Chapter 12 - capture
Gale and I walk side by side towards the town, in the very dim light of his flashlight, trying to make as little noise as possible. My entire body is trembling and I don't know if it is from the cold air or the anxiety. I tighten my coat around me.
"This is where we split up." Gale stops me after a while. We're in a crowded area of the town now. I give him a quick hug and head towards the opposite direction from his.
I choose to walk with one hand against a wall, too afraid to pull out my own flashlight just yet. All my senses are alert in my attempt to detect any movement around me. I know I've reached the back of the Justice Building when I feel the wall curve into a small recess that days ago I decided to use as my hiding spot. I slip in it just as a guard appears around the corner of the Building.
He pauses and looks over at my direction for a very long moment. I hold my breath and push my back against the wall wishing I could just disappear into it. Eventually he probably decides that his eyes fooled him, because he continues his route.
I pull out my flashlight and prepare my devices just as Beetee has showed me. I let the guard pass me once more and then I run to the closest corner of the Building. I set up one device and run back to my hiding spot unfolding the coil that connects it to the detonator. I hear voices from where I know Johanna's been waiting and I run to the opposite corner to do the same.
Back in my hiding place I have both bombs connected to their detonators when I hear the very familiar sound of explosion coming from some other place in town. That was probably the bridge. I hear glass breaking and I know that's my queue. I press the detonators, leave them on the ground and run.
I feel the earth move, I hear more glass breaking and people yelling, I can see lights turning on in the houses around the Building but I don't stop. I want to put as much distance as possible between me and that damn place.
I know I'm being followed before I hear the German commands. I make a sudden turn in an attempt to lose the Nazi on my trail but the bastard's good. I feel like my legs are going to give up on me but I force myself to run faster. I make circles around the town until I'm not aware of him behind me anymore. I take a moment to catch my breath and listen for any sounds that may indicate he's nearby.
I start climbing the hill to my house as quickly as I can. I hear soldiers and screams and gunshots. I don't look back, I don't try to help. I only have one goal; to get cover as soon as I can.
I automatically push my front door but it won't open. I push again, harder this time, but nothing happens.
"Prim?" I say as loudly as I dare.
"Katniss, is that you?" She asks.
"Yes. Are you ok?"
I hear noise from inside and the door opens enough for me to squeeze myself in. In the light of a candle I see that it was the kitchen table blocking the door. I can't help giving my sister and Finnick an amused look.
"She insisted." Finnick shrugged.
"Where's Posy?" I ask.
"I swear that baby can sleep through anything." Finnick mutters and points at a hand-made bed on the floor. She's curled up on blankets and nibbles her thumb peacefully.
"Katniss what happened down there? Did you have anything to do with the explosions?" Prim asks.
"I might have…" I say.
"And the gunshots?" She adds.
I think about that for a moment. I couldn't tell exactly where in town they were happening and there was no way of knowing who was firing or who was shot. "I don't know about those." I say eventually.
"Where's Gale?" Finnick asks.
Oh my God! Gale! In my eagerness to get out of that place I forgot he even existed. My eyes immediately fill up with tears.
"It's ok. He's probably ok." Prim says and puts her arms around me.
The horrible sounds of the battle that is going on in town give me goose bumps. We all get settled on the floor, very close to each other, wishing this horrible night away. None of us sees them coming.
They break my door and I see my kitchen table literally fly across the room. Eight soldiers and a woman, a traitor, enter the house. This one I don't know very well, all I know is that she's originally from district two and probably the most bloodthirsty person I've ever met. Her name is Enobaria.
Finnick points the gun I gave him earlier at them, but who is he kidding? One of the soldiers says something in German and points his weapon at Posy, who's now crying and screaming her lungs out in Prim's arms.
"Drop it or he shoots the baby." Enobaria translates.
Finnick drops the gun to ground and kicks it towards her.
Each of us ends up with our wrists handcuffed behind our backs and two soldiers leading us out of the house. They even handcuff Prim.
"You know" Enobaria tells me over Posy's screams, "your boyfriend probably won't be very happy with you. How many men have you let in your house?"
"Prim!" I yell, ignoring her.
"Shut up!" she hits my arm.
"Please don't hurt my sister!" I keep yelling.
They tighten their restrains on me and now that I can't resist I am very aware of the cold. I'm wearing nothing more than my dress. Not a coat, not even a jacket. I shudder and one of the soldiers laughs.
This infuriates me even more and I start throwing insults at them until I receive a very strong, very painful blow to the head.
