I Knew I Could Have

Chapter Eight

Without a word, the rest of us run after Katniss. We chase her for a while, running very fast. She finally climbs up a tree. Cato tries climbing after her, but the branches can't support his weight. I know I could climb it. Cato knows it too. He looks at me. I shake my head. Glimmer pulls the bow off her back clumsily. She grabs and arrow and aims at Katniss. Katniss's eyes grow big. But Glimmer misses. Twice. Cato throws his sword up. He misses too. We taunt her, acting like the Careers we are. Peeta gives me a look. I understand what he's saying, even if he doesn't speak. I think under different circumstances, we could have been friends. We decide to camp around the tree. I take first watch, and Cato is quick to take 2nd. Peeta is third, then Marvel, then Glimmer. Then the Four girl. One by one, my allies fall asleep. I stay up, and as usual, I have my knife in my hand. I look up at Katniss. A parachute came for her. The anthem plays, and the pictures of the dead tributes appear on the sky. I wait for Cato's turn to come, and when it does, I wake him up. "Hey, your watch." I whisper. Cato grins. "Tree." he mumbles. I give him a quick hug, and then he sits up. We talk about how things are going. Soon after, I fall asleep. I wake up two hours later to Peeta tapping my foot. "What?" I grumble, annoyed to be woken up again. "Clove, I'm sorry if I have to betray our alliance soon. Please don't tell them. But I won't let you or Cato get hurt, ok? It's Katniss I'm worried about." he says under his breath. Only I can hear him. My eyes widen. "Why Cato and me?" I ask warily, hoping he hasn't discovered Cato and I's secret. Peeta squints confusedly. "Your District has a higher chance of winning if you're both alive," he says matter-of-factly. I nod. "Oh, yeah," I say. I then go back to sleep. Peeta does too, and I know why. He's giving Katniss a chance to escape. He won't wake up Marvel, or Glimmer, or the other girl. I should be scared, but I'm too tired.

I wake up to an insect stinging my neck. I wince and look up just in time to see a whole nest fall down onto our camp. "CATO!" I screech. I shake him awake and scream as more of the things bite me. I start to run, and Cato follows. Marvel goes after him, and some of the bee things chase us. Glimmer falls behind, and so does the girl from Four. I yelp when I get another sting, and trip. By now, we're far away from our camp. Cato pulls me up and carries me for a while. "What about Loverboy?" Marvel asks, his usually crisp voice slurred. Cato stumbles, and then stops. "Peeta. Katniss." he says, and you can hear the fire in his voice, only fueled by the pain. "Clove, I have to stop them." he whispers. "I know. Just tell Peeta that you and I have a chance. Tell him that for me please. He'll know." I say. Cato looks at me, a sense of confusion dancing around his blurred face. Cato nods. "Can you walk?" he asks. I shake my head. "I'll carry her," Marvel says determinedly. "Katniss and Peeta are our biggest threats right now. Eliminate them." he continued. I'm too weak to protest as Cato hands me to Marvel. Cato kisses my forehead. "I'll be back," he whispers. He turns around and runs back to the scene of the attack, his sword drawn. A few moments later, I hear Peeta screaming. "RUN KATNISS! PLEASE, RUN! I'LL HOLD HIM OFF! GO, NOW!" I hear some more yelling of pain, but I can't tell if it's them or me. My whole body hurts. "We have to get to water." Marvel says, gasping for breath. I can't see anything clearly, but Marvel looks puffy and pale. He carries me to a lake, and wades into the water. Marvel dips me into the water and I climb out of his grip. We both dunk ourselves under the water, letting the cool water heal our stings. Two minutes later, Cato joins us. He has more stings than either of us, and he submerges himself completely for a long while. All of a sudden, I feel very sleepy, and I fall under the water. I look for help, but I see Marvel and Cato unconscious in the water too. I see a little boy near the water's edge. "Help us," I say in a needy voice. The boy turns to me, and jumps in the water. "Get them first," I order, fighting to stay up. I point to Cato and Marvel's positions and the boy pulls them out. Once they're out of the water, he pulls me by my arm to the shore. "Allies?" I mumble. The boy nods, and I pass out, dreaming about being home again.