Chapter 25: The Odds of the Game
"I don't understand, Haymitch" I say quietly to my unshaved mentor. His hands reach up to grip my shoulders tightly.
"I know you've been through a lot but you have to try, sweetheart" He flips his hair out of his eyes and glances back at the stage. I see my face displayed on the giant screens and the crowd erupts. The number six swirls around the bottom before my face is merged into Cato's. Another cheer sounds as the sick feeling returns to my stomach.
"What's going on? I get off the hovercraft and pushed straight into medical. I don't see a single person for days. No Effie. No Petunia. No…" I pause and look at the stage. Cato's image is strong and dominant as he poses with a sword. It makes me more confused than ever. "Hell, this is the first time I've even seen you"
"And I'll explain the rest later. But for now you have to listen to me. Don't mention Dany, don't mention that little girl and whatever you do, when Caesar brings up the rule change, you say how grateful you are"
"Ofcourse I'm grateful" I whisper through my teeth as a stage person rushes past announcing five minutes. I pull at the hem of my dress. It's light blue with a fluffy trim. Absent Petunia's usual touch.
"No, sweetheart. You are very grateful" Haymitch lingers on the word 'very' I little longer than I like. He gives me a firm slap on the back before leaving to join the audience. I wish he would just tell me what's been happening, why they haven't let anyone see me but I know it's a conversation for behind closed doors. God knows, I've seen a lot of those lately.
I barely remember the trip from the arena into the capitol. They knocked me out shortly after they took Cato away. His injuries were a lot worse than mine so I didn't question it. I didn't question a lot of things. I remember being in a wheelchair and then I was waking up in a plain white room that smelled like fresh paint. My body was completely restored. No scars, no bruising and even more frightening is the fact that I couldn't remember how I got there.
A few people with white coats came in for quick visits, medical check-ups. I had asked to see someone, anyone but they said it wasn't possible. I never thought I would wish for Effie's constant up beat chatter, Haymitch's drunken murmurs or even Petunia's fussing. I missed all of them. One person more than the others.
The darkened side stage empties quickly and I'm left playing with the frills on my dress. Caesar Flickerman stands a few metres away with an assistant powdering his face. He gives me a small smile, which I didn't think was possible, and then turns back to the stage. The music begins.
The crowd roars as the host strides out to greet them. Everyone is smiles and laughter, the complete opposite of how I'm feeling. The dress, the noise, it all becomes a little too much and I begin to edge away from the bright lights. It's hard to believe I was here only two weeks ago. It's hard to believe that I'm feeling a lot worse than I did then. I hear the sound of footsteps clipping against the polished floors. They come to a stop beside me. I don't need to look to know who it is.
"You look nice" The first words he's spoken to me in days sound forced. I glance over at him. He's in the metallic suit again, something of a trademark. His blonde hair has been spiked up and he looks just as he was prior to the games. It's strange to think of him as that person. I quickly look away when I notice the man standing behind him. His glare is a constant reminder that all is not what it should be.
The Hovercraft (Two days to interview)
"On three. One. Two. Three" Cato lets out a painful groan as they transfer his body onto another bed. The pain seems to awaken him and he thrashes violently for minute. His movements set off a series of alarms and a swarm of white coats rush into room. They begin frantically attaching the tubes that Cato has pulled off and screaming instructions at each other. I hear something about his blood, he's lost to much and it causes another set of alarms. I lose sight of him in a sea of white.
"Where are you taking him?" They must have forgotten about me. They're not used to dealing with more than one victor. As soon as the words leave my mouth hands begin to grab at my shoulders. I try to shrug them away but my leg gives out and I crumple to the floor. I try to scramble away from the hands but they keep coming back. This time there are more of them. The floor becomes slippery with my own blood. It smears across one of the white coats and then suddenly I'm back. The arena closes in around me, Pearl is back and sinking the splintered piece of timber into my flesh. My blood soaks into the white table cloth.
"No! No!" I scream at Pearl but she doesn't let go. I'm too weak to fight her off and every scream only encourages her.
"Calm down. Ira, you are alright. We're here to help you"
"No you're not! Please let go, please!"
"Double the dose. We need her out now" Someone yells and I'm surrounded by the white coats. Pearl is gone but I can still feel her presence. I can still see the joy in her eyes. A hand reefs my head to the side and I feel a sharp jab in the side of my neck. Within seconds I lose control of my arms, my legs are next and then finally I slump forward into the. I'm surrounded by the darkness.
Medical Bay Unit 2# (One day to interview)
"Your being moved" The golden haired attendant states as he's watching paint dry. I assume he's expecting to be assaulted with my usual round of questions. Why have I been here so long? Why am I here at all? Can I see my mentor? Is Cato alright? He's surprised when I simply stare at him with a tired expression. Sleep hasn't exactly come easy.
"Why?"
"Corridor B. Last room on the left. An avox will escort you" I could almost laugh at his last sentence. An avox and at least two peacekeepers will escort me. Just another one of things that doesn't make sense here.
