Chapter 1 Coming home
Peeta and I ride back on the train to home and his silence is letting me know he's angry at me for putting on a show about our relationship. There's a coldness to me outside my inner circle and Peeta has been only in since the Hunger Game. I guess you could say I am detached, a hunter, a girl who finds feelings nonsensical. Give me a bow and arrow and there is a point to it. Feelings are not something I find welcome.
I can feel my body shift forward as the train stops. Peeta immediately steps up to window and greets the welcoming crowd. He is a natural at conversation. I feel like running to the woods the only place that comforts me but at the same time the games has made the woods seem like the enemy. Would I ever have peace again amongst the green foliage again? Or has the hunting of myself irrevocably changed all that I am?
Peeta smiles that genuine smile that seems to reflect his goodness. The crowd loves him, he's a natural born salesman without really trying to sell anything. His eyes peer out from his long eyelashes at me. My dark eyes flash at him acknowledge the ending of our journey. Peeta and I will separate back to the lives we came from, the lives we almost lost.
I see Prim, Gale, and my mother run towards me. Peeta's father walks up to him as he pats his son on the back. They shake hands. Peeta's mom is nowhere to be seen. A representative from the capitol reminds me again about the victory tour after we have a few days of rest at home.
My body is so tired but my eyes can't shut down the events of the last weeks. I replay the horrible nightmares over and over again. A knock on the window makes me sit up. I see Peeta looking through the window pane. Reluctantly, my hands reach to nudge the window open.
"Can you sleep Katniss?" I shake my head no.
He doesn't explain what I know he is going to do. Peeta leaves the window open and climbs into bed with me. His arms reach around my waist as he hugs me in his arms. Finally, my eyes start to drift away lulled by the strength of Peeta's arms and the windy air. In the morning when I wake, I feel he is gone. Again, Peeta thinks about me unselfishly as he knew that I needed him to sleep without getting caught by my mother.
The next few days I do not see Peeta but when the darkness hits, he comes to my door night after night like a faithful companion. I do not deserve his kindness but I hold onto him tightly because I need him to draw away the nightmares and to drive away the pain. Tomorrow our victory tour starts and I close my eyes knowing that I will need every ounce of energy.