Arrows in the Dark

4.. 3.. 2

I'm not ready. I'm not ready for the last four Districts and I'm especially dreading District One. If District Seven was angry enough to smash in buildings, and six rebellious enough to start a riot i don't want to see what's boiling over in Distcirt One. I was tapping my foot nervously waiting to head on stage with Peeta when Haymitch walks up. "Looking sharp. Nice dress." he comments glancing at the blue number I'm wearing. I shrug.

"What's with the sudden appearance?" i ask.

"Came to wish you good luck of course." he says with a smile opening his arms for a hug. Confused i hug him back. "This crowd is worse than all the others. Theyr'e already rioting." he whispers. Pulling back i try to put on my best smile like Haymitch who turns to hug Peeta. Haymitch walks away and Peeta and i glance at each other with worry. Already rioting? The doors open and i understand what he means. Everyone is shouting and yelling, but they sound angry, furious. I introduce us but I don't think i can be heard over the roar of the crowd. The peacekeepers have made a wall out of themselves blocking the people from getting towards the stage. Peeta speaks first then glances at me as I open my mouth to begin.

"Cordella was my friend." I say loud and clear. Some of the shouts settle down but they continue to push forward. My eyes wander towards Cordella's stage where her grieving parents stand. The mother has her face in her palms and her husband keeps patting her shoulder and rubbing her back. An only child. Would my parents look the same way if i had died? I try not to think about it. "Our plan was to get away from the Careers but it didn't work out that way." I looked at the ground and watched the crowd die down a little. "I didn't know her for very long but I tried to protect her. We should've gotten away sooner. I'm so sorry for your loss."

No sooner had the words left my mouth and the crowd was screaming and shouting again. The Peacekeepers had lessened up and some angry people broke through. I gasped as Peeta and I were dragged backwards by the Peacekeepers on guard. I watched as the men that tried to attack the Justice building get beaten down and guns were pulled. More screaming. Then another door was slammed in our face. "It's not getting better." I said turning from the door and heading back to our rooms.

"I didn't think it would." Peeta replies quietly.

On the train going to and exiting District Four we pass a lot of scenic views. Peeta is glued to the windows. He's trying to commit to memory the way the ocean looks. We might never get another chance to see it. There's not much travelling being down between Districts. The sun is setting on the ocean and i watch as Peeta hurriedly jots down colors and sketches out something small on the corner of his notebook. The scene is obscured by a line of trees and Peeta swears moving away from the window and coming to sit down next to me on the couch. "Do you think you have enough to paint a picture?" i question lightly as he turns to a different page and furiously begins sketching before the memory fades.

"Huh? Oh yeah. I might. I just have too.." he doesn't finish the sentence so i scoot closer and watch him draw. He hardly makes a mistake. Never stopping to erase a line or redo something. He continues to draw in the silence not even stopping to look up at me. We sit there for a good hour just staring at the piece of paper that has slowly transformed into the rolling waves of the ocean.

"It's beautiful." i remark smiling down at it.

"Thanks." Peeta says holding it out to examine it.

"Want to come watch me paint?" he asks quietly. I nod slowly. They brought our talents on the train with us. There's a whole car full of Peeta's paintings and drawings and art supplies. My car only has a piano. Not the big one i have in my living room but a piano i can play. I watch Peeta begin to splash color onto the canvas fluidly. It's nearly midnight when he has the sand finished.