The avox is waiting outside the door as always. I've become accustomed to her. She's always the one delivering my food and medication. I follow her down yet another white hallway, past the small sign marked unit two and towards the tiny nurses' bay. It sits in the centre of a three way split, making the hallways seem endless. I wouldn't know which way to run if I tried.
"Over here. You know the drill" The lady I've labelled Birdbrains squawks at me. She resembles some type of fancy parrot, a capitol pet. Her is skin is pale, much more than mine, like it's been dyed that way. Her rainbow hair looks like someone has stuck a bunch of feathers to her head with super glue. And she's supposed to be a nurse. Before I can give a response, Birdbrains grabs my hand and my wrist is waved under a blue light. There's a small beep and she tapes something onto a screen. The routine is always the same. Avox escorts, Birdbrains scans and then I'm promptly rushed into another room for some type of detox or recovery. Personally, I feel this is just a ploy to keep me here longer.
"Move along" says Birdbrains and a peacekeeper gives me a shove towards my destination. I have trouble believing all victors are treated like this. They're respected, valued. Here I feel like I'm a disease. I wonder if Cato is experiencing the same. Where ever he is.
"I'll take it from here, boys"
I spin around to a man I've never met before but instantly dislike. He's the last person I expected to see but from what Haymitch told me he isn't one to let anything get in his road. If he's down here so must Cato.
"Ira Manning" Brutus says as if he's trying the name out, testing it on his tongue. I can't control a shudder that runs down my spine. He's a lot more imposing in person and I know from his little note that I'm not his favourite person in the world.
"Brutus. What are you doing down here?"
"Just come to check up on my little history maker. See how you're holding up"
"I'm fine. Why are they allowing you to see me?"
"I'm a mentor"
"And so is Haymitch but they haven't let him in" He laughs then, a long bone chilling sound that echoes. He closes the distance between us and I feel the cold steel of a door pressed into my back.
"Did I mention that I'm a good mentor? I bet your one is passed out somewhere, drunk like always. Strange how the most undeserving of people become victors."
"And yet here you are" His face scrunches in anger. He didn't like that at all. Brutus leans in until I can feel his hot breath on my neck.
"You should not be here, Ira Manning. You are an exception and you would do well to remember that. Cato trained for this, lived for this. He was supposed to win for his district"
"He did. He's a victor" I say softly, having lost my nerve. Brutus chuckles and steps away.
"All he'll ever be is the runner up to some district six scum. Cato is a joke. And now because of the pair of you, I look like a joke"
I should scream at him. I want to scream at him but I'm not sure I could find the words. I fidget nervously with the bottom of my hospital gown because I can't bear to look at him.
"Brutus" My head shoots up at the familiar voice. His voice. It takes me a moment to take him in and realise that it is actually Cato standing at the end of the hall.
"Cato?" I frown when he doesn't come any closer. He doesn't even look me in the eye. Brutus makes the first move, breaking the awkward silence and moving over to Cato. The two exchange a few quiet words and Cato glances back at me. With one last look, he turns and disappears down the hall. I don't know what hurts more. Brutus' words or the fact Cato has undoubtedly been listening to them.
Brutus' form stalks down the hallway but not before he calls out to me one last time.
"Don't think the odds will always be in your favour, Ira Manning"
Present Day-The Interview
"So should we call them out here?" The audience cheers in response to Caesar's question, causing him to laugh. "They are your victors of the seventy-fourth annual Hunger Games. They are Cato and Ira!"
"After you" Cato says but I'm already a step ahead of him. He's been ignoring me and if that's how he wants to play it I am more than willing. He wasn't the one who had to fight Pearl and he certainly did not have to kill a defenceless Murray. I am no exception.
"Don't they look lovely?" Caesar gives me a quick kiss on the cheek before taking my hand and leading me over to the larger of two chairs. I sit down, nearest the edge as he and Cato shake hands. The chair dips beside me.
"Well I can't tell you how excited I am. Not one but two victors! Who was expecting that?" Another round of cheers that Caesar struggles to contain.
"Alright, alright. Now as shocking as that was, I have to say I was a little more distracted by the two you. Kisses and all" he says the last bit with a suggestive tone and a raise of the eyebrows.
I stare out at the sea of colours, trying to find Haymitch or the others but it is near impossible. I needed more time to prepare for this. The chair moves and my attention is quickly drawn back to Cato. He slides closer until our knees are touching. I struggle to contain the spike in my heart rate. After all he is still the person who had kissed me all those nights ago.
"You weren't the only one distracted" Cato says with a smirk and slides his hand over mine. Right, Haymitch said to show them how grateful I am.
"Ira, tell us what was going through your mind when you found Cato"
"Well I was a little hesitant at first" Caesar makes a gesture to the audience as if he's throwing imaginary rocks at them. The same method I had used to check on Cato.
"But he grew on you?"
