Chapter 35
Rue's POV
My name is Rue. District Twelve is my home. I am nine years old. I had a sister, named Prim. She died in the Hunger Games. Mom is in the Capitol, possibly dead. I am in Thirteen.
I walk into the kitchen. My Dad looks miserable and is sitting at the table, head in hands.
I want to help him so bad. I remember something, my Mom told me not too long ago. I sit down next to him and close my eyes.
"Mommy, is that why I hear you scream at night? How...how do you deal with something like that?"
She smiled a sad smile. "Rue, I don't. But I've learned something that helps. You just make a list of acts of kindness that you've seen. Like when you gave Prim that dandelion. You looked for hours for that little flower, so Prim would have a nice little surprise. Or when your father makes me my favorite cheesy buns!"
I open my eyes.
"Make a list, Dad," I say quietly. He looks up, obviously not knowing I was there.
"What do you mean?"
"Every act of kindness. That's what Mom told me she does to deal with things."
"I can't think of anything," he admits sadly.
"Let me start, then. Mom, when she protected us like that. Mabry, when she protected her sister. The idiot nearly got herself killed, but I understand why. Johanna, she hasn't left Mabry's hospital bedside since we got here. Annie, when she gave me a hug getting off that hovercraft." I wait for him to continue patiently. He gives me a genuine smile and nods.
"Your mother, of course. Haymitch, when he comforted Effie and me after..." he trails off, not wanting to say it. I nod for him to keep going and he does. "Johanna, when she talked to me on the hovercraft. You. Right now," he says. He leans down and kisses my forehead.
"Thank you, Rue," he says quietly. I nod.
Katniss's POV
Sometimes when I have a particularly bad day, my mind rewards me with a nice dream. Last night, it was Peeta brushing the hair out of my face, swearing that it's alright. That he and Rue are safe.
Then I wake up. I try and go back to sleep. It's too late.
Two Peacekeepers come in and grab me by the arms. They have vice grips on my arms and it hurts. They drag me through a pristine house that I know is the president's mansion.
I know better than to trust anything so pretty.
They push me into the president's office.
I sit across from Snow's desk. She looks up and smiles cruelly.
"Well hello, Mrs. Mellark. How are you enjoying your stay?" she asks, clearly taunting me.
"It's a bit harsh for my taste, I'm afraid," I hiss at her. She just laughs wickedly.
"Good. Now, you are in fact familiar with Caeser Flickerman?"
"Unfortunately. You want an interview, correct?"
"Correct. You'll go straight away No preparation," she says firmly. "And you will say that you are no longer the Mockingjay. That the Capitol wins, and always will."
"No," I say. I will not accept defeat. They won't break me.
"Or," she grins maliciously, "Peeta and Rue will pay for your pride." I almost wince.
"Fine. I'll do it," I say desperately, tears stream down my face. The Peacekeepers push me down to the city square. Caeser Flickerman is waiting for me with a fake smile on his face.
"Hello, Katniss. Ready to get started?" I nod, waiting for the ability to speak. He nods back and gestures to the camera man to start.
When I see the image, I'm horrified. Because it's not me I see. It's this broken, weak, seriously injured girl sitting across from Caeser.
It was definetly done on purpose. To show the rebels. It doesn't matter what I say. Any 'I'm fine' would be contradicted by the hollow, broken look to my face.
Peeta's POV
We were called to the command room. Thirteen has hardly changed, so it's easy to find. They told me to leave Rue in our room. Annie's not going, so I left Rue with her.
Mabry woke up an hour or so ago. She'll be fine, she's in a lot of pain right now though. Johanna has to go to the meeting, apparently. They still think Annie isn't mentally stable and Mabry isn't physically, so they were both allowed to not attend. Johanna was livid when they said she'd have to go.
We are sitting there, waiting. I look to the girl next to me. She has blue eyes and blonde hair, like me. Her eyes have a grey tint to them. I almost recognize her. And then it hits me. But it couldn't be her, could it?
"Prim? Primrose Everdeen?" I gasp. She smiles sadly and nods.
"Yes, it's..." she bites her lip. "A long story. It was close. I was the only one to survive the bomb. Coin planned it, you know. She wanted to throw off Katniss. So when she found that I wasn't dead, she forced Plutarch to hide me. He kept me hidden in Thirteen. You know how good they are at keeping secrets. Slowly, I was able to come out of hiding." I nod understandingly.
Her eyes study me and I know she has heard about Katniss. "How are you holding up, Peeta?"
"I'm not, really," I admit quietly. She nods in agreement.
"Yeah, me either. But she'll be alright," she says firmly. I nod, hoping she's right.
"So, who's the president?"
"Elle Sound. She's a follower of Coin," she updates me. She shakes her head to say 'don't trust her'. I nod. Who I'm guessing is Sound walks into the room.
