Chapter 1: Not just a knife wound
Katniss pov
"What the damn hell is wrong with that little mother-". Her screams and swears erupt through the room while I stare at the blood dripping from my hand. The knife falls from my grasp and I curse from the sharp pain spreading through my being as a sick feeling settles in my stomach. I've never been good with blood, and I believe I've been squeamish since birth, if that's even possible. Her voice fades into the background as my vision begins to become blurry and I can feel the sweat sliding down my forehead as my breathing becomes ragged and my legs turn weak. The only thing I can hear is my heart thumping as everything fades from existence except for the blood seeping through the cut in my hand.
I jump back as a hand lands on my shoulder and my eyes instantly lock on the figure before me. Her reds lips are moving yet I can't make out any words but fortunately I begin to get my hearing back after a moment. "Damn, brainless what's wrong with you? Who the hell holds the sharp point of a knife? Hey! Are you even listening? Your okay right?" her voice - which softens as she finishes shouting - is evident with both frustration at my stupidity but concern for my current wellbeing.
I nod at the girl before me, her wide-set brown eyes fill with panic and disgust at what must be my repulsive form. She keeps her grip on me for a few moments longer before deciding I'm stable enough to stand on my own.
She hesitantly lowers her arm and subtly wipes her hand against the right leg of her faded blue jeans before leaning down and picking up the knife beside my feet - now coated with my fresh blood - and placing it on the left of the counter, before reminding me to dispose of it when I get the chance. She then picks up my injured hand and cradles it in hers - something in itself that terrifies me as she is never gentle - and apologises profusely, while gently turning my hand to assess the damage from clutching a blunt blade to tight.
Seconds later she drops my hand and turns to her mother's medicine cabinet where she retrieves a first aid kit with its contents spilling through the sides, which was given to her mother by my mother. She opens it and ruffles through the items before turning back to me and placing the box on the opposite side of me. Leaning across me, she grabs a cup and fills it up with water. She then grabs a kitchen towel from beside the sink and puts it under my hand before slowly pouring the ice cold water onto my fresh wound.
I flinch and hiss as the cold liquid makes contact with my wound creating a burning feeling. The cut begins at my thumb - as I had my whole hand wrapped around the blade -and travels across my palm to my pinkie and pain shoots through me along with a stinging sensation every time I move my hand. She then proceeds to clean the cut with soap for five minutes before drying my wet hand, moving carefully around my skin's opening.
"It's your fault" I mummer as I glare at her, "you made me cut my skin and you made me bleed".
"Glad I was the first" she jokes, trying to lighten the mood but the idea disgusts me and my eyes widen as I wrinkle my nose in horror.
"Sorry, I haven't done this before" she says honestly before placing the kitchen towel and soap next to the knife and searching for another item from the first aid kit.
"Clearly", I say as she pulls out a bandage and raises an eyebrow, challenging me to make a comment again. Growing silent I patiently stand while she wraps the bandage around my hand before cutting the fabric with scissors and tying it off. I bite back a curse as the harsh material rubs against my sore wound.
" I don't know how to stop it bleeding and I don't want to put something on it that will make the pain worse...I really am sorry Kat" she says stepping back before smirking, "But you can't blame me brainless, I always make things bleed, but their normally animals... well most of the time".
"Forget it" I mummer as if it was my mainly fault even though she's the reason I got hurt in the first place.
We both stand silent for a few moments before she breaks out in a string of swears and stomps into the living room suddenly remembering why she came here. With every step she makes wild hand gesture's while describing her latest breakup - but can you really break up when it was only a fling? That's one thing about my friends, they all end up having severe mood swings especially around me. I'm considered the counsellor to all my friends and my parents colleagues as I'm constantly asked for advice and favours.
Shaking my head I follow her and cross my arms as I lean against the door frame, still feeling light-headed while she curses the boys name - something beginning with an T, Thomas, Thresh maybe? - which I keep missing due to the speed of her speaking. Every time she shoots a rhetorical question towards me I remain silent mentally disagreeing with most of her thoughts yet knowing that if I have my input it will end with an argument and neither of us are in the right mind for that.
I release a heavy sigh as I see the bright headlights of her mother's car through the window knowing we have 5 minutes alone at most. Deciding I should try to diffuse her rant I interrupt her just as she begins to kick her furniture and tug on the roots of her short brown hair in frustration. "Hey, calm down" I say calmly but begin to raise my voice slightly when she ignores me "Johanna calm down! He's not worth it, just go find someone else to f-". She keeps her gaze trained on mine and slowly her breathing slows back to normal and her hands fall to her sides as she gives up.
"But he is", she says collapsing onto the couch she was just attacking "I'm an idiot".
"No you're not" I say trying to make her feel better.
"Your right, that's what you're for". I stare blankly at her, unamused. "I never should have broken up with him, or his bed".
I watch as a tear slides down her cheek and she grabs the pillow beside her, burying her face in it. She then groans loudly, "Ugh, my sex-life is over".
