Eyes Open

by obliviate-the-mind

The war is over but a lot of people are still hurting, including Peeta and Katniss. Rebuilding both their relationship and the world around them will take a lot of work. Especially with the nightmares that haunt them when they close their eyes.

Eyes Open Chapter 1 – Beating Hearts

Hello folks! Here we have it my brand new story! The Hunger Games has been my new obsession and I went to see the movie on Friday and I absolutely LOVED it! I hope you guys like my new story and review in great numbers to tell me what you guys think!

Most people when they close their eyes and fall asleep, they dream of peaceful things. They are whisked off into a peaceful world that is filled with happy thoughts, wishes or desires. When I close my eyes and fall asleep I get whisked off to a place, that as much as it is familiar to me, I just wish to get away from. I don't see happy thoughts, or wishes of mine or my desires, I see death, my loved ones being tortured. Nothing happy, just sadness and pain.

My name is Katniss Everdeen, I am 17 years old and when I was 16 years old I volunteered to take my sisters place as the District 12 girl tribute for the 74th annual Hunger Games. Many things happened during the course of the games. A) I officially met the guy that would eventually become my husband, Peeta Mellark. B) I managed to save his life, when we were supposed to be mortal enemies. C) I tricked the Gamemakers to make sure that both Peeta and I came out of the games alive. I never planned to trick them, I just knew that in the end I wouldn't be able to kill him, and he wouldn't be able to kill me. I almost died, and so did Peeta, we both held those deadly berries called nightlock in our mouths, seconds away from biting into the deadly fruit, before they announced that Peeta and I were the Victors of the Annual 74th Hunger Games. And that was when things turned from bad to worse.

But the point is we survived the war against President Snow. We lost many people along the way that shouldn't of died. Finnick Odair the handsome District 4 Victor from years back, who got ripped to pieces by mutated lizard mutts. Leaving behind is pregnant wife Annie Cresta, another District 4 Victor. She was now 6 months pregnant and expecting a son. My mother had called me the day before to tell me the news. My mother had moved to District 4 after the death of my sister, Prim. She helped around the hospital and happened to be Annie's nurse. Prim, my sweet little Primrose. Died at such a young age. Just thinking of her brings tears to my eyes. She was so brave and talented, she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up, and she would have been a great one too. So many other people died during this horrible war, but then again I tell myself that now people will stop dying because of other people, who only seek Entertainment out of it all. The Hunger Games have stopped, the Districts are in ruins, and people don't have to be scared of walking down the streets anymore.

The only thing left to do, is get back up, get back on our feet and bring back the Districts one step at a time. People aren't scared anymore. But I'm scared, not scared of dying, or of being tortured, I'm just scared of closing my eyes at night. I'm scared of being alone without anybody to hold on to me, I'm scared that Peeta will start hating me again. During the whole course of the war I haven't been scared, but now that's all I feel.

Even now as I'm in the one place where I've always felt safe, the woods, I feel as scared as ever. Bow in hand I crumple down to the ground. I haven't shot one arrow since the end of the war. The woods, where I used to feel safe, makes me want to run away and crawl in a closet and stay there forever. My bow lays beside me as tears start pouring down my face, crying for all that I lost, Prim, Finnick, I cry for Peeta, who will possible never be the same again, hell I even think of Haymitch who was changed so much since his games. The sun shines on my face so I close my eyes forcing myself to stop crying, because it's not worth it. No matter how much I cry, Prim will never come back. Finnick will never meet his son. Peeta will never love me the way he did before the Capitol hijacked him.

I feel a pair of footsteps walk quickly towards me getting closer and closer but at this point it doesn't even matter anymore.

"Katniss, sweetie can you hear me?" I hear Peetas sweet voice filled with concern with something that isn't even important anymore. I whimper softly not bothering to open my eyes. I feel him lie down beside me and grab my hand in his, running his thumb over my hand softly. My breathing slows down and the tears stop falling. Nothing else matter right now, all that matters is that Peeta is here with me, knowing how much I need him. He pulls my body to his, my head resting on his chest, our legs touching. He starts drawing on my back with his index finger. I listen to the soft beating of his heart, as it sooths me, pushing all my worries away. Knowing that he is here, and that he's very much alive and that no matter he will always be there for me. I open my eyes and catch him smiling, the smile that makes my heart flutter every time I see it. My eyes start to close as the beating of his heart lullabies me to sleep.