First off, I'd like to thank FanasyBookGirl for reviewing and my little sister for pre-reading this second chapter. I know the last chapter was really short but it was kind of like when you dip your toe into the water before jumping in to see if it's too hot or too cold. My first chapter was like that, I was nervous you all may not like it so I 'tested the water' so to say. (Yeah, I'm totally insane, I know, I know.) Anyway, please read and review and also . . . please enjoy.
Your friend, Writing4YourLove
Oh, yeah, I do not own the Hunger Games, well, I own Chase and his sister, but none of the other stuff. Unless you count . . . nvm. I don't own the Hunger Games but I wish I did! If I did Finnick wouldn't have died. (Loved Finnick so much! Not like his Capitol fangirls but like a friend . . . like Katniss!)
Chapter two; in which there is searing pain, blood, and . . . feathers?
I don't know how long I was asleep, but it must've been a while. I can't feel anything around me except the searing pain that covers my whole body. I have a migraine and all I want to do right now is die. I vaguely hear voices; I can only hear some of the conversation though.
"So far it's going well . . ." Says one voice then I can't hear some of what he says next. ". . . Changing . . . reaction to pain . . . organs changing to conform . . . high expectations . . ." What is he talking about? Organs changing? Pain reactions? And what kind of expectations?
"It's waking up. Sedate it before it decides to ruin all of our progress." A woman says this and I start feeling really sleepy again. The last thing I hear before I'm completely enveloped by the darkness is a third voice.
"If this all goes well the Capitol will finally have its revenge."
Over the next few days I fade in and out of consciousness. One time somebody came in and talked to me, but I don't remember what was said. Something about change, but almost none of it made sense because the person who came in was talking about lots of scientific things that I didn't understand because I never paid attention in biology class; it was something about birds and change. Most of the pain is gone, but there's still a constant throbbing all over my body.
I attempt to sit up and find that I'm not restrained. I look around; I'm in a room that contains a couch, a bed, a dresser, and two doors. One, I assume, leads to a bathroom. I'm in the bed and it's covered in dried blood. I look down at myself. There's blood covering my naked body. I pull my aching body off of the bed and open the door. My speculations were correct; the door does lead to the bathroom. I get into the shower start scrubbing the blood off. Once I uncover my stomach I see strange blue scars. They seem to be in a pattern, but one that I couldn't possibly describe. I keep scrubbing the blood off of myself. I find more of the strange scars on my leg and I feel something soft on my back.
Once I'm done and I've gotten all the blood off of myself I look in the full length mirror. I see other scars on my back then and something else even stranger. I saw wings, soft, feathery, black wings. None of the patterns on the three different sections of my body are the same and none of them can really be described. Well, the one on my back looks a little like a bird with its long tail feathers going halfway down the inside of my left thigh. I stop staring at the scars and go to the dresser to get some clothes. I pick out a black sweatshirt, jeans, but I can't find any shoes. I look around for anything I could use as a weapon and come up with nothing useful.
I try the other door and find it's not locked. I quietly open it and find a hallway that has a number of doors down it. One is labeled 'D-12M' and one is labeled 'D-12DR.' the first one is the same as my room and the second is slightly open already. I peek in and find a table. At that table are a man and my brother. The man looks to be in his sixties, but I'm not sure, and Chase is only twelve.
"Come in," Says the man, noticing me for the first time.
I silently come in and hesitantly sit next to my brother. He looks fine, thankfully. "Hey," He smiles at me.
"Hello," I reply.
"It's been a while since I've seen you two." The man says, "You probably don't remember me, but I'm Haymitch, I was your," He grimaces, "Babysitter. How Katniss and Peeta convinced me to watch you brats is still a mystery to me."
"Oh," Chase's eyes flash sudden recognition. "You're our drunken babysitter. Yeah, I remember you a little, but you were always drunk." And he was nearly always passed out too, but Chase doesn't mention that.
"Well, now you're going to be sent into the arena, I trust that you know what the Hunger Games are?" He sounds slightly bitter and slightly regretful.
Both my brother and I nod. Our parents, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, we're both Victors.
"Good. Now, I'm sure you both know that your parents played in two of the Hunger Games, the seventy fourth and fifth. The Capitol is sending two teenagers from each district into the Games, as I'm sure you both know it's traditional." Chase opens his mouth to say something but Haymitch stops him, "Save the questions. Now, in these Games, they're taking anybody even remotely related to victors, one girl and one boy from each district and all that, and they're mutating them. They're mutating you." He says putting extreme emphasis on 'you.'
"That's why . . ." I don't finish my sentence. That's why I have the wings. I'm nearly certain.
Haymitch confirms my beliefs with a slight frown. "Yes. That is why you have the wings. You also have powers that you currently aren't able to access because the Capitol's afraid you'll use the powers against them."
"Then they must be pretty intelligent." I mutter.
Haymitch nods, "Yes. Now, they're sending you both into the arena tomorrow. They're letting us, the mentors, give you the choice to have an earpiece that will let me speak directly to you in the arena because you've had no option to go to training. I don't know anything about the arena and I'll only see what you see, but I think it would be a good idea. It's up to you though, remember, I'll be working with both of you on my own."
Chase and I glance at each other and respond simultaneously, "Yes."
"Good, now, one more thing, you have to follow my every order no matter how stupid it sounds."
Now this I have to consider. "What kind of stupid order?"
Chase kicks me under the table and glares at me. "He was mom and dad's mentor. Don't insult him."
"Oh?" I spit. "I wasn't insulting him! I have much more sense than that! I wouldn't insult my own mentor even if pigs started flying. And soon the very well may." Turn back to Haymitch. "I'll follow any order you throw at me."
"Good, sweetheart, now go to bed. It's already nine thirty. You need to be ready for tomorrow." He says evenly.
I obey. Once I reach my room I change into a tank top and sweat pants before climbing into bed. It felt like forever until I fall asleep. Nerves and homesickness were keeping me awake.
