Chapter 8

The dreams are getting worse. After the dust covers me, takes over, I'm in a torture room and see them torturing the people I love, and then pushing me down a dark path. Then I'm all alone with no one. I scream, and scream, and scream. When I wake up, Mom, Dad, and Jake are all around me. I start crying into dad's shirts while they all are trying to calm me down. "It-it was worse. They were torturing all of you, and-and then left me in the dark to watch you suffer and after that locked me in the dark."
"It's okay, it was just a dream," says Jake. "But-but it felt so real and they won't go away." I can't deal with this anymore. "Sweetie, it was just a bad dream. We're here for you, don't worry." I look at my mom and say "But what about when your not? I have a feeling something bad is going to happen and I won't always have your help and when I don't, what if I mess up?" "You won't we have faith in you. Now try to get some sleep, I'll stay with you until you fall asleep. Jake, go back to bed. Peeta, I'll meet you in our room in a minute."
They leave the room and it's just us. "Ash, what's really bugging you?" "I don't want to do this. The dreams are making me more scared and I'm more venerable that way. What's gonna happen if I pick the wrong path?" "You won't, you are strong, smart, and beautiful and I have faith that you won't mess up. Trust me," she says and kisses me on my forehead. "Can you stay here till I fall asleep?" "Yes." I fall asleep easily knowing she's here to protect me.
When I wake up the shades are open. Someone must've came i this morning to check up on me. When I go downstairs Jake is the only one there. "Where is everyone?" "They went out for a while, but told me to call Haymitch if anything goes wrong." I nod and wash some strawberries for us. "Is it that bad?" "Is was that bad?" Jake is confusing me, why does he care? "The dreams, are they really that bad?" "Yes, but you don't need to worry about me. I just hope it will get better." "I just don't want to lose my sister." I give him a hug and assure him that it will take a lot to lose me.