Disclaimer- I do not own the Hunger Games, or any of its characters...but I wish I did!
The berries slide down her throat. He can only watch in dismay as her tired body slumps to the ground, ignoring his desperate pleas. Trumpets blaze overheard, but now they mean nothing.
Not without her.
"Peeta? Are you alright?" I open my eyes and am unsurprised to see the face of my older brother, Christos, looking down on me anxiously.
"I'm fine," I mutter, and watch as Christos shakes his head before leaving the room. It is still dark outside, but I know I cannot go back to sleep just yet. I do not like my new room, it is too big, and far too empty in comparison to the small room I shared with my brothers at the bakery, but resisting the new house, especially after the berries, would have been monumentally stupid. I flick the switch of a small torch and pick up the book I began reading last night. It is fairly interesting, although the possibility of fairies being able to live underground confuses me a little. Still, Katniss told me that she liked it when they read it in her English class, and promised that the second is even better, and I find myself compelled to believe everything she says.
We begin our tour of the districts tomorrow (or technically, as a glance at my old watch reveals, today), and I am dreading it. It is like the Capitol want to inflict more pain on us, just because we survived- they actually expect us to meet with the families of those who...didn't win. Katniss flat out refused at first, but a sharp look from Haymitch soon persuaded her otherwise. Sometimes, it feels like those two have a language of their own, and whilst she has apologised so many times for what happened on the train, I often feel as if I'm missing something. Maybe it's because I am.
A few hours later my mother charges into my room, and she seems pleased to find I am practically ready to leave, despite that fact that I am not being picked up for another hour or so. She probably can't wait to get rid of me. The breakfast that follows moments later is silent and tense and I eat little, knowing that we will almost certainly be offered some on the train, and also because there really is not that much to eat. But mainly because of the train.
I wander over to the Everdeen house to see if Katniss is ready. In the weeks following our return I like to think I am welcome at their home, and it is true that Prim will slip me an extra pint of goat milk when she sees me, but I am always fearful that he will be there, showing her a new trap he has developed, or something equally impressive. Luckily, when the door opens, there is no sign of the fabulous Gale, and we begin discussing the book (which I have now finished) quietly, as her mother is still asleep.
"Katniss?" Prim's small voice interrupts our conversation. "She...she won't wake up."
We all look at each other for a second.
"Stay here with Prim," Katniss tells me as she dashes upstairs to their mother's room, taking a small bag of herbs with her.
"Are you going to the Capitol today?" Prim asks me, trying to take her mind off of her mother. I shake my head.
"I think we're going there at the end of the visits. Do you want me to tell you about it again?" Prim nods eagerly, refusing to acknowledge the amount of time her sister has been upstairs for. I begin my description, careful to include the colours of the buildings and the clothes the people wear, as I know from experience these are her favourite aspects of the stories. After five minutes, I have moved on to the food, and later still I have to resort to describing the vehicles, though these have often driven (excuse the pun) the girl to sleep.
The doorbell rings, and Prim, who has been snoring gently, sits bolt upright. Katniss is still upstairs.
"I'll get it," I say. "You stay here, ok?"
I open the tall door and find Effie beaming at me.
"Ready to go then?" There are so many answers to this question, but I think only one will do.
"No."
AN-So...what did you think? I hope you liked it :)