I have one word. S.O.R.R.Y. I can't believe I haven't updated in so long…! Thank you to your comments/reviews/everything else and thanks to 922cf , I will soon improve chapter 5!
I see Katniss, through the bars of the cage that isolates me from the rest of the arena. A cannon fires in the distance. I hear the rustling of the bushes that Katniss is hiding in. She sneers, blood as red as roses drips from her fingers. I rattle the bars loudly, shouting for help. This is how she caught the other tribute; this is how she has caught me. Judging by the blood smothered over her fingers, that tribute's last moments were very painful.
Katniss stalks towards me, her body swaying as she approaches my cage. Her face is one big sneer; her eyes are narrowed, mocking. She snarls at me as I rattle the cage once more. I feel like a bear, trapped in a cage in the big zoo that is the arena. Each tribute is different. There are lions, hawks, sharks, everything. Katniss has a voice as sweet as a mockingjay, but she is ruthless like a shark, ferocious like a tiger, determined as a wolf, sly as a fox and swift as a falcon, but right now, she reminds me of a hyena, laughing at my misery.
When she reaches my cage she withdraws a key from a leather belt she is wearing. The silver key is on a chain and she swings it around her fingers, circling me and cackling. She looks up at me, smiles innocently and walks towards the front of the cage, key in her hands. Her sweet little smile widens as she takes hold of the tiny silver padlock that keeps me here. She takes the key, carefully fits it in place and begins to twist it. She does this so slowly, that I hear each click of the lock as the chances of my freedom increases. Has she changed?
She glances at me from the lock, her mysterious, grey eyes sparkling. She gives me a radiant smile and I return it. She's going to set me free. I count the clicks: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight… She looks down on the eight, still smiling. I'm about to be free! I hear the ninth click and close my eyes. This is it! Then nothing. I frown as my eyes are closed. What's happening? I think maybe Katniss wants me to see how kind she is being, so I open my eyes and grin. Katniss waits, watching me. As soon as I open my eyes, she twists the key the other way with such power that the whole cage shakes. Each click is like a judge's gavel crashing down, sentencing me to death.
It was all a trick. All a lie, because Katniss can never be sweet or kind…
Katniss Everdeen is nothing but an enemy.
"Aahh!" I scream, sitting up in bed. I touch my forehead, but my hand falls back down to my side. It glistens with sweat. I get up and sigh, plodding over to the en suite bathroom that I have been given in District 13. I hope nobody has heard me, because I don't want to end up in the hospital again with a 'mentally unstable' band on my wrist. I wash my face with cold water, trying to wash away that horrible nightmare. Suddenly, there's a knock at my door. Oh great.
I open the door to a worried looking Katniss, the person I least wanted to knock at my door at 4 o'clock in the morning.
"Peeta, are you okay? I thought I heard screaming from my room..." she asks, looking behind me for tell-tale signs in my room. When she sees nothing, her eyes wander back to my face.
"I'm fine, really. Don't worry, Katniss, I'm fine!" I assure her, catching the disbelief in her eyes. She quickly tries to hide it, but it's too late. It's a bit… pathetic. She looks at me, her arms folded across her chest. She's coming to see if I'm okay, but it seems she's the one who needs my comfort. It's a bit selfish, isn't it? My nightmare an excuse to help her feel better… it's a bit cruel, right?
"Are you sure?"
I clench my fists tightly, trying to supress the animalistic instinct I have to punch Katniss Everdeen right in the face.
"Yes. Don't worry about me; I just need some more sleep."
Well, I'm not lying, am I? I really do need some sleep. I say goodbye to Katniss and yawn loudly for effect. I traipse back to bed, pull the covers over my head and drift off again.
In the morning, I hurry off to the canteen for breakfast. Katniss beckons me over to her table and Beetee, Johanna, Annie and Finnick wave at me. Gale nods at me from his porridge. Oh… I need to talk to Gale.
I walk over to them, smiling, but when I see Katniss, my fists clench and I feel myself gritting my teeth. I slam my tray down pretty hard, much to the surprise of everybody else. Annie winces and Finnick squeezes her hand reassuringly. Johanna raises one eyebrow and Katniss frowns. My right hand is ready to attack, but I hold it down with my left hand. I must look so strange. I close my eyes and swallow hard. I sit opposite Katniss, next to Finnick. It's all I can do to stop myself from aiming a kick at her from under the table. After a few minutes of banter here and there, I feel my arms twitching again. Oh, no. When I look up, I immediately locate a spot on Katniss' neck that would be great to strangle. Oh, no.
"Sorry, guys. I think I better go…" I mumble, gathering up my tray and making a speedy yet dignified exit out of the canteen. It's nearly 9 o' clock, time for Therapy and Medication. I hurry to the hospital wing and bump into Dr Shermona on his way out.
"Oh, Peeta!" he exclaims, "A little change of plans. Since we've so many new recruits to become doctors for the war, we have decided to let a trainee doctor see you today for your session. You're so much better anyway, we thought it would be a good opportunity for the…"
"Yeah, that's fine. Bye, Dr Shermona," I smile, approaching my little room. I pull back the curtains.
"Hi, I'll be your doctor today, but I'm a trainee. My name is Pr- Oh!" A small, young girl gasps. She has blonde hair tied into two little braids and her face is as fresh as a morning rose. I know her. She's… she's… Primrose Everdeen.
Primrose Everdeen.
"Hi, Peeta."
"Hey, Prim," I reply, trying to smile.
"Well, this'll be a bit weird. But I guess it will be easier for you to open up to me. I promise you that I won't tell Katniss, or anybody, for that matter. Dr Shermona calls it Patient Confidentiality. I call it Don't Blab About Your Patient Or Else," Prim grins.
"Yeah, he's a bit of an idiot…" I shrug.
"So now it's your turn to talk to me. Tell me how the amnesia thing is going. And, I know this sounds odd, but tell me everything about Katniss, Gale, Finnick, Johanna, Annie, Beetee and Haymitch. Especially the bad stuff about them!"
I gulp. I know it's best to tell the truth, and I trust Prim, but…
"Prim, last night I had a nightmare. It was about Katniss, except she was… evil. I woke up and Katniss had come to check on me but I felt like slamming the door on her face. I felt like h-hitting her. Then this morning, when I saw her, it took everything I could do not to strangle her. When I saw her I felt so… so angry. I don't know what's wrong with me now." I blurt out. Then I stupidly clap my hand over my mouth and grit my teeth. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
"I think I know what's happening Peeta. She's broken you again."
"What?" I ask, confused.
"Katniss has broken you all over again. Did she tell you about the 74th Hunger Games, what happened between you two?"
How does she know all this?
"Yes!"
"You're still in love with her."
"No!"
"You're still in love with her, Peeta. You're confused because you loved her and she didn't love you and now you think you're falling in love all over again. Your emotions have left you weak and now the tracker-jacker venom is targeting that. They helped cure your hijacking, Peeta, but it's not gone. It feasts on the weaknesses. Your mixed emotions right now are your weak spot. The hijacking made you think that Katniss was the enemy. This is the reason why you feel like throttling my sister."
"That's not it, Prim. I… I don't love her. But I guess I'm kind of vulnerable now," I sigh, shaking my head.
"Look, Peeta. I may be young, but I know things when I see them. You love her. You don't have to believe me, but you'll learn the hard way. Peeta, if you realise that you truly love Katniss Everdeen, then you'll be able to break through."
Primrose Everdeen sounds older than her sister when she says these things. I guess she's wiser than I first thought. I don't love Katniss Everdeen, that's for sure. Do I?
