QUICK A/N: This chapter will have mentions of (**SPOILER**) miscarriage. You'll understand what I mean later, but I just wanted to inform everyone before hand. I hope that it doesn't upset anyone. Thanks for reading!
CHAPTER 11: THE HANGING TREE.
"... Are you, are you, coming to the tree? They strung up a man, they say who murdered three. Strange things did happen here no stranger would it be if we met at midnight in the hanging tree... Are you, are you coming to the tree? Where dead man called out for his love to flee. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be if we met at midnight in the hanging tree... Are you, are you, coming to the tree? Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be, if we met at midnight in the hanging tree... Are you, are you, coming to the tree? Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be if we met at midnight in the hanging tree ..." - Jennifer Lawrence.
"I can walk a little now," Beetee told Katniss as he used a chair with wheels to move around. They were going to look at weapons, but they were catching up on the way there, "It's just that I tire so quickly. It's easier for me to get around this way. How's Finnick doing?"
"He's... He's having concentration problems," Katniss answered. She didn't want to say he had a complete mental meltdown, because he hadn't fully gotten there yet. Yes, Finnick wasn't doing very good. He was depressed nearly all the time when Katniss saw him, and he seemed borderline suicidal from the guilt and worry that he was the cause of Penelope, Johanna, and Peeta's torture and maybe deaths. Especially Penelope.
"Concentration problems, eh?" Beetee smiled grimly, "If you knew what Finnick's been through the last few years, you'd know how remarkable it is he's still with us at all. Tell him I've been working on a new trident for him, though, will you? Something to distract him a little."
Katniss nodded, wondering if a distraction was really the thing that Finnick needed but she still promised to pass on the message.
Finnick couldn't sleep.
Actually, he usually could get an hour or two in everyday after the first week of being in 13, but right now he couldn't get any.
So instead of staying in the bed/cot that he'd been given, he decided to go look for someone to talk to.
Mags had stayed in the infirmary with Katniss' mother and Primrose "Prim" Everdeen, and a few of the sick, helping tend to them. Today, Annie had offered to stay with the three to help with a young man named Justece who had PTSD episodes from the bombing in 12.
Finnick had wandered around the set for the rebellion promo shoot, knowing that Katniss would be there, and when he saw her standing over a monitor, watching a few minutes of the tape that she'd just filmed, he decided to go up to her.
Katniss didn't look like the girl who woke from nightmares or sick with guilt. No, she looked like a warrior with a large stature, her face smudged but good-looking. Her brows black and drawn in an angle of defiance and there was wisps of smoke - suggesting she'd been extinguished or about to burst into flames - rising from her clothes.
Finnick smirked a little, a bit of his old humor coming out, "They'll either want to kill you, kiss you, or be you."
Katniss let out a slight laugh at what he'd said before she was rushed off back onto the set she'd been on before and then she had to yell the line that the rebels had planned. Katniss lifted her bow over her head and yelled with all the anger she could muster, "People of Panem, we fight, we dare, we end our hunger for justice!"
There was silence on the set and it seemed like an infinite silence until finally the intercom crackled and Haymitch's acerbic laugh filled the studio. He contained himself just long enough to say, "And that, my friends, is how a revolution dies."
"Katniss!" Finnick called, running up to her and another man named Boggs. Boggs was Katniss' personal bodyguard for while she went to 8. That was the plan. Since Katniss couldn't really sell the act that she was in battle, she and Haymitch decided it'd be best to put her in actual combat and just film her then.
Finnick wanted to go, he wanted to help. If it meant getting one step closer to The Capitol, he wanted to do whatever he could to contribute.
"They won't let me go!" Finnick told her, "I told them I'm fine, but they won't even let me ride in the hovercraft!"
Katniss looked at him, her eyes traveling from his bare legs showing between his hospital gown and slippers, his tangle of bronze hair, the half-knotted rope twisted around his fingers, the wild look in his sea-green eyes; And she knew that any plea on her part would be useless. Even Katniss didn't think it would be a good idea to bring Finnick. So she smacked her forehead, "Oh, I forgot. It's this stupid concussion. I was supposed to tell you to report to Beetee in Special Weaponry. He's designed a new trident for you."
