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I blink my eyes open, and slowly but surely blurred shapes start to focus. Bae is looking over me, waiting attentively. I hear him gasp a little, before almost springing to life and leaning closer.
"You're awake" he whispers with wide eyes. I seem to be in a new environment, or at least I different part of one. I try and sit up to see where I am but I can't, I mean I physically can't. It's like my body ways more than a tonne of bricks. It also hurts. A lot. Like I was dropped out of a window.
"Bae, what…"
"Sh. Quiet." He says, authority in his voice. "The others aren't awake yet."
"Sorry" I whisper. "What happened?"
"Huh? Oh, right you wouldn't remember, would you?" he asks rhetorically. "Actually, what do you remember?"
"Uh, let me think…" I remember the kiss, obviously, but I'm not going to say that; it's too cheesy and besides, he's my brother. I wrack my brains. "Dad saw me and Caspar and went all funny. Like he did when he tried to strangle you. And then… I don't remember."
"Right…" he sighs. "So you don't remember dad trying to hit Caspar?"
"Dad hit Caspar!?"
"Well." He starts, but sighs again. "Listen, you need to promise not to freak out when I tell you this." He tells me. Just by saying that he's already freaked me out, I'm so confused.
"You stepped in front of Caspar, that's why you are how you are"
"In pain" I confirm "Yeah, then what?"
"Haymitch heard you and dad. He went up to see what was going on, and Caspar was struggling to keep you safe, so Haymitch wrestled dad off you and Gale carried you in here…" He trails off.
"Bae…"
"Dad got Caspar. Tried to kill him…" At this point my breathing stops. "Look maybe I shouldn't tell you this, you've just woken up."
"No, you have to"
"They fought, and dad ended up strangling him." he pauses. "He hasn't woken up since…"
"Since? Since what, it was only a few hours ago, right."
"Forest, it was three days ago."
I stare at him as I try and digest the information. 3 days. 3 days. 3 days…
"But… but… how come I'm only just waking up now?"
"Because we medically induced your sleep. That way it would hurt less."
"Where is he" I try and sit up again, put Bae stops me.
"I knew I shouldn't have told you. Listen, just breathe… Try and get back to sleep. Just… He's ok, I promise"
I must eventually get back to sleep because the next thing I'm aware of is waking up, and Bae is gone. However, in his place is the last person I'd want to see. Haymitch.
"What are you doing here" I ask, slightly jokey, though I genuinely want to know.
"Nice to see you too sweetheart" He sighs
"You need to stop calling me that"
"If your mother could put up with it until you were born, then you can put up with it for a little longer."
"Fine. So why are you here"
"Is it not obvious?"
"I wouldn't have asked the question if it was" I say, in a dull tone.
"Hey, no one likes a smart arse. Someone needed to check on you, but your mother is extremely busy helping at the hospital, Bae and Ivy both need some time to relax and eat, Gale and Garnett don't know you well enough and well, I think that you know your dad isn't the best man for the job." He gives me an empathetic look.
"Why does someone need to check on me anyway?" I ask, changing the subject.
"Bae told us that he told you what happened to Caspar." I immediately try and sit up when I hear his name.
"Woah, calm down, don't try to move." he instructs.
"How is he?" I ask, trying to hide the panic in my voice.
"Well…" He sighs. "Who am I kidding, there's no point in lying to you." I cross my arms over my chest to agree with him. "He's not great. Actually he's really not right. They've got him up in the hospital unit with Garnett at the moment; she's doing her best but there really isn't much she can do."
"What do you mean 'hospital unit'? I was only asleep for three days, there's no way you could have rebuilt anything yet."
"That's true, but other people have basements like this. Because she was an at home Nurse Garnett and Gale basically have a small hospital room in theirs." Of course. An 'at home Nurse' was basically just a chemist that could prescribe things. She sold remedies and medicines as well as giving small consultations and treatments. Nothing as big as Caspar's injuries though, if anyone was that bad they would go to the hospital.
"Can I see him."
"Not today." He says, very bluntly.
"Please, I have to, why not, please" I pleadingly regurgitate words at him.
"No, no you don't have to, for multiple reasons, no" He answers my pleads in turn.
"What reasons?"
"Well for a start look at you; you can barely sit up without putting yourself in crippling pain. And anyway, I don't think it's a very good idea for you to see him. Not when he's in that state."
"Please?" I beg.
"No. Forest, you can't. I do, however, think you need to eat something."
"Not until you let me out of here and let me see him."
"Fine. Listen, I'm willing to make a little deal with you. If you eat something with the rest of us, and I mean a full meal, I will take you to go and see him"
"Ye-"
"Who said I was finished? There is one other condition."
"Go on…" I say, ever so slightly suspicious.
"You have to talk to your dad first."
"But. What if he… no."
"Then I'm not taking you to see Caspar."
"Why do you want me to speak to my dad anyway." I cross my arms and sigh.
"Because apparently that's my job; I make sure your family stays together." He returns my sigh.
Nobody says anything for a while, in fact it's not until he's about to leave when I finally speak up.
"Haymitch, wait." He turns around to look at me with a face that I can only explain as 'tired of my tediousness'
"What"
"I'll do it, I'll talk to dad." I exhale the words with some difficulty, but I still manage to get them out, nonetheless.
