Chapter 8- Katniss Meets Elena
Katniss' POV
I'm floating and I cannot stop. I'm on a cloud which is made of nothing, I'm just moving above flames with roar underneath me. There are all around me. It's like I'm in a pit of fire and I'm the only thing not red, hot and burning. I hear a soft calling of my name. It's soft, but it sounds like yelling. I turn my head, to feel a sharp and burning pain through my whole body. I look down at my hands, seeing my skin covered with horrible oozing, bloody scars. I feel the pain rip over my whole body. I have to see the person that's calling my name, no matter how much horrible pain I am in. I turn my head in the direction of the constant calling, pushing all the pain to the back of my mind. I see the blonde braids and I know who it is instantly, Prim. Before I can smile, I see the flames have engulfed her body. I see the tears dripping to her cheeks, the pain in her eyes and her mouth moving to the scream of my name. As I go to call her name, she disappears and I soon only see the flames distinguishing.
My eyes fly open, only to be branded with white. I feel the same pain over my body as I did in my mind previously. It can't be… I open my eyes again after recovering from the previous white covered surroundings. I look down at my arms, seeing them covered with bandages. I hear a gasp fall from my lips before I can allow it, looking at my new state. What even happened? The bombs! They did this I can only remember being engulfed with flames. I can remember in the pain being too bearable before I could only see flames before my eyes. Wow, I was the real girl on fire. Now I'm glad Cinna only used fake flames considering the pain I can feel myself having to bare as I lay here. I try and keep myself calm as I start to think about my sister and where she could be. And where Peeta could be. Before I can think anything more, I hear the door swing open.
There is a small woman in white nursing gowns that enters, when she sees my eyes, hers widen. Before I can mutter a word, she runs out. My eyebrows furrow, confused about what had just occurred. Was it because I was finally awake? Was it because of how I looked? Both are accurate explanations. Before I can think about anything more, the door opens again. The same woman comes in, followed by a man who I could only think was a doctor.
"Miss Everdeen, it's good to see you awake."
I say nothing in response. I can only think about Prim and Peeta. And where they are now.
"Where is my sister?" My voice, hoarse and pained.
The doctor's eyes shift over to the nurse. Her eyebrows narrow before the doctor looks over at me. I feel my whole world slip from beneath me as his lips move to form the words,
"She was gone when we got there."
He starts to explain some things, maybe about me, maybe about Prim, but I can only feel my soul being ripped from my depths and thrown into that fire which claimed my sister. All I can feel is pain. My whole body is consumed with that pain, throbbing over every single cell in my body. My head starts to thump as I try and hold back from screaming, or even worse, crying. The one person that always there for me, the one person to make me happy just from a thought, the one person to make my life worth fighting for, gone. As quick as blinking, as catatonic as a boom of a cannon, just… gone. My family, just dying off, one by one. First my father, who I loved so much, who taught me everything which I now am taken for granted for, who taught me to love, hunt, scavenge. He taught me how to be the best for myself and my family. He helped me more than anyone else. But my precious Prim, she taught me to love someone else, to love myself. She helped me through my horrible times, sometimes just from a simple smile. She was so wise. Like a ninety-four year old woman in a thirteen year olds body. Prim was there for me after Dad died, the only person because our mother ignored everyone and anything else which was happening around us. Now, it was just going to be me. My mother probably already gone into an impassive state. Now, it's just me.
I catch on to what he says with another name.
"What happened to him? Is he gone too?" The words tumble out, rushed, full of concern and worry.
The thought of him being gone too, that would just tip me off to end my life. My horrible now loveless life.
"He's very much alive."
The best thing that he has said to me. Relief washes over me for a few seconds, then I think about Prim again. This time when he talks, I listen.
"He woke up a few days ago. He's been visiting you every day, even though you were unconscious. He had a fit when he wasn't in a room with you."
A fit.
I fear the worst when I hear that.
"What do you mean fit?" My voice scared.
The doctor shakes his head.
"Not the kind that you may be referring too. His condition is seemed to be nothing like it's specified on his medical records from Thirteen."
More relief flows from my body for a split second. I sigh and let my eyes see the inside of my eyelids.
"He wakes up every day, eats a small amount then demands to come and see you and Elena. That's all he does in his-"
"Who is Elena?" It's a demand which falls from my lips, almost harsh, but definitely snarky.
Who is this woman? Did he realise that I would never be the same after my sister died? He lost the love of his life and now I've been replaced by someone named Elena. Why would he visit me and her? Is he just deciding who is more important to him? Who he wants to have his children? Who he wants to wake up next to every morning and fall asleep next to? Who he wants to make love to? I feel my blood boil at the thought of someone else doing that with Peeta.
