Catching Fire: Prim [Completed]

Chapter 25: Allies, Enemies, and Contenders

I wake up with a smile on my face. I keep thinking back to last night and it doesn't come off for a while. I just lay there in bliss, trying to cling on to the one moment of happiness. It soon comes to an end though, when the hot sun, grainy sand, and itchy skin pulls me back to reality.

When I finally get up from my spot in the sand, I see that everyone's gathered to watch a silver parachute descend. I join them. We open it up to find 24 rolls of District 3 bread just like yesterday. We add it together with the rolls left from yesterday and we now have thirty-three in total. We save eight and eat five each. And though no one says it, we know that the rolls will split between us evenly after one more death.

This alliance can't go forever, I think to myself as I chew on the bread. I sneak a glance at Rory, who's looking into the vast jungle ahead of us. Somehow after last night it's hard to look at him. I realize that people would've seen the kiss on camera and- oh no. Mom would never approve. I wince internally at the thought of facing Mom (and Katniss) after she's seen what I've done. I won't face mom though, because I'll be dead. If I want Rory to be crowned, I must be eliminated.

Then there's my theory about the others protecting Rory. What if I'm wrong? What if it's just all a big coincidence- what if...they're just trying to gain our trust and kill us? No, Finnick wouldn't do that...nor Beetee- not even Johanna who's been so mean. No- these people are nice. They aren't my enemies.

Enemies. I close my eyes as a memory resurfaces in my brain. Enemy...I remember. Haymitch. His scowling face, giving me his last words before saying goodbye.

"Just remember who the real enemy is- that's all."

Real enemy. That's right. My real enemy isn't Johanna. It isn't Beetee, and it certainly isn't Finnick. It isn't even Brutus or Enobaria. It's the Capitol. But the fact that I do not wish to attack them does not mean the same for my allies- they could still kill me. Which means it's time that Rory and I break away from the group. And so after Rory and I both finish eating, I take his hand and tug him towards the water.

"C'mon, I'll show you how to swim," I tell him, trying not to make the others suspicious.

He's got the flotation belt on so I won't have to worry about him drowning, but it could make the others suspicious. You normally don't learn to swim with a flotation belt. As I show Rory the steps that Katniss had taught me a few months ago, I notice Johanna watching us from the corner of my eye. But she eventually goes away to take a nap. Finnick's off making a net with vines, and Beetee's working with his wire. I know it's the right time to tell Rory of our escape. I'm about to tell him when he speaks up.

"Hey, the scabs are peeling off."

And it's true. By rubbing sand up and down on the remaining scales, you get them to peel off, revealing a fresh layer of skin underneath. We sit on one of the spokes, our feet dangling in the water. We're close enough to see the others but far enough so they won't hear us if we whisper. Great.

"So um I wanted to tell you, now that there're eight people left, we might as well sever the alliance."

Rory sits there quietly and I wish I can see what's going on inside his head.

"I think Beetee's planning a trap of some sort with his wire, for Brutus and Enobaria. Let's stick around until the careers are dead, then I promise we can go."

"Okay," I agree, even though I want to leave now. His idea seems better anyways because once we leave, we'll have two sets of adversaries to face. Plus there's Chaff who's been doing who knows what. Plus the arena is loaded with gamemaker traps. I then realize that if we leave, Johanna could kill Beetee. She brought him for me, after all. And without me, what purpose does he serve her? I can't try to keep everyone alive. My goal is for Rory to be crowned and he can't do it with anyone else alive.