Baby of Panem

Baby

Ow. I jolt awake to a sudden pain in my back, feeling my stomach tightening up as the pain comes on. I reach my hand around, feeling my back where the pain is coming from, have I been stabbed? More poison fog? I don't feel anything as my hand reaches where the pain feels like it should be. I place some pressure on it, hoping it will help. The pain subsides. I must have just laid funny while sleeping, the pain didn't last more than a minute. I move to lay back down when a wave of nausea washes over me. I feel my stomach tighten up again, it couldn't have been more than three minutes since the pain had subsided and now its back again. I feel an immense amount of pressure between my legs suddenly. I pull my knees into my body, breathing heavy and counting. Almost a minute goes by before the pain subsides this time. I look over to Finnick, who is now staring at me with a questionable look. I look at Peeta, he's still asleep. I debate about waking him, deciding against it as I push against the ground to stand up.

I begin to walk toward Finnick when I get another wave of tightness mixed with the pain and pressure. I brace myself against a nearby tree and breathe deeply, trying to keep quiet and stay on my feet. I begin to count again, another minute passes as the pain begins to ease up. The nausea continues to hang around even when the pain is gone. I finish making my way toward Finnick and try to get into the water. I kneel at the edge, the pain returning and lasting for another minute. I know something has to be wrong now. I move to get up, knowing I should wake Peeta, when I feel something pop and have an increased pressure between my legs suddenly again. I feel something wet spreading over my wet suit. I did not just piss myself on television for all of Panem to see. I feel the liquid continuing to spread as it continues to feel thicker. I reach my hand between my legs. I don't know what to expect to see, but I don't expect to see blood covering my hand as I move it away. I look at Finnick, panic washing over me.

Finnick quickly makes his way over to me. Reaching his hand out to touch my stomach. I just nod and lay back on the sand, bending my legs up to attempt to relieve some of the pressure. He shakes his head.

"We need to wake Peeta. I think you're in labor Katniss. Those pains, every three minutes and lasting for a minute, the blood. You're having this baby." He gets up quickly, waking Peeta and both of them returning to my side.

I struggle to catch my breath, the pain increasing each time it returns. Peeta looks between Finnick and I, seeming as alarmed as I feel. I thought I had more time, I hoped that we could at least make it longer in the arena before I the baby. Peeta kisses my forehead and takes my hand in his as Finnick moves to unzip my wetsuit. I notice Peeta trying not to watch as Finnick takes my clothes off. Part of me knows its jealously, the other part knows this is just how Peeta is, he respects me. I can only hope this isn't being broadcast, but I know how Snow is, this will be playing everywhere, and everyone will be watching me have this baby.

"Katniss, I need you to help me get this wetsuit off, do you think you can do that?"

"Y-ow. Yes," I manage to choke the word out between sobs, the pain has intensified to feeling like something is ripping me apart from the inside out.

"Breathe through it Katniss. In and out. I've got you," Peeta squeezes my hand as he helps me breathe through the pain.

As the wave passes, Peeta helps me sit, sliding my arms out of the wetsuit before helping me to lay back and slide it the rest of the way off my body, covering my top half with it to keep me from being completely exposed. I notice Finnick had turned away and Peeta lets him know he's okay to turn back now. I hear Finnick mumbling instructions to Peeta and I, however an urgent need grows as the pressure becomes too intense to lay still. As if by instinct, I spread my legs apart and allow Peeta to assist me in pushing against my legs. He adjusts himself behind me and lets me lean back against him.