The square of District 12 was filled with the sound of the whip slicing through the air. You could hear it before you saw it—each crack echoing off the buildings, followed by the sharp gasp of agony that cut through the freezing wind. Gale had fallen to his knees by the time you arrived, his back a canvas of blood. Katniss, despite everything, was rushing forward, her face pale but her jaw clenched in that fierce way she had, driven by pure instinct to protect.

"Katniss, no!" you yelled, but she didn’t hear you—or if she did, it didn’t matter. She was already moving, throwing herself between Gale and Thread, the Capitol's enforcer.

The crack of the whip stopped mid-air, as Thread's eyes gleamed with the sadistic pleasure of having a new target. His arm raised, faster than you could react. And then the whip came down. You saw it happen in a blur—the leather biting into her skin with a sickening snap—and she staggered but didn’t fall.

"Katniss!" you screamed, heart racing. You didn’t think. You couldn’t think. Before she could even recover, you surged forward, placing yourself between her and the whip’s next blow.

It was too late to stop it. The lash came down on you, burning like fire as it tore across your back. The pain was immediate, searing, but all you could focus on was staying upright, protecting her—just like she was trying to protect Gale.

Katniss gasped behind you, struggling to move forward, but you held out an arm to stop her, ignoring the throbbing in your face.

You glanced at Katniss, whose eyes burned with a mix of anger and fear. Her hand reached out to steady you, her voice shaking. "What are you doing? I can’t let you—"

As the crowd began to move in, Gale still slumped on the ground, you finally let yourself fall to your knees, breath ragged. Katniss was at your side instantly, pulling you close with hands that shook, her breath hitching from the strain of holding back tears.

"You shouldn’t have…"