Kapitel 56: I will protect you
"Run, I'll protect you!"
"[I'll be your guide in the darkness, master!]"
Jacob, with his bow in hand and determination in his gaze, prepared to face the dangerous mutated dogs that were stealthily approaching. His heart pounded with a mix of adrenaline and fear, intertwining within him. He took a deep breath, focusing on the target, and released the first arrow.
Boom!
The arrow sliced through the air with precision, finding its mark on one of the mutated dogs. The projectile sank into its body, causing a painful impact. The animal howled in rage and pain, but Jacob didn't stop. Quickly, he reloaded his bow and launched a second arrow that found its mark on the second mutated dog.
Grrr!!!
The fight escalated as the third mutated dog unexpectedly pounced on Jacob from behind. It was a fierce and merciless attack. Jacob was forced to drop his bow and engage in hand-to-hand combat with the beast. Both fighters tangled in a deadly dance, each seeking an advantage over the other.
Jacob's tense muscles moved with agility, evading the ferocious bites of the mutated dog. With each movement, he searched for an opportunity to counterattack. Blows and kicks were exchanged in a violent dance. However, the beast displayed immense strength, and its endurance seemed inexhaustible.
"Die! Die! Die, you damned hellish beast!" Jacob had entered a battle of madness and desperation. Using the hidden dagger in his hand, he repeatedly stabbed the attacking beast's stomach.
Grrr!
Ahhh!
Jacob felt the heaviness in his hands. No matter how much he stabbed the beast, which was almost on top of him, the more pierced it became, the fiercer and stronger the creature seemed.
In a moment of desperation, while struggling to stay safe, Jacob remembered the landmines he had placed moments ago. It was his chance to turn the situation around. With a swift movement, he managed to push the mutated dog toward one of the mines.
Boom!
The explosion was deafening, and smoke filled the air. Jacob, propelled by the blast, was thrown several meters away. The impact left him momentarily dazed and in sharp pain. But the strategy had worked: the mutated dog lay motionless on the ground, eliminated by the landmine.
This explosion was so powerful that it shook the forest, and Jacob, who wanted to get up immediately to ensure there were no more enemies, was left powerless in the mud.
"[Enemy detected, giant mutated beast. You must move or you will die, master!]"
"I know, but I can't..."
Jacob lay in the mud, his body sore and exhausted. The weight of everything he had experienced in this world had accumulated within him, and despair threatened to crush him completely.
He was an expert at hiding his feelings. In his original world, he had done well until he inevitably killed that stupid boy who was beating up his brother. If only he hadn't saved his brother back then, all his torment would have been limited to himself.
When he thought of escaping, it seemed perfect, but after starting his journey in this world, he had to adapt and suffer like any other resident of District Twelve. Every day, his hatred grew stronger, his inner fury fueled by hatred and resentment, and only then did he quell it by punishing his body with extreme training.
But now he was tired of fighting, running, and facing unimaginable dangers. He felt his strength fading and that there was nothing left to give.
"At least it'll be here and not in a prison, stupid..."
Amidst his hopelessness, as he heard the heavy footsteps of the mutated beast approaching, a profound resignation took hold of him. He closed his eyes and confronted the harsh reality: maybe it was better to die right there, in that dark, muddy place. If he could protect Rue, a defenseless girl, it was worth sacrificing himself for her.
Yes, once again, he sacrificed himself for another person. Perhaps in that, he could relate to Katniss.
Gloomy thoughts filled his mind, but in the final moment, a desperate voice snapped him out of his trance.
"No, you damned beast, come to me..."
It was Rue, drawing the attention of the mutated beast. Jacob opened his eyes and witnessed the scene with astonishment. The beast, which was about to pounce on him, was now drawn towards Rue and began to chase her frantically.
"No, no, kill me, not her..."
Surprise mixed with desperation in Jacob's heart. His survival instinct awakened once again, and despite his exhaustion, he rose with determination. He couldn't allow Rue to face that danger alone. With all his strength, he ran towards her, chasing after the beast.
Adrenaline surged through his veins as he sprinted at full speed towards where Rue and the beast had gone. Every muscle in his body was tense, propelling him forward. The pounding of his heart echoed in his ears, reminding him that he still had life and fight within him.
Rue, terrified but brave, continued to draw the attention of the mutated beast. She agilely ran through the dense forest, evading the creature's attempts to capture her. Jacob drew closer and closer to her, but just as he was about to reach the scene, another beast forcefully collided with his body, knocking him down once again.
Growl!
The beast, smaller than the one chasing Rue, attacked him, aiming to bite his neck. But Jacob, with an extended cord from his weapon, prevented the bite from reaching him.
"No, not now, damn it..."
Jacob's eyes were bloodshot, his gaze attempting to shift towards where Rue had run, but he couldn't see anything due to the force exerted on his hands.
The crucial moment arrived as the beast was about to reach his neck. Moved by desperate strength, Jacob used the retractable blade in his wrist to pierce the mutated beast's neck.
Roar!
A loud roar echoed, but Jacob didn't stop. The dagger in his hand continued to advance into the beast's neck. Blood had obscured his vision, and when his attack finally resulted in the death of his enemy, a cannon fired in the middle of the night.
Time seemed to slow down as the beast fell onto his chest, his adrenaline-blurred eyes left dazed.
Someone had died. The cannon had just sounded, indicating that someone had died at that moment.
"No, I need to save Rue..."
Jacob tried to remove the beast's corpse from his body, but no matter how much strength he used, the creature didn't budge at all.
"Jacob! Jacob! Jacob!"
At that moment, Katniss ran towards Jacob upon seeing movement from a beast and his body. She was scared, thinking he had been injured. She desperately rushed to his side and, after realizing that the blood didn't belong to Jacob, Katniss breathed a sigh of relief.
Thresh, covered in blood, ventured into the forest in search of Rue. His pace was desperate, as if the worst had happened.
With his blurry eyes, Jacob looked at Katniss, who was crying as she tried to wipe the blood from her face. "Is Rue okay?"
His breath escaped his lungs, his eyes succumbed to his dwindling strength, and he soon lost consciousness. He had given it his all, but that didn't mean much in the arena.
"Nooooo!" A sharp cry, filled with pain, resonated deep in the forest. Thresh, walking slowly, carried a body in his hands.
Katniss thought that Rue was safe, but in the moonlight, she saw blood trickling from the girl's abdomen.
Only then did she realize that Rue had died...
"No, it can't be..." Katniss collapsed, gazing at the dark sky and crying like she had never done before on camera.
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