Against All Odds (Finnick Odair love story) (1)

Chapter 25

Kale ^
I don't stop walking until my legs can barely move. Bruises cover my body and back. It's probably late afternoon when I stop walking. I haven't been able to keep any food down since my last kill. I had to force it down my throat the only thing that appeals to me in anyway is the bread because it's the same kind we have at home.
After I eat some of the food and put it away deciding to search the area for a place to sleep. The bushes and freezing trees aren't cutting it anymore. My mind races a mile a minute while I walk making it difficult to put two thoughts together.
"Think Kara...." I mutter to myself..
"There are three tributes remaining besides me."
"Ross, Kale and Hazel." I list.
"Hazel is good with a sword and hand to hand combat. She's their biggest threat so they most likely aren't coming for me. I don't want to hurt her but if it comes down to it I would have to throw a knife or axe to kill her.Kale is big and strong. He's good with axes but a slow runner and without his axes he's pretty much useless. I could most likely win in hand to hand combat with him. Ross is dangerous from a distance so if I were to fight him I would need to be in hand to hand. He's pretty efficient in hand to hand combat so it would be a gamble." I say out loud trying to organize my thoughts. The mountains are getting harder to climb. I almost miss a tiny cave at the base of a large hill. The entrance is so tiny that if I would have found it a week ago I wouldn't have fit through the small opening. I decide its good shelter for the evening. It's tiny but stable. The cave won't be crashing down at a moments notice. The cave is maybe 4 by 5 feet large. Plenty of space for my body and bags. I finally bring myself to look into Alexander's bag. There is his knife which I specifically don't touch. It's covered in blood much like the bag itself. There isn't much in the bag a sleeping bag that I use to shield the harsh breeze and close off the entrance for the night. They are definitely trying to freeze us out probably waiting for another tribute to die out from natural causes.

I end up staying in the small cave longer than I expected. The night I found the cave the weather takes a dive for the worse. Freezing rain all day and  snow storms at night. It stayed that way for two days. Until finally another cannon fires. The rain lightens up after the early morning cannon. I watch the sky that night finding Ross's face shining that night. I almost feel relieved that he's gone. It's the final three. Me and two other people. I'm almost out of food. It shouldn't be long now. I set out in the morning after finding no rain just a freezing mist. It won't be long now. Before they push us all together. Knowing the Capitol they will want a epic final battle between Hazel and Kale. They are either pushing them together now or trying to get one to pick me off then make them fight in the final battle. So I walk towards the Cornucopia I should get there by midday. I trek through the steep hills slipping several time. That makes two things the arena hasn't change. My modesty and my clumsiness.
I'm minutes away from the cornucopia when I hear sounds of a struggle. I pass the line if trees next to the lake. It being completely frozen over by now and witness Kale and Hazel fighting to the death. I watch them closely as Hazel injures Kales left shoulder stabbing her sword into it giving him an opening to slash at her stomach with his axe. That was the death blow she falls to the ground her cannon booming through the air. His arms is bleeding heavily.
I have one last risk and gamble to take. If this works I will win if not I'm going to die.
I step onto the frozen poison my back to the woods my body facing the injured Career.
I take my bag and throw it away from me. It making a thumping sound his eyes flash to mine.
He starts toward me as I take a knife into my hand. He steps into the frozen lake. His body barreling towards me. I let my body fall to the ground. He smirks standing over me raising his axe over his head to deliver the death blow. I barely roll away in time making his axe hit the thin ice with a shattering sound. He realizes his mistake when it's too late trying to pull his only weapon from the ice. I stab the back of his leg causing his legs buck. His weight making the frozen poison shatter dunking us into the freezing cold blood thinner. My whole body is numb now. I push far away from Kale trying to stay above water not letting the water into my nose or mouth. His injured leg making it impossible to swim and his open wounds being poisoned with the blood thinner. I'm shaking harshly not being able to feel my fingers and toes. I feel exhaustion set in. My legs cramping up. I feel myself slipping under water. The last thing I hear is the cannon fire and the announcers booming voice.
"Lady's and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to announce our victor of the 69th hunger games, Karaline Mathis of district 4!"

She wins! Well I'm sure if you are reading you already assumed she would. The story isn't over yet. It's far from over actually. Hope you enjoyed.