as soon as possible, and bad news for the next chapter. It's the LAST one! Yep, I said it, LAST ONE. This one I will try to make the very best chapter ever! It will have an awesome ending that you will have to read!!! (Well, duh, of course you'll read it.) So stay tuned! :D

Update: "oH MY GOD YOU STOLE THE ENDING FROM CATCHING FIRE THIEF JSJSJSHS"

I think I got it, guys. you don't have to keep reminding me. I know what a book merge is.