We'll Watch the Sunset - Peeta Mellark x Reader Story

Chapter 29 - Recovery & Executions

I woke up in fear at the sound of bombs exploding not too far from where we were. Looking around at everyone else, I noticed Peeta cuffed around a pole, obviously having chose to be handcuffed because he was worried about hurting any of us. I remembered the comforting feeling of his hands running through my hair before exhaustion and blood loss over came me, putting me into a deep sleep that was disturbed by the shelling of the outskirts or perhaps closer.

I groaned, a sharp flash of pain from my wound spread up my leg at the slightest movement.

Finnick, who's sleep had also been disturbed, immediately jumped up to help me sit up, grabbing a bottle of water for me to drink.

"What's going on?" I asked to the group.

"Mortar shells. It's not ours," Gale said, listening intensely from where he stood, "Peacekeepers must be shellin' the rebels outside the city."

"That's not outside the city," Cressida stated, almost ominously.

We all sat there for a moment, realising that this is it, the final moments of the war is happening, and either the rebels win, or everything will go back to the way it was before and more.

*****

"Sun's comin' up," Gale announced to us, coming back down from the shop, Finnick having just finished tying of a new set of bandages on my leg, "There's some small-arms fire. Could be Paylor, maybe Lyme. Rebels are close."

"This is it," Cressida stated, and as soon as she did, the TV that was down in the storage room came to life with a mandatory viewing message.

"To all Capitol citizens more than a half mile outside the City Circle," Snow began.

"Asshole," I muttered under my breath, my best friend nodding in agreement. Oh thank goodness I had managed to spot that mutt before it could make its move, because I didn't know what I would do if I had lost Finnick yesterday.

"I am announcing a mandatory evacuation. Come to the mansion. I am promising you shelter and sanctuary. All refugees, come to my home. There you will be provided with food, medicine, safety for your children, and you will have my solemn oath to protect you until my dying breath," He stated, and I immediately had a bad feeling that something was going to happen with that many people gathered when the rebels were nearing.

"Wish he'd hurry up with that last part," Cressida said to the group.

"Our enemy is not like us. They do not share our values. They have never
known our comfort and our sophistication. And they despise us for it. Make no mistake. They are not coming to liberate us. They are coming to destroy our way of life. They are coming to bury us," Snow finished, and his face disappeared.

"Is he still in the mansion?" Katniss asked Peeta, whose eyes hadn't moved from where Snow's face previously was, "Peeta?"

He turned to look at her, "Yeah. I recognize the room."

Katniss unfolded a paper map that she had as a backup placing it on the floor infront of where she sat, "Where is that?"

"About five blocks away," Cressida said, leaning down to point out where everything was, "We're right here. Off the Avenues. Mansion's here."

"What about the pods?" Katniss questioned.

"They'll probably deactivate the pods around here for the residents' safety."

"That could work. I could get close enough."

"How?" I asked, "There will be security everywhere."

"Yeah," Gale agreed, "Every Peacekeeper's gonna be waiting."