Chapter 25

Katniss

Panic starts rising in my chest. I am sitting in the same room that I sat in when I got out of the Quarter Quell. The only difference is that Beetee isn't beside me. The last thing I remember is weeping in Gale's arms.

I am practically handcuffed to the floor. I guess they really do think I'm insane.

I hear footsteps in the hall. The door opens quietly. Whoever it was must think I'm still sleeping. The door opens completely. Haymitch. Once he saw that I am awake, his face hardens. "What was that?" he yells. Not exactly a great thing to wake up to.

"I'm sorry I-" I begin. I have nothing to be sorry for.

"You better be sorry, sweetheart. That boy is dangerous. You know what he can do. Pulling a stunt like that is not a good thing. You need to make people trust you. What you did didn't exactly help," he says. 

"He's not dangerous!" I yell. 

"Really? Because last time I checked he was trying to kill you," he retorts. 

"I told you! I can help him. I did. He was back. He isn't dangerous if you talk to him!" I say.

"The only reason you got out of there alive is that he was tied down to that bed. He would have killed you," he says. I ignore him and pull on the handcuffs, trying to escape. 

"Why am I here?" I ask bitterly. The metal from the cuffs are cutting into my skin. Still, I feel no pain. I am numb. 

"We're back on the hovercraft," he says.

"Really?" I reply, sarcastically.

"Cut the sass," he replies. I roll my eyes and pull harder on the restraints. Haymitch pulls out what must be the key. "If I let you out, you have to cooperate."

"I'm not making any promises..." I say angrily. He shrugs and puts the key back in his pocket. "Fine!" I give in. He cautiously slips the key in the slot and turns it. I break free from them and rub my wrists. It takes everything in me not to claw his face, like I did after the Quarter Quell.

"Your here because like we already said. You are the Mockingjay. You'll never stop being the Mockingjay," he explains.

"So where are we going?" I ask. "Where's Gale?"

"One question at a time, sweetheart," he rolls his eyes.

"Stop calling me that," I say, bitterly.

"We're going to the Capitol. First, we search for people to pick up and bring to 13. Then we get Plutarch," he says. I can't help but scowl. I never really liked Plutarch. 

"And Gale?" I ask.

"He's here," he says.

"How long was I asleep?" I ask.

"Two days," he says, casually.

"What happened? After Peeta?" I ask.

"We put you in that room. Gale came in and tried to calm you down. That obviously didn't work so they injected you with some type of sleeping drug," he says. "You fell asleep instantly. We left from 13 about four hours ago."

"Oh. . ." is all I can manage to say. I hate this. I didn't ask for it. I wish I just killed myself in the arena. I wish I died in the bloodbath. This never would have happened. Peeta would probably be dead, but it's better than this unwanted fate. It's never going to end. Haymitch was right. I never get off that train. But it's more like: We never get a break. Or: I will never stop being this model for the citizens of Panem. I will never stop being the Girl on Fire, The Mockingjay.

"You need to eat," Haymitch says after a little while. I don't want to eat. All I want is a drink. But 13 still has the prohibition policy. I don't know how Haymitch manages. He has such a hard life, I think sarcastically.

Haymitch leaves eventually, to get me food I think. I don't want to eat though. Only Peeta can get me to eat, and they were obviously not going to let me near him now. I would just pull another 'stunt'. I don't get it. I'm telling these people that I can help, but they won't let me. Do they want to keep Peeta like this? Maybe Plutarch will encourage my idea when he gets here. He usually caves into what I want.

The door opens again. It's Gale this time. I feel a little bit better when I see him. It's funny how days ago I hated him. Now he's the only one I have.

He set a tray down in front of me. I stare at it, but don't touch any of its contents. "Come on, Catnip. Eat," he says. A tiny hint of a smile flickers across my face when he says it. It disappears as quickly as it came. Still, I don't touch the food. Gale sighs, and looks away. "You know they'll force feed you if you don't."

I don't speak. I don't touch the food. They can do whatever they want. I'm surprised Gale doesn't bring up the 'incident' from before. I am also surprised that he's here. After all that's happened over Peeta. Or at least, that's what people think. It was about everything, really. All of the bad things that has happened to me. Maybe Gale knows that.

"You leave me no choice," he says, getting up. I know he won't tell them that I won't eat, but they'll figure it out soon enough anyway. Gale slams the door shut. My head pounds at the loud noise.

I push the tray full of food to the side and lie back down on the bed, trying to think of a way to help Peeta again. The door flies open again and a few people stride in. They are going to try to make me eat.

I reject it all, turning my head to the side. I feel like a child, but I am not hungry. They can try to feed me all they want, I'm not going to take it.

Wouldn't it be so much easier if I starved to death anyway? To die, and have all of this over. Sure, the Hunger Games would still exist, but I wouldn't have to be on this planet. Yes, that's incredibly selfish, but I don't care anymore. These people don't understand that I really don't care if I live anymore.

Eventually, they give up and instead chain me to the bed again. Haymitch's words bounce around in my head. If I let you out, you have to cooperate. So much for that promise. They stick different tubes in my arm. That's what really made it feel like it did after the games. They did the same thing to feed me then too.

They force me to swallow pills. They must have been sleeping pills because within minutes, my eyes are closed.

Again, I'm in the arena. The first one. I'm with Peeta in the cave. He's shivering. The wound on his leg looks even more real than ever. Out of no where, there is a scream. Rue's scream.

"Katniss! Katniss help!" she yells. This sounds so familiar, and so real. I don't want to leave Peeta. He is awake now.

"Katniss, you're going to leave me?" he asks. His voice sounded so sad and innocent. I do get up to leave, though. He'll be safe in the cave.

I run around the woods, following the sound of Rue's shrieks. "Katniss!" she screams. I look up. Jabberjays, like the ones in the Quarter Quell. Then, Peeta's cries for help. I spin around, but I get myself lost.

"Katniss!" yells Peeta. The jabberjays continue to come back and circle my head. A few more voices. Prim, Finnick, Gale, Madge. It's just like the second time in the arena.

I try to block them out and find Peeta, who's yells are real. I finally find the cave. But a random tribute runs out of it. Peeta's cries have stopped. I run into the cave. Peeta is bleeding on the cold, rocky floor. 

I kneel above him, the jabberjays surrounded the opening of the cave. Peeta's blue eyes are open, and glossy. I listen to his heart. Nothing. "Peeta!" I scream. Nothing. He is dead. "No! Peeta, come back! Please! Peeta!"

The jabberjays fly into the cave, circling me. I cover my ears and scream, resting my forhead on Peeta's dead, lifeless body. Someone begins shaking me.

"Katniss! Katniss, wake up!" I open my eyes. Gale is standing over me, his eyes filled with fear. My jaw begins to shake. My wrists are unlatched from those restraints. Gale wraps his arms around me. It seems to help calm me down a little, but not nearly as much as Peeta would have.

Ok, so there aren't very many Hunger Games fanfictions that are realistic. Like, at all. I mean, there's things that are really modern in them, and it's not even things that Katniss would ever say. I realize it's hard to notice that when you're writing your book. So, what I'm saying is that if you have any suggestions or you think this story is too unrealistic, please comment your opinion. I actually really like it when you do because it really helps me as a writer. Wow, that was really long. I hope you liked it! Be sure to vote! :)