"Miss Everdeen, it's not what you are thinking." The nurse speaks up for the first time.
My eyes fly up to her, burning a hole in the middle of her head. Her blonde hair tied back from her face, showing off her pale complexion and her brown eyes looking at me with something I cannot put my finger too. Happiness, jealously, excitement, even something funny? It's confusing. She has a large scar running down from her eyebrow to her cheek.
"Well, are you going to tell me who this Capitol scum is?" I hiss.
The nurse shakes her head, biting her lip to contain a smile from spreading across her lips. It just makes me even angrier. Why would she be laughing at me? How is it not what I think? Who else would Peeta be looking over when they are sleeping? Maybe she's not even sleeping! Who is this woman that Peeta is talking to when I am almost on my death bed? I have to know!
"Miss Everdeen, Peeta will be waking up in a matter of minutes. He will be pulling me along to get in here when he knows you are awake. He'll be the one to inform you of Elena. It's no really our place to say so." She tells me.
I can't even smile at the thought of seeing Peeta right now. I'm too full of fury, too betrayed. She rushes off without another word, I assume to go to Peeta.
"You have burn scars covering your body. You are still going to be kept in here for another week at the least, to try and give you the time to heal yourself and your mind. We don't have any kind of special medical techniques to make this a quicker process or to get rid of the scars. But, we are doing all we can to try and get you into better health as soon as possible."
I don't even listen to him. I am too overcome with betrayal, sadness, like a stab to the heart, over and over again. One, I lose my sister, the one person that I was certain that was always there for me, the one that I loved unconditionally. And second, Peeta. He goes and sees some little Capitol slut because I am too broken to get back to the girl I was when he first saw me. Betrayal. It keeps stabbing me in the chest until I can feel myself falling into a place somewhere close to where my mother was with my father's death. A deep dark hole, with no ladder, to only show signs when a small amount of light is shone in. But, never to be able to climb back out. I feel hopeless, nothing to look forward too. My life is as good as done. And I'm not even eighteen. The only thing I can look forward to is shooting my arrow into President Snow's body, for all the pain and death that he has given me and everyone else in Panem. That hate will never lighten up, that I know for sure.
Just as the doctor goes to check the machines surrounding me, the door bursts open and I know who is there without even having to move my eyes from the wall ahead of me. I see a flash of gold in the corner of my eyes, my head moves to look at him without my hearts consent. The first thing that I can take in is that he is covered head to toe with the same burns and bandages that I am. How would he be covered like me? He was heaps further behind us all from the explosion. Why would he be like this? I can't even rack my brain for what is going on, I cannot make sense of the situation. He probably got them helping that Elena scum. My jaw clenches and my eyes burn a hole into his scull as I look to him. The blue eyes that can bring a whole nation to fall at his feet soon fill with sadness as his smile falls when he sees my new expression.
"Katniss?" He calls, being wheeled further into the room.
I want to ignore him, make him feel some kind of pain, but I don't have any explanation as for why. Aside from the betrayal and excruciating hurt I am feeling after hearing the news about my now dead sister, I have more hate to fuel my fire which burns furiously within me. My lips move without consent. Why does this boy have such an effect on me? I ask myself as I speak.
"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be with that Elena scum?"
My voice stings and hits a nerve in my own body, I can only imagine how he feels. He is the one who has hurt me, yet I feel horrible for saying it. It hurts my insides to say such words in a voice that I never thought I could conjure.
Peeta turns around to the nurse with the scar running down her face, pain flicking across his face and he turns his head. Something inside stings to see him in pain, what are these feelings? He says something to her and she just smiles, saying,
"She's all yours."
I don't understand what she means. Obviously, this thing with the scum is more than I could even contemplate. She wheels Peeta in, leaving him next to my bed before walking out, the doctor following her. Now, Peeta and I are alone. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing at the moment. Bad seems like the best answer.
"Whatever you are thinking of Elena, it's totally different to what you would even believe." He begins, a small smile upon his lips.
"What could it be? You've obviously already replaced me. Made someone else to be one half of the Star-Crossed Lovers."
"We aren't Star-Crossed Lovers. I promise you."
"Don't promise me anything if you can't keep that promise." My voice seething with anger.
He smiles, whispering,
"I promise you, Katniss. It's not what you think. It's the complete opposite."
I stare up at him, my facial expressions softening just that little bit.
"I want to take you to show her, but I can't walk you anywhere without Rachela with me."
