Fic: #2

Prompt: #38: Touch

POV: Peeta

Title: Blood

Book: Hunger Games

Word Count: 312

Blinking into darkness, head aching, room spinning, leg muscles spasming – I open my eyes and attempt to sit up. Finding this action too taxing, I move my head slowly from side to side, trying to take in my surroundings. I'm in some sort of cave, it would seem. My leg has been bandaged, and there's some cloth on my forehead that may have once been cool and damp but is now so dry it could almost turn to dust. I don't remember how I got here, or what happened since I've been here, or how much time I've lost. I do remember fighting Cato to keep him away from Katniss –

Katniss. I sit up far too fast and regret it immediately. But that doesn't matter because I have to find her.

On the up side, I don't have far to go...

As I put my hand down on the cave floor to steady myself, I feel not rock or dirt but a warm, thick liquid – blood. "Katniss?" I shout hoarsely, unaware of the arena around me, caring only about Katniss. I crawl through the blood and dirt, whispering her name now.

The blood is definitely coming from her. She wasn't far away from me, and she still clutched a syringe that must have saved my life. I silently wish for my memories to come back soon as I roll her onto her back to survey the damage. She took the brunt of it to her forehead, so I use what's left of the supplies she must have used on me to stifle the bleeding. Once I've slowed the bleeding, I clean her off and move her away from the pool of blood. Then I sit beside her, holding her hand as she shakes through the nightmares – waiting patiently for her to awaken; but wishing I could wake her, protect her from them.