Fawn In The Dawn | Peeta Mellark

twenty

Peacekeepers met us above and shot at us as we ran towards an exit. More of our people were killed and the floor began to tear itself apart behind us. As we reached the end point of the trap, Peeta flew to the floor, screaming in agony.

"Peeta, please come on!" I shouted to him, attempting to pull him to his feet.

"Leave me! I'm a mutt!" He screamed. I wasn't sure what to do, and his screaming was throwing me off. I grabbed onto him, pulling his lips to mine and suddenly, he began to calm down and we stood ourselves to our feet. "Okay." He agreed, looking into my eyes.

"Okay." I told him back, and we began running up the stairs and into a city. Cressida led us to a safe place, a small dress shop where a woman who looked like a feline, greated us.

"Tigris, do you remember me? I'm with Plutarch's underground." Cressida said to her. "We need your help." Tigris looked to agree and turned away, so we followed her to a secret hatch that led to an underground staircase. We walked downward into the room and I sat on the ground, reloading my gun and sharpening the katana. Gale needed stitches and Pollux couldn't contain his crying. But I had no energy to entertain anyone. I lost Finnick, and I couldn't help but blame myself. Had he gone up before me, he'd still be here. I felt responsible, and it was killing me.

"I made it up, all of it." Katniss began to us, as if no one knew. "There's no special mission from Coin. It's just my plan. Everyone is dead because I lied." She said, upset with herself and ashamed.

"We knew. Even Jackson knew. She trusted Boggs and he wanted you to go on." Cressida informed her. Kat looked taken back by this.

"I killed them. I killed Finnick." She began to cry a little. I stood from my seat and walked over to her, grabbing the sides of her head.

"You did not kill anyone, Katniss. We follow you because we believe in you." I told her, with me now crying as well.

"Glimmer, Marvel, Mags," Peeta began from the corner. We turned over to him and he continued on with the list. "Clove, Wiress, Rue. What do all those deaths mean? They mean that our lives were never ours. There was no real life because we didn't have any choice and our lives belong to Snow. But if you kill him, Katniss and end all of this, all those deaths mean something." He told her and I nodded in agreement. "Cinna, Boggs, Castor, Mayneck, Lt. Jackson, Tallie, Finnick. They all believed in us." He said now. My heart hurt hearing Mayneck and Tallie, as it completely slipped my mind those two were killed while I was in captivity.

I was led down a long hall until I reached a viewing room. A room where above the otherside, Snow sat.

In front of the glass I was seated in front of, the lights beamed in. I had no idea what was happening. But next thing I knew, Tallie and Mayneck were dragged in, blindfolded and gagged. The two were set on their knees and I knew what I was about to have to witness.

As they each were unblindfolded, they looked around, confused but not scared. They knew what they were in for and it was as if they accepted their fate. They looked to the glass where I was and gave me a sort of 'sorry' smile before both were shot in the back of the head, dropping dead before me.

I slept next to Peeta on the floor. He looked over to me and traced my hand gently, waking me from a light sleep. Just from the look he was giving me, I could tell he was piecing it all together and remembering things. He now leaned forward, kissing me, causing my whole body to melt into his. But it was short lived, when a loud explosion caused us to jump up, along with everyone else.

"Mortar shells. It's not ours." Gale noted, informing us all. "Peacekeepers must be shellin' the rebels outside the city." He continued as we noticed the sun was coming up.

A broadcast now appeared before us. Great, another one.

"To all Capitol citizens more than a half mile outside the City Circle, I am announcing a mandatory evacuation." President Snow appeared before us. "Come to the mansion." He told them. "I am promising you shelter and sanctuary."

"More like murder and lies." I scoffed to myself. Peeta overheard and smirked a little at my comment. I missed Finnick, he'd probably have a few good jokes to input, and now it felt as though I was missing my other half.

He's promising food and safety in his own home? Sounds absurd. Of course the Capitol enjoyed their way of life, because they had privelages. I had privelages. But I saw through the cracks and saw the horrors beneath them.

***

Tigris now dressed Katniss and Gale in what looked like refugee clothes. The rest of us stayed put. We couldn't risk it. As much as I wanted to follow Kat and Gale, I needed to stay with Peeta.

The two walked out and Peeta and I rested on the floor, hand in hand, waiting patiently, and tirelessly, for our next move.