At the word "trident", Finnick's face lit up, "Really? What's it do?"
"I don't know. But if it's anything like my bow and arrows, you're going to love it," Katniss told him, "You'll need to train with it, though."
"Right. Of course. I guess I better get down there."
"Finnick?" Katniss said as he started to turn away, "Maybe some pants?"
Finnick looked down at his legs, fully noticing that he was still wearing his hospital gown. Then, he whipped it off, leaving him in just his underwear. He probably looked like a fool, but he was in a good mood now, "Why? Do you find this-"
He striked a ridiculously provacitve pose, "-Distracting?"
Katniss let out a bark of laughter and Finnick grinned because it seemed like for a moment, the two had forgotten about everything and they were the same two people they were before the Quell.
"I'm only human, Odair," Katniss said before getting in the elevator door and Finnick waved goodbye to her as she and Boggs disappeared behind the doors.
Finnick tied back on his hospital gown before walking quickly to the Special Weaponry level of 13, excited to see his new trident.
When he got there, Beetee seemed to be waiting for him, and Finnick raised an eyebrow at the man in the rolling chair.
"I knew that you'd want to go with them and that Katniss would have forgotten to give you my message," Beetee told him before rolling his chair away and Finnick ran to catch up with him before walking beside him, "It's good to see you Finnick. How are you holding up?"
"As well as expected, I guess," Finnick said before glancing down at him, "And yourself?"
"I'm great. Well, no, I wouldn't say great," Beetee said with a small frown as they continued towards the room that held all the weapons in process of being made, "There is the fact that I can't walk much because I tire too easily. Then I'm also worried about you and Katniss, along with Johanna, Peeta, and Penelope."
Finnick didn't mean to, but he flinched when Beetee said that. He'd pushed his fear and guilt out of his mind for almost an hour, and then it was back.
"But then there's the good things. Now I can really start helping the rebellion," Beetee continued after a moment, "And I can put my all into the cause. Speaking of which, we've finally come to our stop. This is your new trident I've created for you."
It was beautiful. The trident was golden and had very sharp points, but there was also something hung beside the trident; a metal cuff.
Finnick hesitantly grabbed it and felt that it wasn't too heavy but not too light either. It was just perfect.
"What's the cuff for?" Finnick asked as he looked down at Beetee.
"Try it on," Beetee said and Finnick did so and saw that there was a button on the side of it.
"And the button?"
"Throw the trident, then press the button," Beetee instructed, pointing beside Finnick to his right. Finnick turned his head and saw that there was a dummy a few yards away.
He took a shaky breath, realizing that it would be the first time he threw such a weapon since the Quarter Quell. But then he pushed the thoughts of the people he'd killed with the trident he'd had in the past out of his mind and he threw it, letting it fly into the dummy's chest.
"Good aim," Beetee commented before saying, "Now, press the button on the cuff. Be ready."
Finnick did as he was told, still confused slightly, and then he watched as the trident started to return to him. His eyes widened and he caught it with ease, but he looked over at Beetee with the same widened eyes, "How the hell did you do this?"
"It's somewhat complex. I'm afraid that you might not understand," Beetee told him, "The metallic chambers inside of the trident has been hooked up with the-"
"Yeah, no. I'll just go with it," Finnick told him with a slight laugh. Beetee returned it with a grin, nodding his head. Then, the television above them turned on suddenly, and they both looked up to see Katniss on the screen.
"Katniss," it was Cressida's voice, she was a resident director from The Capitol that joined the rebellion along with her camera crew, "President Snow just had them air the bombing here in District 8 live. Then he made an appearance to say that this was his way of sending a message to the rebels. What about you? Would you like to tell the rebels anything?"
"Yes," Katniss whispered, then louder, "Yes. I want to tell the rebels that I am alive. That I'm right here in District 8, where the Capitol has just bombed a hospital full of unarmed men, women, and children. There will be no survivors."
Katniss seemed shocked, and then her shock seemed to turn to fury as she spoke, "I want to tell people that if you think for one second the Capitol will treat us fairly if there's a cease-fire, you're deluding yourself. Because you know who they are and what they do."
