Updated earlier this week Still sorry about making y'all wait so long though…
Chapter 25
I wake up with an uncomfortable soreness in all my muscles. The hard bed is nothing like I was used to in Isle Fame Lodus. The harshness of the real world has come back to me and I don't like it. I sit up on the bed and walk towards the door. It opens automatically as I step near it. The technology in this place astounds me. I wonder why the Capitol hasn't done anything to find this place. I walk to the end of the hall where there is a large sign labeled "bathroom". The door automatically opens again into another metal box of a room. There are a few stalls with toilets one the right side and opposite them is a row of sinks. Further into the room is a group of showers and a towel dispenser. I decide to take a hot shower because that's what I always used to do when I had a hard time at home. The warm water feels good on my skin and sore muscles. I use a small drop of shampoo to wash my hair. Right as I begin to rinse the soap out, the shower shuts off. I look at the shower dial and it says, "Time expired". Ugh. These people don't even know how long it takes for a decent shower. I grab a towel the size of my head from the dispenser and attempt to dry myself off. The goop in my hair wash out the rest of the shampoo in the sink and slip the dirty clothes on my still damp body.
I step out of the bathroom and see Coin across the hall with her arms crossed. She so suddenly appears it startles me. I jump back and hit my head on a large shelf on the side of the wall. Coin chuckles as I hold my head in pain.
"I hope you had a nice rest Glimmer. It's time for you to come with me."
She leads me down the same hallway as last night and I follow her, purposely dragging my feet. The moving room, called an elevator, arrives and takes me up to the seventh floor. I'm gestured back into the same room I was yesterday, probably for more questioning. Coin disappears again into the room behind the mirror and I sit patiently on the hard metal table. As the door closes and locks me in to this isolated room, a small tray comes out from the wall, carrying a bowl of brown mash, and a cup of water. It doesn't look appetizing at all. But, figuring that I didn't have dinner the night before, I'm starving. The bowl of mush is gone within a few seconds and by the look on Coin's face, I'm pretty sure I'm not getting seconds.
"So where did we leave off yesterday darling?", Coin asks eager to get started.
"Um, well I was asking Cato a question but you cut him off because he isn't able to speak?"
Getting her to admit she was lying will be a difficult task. She won't be easy to break.
"Ah, well it seems after his little encounter with you yesterday. He's feeling a bit better. The doctors have told me that he still cannot deal with seeing someone who triggers past memories. It would cause traumatic shock. So I am allowing you to see him, to "stimulate your memory" but he will not be able to see you. Is that alright, dear?"
I can't believe she would take a lie this far. I really just want to punch her in the face, but I wouldn't accomplish anything for Cato and I if I did that. So I hold in the anger and tell her that's fine.
One of the walls again opens up, but this time it is only a small window, looking into the adjacent room. I run to the opening and glance inside. The structure of the room is identical to the one I am sitting in, but on the table sits someone. It definitely isn't the fake from yesterday I can tell you that. The figure turns to face the window and I finally see his face.
Cato is safe. He is alive.
My relief is short lived though. Looking at Cato's body I can tell he can't be doing well on this strict, minimal diet. His cheeks are sunken in and he is losing muscle tone.
"How is this helping the situation? How is he supposed to answer your questions if he can't remember the past?"
"Well, darling you see as long as he doesn't see anyone he remembers, he'll be okay."
I can tell Coin will never admit she is wrong. She'll carry her lies to the grave.
"Okay so what do you need to know?"
"Well you told me yesterday how Cato was talking to you underneath the tree and he told you something about the victor. So I asked him just before I got you this morning and he told me something most intriguing. He said that the Capitol sent him images of his death and he saw you standing on the stage with Caesar. He told me you were meant to be the victor."
What?! I furrow my eyebrows in response to Coin's words and then remember I'm not supposed to remember what Cato told me that day. I compose myself as quickly as possible, but Coin has already noticed. I fell into her trap again! Damn it! When am I going to be good enough to outsmart this lady?
"Hmm… ok that's interesting. I don't really remember the Capitol sending me those images. But I'm pretty sure that's not what he told me."
"Well then what did he tell you darling?"
The smirk on Coin's face gives me the urge to whack her in the face again. But I guess I can't keep up with her anymore. I'll have to tell her what he told me. Those words that made my heart soar and break at the same time.
Yea! Cliffhanger! Please review!