If Fire Caught

Chapter 21: Katniss

At about what I would guess to be nine o'clock, we start hiking back to the lightening tree. I have to hold onto Peeta's shoulder because a full stomach, nearly full term child, and false contractions are making the hike extremely hard.

Beetee has encased the branches of the tree in a copper cocoon. But the spool only looks about half gone. Once we hear the ten o'clock wave hit, Beetee sends Johanna and I to unwind the wire. Peeta begs to go along as a guard, but Beetee makes the point that he can't move as quietly through the forest as Johanna and I can. But I don't like the thought of us being separated any more than Peeta does.

"It's okay. If we go now, we'll be back long before the strike," I reassure him.

"Not to the lightning zone, it will not be safe. Go to the one or two sector," Beetee says. "It'll be safe there. But stay far away from the beach until the lightning is over."

"Don't worry," I tell Peeta. "I'll see you at midnight." I give him a kiss before he can protest and leave with Johanna.

We take turns laying out the wire and just as I begin to see the beach, I feel a vibration on the wire. I look up to see the wire springing back to us before it tangles at our feet. Before I can process what is happening, Johanna hits me over the head with the cylinder.

I fall to the ground disoriented and feel Johanna's weight on my left arm and chest. I feel her stab me and dig around with the blade of her knife and I cry out as I feel something rip from my arm. I feel the warmth of my blood run down my arm and into my palm.

"Shh," Johanna says, with no venom in her voice. She runs her hand across my wound and smears my blood over my neck and face. "I'm sorry. Just stay down and you both will be fine." I feel her weight leave me and two footsteps approach me as she leaves

"She's as good as dead," I hear Brutus say. "Lets go get the other one."

I don't understand anything that is happening. Johanna attacked me but then told me to stay quiet and I'd be okay. The alliance is over. Her and Finnick have turned and now Peeta and I are both in danger. No! Peeta can't die, I have to get back to the tree.

I struggle to my feet but fall down, still disoriented. I feel my stomach heave and I vomit up the contents of my stomach. I lift my damaged arm and I almost black out from shock. I crawl back to the nearest tree and rip off some moss, bandaging my arm as quickly as I can. I stand and grip my bow in my hand as I struggle back to the tree.

I know Peeta's not dead, I've heard no cannon. But that doesn't mean he's safe. Johanna may have been acting alone, knowing Finnick would follow in her steps. I'm confirmed when I hear someone coming down from above who is moving far to fast to be Peeta or Beetee.

He calls for Johanna and I but I stay hidden in the vines until I see him pass. I hear a cannon and start to panic. I move up the slope as fast as I can, but its nearly impossible in my condition. I find the tangled wire and I follow its trail up to the tree.

When I get there, I see no one. "Peeta?" I call softly. "Peeta where are you?"

A soft moan alerts me of a small figure lying further up. Beetee lays in an unconscious heap next to a knife wrapped in some of the wire. I take the wire and pull on it to see its still attached to the tree. I hear the insects in the eleventh section stop buzzing. The lightning will start soon.

"Katniss!" I hear Peeta call although I can tell he's far away. He must have figured out that they're all hunting us down now. "Katniss!"

"Peeta!" I scream. "Peeta I'm right here! I'm here Peeta!" I know he won't reach me, but hopefully the others will, protecting him once again. It works because I hear them getting closer, two of them crashing through the jungle.

Finnick and Enobaria show up next to the tree, unable to see me on the slope above him. I still have a chance. I can kill them both, Enobaria with an arrow and Finnick will be electrocuted with my child and I. I hear another cannon boom.

"Katniss!" Peeta calls but this time I don't answer him. Beetee, Finnick, Enobaria, and I will die within moments. That will leave Peeta with one enemy. Thats the best I can do. I only wish he could have our child too. But sadly, he will die with me.

The word enemy bounces around my mind and I suddenly remember Haymitch's words.

"Remember who the real enemy is."

I suddenly understand what he meant. To always know who really is the one who is after me. The ones who trap us in here and toucher us. My bow drops at the meaning. Enobaria is not my enemy. She never was.

My vision clears as I look at Beetee's knife. I shakily remove the wire from the hilt and wind it around my arrow, just above the feathers.

I rise, stepping away from the forcefield, no longer caring who sees me. I aim at the wavering square, the place where Beetee would chose if he could get his knife to it. The chink in the armor.

I let the arrow fly and it takes the golden string with it. My hair stands on end as the lightning strikes. A flash of light goes up the wire and the dome bursts in a dazzling blue light. I'm thrown to the ground, paralyzed by the shock. The sky starts to fall. I can't get to Peeta. I can't even reach my pearl. I hold my unborn child and strain my eyes for one last image of beauty before death takes me.

Right before the explosion begins, I find a star.