"I'm sure she can walk. Or maybe she could walk on her knees. Maybe being on her knees is normal for her."
I can only think about the horrible things she could have done which I could only think about doing with the boy with the bread.
Peeta's eyes close, his head shaking with his eyebrows furrowed together.
"Katniss do not say that. I know you are only thinking the worst, but just stop."
"Well tell me instead of beating around the bloody bush! I cannot handle this and what happened to her!" I can't let myself think about Prim, I'll cry before I can even think her name.
His eyes open and I see the instant sadness behind his eyes, myself trying to look at the water gathering in the corners of his eyes.
"They already told you."
His hand extends out and lands on my hand. I would flick off his hand, but I don't think that I can from the burns covering my body. And his comfort is the most that I've got from anyone since the basement in Tigris's shop.
"Please just tell me what the deal with this Elena girl." My voice is slurred with my throat closing up with the pain building up inside me from the things I've been told.
He sighs and says,
"Elena is exactly what you say. A girl."
My eyes fly open, looking him dead in the eyes. He has a small smile on his lips.
"She's a four year old girl. I saved her after I saved you."
I look away from him, gathering this information. I can hear his chuckle and the words four year old girl echoing in my head. Now, I feel so stupid! I was thinking of the horrible things that this person would be doing to Peeta, but she's just a girl. Thinking that she would take him away from me, but again, she's only a girl. All of that anger and betrayal that I felt is gone. I had nothing to worry about, now I just feel stupid and extremely embarrassed.
"Now, that's been resolved for now and you don't want to put an arrow in my head, can we have the reunion that I thought about for the past three days please?" His voice still dripping with laughter, but clouding my thoughts.
I look back over to him, seeing him standing over my bed. I nod and shake my head like an idiot for my mistake, mumbling,
"Just for the record, I was thinking about the torture I could do to an older Capitol woman for doing horrible things to you."
He laughs, reaching over and pressing a button on the wall, moving my bed up that little bit. I feel the skin on my back and neck stretching, he stops just before I can start to hurt. My body now my higher than it was just a few moments prior. He sits down on the bed, close to my head, probably so neither of us are in too much pain for a long time.
His hand moves my hand which laid on the bed to in his lap, lacing my fingers with his, running his thumb over the back of my hand very softly, enough to make my body shiver. I look up from our hands, into his eyes, down to his lips, flicking my tongue out and wetting the dry things which one would call lips. He leans over without any more time to waste, capturing my lips with his own. And I fall into a pit where only Peeta can put me, somewhere were only the pair of us can be together. As his lips are gentle, I can feel the power behind it. When he breaks apart, allowing us air to breathe, his spare hand comes up, cupping my cheek very gently, being aware of the burns which are probably there which I cannot see yet. When our tongues touch, sparks run straight into my gut, making it feel so much more beautiful than it really is.
Peeta makes me feel beautiful, he has a way of being able to hit something inside which makes me feel like we are the only thing which matters in whatever horrible situation or place that we find ourselves in. I can't help but grip Peeta's hand which he holds in his hand as hard as I can without it becoming too painful for myself or him. I can't tangle my hands in his hair because I can't move my hand from his grip or the other one without tearing the scars on my body.
He pulls back and gives a small peck on my lip before just letting the pair of us breathe.
"Now…" He begins before taking another breather.
"She would be very good on her knees since she has probably only been walking for a few years." Peeta finishes.
I laugh. And genuinely laugh. But, quietly because Peeta's face and mine are still pressed together leaving a gap between our lips. He chuckles along with me, pressing a soft kiss to my nose when we calm down. Then I start to think about when Prim used to crawl around before she could walk. It was always so cute. When she did walk for the first time, she dropped down to the ground and then crawled the rest of the way towards her destination. I close my eyes and try to think about something else. I cannot cry now. One, because if I start now, I'll never be able to stop. And second, I can't ruin this time with Peeta. He's all I have now, I can't let him run from me.
"How did you save me? How did you get those burns?" I ask, rushed, trying to change the subject.
I think he realise what is making me change the subject so quickly. He nods his head instantly, sliding of the bed and falling back into his wheelchair. He takes my hand again along with the both of his, then telling me,
"After the second bomb went off, it was a frenzy. I was running around trying to find you. I could hear my voice from your microphone, so I kept calling your name and following the repetition until I found you. I put out your flames and then my own after I caught fire from your flames."
"You didn't have to do that. I'm sure I would have been fine."
"I did have too. Finding you was my first priority was finding you. My second was finding Prim."