"My name is Elle Sound for those who don't know," she says loudly in a no-nonsense tone. Not a warm affectinate no-nonsense tone like Hazelle's or Greasy Sae's. More cold and calculating. "You've been called here today because the Capitol announced a mandatory viewing to the districts. Sources say it's an interview." Prim tenses next to me so I take and gently squeeze her hand in comfort.
She squeezes my hand back and we hold eachother together for the girl we both love. I look at Prim. She's almost twenty-seven now. She's even stronger than I remember. But she looks broken now, tears almost always just slightly in her eyes.
"Are you alright, Prim?"
"I wish I could tell Katniss that she'll be okay. But...I don't know if she will be," she says, trembling ever so slightly. I give her a hug.
"She...she'll be alright, Prim," I say, doubting myself. Just then the TV comes on. Surely enough, Caeser Flickerman is on the screen joyfully introducing himself. The camera's zoom out and I see the girl I love sitting across from him.
Prim lets out a small sob and I squeeze her hand weakly. They used absolutely nothing to hide the pain she's in and the torture she's endured. She looks so...broken. Her hollow face tells me she hasn't ate in who knows how long, her charred body and rags tell me they've burnt her. Fire for the Girl on Fire. But worst of all, her eyes. She looks hopeless.
"I have Katniss Everdeen-"
"Mellark. It's Katniss Mellark, Caeser," Katniss breaks in stubbornly. I might of smiled in a different scenario.
"Oh, of course! I have Katniss Mellark with me today. Sorry Katniss. How have you been?" he asks, oblivious to the thousands of people wanting to kill him now, myself included.
"I've been better," she says, weakly making an attempt at a joke. I wish I could reach out to her, tell her she's okay. But she's not and I can't.
He nods in agreement. "Tell me, how did you feel when the Games were announced?"
She hesistates, choosing her words carefully. Finally she can't find any non-rebellious answer so she grits her teeth and says boldly, "Horrified." Caeser glares at her.
"And how did you feel when your daughter, Prim, was chosen?" he asks, annoyed.
"Terrible," she answers, less bold.
"And how did you feel when you couldn't save her life?" he spits out.
"Me? When I couldn't?" she explodes, horrified. "If I'm not mistaken, I'm not the one to have brought the Hunger Games back."
"Alright, Katniss. Relax, it's alright," he says, shifting back to his light and bright demeanor.
"Is it?" she asks wryly. I realize that she's right. Remembering what I went through, it must be ten times worse for the Mockingjay. Caeser looks taken back.
"Right, well is there anything you'd like to say to the rebels?" She sighs heavily and nods slowly.
"Y-yes. Don't rebel. J-just don't. I'm not the Mockingjay, not anymore," she says shakily.
"And anything you'd like to say to Peeta and Rue?"
A hope fills her eyes at these words. "They're not here? T-they're alive?" Wait, she thought... oh, no what are they doing to her?
Caeser tries to backtrack. "Oh, oh no. I just meant-"
"They are, aren't they? They're safe. Then yes. There's more I want to say. First off, Peeta and Rue, if you are watching this, which I hope you aren't, I want you to know I love you both so much. And to the rebels, keep fighting," she says firmly. She has her fire back. The camera goes off arubtly.
But not before a Peacekeeper punches her in the stomach and she doubles over in pain. I can't watch this. I close my eyes and put my head in my hands. I hear Prim breathe out.
"She's alive," she says, relieved.
"Hardly," I mumble into my hands. She hears and pats my back empathetically.
"Peeta, this isn't your fault," she says quietly, carefully reading what I'm thinking. I sit up and look at her.
"But it is. We'd be better off if I had just died in the Games."
"You know you don't think that. Katniss thought the same thing a lot when the second rebellion was going on. And we both know that's not true."
"Of course it's not."
"Right. So why is it so hard to believe me when I say it's not your fault either?"
"Because it is," I say hopelessly. Prim looks at me in exasperation.
"Honestly, Peeta! You really don't get it, do you? If it weren't for you my sister would of died. So trust me when I say no, we wouldn't be better off! Peeta, please don't blame yourself!" she shouts at me. I'm taken back by her anger that I slowly nod. She sighs.
"Sorry, Peeta. That's the only way to get someone as stubborn as you to get a grip," she says tiredly.
"It's alright, Prim." I say quietly.
"Thanks. And you of all people should know they aren't going to kill her," she says firmly.
"Why not?" I ask. She smiles sadly.
"They did the same thing to you, didn't they?" I nod. She's right, they did.
Which means they'll do much worse than kill her.
Katniss's POV
I double over in pain and a Peacekeeper grabs tightly on my arm. I wince at the contact to a long burn running down my arm and he throws me to the floor and comes back with heavy studded gloves. He pulls his fist back and it connects with my jaw. He keeps punching me, soon enough I loose conciousness and fall to the ground.
I form one clear thought before I black out.
You're alive.