Katniss' arms flung out, indicating the horror of the smoking buildings and fires around her, along with the few bodies that littered the street, "This is what they do! And we must fight back!" Katniss got into the camera with rage, "President Snow says he's sending us a message? Well, I have one for him. You can torture us and bomb us and burn our Districts to the ground, but do you see that?"
The camera switched from Katniss to planes burning on the roof of a warehouse across from them, The Capitol seal on a wing glowed clearly through the flames. Katniss was shouting now, "Fire is catching! And if we burn, you burn with us!"
Her words were so powerful, they were so real, so much different from the script that she'd been given hours ago, and the effect that it would have on Panem would surely be in the rebels' favor.
And the words continued to play through Finnick's head.
If we burn, you burn with us.
There would be another propo at dinner time.
Finnick had decided that he wanted to go talk to Katniss, since she was the only one keeping him sane anymore, and he'd found her in her bed in the hospital.
He had to stay there, at the hospital. He'd had so many mental relapses that he basically lived there. Finnick would either wake from screaming or just not be able to speak or move because of the guilt running through his veins, his brain, his very being.
So there he was, bringing his tray of food to Katniss' bed so they could watch the newest propo together on the television. The rebels aired the "Because you know who they are and what they do" propo that Messalla edited. The footage was intercut with short studio clips of Gale, Boggs, and Cressida describing the incident.
Finnick didn't applaud or act all happy when it was done. He just said, "People should know that happened. And now they do."
It was true, the Districts had to know that 8 was bombed that day and that people were dead. They needed to know.
"Let's turn it off, Finnick, before they run it again," Katniss urged him. Finnick went for the remote control, but then Katniss cried, "Wait!"
He dropped his hand and he looked intently at the screen. The Capitol was introducing a special segment and something about it is familiar. It's Caesar Flickerman, and they could only guess who the guest would be.
It was Peeta. He looked as he did a few days before, when he asked for a cease-fire of the war, but there was a few noticable changes. He'd lost at least fifteen pounds and had a nervous tremor in his hands. He was still groomed, but underneath the paint on his face was bags under his eyes and the clothes cannot conceal the pain he has when he moves. He was badly damaged.
Then Katniss realized that there was no indication of when the first interview was recorded, and so it could be a month since the first interview and this, the one on television, was the one from the current times.
But there's someone else there besides Caesar and Peeta.
It was Penelope Longshot.
Her transformation from when Finnick and Katniss had last seen her in the arena was so much worse compared to Peeta.
Her hair was longer, pulled up into a bun, and her eyes were flickering around every few seconds, as if she was searching for someone to come attack her. Her hands were trembling slightly like Peeta's and there was bags under her eyes as well. She had a split lip and definitely a reconstructed nose, and the most evident transformation was her body. She seemed to have lost at least twenty pounds.
And the most obvious thing was that Penelope didn't look like she was two months pregnant, she looked like she was nearly five.
Finnick's mouth dropped open and he clenched his fists in anger as he watched the screen. He was starting to shake from both the anger he had towards The Capitol and President Snow, and from the fear that had just been confirmed. Penelope wasn't okay, and she was in danger. They were probably torturing her and experimenting on their child.
"Oh, Finnick," Katniss whispered, looking over at his shaking form. Finnick didn't say anything, just continued to stare at the screen.
"So... Peeta, Penelope... Welcome back, again," Caesar said to the two, looking at the camera before looking directly at Penelope, "I've already spoken before with Peeta, but not with you, Ms. Penelope. Peeta and I have already caught up before. But you, you I have not caught up with. You've obviously been through some things, had a different Game than Peeta did."
"You could say that," Penelope said, her voice cracking and hoarse, almost speaking quietly. Finnick rested his hands on his forehead, growing more stressed with each passing moment.
"Well, let's start with your pregnancy," Caesar offered.
Unconsciously, Penelope rested her hands on her growing belly, smiling lightly, "What's there to tell?"
"How about the father?" Caesar asked.
"Finnick," Penelope said with a small smile, glancing towards the camera, "Finnick is the father."