When I open my eyes I have no idea where I am. I look around me but there's nothing more than dimly lit grey walls and a chair. I have a headache. What happened to me?
And then it hits me. Prim. . Gale. Oh, Gale, where are you? Has anyone told you what happened to us? Are you even alive?
I am freezing. I curl up on the cold floor and tuck the skirt of my dress between my ankles. How long I've been here, I don't know. Some time goes by, it could be minutes or hours for all I know, but hell, I don't even know whether I've managed to stay conscious for its entire length. Someone comes in my cell, but I don't bother looking up. He says something in German. I don't respond, I don't even acknowledge his presence. He grabs my arms and makes me stand. The movement makes me dizzy and I think I'm going to vomit, but my determination wins; I won't give him the satisfaction.
He says something in German again, it sounds like a question. I look up with an amused expression. "Exactly how stupid are you?" I ask flashing him a smile.
I'm beginning to suspect that he actually understands my language the moment his palm lands on my cheek.
A second Nazi enters the room.
"He asked who the man in your house is." He explains. "And he's smarter than you think."
I'm about to say something insulting, just to avoid the question, but then I remember a conversation we all had since when Johanna was still with us. I decide to stick to it, hoping my sister has done the same.
"He's my cousin." I lie smoothly.
"How come no one else in the district knows him, then?"
"Have you asked every single person in town?" I raise my brow.
The first Nazi punches me in the stomach, knocking the air out of my lungs.
"That is going to happen every time you answer a question with a question." The second Nazi tells me. "Again. Why hasn't any of the locals seen him again?"
"He's antisocial." I shrug.
"Or, he's from another district, maybe?" he suggests. "Let me save you the trouble, young lady, because we have more important things to discuss. We know he's a fugitive from district four."
"Well, you certainly know more than I do." I tell him.
"Is that so? Maybe I should inform you, then, that you've been harboring a criminal. A murderer."
"A murderer." I repeat. "Are you sure about that?"
That wins me another punch in the stomach.
"He did have a gun, didn't he?" the Nazi raises his brow.
I say nothing, so he decides to go on with the interrogation.
"What about last night?" he asks.
"What about it?" I ask. Another punch. This one much stronger and I can't help falling on my knees.
"Where were you last night?"
"You found me in my home! You know where I was."
"And before you went home?"
"I went for a walk in the woods."
"What time?"
"Around noon, I guess."
"You guess?"
"Yes."
"But you're not sure."
"No."
"So it could have been a little bit later than noon."
"I guess it could have."
"Say, midnight?"
"No."
"So you had nothing to do with last night's attacks."
"I had nothing to do with them."
"You know what, Katniss, I think you're lying."
"You're free to think whatever you want."
"At least, with such a big mouth, Peeta isn't going to miss you much. No man wants a woman like you for a lifetime." He chuckles.
They try asking the same questions and some more while causing me more physical pain but all they get out of me is high pitched screams. They finally decide that this is not the way to make me talk and they stop hitting me. I only have time for a sigh of relief before they make me get up.
We walk down a long corridor that I recognize from my time as a student and I can hear cries of pain coming from the other cells. I am not sure if it is in my imagination, but I think I recognize Finnick. The only thing that helps me keep it together is that I can't hear my sister.
The Nazi that speaks our language unlocks a door and we all end up in another cell. The only difference with my cell is that in this one, we have company.
"Katniss?" Gale whispers. I widen my eyes at his sight. I've seen him beaten up before, but today he looks a hundred times worse. His entire face is swollen, his clothes are torn and covered in blood, every visible inch of his body shows cuts and bruises and he can barely walk.
"One of you will talk, one way or another" the Nazi says and gives Gale a good punch in the stomach.
I try to go to him, but the other soldier slams me against the wall.
"Katniss, don't!" Gale manages to get out before a lit cigarette lands on his neck.
They take turns beating us up now and making the other watch. They ask us questions about who else was involved in yesterday's attack, who is behind it, where we found our weapons and explosives, where the escaped prisoners are and about other incidents that I hadn't even heard of until now.
The only thing that keeps me from spilling my guts is Gale's expression. There is so much strength in his eyes, so much determination and anger that I feel like he's giving me a boost, even when he's the one being tortured.
Neither of us has the energy or the stamina to continue for much longer. Soon, though not soon enough, Gale loses consciousness.
"Ok, so you're done for now…" The Nazi mutters and kicks Gale to his side.
They both escort me back to my cell.
"Please" I keep begging them, "Let me stay with him." All I get is a slap in the face. They throw me back in my cell and it's not long before I pass out, too.