I feel my breathe catch in my throat. I want to cry, just from hearing those words, but I cannot let myself cry. Because Peeta will then want to comfort me and he can't do that with our injuries. It will hurt the both of us more if I cry than if I just keep it in. Maybe when this is all over, we can finally have that peace that we all deserve and have that time to cry without causing myself even more pain. So, like I have since awaking to this new world without my sister, I have to hold in my pain for the time being. No matter how much it hurts me, I just have too. I think Peeta can sense my new state, he leans up, runs a hand down my hair and changes the subject before I can even think about anything else. I stare into the unknown space ahead of the bed, hoping to concentrate on something within that dead air.
"I heard a girl crying and I had to go and find her, since I was aware of your state, I went after her. I found her laying down on the ground and crying. I did the usual thing one would do when you see a child in strive, tell them that you mean no harm. And I would never have hurt her, anyone would know that. So, in the end, she pointed to her mother behind me after we were acquainted. She was dead. Shot in the temple, she would have been dead before she could even think about what happened. And Elena was just destroyed. She was upset and hurt. I fell for her instantly. I wanted to help her until she found herself another family to join. So, I put myself down as her guardian for now. Being a Victor does have us as top priority, especially here in the Capitol."
I look back over at Peeta, lifting my hand the best that I can, placing it onto his which moved from my face and next to the bed during his talk.
"You are so brave. You should be taking care of yourself more than the rest of us. You are more important."
He scoffs, letting his head sink down and shaking it. He then looks up at me with a small smirk, making me feel special for him to smirk at me like that. It's like the smirk he gave me on the beach in the Quarter Quell. Makes me fall for him over again.
"Nope. My life is dedicated to saving you and anyone else. Your life is more important. Especially because you are still the Mockingjay-"
I inwardly groan, ignoring most of what he said.
"Uh, the Mockingjay. I forgot about that for a small second there. I don't want to be the leader of the revolution anymore."
My words kind of just stick in the air for a little while. I don't want to think about being the Mockingjay anymore. I don't even know how the rebellion is even going considering I've been unconscious for days.
"After the bombings, Snow was arrested. He's going to be eliminated by you when you are up to it. Coin apparently wants you rested and better before you kill him. But, it's pretty much over now, Katniss. We can go home soon."
I think over his words. Me to kill Snow. What I have been dreaming of for years. I can finally get the revenge from all the horrible things he has made myself, my friends and my family to endure. And for the rebellion to be over, I never thought this day would come. It's been such a long road to get here. It's cost so many lives, but we have almost got there. Just one small thing left and that's to finally put my arrow through Snow's skull. That's the only thing I want most in the world now. Home. Where is home? District 12 is home, but it's smithereens. But the Village was still standing. That's home. That's the only place left I have to call home. Where ever Peeta is will be my home. I just hope he is allowed to come back. He's all better, he just has all of these other things which they will probably have to go through before he can return.
No, Katniss. I just have just to think about the positives.
It's almost over.
It's almost over.
"Can I meet Elena?"
The words tumble before I can allow them. Peeta nods his head. He tells me he is going to go and bring her in. But, as he turns himself around in the wheelchair, the door opens. I see Rachela come through the door, just her head, the rest of her body is hanging out of the doorway.
"Peeta, what did you want?" Rachela asks.
"I wanted to get Elena so she could meet-"
Before I can hear Peeta's last word which was my name, I see a mess of blonde curls. My first instincts are shock.
"PRIM!" I cry out, ripping the cords from my arms and jumping up from the bed.
Pain erupts through my body at my next attempts to get to my sister. I hear yelling all around me, but I can only concentrate on the blonde curls that I saw moments before. Doctors bombard the room, blocking my view from my sister. I hear a young girl scream and yell,
"DADDY!"
"It's okay, sweetie!"
Peeta's voice fills my mind, clouding anything other than those words.
Daddy? The hell?!
I call out for Prim again, then I feel people pull me back to the bed. I feel a sharp pain in my arms and I feel my grip slipping. They can't take me from her. As I start screaming and feeling myself slipping away again, I see one thing which fills my eyes-
Brown.
Author's Note:
I had a huge writing craving last Sunday and I wrote 5 pages! So, I got it done today and I edited it! Yeah! I did! So new for me! I hope you liked it. I have fun writing jealous Katniss. She is the best, even if it is of a four-year-old girl. Please tell me what you think. Suggestions are always welcome. I haven't got an idea as of yet for the next chapter, but I will be thinking about it for tonight. I'm going to be at my best friends and i'm going to write some more. Hopefully a lot!
Love you guys, everlark4ever75 xox