Finnick took a shaky breath as he rubbed his temples. Katniss reached over and rested a hand on Finnick's shoulder, letting him silently know that she was there for him while they watched the interview.
"That was my guess," Caesar nodded with a smile, looking down at her stomach, "Have you been told the sex?"
"Sexes," Penelope whispered.
"I'm sorry?" Caesar asked, "Sexes?"
Penelope took a breath, looking over at the camera, smiling lightly and it was as if she was talking to Finnick alone, "Twin boys. We're having twin boys."
Finnick's heart stopped, he couldn't believe what he'd just heard. It wasn't a child, no, it was two. Twin boys, he couldn't not smile a little at that, but then he remembered that any day now, the babies (along with Penelope) could be killed by The Capitol.
"That's... Incredible news," Caesar said with a smile before changing the subject suddenly, looking over at Peeta. He asked him about rumors that Katniss was taping propos for the Districts.
"They're using her, obviously," Peeta said, "To whip up the rebels. I doubt she even really knows what's going on in the war. What's at stake."
"Is there anything you'd like to tell her?" asked Caesar before glancing at Penelope, "Or you to Katniss or Finnick, wherever they are?"
"There is," Peeta said, looking at the camera, "Don't be a fool, Katniss. Think for yourself. They've turned you into a weapon that could be instrumental in the destruction of humanity. If you've got any real influence, use it to put the brakes on this thing. Use it to stop the war before it's too late. Ask yourself, do you really trust the people you're working with? Do you really know what's going on? And if you don't... Find out."
Then, Penelope was speaking, looking directly at the camera like Peeta did, "Katniss, Finnick. If you both are watching... Just... Know that they haven't broken us. Not yet."
"That's enough for tonight," Caesar said and Penelope grew quiet, staring at the floor as her whole body seemed to tremor with fear, just like Finnick's.
Then the screen turned black, the Seal of Panem showed up, and then the show was over.
Finnick pressed the button to turn off the television before either of them said anything. In a minute, people would be there to do damage control on Peeta and Penelope's condition and the words that came out of both of their mouths. Katniss would need to repudiate them. But the truth was, Katniss didn't trust the rebels or Plutarch or Coin. And Finnick wasn't too sure if he did anymore either. Neither were confident that they would tell them the truth.
Footsteps approached the room, and Finnick pulled himself together long enough to grip Katniss hard by her arms, "We didn't see it."
"What?" Katniss asked.
"We didn't see Peeta or Penelope. Only the propo on 8. Then we turned the set off because the images upset you. Got it?" he asked. Katniss nodded and he looked at her uneaten tray of food, "Finish your dinner."
When Plutarch and Fulvia entered the room, Katniss had a mouthful of bread and cabbage and Finnick was talking about how well Gale came across the camera and he was surprised at how long he was able to keep up the act of being okay. The two congratulated them on the propo, making it clear it was so powerful, that they tuned out right afterward. Plutarch and Fulvia looked relieved, they believed them.
No one mentioned Peeta and Penelope.
"I can't," I cried, thrashing in the bed that I was now tied to. Peeta and I had been taken back to the white room that we now shared with each other and Johanna. I referred to it in my mind as the Traitorous Room. I was crying so badly I could barely speak, "I can't, I can't! I can't stay here anymore!"
"Penelope, shut the fuck up!" Johanna yelled at me.
This was it. This was what I was stuck with nowadays.
"I can't!" I sobbed, "I can't calm down, Johanna!"
"Well you can try! Think about something else other than freaking the fuck out!" Johanna yelled again.
Peeta spoke up from where he was making a house out of cards. He had more freedom then us. Yes, he was still chained to a chair, but he didn't have to be completely strapped down like Johanna and I. And he snapped at us, "Can you both be quiet?"
"Peeta," Johanna said, her voice quiet after he'd snapped at us, "Are you alright?"
"Fine," Peeta said, waving his hand dismissively before sighing, turning in his chair to look at us, "Are you two?"
"I'm fine," Johanna sighed, "Just cold. Nuts 2 over there isn't though."
