After about a month, I am finally deemed healthy enough to return for service. I was given one last physical to ensure my health, and after that I was let out.
Nero was released two weeks early, and fortunately he was not allergic to anything else. They gave him a syringe of something, with the instruction that he carry it on him at all times and inject himself with it if he has an allergic reaction again. Supposedly the syringe contains something that could counteract the reaction and save his life, but I never understood science (though this could be because the teachers in District 12 was on the lackluster side of things).
While I was in the hospital, I was able to hear about changes back in my old home. Most notably I learned that the Dishonorable Headpeacekeeper Cray was sent to District 2 in chains and handcuffs, having been arrests on charges of corruption, gross misconduct (including solicitation of starving and desperate prostitutes), embezzlement, miscarriage of justice, and statutory rape (it turns out some of the girls who went to his door for food lied about their age). Cray is still being tried my the court martial but it is clear he will face dishonorable discharge and a lifetime of hard labor, if he isn't sent to the gallows. While this will not feed the many bastard children conceived to his nightly visitors, it is still good he is going to face justice for his crimes. When I heard about this, my knee jerk reaction was to be happy the perverted son of a bitch was being punished. However, I became less happy when I learned that he would be replaced by Headpeacekeeper Romulus Thread.
I know about Romulus Thread by the reputation he earned throughout his years. He was born to a "respectable" District 2 family, and three of his siblings were Career Tributes. He graduated at the top of his class, and from there rose rapidly through the ranks.
He is most known for his unyielding devotion to the law, and for taking a draconian stance on crime. Every district he is sent to sees a rapid decline in unemployment and crime, as well as a rapid increase in output and tesserae consumption. Based on what I know about him, I can deduce that Thread is not a corrupt person; he doesn't solicit sex from starving woman and he doesn't punish someone without evidence. However, his devotion to the law is what makes him dangerous for District 12. He has the delusional belief that people only break the law out of malice or greed, and he is unlikely to ever realize the truth of the situation in District 12. The people break the law there (by illegally hunting or running black markets) because to not do so would mean dying by starvation and watching their families do the same. People will take the risk of breaking a law punishable by death if the only alternative is slower and more painful death.
It is not to say all the laws are fair; hunting and running markets like the Hob have not resulted in anyone getting hurt, and learning about Panem's legal makeup makes laws like those seem even more arbitrary than they already are. Still, one man can't change anything, and I first need to focus on surviving. Since I got out of the hospital, it is clear my injuries were not mortal.
Since we just got out of the hospital, we got four months of light duty to ease us back into regular duty. This would be fine, but I noticed that I have been getting attention.
When I patrol the halls of the Peacekeeper's Headquarters, the other peacekeepers will stop to look at me or even salute me. When I talk to them, they will sometimes tell me how brave I was.
When I mailed Major Campbell a letter explaining what happened (I mail and receive letters to and from him on a regular basis), he responded by telling me how he felt I was an example of what a peacekeeper should be and that he was proud of me. Ever since I got separated from my father, I have been in need of someone to give me advice and to tell me everything going to be all right. I still did not tell Campbell about the less-than-ideal aspects of my childhood, but with each day I am less and less afraid to do so. My nightmares are still a problem, but like all my worst problems I just deal with this one by living one day at a time.
Even the Avox's seem less afraid of me as they are of the other peacekeepers. Normally Avox's cower in fear around peacekeepers, but when they see my name tag or my ID Card they breath a sigh of relief or otherwise become immediately less frightened. Hellfire, the one who serves meals in the mess hall even smiled at me when I thanked him for the food. In the time I spent here, I have not seen a single Avox smile. For that matter, I have never seen an Avox who was not in a state of constant terror or constant depression. Then again, if my tongue was cut out than I would be upset too.
The only person who does not think I am a hero, apart from the Headpeacekeeper, is Donner. If anything, he seems to loathe or even hate me. This does not surprise me, as it is in line with his behavior to hate me despite my not directly doing anything to hurt him. While Avox's are afraid of peacekeepers in general, they are absolutely terrified of Donner and his friends. Well, you can't be liked by everybody. Donner is one of the people who I do Not want to like me: if he is my enemy than that means I am doing something right.
Still, I do not deserve the fame nor do I deserve the glory. I do not deserve it, because I am not a hero.