"No its not Jo" I say moving over to her and swiping the pillow from her grasp as she places her face in her hands and sobs dramatically. I stare immovable as I watch my friend of 6 years break down crying, well more like whimpering, for the first time in years. He must have been good. I awkwardly move over and sit beside her on the couch.
"What are you doing?" I whisper unsure if what I'm seeing is real or a figment of my imagination.
"I'm crying, what the hell do you think I'm doing!" she snaps shooting me a glare. I mummer an apology before cautiously wrapping my arms around her and the second I do she pulls me tight and cries. Well this is awkward, and kind of depressing seeing her like this. "No" she says sharply as she separates herself from me and wipes away her tears. Meanwhile I hear the front door unlock, "there will be more, there will always be more".
"Yeah" I say yet I don't sound nearly as encouraging as I'd hoped.
She dashes upstairs as soon as the front door opens revealing her mother. I quickly rush over to help her as she brings in her weekly shopping, "Hello, oh. Thank you dear" she says as I take four bags of food from her hands. Walking into the kitchen I put the shopping on the floor and quickly grab the knife before shoving it under the belt at my waist, so its hidden behind my back. I then position myself so she wouldn't see the knife and quickly unpack the bags, placing all the tins in the cupboards and all the drinks in the fridge. Just as I'm picking up the apples she comes in and walks over to turn the kettle on. While the water was boiling she grabbed two cups and put a teabag in each of them. I finish unpacking in silence and place all the fruit outside in a bowl on the dining table which is next to a vase of flowers, such as white flowers and bluebells giving the home a warm yet elegant feel.
Once I'm done I go back into the kitchen to see Johanna's mother leaning on the opposite side of the island in the middle of the kitchen. As soon as I approach her she slides a cup of tea over to me before taking a sip of her own. "Hi Katniss", she says politely. I smile before taking a sip of my own.
"Hi Mrs Mason" I reply. Unlike her daughter, Mrs Mason is a very caring women and all around a lovely person, just as long as you don't get on her bad side.
I watch her as she lowers her cup to offer me a sweet smile, "So what are you doing around here again? Hasn't Jo scared you off yet?" she jokes. That's one thing I love about Jo's mum, she always treats you like a friend and mother not just a guest.
"No" I say shaking my head along with an airy chuckle "Still here", but not for much longer.
"Oh" she says nodding her head slightly as she pulls her cardigan tighter around her body, "Jo broke up with another boy".
I slowly nod my head in response as I take a sip of my tea, sighing in delight at the warm liquid that travels down my throat, "Clearly", I say lowering my cup, placing it back on the island, "I think she's doing well though. You know, moving on". I don't enlighten her to the idea that her daughter isn't actually in a real relationship but just someone to flirt and sleep with.
"Good" she mummers and I can faintly hear her music playing, from upstairs.
"It's just a phase" she concludes glancing at the ceiling with a look of hope.
"I guess" I say deciding not to tell her about the how her daughter broke down crying just moments ago. "Anyway" I quickly chug the rest of my drink, then place the empty mug back on the island before wiping my lips with my sleeve, "I have to go, but thank you for the tea".
"You're welcome Katniss" she replies before leaning over to give me a hug and then puts the cups in the sink.
"Bye" I say taking my exit before she can see what's behind my back. I shoot her a short wave before I leave the kitchen, pass through the living room and go to the front door.
Slipping on my shoes I grab my brown leather satchel and slide it onto my shoulder before opening the door and shutting it behind me. Sighing I slump my shoulders and smile as I feel some of the tension leave my body. Yet for some reason I have a bad feeling as I watch the sky turn dark and can feel light rain fall on my clothes as it begins to soak me through.
Just as I'm crossing through the park to my house, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I quickly pull it out of my pocket and unlock it before my ringtone starts playing, alerting me that I have a caller. I quickly slide my thumb across the screen to answer it before pressing my phone to my ear. "Hello", I say realizing that I never checked for the caller's id.
"Katniss!" the voice that is so distinctly Mrs Everdeen, my mother, weeps.
"Hey, mum? What's the matter?" I say desperately wondering if something happened to Prim.
"I was with a patient and didn't go with him, I should of gone to see him, it's all my fault" she panics.
"Okay, okay, calm down, what's going on?", I plead squinting through the rain as my walking pace speeds up down the driveway to my house, "Mum tell me! Please", I beg as tears well up in my eyes.
I listen as she cries through the phone "Oh, God. There's so much blood. I can hear him screaming. He's in so much pain and-".
"Who?!" I interrupt, "What's going on you need to tell me dammit!".
"It's your father", she stutters "H-he".
"Mum! Please!" I beg as I approach my door, my body shaking, whether it's from the rain or the sheer fear of what could have happened, I'm not sure.
I listen intently as fear surrounds me and all my muscles tense in anticipation before she chokes out, "there's been an explosion".
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