Peeta wheeled himself over and grabbed the thin blanket from his bed and put it on Johanna, making sure to cover her recently shaved head before going towards me and I feel his warm hand on mine and I looked over at him.
"Everything's going to be okay, Penelope," Peeta said to me and I let out another sob, because out of the two days that I'd been in this room with Johanna and Peeta, neither had said that and it just made me feel so much better.
Maybe Peeta was right, maybe everything would be alright.
"Penelope," Peeta said, his tone cautious, "Why didn't you tell us about your pregnancy before the Games?"
"I didn't know until the day before the Quell," I told him after a moment, "And I didn't want anyone to know until we all got to 13, but obviously that hasn't happened yet."
Another sob formed in my throat and I hear Johanna bang her head against her cot, "Nuts calm down!"
"Says the girl who was just crying not an hour ago!" I shouted at her, "And stop calling me Nuts!"
Johanna was about to retaliate, but then there was two peace keepers rolling her out of our room, and then another two come in and wheel Peeta and I out.
Each of us go to separate rooms, and I know what's coming. I can tell that they're going to torture us from the screams I heard down the hall where Johanna was.
Again and again, I'm asked for information on the rebels and again and again I told them that I knew nothing.
"Begin again, then clean her up. They've got another interview in three days," a voice I can't place says and I feel a wet rag on my face, wiping off all the blood from the hits I'd received. But before they could start to question me again, someone else walked in.
It was President Snow. His snake eyes land on my face and glance down at my bulging stomach and I used my energy to cover my stomach protectively.
"Hello, Penelope," Snow said as he stood in front of me.
I don't say anything in response, I didn't think that I could, and he looked down at my stomach again, "So poetic. Children born from rebels. The first children to be born from the rebellion."
"Get... Away," I wheezed out. I wasn't able to truly speak yet, I couldn't from the loss of breath I had.
"I just wished to come and let you know that it won't be an interview three days from now, but a propo to the rebels," Snow said and I stared back at him, "Don't... Care..."
"Okay," Snow said, walking away from me and he nodded to the peacekeeper that was currently torturing and interrogating me, "Carry on."
The peacekeeper nodded and watched Snow leave before turning back to me. Asking me questions.
Who is part of the rebellion?
Where is 13 at?
What Victors were in on it?
What was the "big plan" to begin with?
Who isn't loyal here at The Capitol?
On and on, I would say that I didn't know and it was the truth, but the peacekeeper didn't think so.
"Enough lies!" he yelled at me, kicking the chair I was sitting in and making me fly over, landing on my side and I let out a gasp at the feeling of the cold tile smashing against my face. The peacekeeper continued to kick at the chair, yelling for me to tell the truth, until he finally missed the chair and kicked me so hard in the stomach, the breath got knocked out of me.
I was gasping repeatedly, trying to fill my lungs with oxygen. But then another kick came and another, again and again I tried to fill my lungs and protect my stomach from the harsh blows, but it was futile.
But another person entered the room, and I was shocked when I heard them scream, "Enough of this!"
I turned my head to see Judy running into the room and standing over me, defending my shaking body while I continued to gasp for breath.
"Get out. Now," Judy told him, and then she turned to me, "Penelope, I'm going to pick you up now, okay? Let me know if it hurts."
She reached down and pulled my wheelchair back up and I let out a scream of pain at the feeling and then she was in front of my face, "What is it? What hurts?"
I shook my head, my pain wasn't what mattered, "My... Babies..."
Judy looked down at my stomach before kneeling down and then Judy's face grew pale and she muttered an "I'll be right back" before running out of the room, coming back a few moments later with a cart that had things like a small machine, blankets, and gloves.
"What..." I panted, "What are you..."
Judy didn't answer me, instead she pulled up my hospital gown and then placed the small machine on my bruising stomach, moving the small stylus over the area while she looked at the monitor in her hand. My guess was that it was showing her how the babies looked.
Then, she looked up at me with a look of pure shock and fear.
"What?" I whispered, "Please, what?"
"There's... There's a complication. We need to deliver your children now if there's a chance that they'll survive."
My eyes closed and I let out a sob that I'd been holding back, and soon enough, Judy was telling me to push.