"He most certainly did" I smile over at the person in question.
"And Cato, I think we all remember your reaction" Caesar fake chokes himself to more applause. "Was there a moment when you realised this girl was something special?"
"Do I have to pick one?" The audience start to scream out their favourite moments. Cato smiles before continuing, "I didn't allow myself to think about that but after the announcement, when we could both win, I think I realised how much I cared for her"
I swallow at how sincere he sounds. But I know he's just playing this up for the interview. He's probably been given the same instructions by his mentor or perhaps he was given the full story. If he really did care he wouldn't have ignored me in the hallway. He would have said something instead of leaving me with Brutus.
"And of course we are so grateful for being given this time" I say and my eyes meet the dazzlingly blue of Cato's. Before I know what's happening he leans over. It's the second time Cato has ever kissed me. I feel the butterflies rise up in my stomach, that warm feeling that takes over. It's only a brief kiss on the lips, absent the desperation of our last, but it's all it takes to remind me of our time in the arena. Butterflies are quickly replaced with a sick feeling.
The audience is in hysterics when we pull apart. I begin to slide my hand out from under his but his fingers clench down between mine.
"Well it's now time for my favourite part of the night. Were we are given the chance to relive the greatness of these year's annual Hunger Games."
The capitol's anthem echoes across the room and my eyes are immediately attracted to one of the giant screens off the stage. I had forgotten about this part. As the black screen is replaced with a shot of the cornucopia I'm suddenly grateful for Cato's hand in mine. It's just enough to keep me sitting in my chair and not bolting across the stage. I don't think that would exactly help the cause, whatever it is.
The highlights open on the cornucopia as the countdown hits ten seconds. They give us a quick run through of the tributes before the gong sounds. The clips focus on myself and Cato before panning out to the others. I'm grabbing Dany and dragging him further into the forest while Cato cuts down his third tribute. The careers seem very organised in their attack, trapping another tribute that has ventured inside to get supplies.
I shift uncomfortably, when the wolves make their appearance. The scene flicks between me, Dany, Thresh and finally Foxface as she's dragged into the undergrowth. The careers quickly scale the cornucopia like I had thought and keep the wolves distracted for a while. During the commotion, they show the district twelve boy running through the forest. I'm not sure why they focus on him until the camera pulls back. The boy is being chased by another tribute. It takes him a few seconds to reach the edge of the cliff. I grimace, as he glances behind him. He runs straight off the edge.
We're given a quick flash of the dead tributes before I'm looking at a rather annoyed version of myself.
"Just get in the tree" I say and hold my hand out to my district partner. It's the first time I get a decent look at Dany. It's strange after all this time of pushing these images away. I had the games to think about. I couldn't focus on his death then but now it's a different story. I feel my eyes begin to well up when Cato gives my hand a squeeze. He's staring at me intently and I admit it's a struggle to turn away. But there's something a lot more interesting on the screen.
Pearl and Murray make their first move. I'm surprised how efficient they are as they sneak up on a group of three tributes. Pearl launches forward and they scatter. The pair makes chase after one of the girls. The other heads back towards the cornucopia and is promptly killed by the career's hunting party. The third tribute, a boy from nine, is injured but manages to hobble away. That is before he collapses against a tree. They flick to my face as the wolves close in.
The rest of the highlights focus on Cato and I. He's back at the camp while I'm chasing after Dany towards the waterfall. Pearl and Murray get more confident in their kills and in the morning they attack the careers. I knew Cato had been stung by tracker jackers but I would have never had guessed it had been a deliberate attack. The tracker jacker nest lands beside Glimmer's tent. She's the first of them to react, screaming and running outside. I think she may have been safer in the tent. Marvel stumbles, dropping his spear. He stops a metre from the forest before thinking better of it. He runs back to get it. I wish he hadn't. Clove is next, getting stung multiple times before diving under a rotting tree trunk. And then they show Cato.
I tune out for the rest of the footage. Dany dies and I quickly look away. The highlights have people laughing and crying. The monkey, the cave and my midnight adventure into the forest.
"Uh oh" Caesar chuckles and I suddenly become very interested in Cato's expressions.
He's good at keeping his emotions in check. Especially when I'm on screen begging him not to leave the cave. It's safe to say he knows why now. He saves me multiple times and I keep lying to him. The announcement comes and the lies suddenly stop. Well, mine do.
I'm expecting to see my guilty outburst, Cato flipping out when I tell him about Clove but I find myself instead watching Clove and Thresh locked in battle. They skipped right through it. My eyes widen in shock and for that brief second I think my heart might stop. They don't want us to see it. The capitol clearly wasn't impressed with what I had done and rather than show it, it's been deleted. Cato must recognise it as well because the grip on my hand has just gotten a lot tighter. What is Haymitch not telling me?
A/N: Hope that wasn't too confusing but I'll hopefully fix that next chapter. Once again thankyou to my lovely reviewers and readers!