everlark in the zombie apocalypse
“And I need everyone to form a tight circle, alright? Medic station at the center, that means my mom and…” Katniss was shouting orders at the top of her lungs, her throat was starting to turn raw. “I need a team on watch at all times. We’re not letting anything happen to these people!”
“Katniss,” Peeta tugged on her arm but the brunette continued making a list of things to do. Gather weapons, collect food. “Katniss,” Peeta said again, his voice desperate. “You need to take a moment to breathe.” Once she looked over at him everyone went off to do what had been instructed, anything to keep the undead from reaching their camp in the woods.
“I don’t have time for that,” Katniss shook her head and prepared to march forward. “I need to help with defense, my aim is the best we’ve got…”
“Breathe,” Peeta said again. “You’re scaring people. You’re their leader, you need to remain calm.” Katniss swallowed tightly, she was remaining calm. In fact, she was remaining calm while making sure everyone was safe. “Sit down,” he instructed. After seeing the look of annoyance in her eyes he sighed, “Gale’s got this covered for now, alright?” Katniss looked up to see her best friend continuing orders where she left off. “Now sit.”
Eventually, Katniss sat down. People scurried around her treating wounds, trying to heal bites, making piles of food or a makeshift fence. “I can’t do this, Peeta,” she said quietly. “I can’t. I can’t do this.”
He sat down next to her and grabbed her hand gently, “Yes you can.” Katniss began to shake her head, this was too big a responsibility. Protecting half the District, feeding them, she can’t lead a group this large. “You’re Katniss Everdeen. We made it through the Hunger Games, we can surely make it through this.”
“This is different,” she stressed. Of course it was different. Instead of 22 other people she had to worry about killing her it was now the entire population of Panem. The undead. The mutts the Capitol made for sport gone wrong. “I can’t just protect us, I have to protect everyone.”
“No you don’t,” Peeta said quietly. “You’re their leader, not their lifeline. Things will settle, everyone’s just panicked right now. Once things get into a routine then it will be easier to manage.” Still, Katniss shook her head. She had to protect her sister and her friends, everyone in the District that had made it out of the chaos. “Katniss,” Peeta pleaded. “We can get through this. We can.”
Katniss lifted her head from her hands and looked toward him. “Together?”
Peeta nodded, a small smile spreading across his face. “Together.”
