Never Forget

Chapter 8- Alone

"Katniss! Katniss!" I heard Rue cry. I ran trying to get to her in time, but the space in front of me kept going on and on. I could hear her getting further and further away, I would not be able to reach her. She was going to die all alone, with no one to comfort her.

"RUE! HOLD ON, I'M COMING! PLEASE HOLD ON!" I cried out, somehow hoping that I would be able to save her that way. I knew it wouldn't work but I had to try. Her cries grew further in the distance, soon replaced by another voice.

Prim.

Crying out as she had during the reaping. But this time, I couldn't save her. I was too far away. The forest was endless, it just continued on and on with the dark green trees standing there. This forest in which Prim was to be shipped off to and killed, like in a slaughterhouse, just because I couldn't reach her.

I started slowing down, realizing my efforts to save either of them were hopeless and combined with the exhaustion my entire body was shutting down. Unceremoniously I collapsed to the ground, wishing I had the strength to keep going, awaiting the never-ending blackness of unconsciousness that was sure to come. It didn't.

I heard them before I first saw them, the low growl of their throats, the twigs crunching beneath their paws. My heart rate quickened. I couldn't face them again, not after I listened to the pleas of both Rue and Prim.

The mutts slowly circled around me, but I didn't look up. If I had to die by their hands, I didn't want to be reminded of the eyes that were taken from the dead tributes. Fully prepared to die I curled up and tried to ignore them when the first wave of the smell hit me. The awful smelling something was awful, like a billion cats rotting in one room together. I couldn't stand it anymore, I looked up. There the mutts were, just as I thought but they were carrying something, or someone. In their jaws were pieces of bloody meat but in one, with the eyes of Clove, was a head. A head covered in blonde hair. Cato's head.

Looking around I noticed the pieces of his body that the other mutts were eating, one arm messily severed from the body and covered in blood, a leg that was torn to shreds from the mutt's powerful jaws. It was enough to make me sick. Slowly, I attempted to crawl away, unseen by the mutts but it was no use. Once I called attention to myself they were on me like a pack of wolves.

"No!" I cried out in pain. "Help! Please! Anyone..."

"Catnip, Catnip! Wake up! Please!" Someone shouted in the distance. It wasn't Rue or Prim, the voice was one of a male. It took me a moment to realize that I was dreaming, and the voice was coming from outside my dream. I felt my body start to shake jerkily as my eyes flew open. Standing above me was Haymitch, with a sincere look of worry plastered onto his face.

"Are you alright? It sounded like you were having a rough nightmare. Do you need to talk about it?"

"I'm fine, I swear," I added seeing the look of doubt cross his face. In truth, I wasn't. I have had nightmares before of the Games but it now seems like they were getting worse.

They began a month after Haymitch's mom had died, first with Rue's death, over and over again. I would wake up with tears rolling down my face but nothing more. They then stopped for about two weeks, two weeks of sound, peaceful sleep. But then the mutts came.

The mutts were far worse than watching Rue die. Their eyes were still like they were before, with the eyes of the dead tributes, although this time they had their voices too. Shouting at me, growling at me, chasing me through the night. Running through the woods, I could hear them tearing up meat that looked like rotting flesh. Night after night they came, chasing me, tearing me up. I'd wake up panting and with phantom aches in my limbs, but no serious breakdowns.

"Catnip?" Haymitch asked again, startling me out of my trance.

"Hmmmm?" I responded, afraid that if I spoke the onslaught of tears building up would come pouring out of my eyes.

"Are you alright? You were shouting Rue over and over again, then whimpering as if someone had died."

Gathering up my courage, pushing back the tears I responded. "Uhhhh... I-I'm okay. Really. I'm just going to go take a walk," I muttered quickly, starting to stand up. Haymitch grabbed my shoulder and shoved me down before I could get anywhere.

"I just want you to know that you can talk to me-" he was interrupted when I stood up, trying to get away. The grip he had on my arm, which I had forgotten about, tightened and I was suddenly engulfed in a mess of limbs. I started to fight my way out but eventually gave up. Haymitch was too strong, and stubborn, for me to be able to escape. I felt helpless; there was nothing I was able to do.

"Catnip, you need to talk to me. I don't know what you are hiding but you're hiding something. I don't know what you're hiding but you're hiding something. It's obvious, you just can't hide the pain you're in well."

"No, please. It's fine, I swear. Please go away," I desperately whispered back. Why couldn't he see I didn't want his help?

"It's obviously not fine Catnip. You were crying. You don't cry! And if you wanted to be alone would be alone right now. I may be stronger but you've always been able to escape me before."

"What?" I asked, then to remember the other times I have escaped Haymitch's grasp. At that moment it had finally hit me, I don't want to be alone. I was alone while I was in the arena. I was alone in my dreams. I was alone when I arrived here. I don't have to be alone now. "Okay."

Haymitch looked confused for a minute wondering what 'okay' meant. I just placed my head down on his shoulder, ready to go back to sleep. The last thing I remember before drifting off was Haymitch's quiet response in my ear.

"Okay."


A/N- Ummm... fluff is good. And I still have no ideas. But I updated! If you're extremely lucky (that is, if I can think of an idea...) I'll update sooner. So adios!