Catching Fire: Peeta's POV

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Seeing Katniss ahead, I rush forward. I don't want Katniss seeing this. I have to push through the crowd of people to move forward. I feel bad about pushing them out of my way, but I need to get through and find Katniss. I break through the last few people, and I hear Katniss scream. It's a blood-curdling scream that pierces the cold air.

"No!" she jumps forward.

People in the crowd try to pull me back as I rush after Katniss. Katniss throws herself between the whip and Gale. Sacrificing herself once again like she did for Prim not that long ago. The whip hits her cheek with a crack. The cracking of the whip echoes throughout the square like a bullet firing from a gun. Falling to the ground at the site, the crowd finally pulls me behind them. I can't see Katniss and Gale anymore. The crowd is in my way.

"Stop it! You'll kill him!" Katniss screams as I'm getting up. I fall once again to the ground as people bump into me. I push myself off the ground, bumping into people in the process. They give me looks of pity as I try to push past them.

I look over the crowd's heads. The man with the whip has a cruel mouth and gray hair, his eyes as black as coal and unforgiving. He raises the whip, eyes set on Katniss.

"Hold it," A familiar voices barks. It's Haymitch. The crowd parts for him easily. He trips over a knocked out Darius on his way up to the man. I try to push through the crowd again, trying to go to Katniss's aid. They won't let me through. They continue holding me back behind their arms.

Haymitch helps Katniss up, taking her face in his hands. He tilts her face side to side, examining the whip mark. "Oh, excellent. She's got a photo shoot next week modeling wedding dresses. What am I supposed to tell her stylist?" he demands.

I try pushing through the crowd harder. They still won't let me through.

The whip man now seems to recognize Katniss. Resting his whip on his hip like he owns the place. "She interrupted the punishment of a confessed criminal." His accent is different, definitely not from District Twelve.

Haymitch snarls, his voice deep. "I don't care if she blew up the blasted Justice Building! Look at her cheek! Think that will be camera ready in a week?"

"That's not my problem," says the unknown man dismissively.

Who does this jackass think he is? I shove against the people around me, trying to get through. I still can't break the crowd. It's like they're putting up a fence around me to keep me trapped within their ranks.

"No? Well, it's about to be, my friend. The first call I make when I get home is to the Capitol," Haymitch says smugly. "Find out who authorized you to mess up my victor's pretty little face!"

"He was poaching. What business is it of hers, anyways?"

I shove one more time against the line of people. It breaks as I stumble through the line. I walk up to the group, standing by Katniss's other arm. "He's her cousin. And she's my fiancee. So if you want to get him, expect to go through the both of us."

A woman from the crowd steps forward. "I believe, for a first offense, the required number of lashes has been dispensed, sir. Unless your sentence is death, which we would carry out by firing squad."

"Is that the standard protocol here?" the man asks.

Oh great. This dumbass doesn't even know the rules. Who put him in charge? Not that anyone here actually knows them either.

"Yes, sir," the woman says and several in the crowd nod their agreement.

"Very well. Get your cousin out of here, then, girl. And if he comes to, remind him that the next time he poaches off the Capitol's land, I'll assemble that firing squad personally."