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The arrow slices right through Coin, her body bleeding out. Snow laughs, crimson spluttering out of his mouth. My gaze flickers intermittently between Snow and Coin’s lifeless body. The sound of the hysteric crowd running behind me blocked out as I tried to look for Katniss amidst them.
And there I see her. I see Katniss stand there, her hand reaching for something inside of a pocket located near her chest.
It was tiny, like a cylinder. Blue. Nightlock.
“That’s nightlock, Peeta! You’ll be dead in a minute!”
Katniss’ voice is faint in my head, yet the trembling despair in her voice deafened me.
Her face was devoid of any expression, eyes locked onto Snow as she carried the pill closer to her face. She closes her eyes, mouthing “goodnight” as she lets go of her bow. I dart to her, my arm reaching out for her hand– blocking her from biting her sleeve to get to the pill. I wince as her teeth sink into the flesh of my hand, blood trickling down as she looks up at me- her eyebrows furrowed, her gaze meeting mine. My hand stayed clamped over the nightlock pill.
“Let me go!” She snarled at me.
I can’t. I can’t let her go. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for her. My memories are a haze, some glossed over and blurry- but I know. I remember her running up to me, voice breaking as she called out my name. I even waited for her that day, I waited for her to get back before we got to eat. I wanted her to be with me. I wanted her. I remember the warmth of her body against mine as her arms wrapping around me, holding onto me as if I was going to disappear if she even thought about letting go.
“I can’t.” My brows furrow, mouth agape while I look at her. Katniss Everdeen, the woman, no, the girl I’ve loved ever since I saw her pick up a dandelion for the first time, the girl I’ve been with through thick and thin, wanted to leave.
She’s pulled from my grasp, and I see that face- the same face that held the acceptance of death, turned into a blind rage as she tried to kick, scream, push and bite out of the hold of the others.
I stayed there, eyes welling up as I stood frozen as the crowd engulfed me and carried me along.