Alternative Part- 36
"Each of you need something desperately." booms Claudius Templesmith.
I did, I needed a weapon at the very least, or some water. Over the last two days, I've finish the last of my water, I've had plenty of food to eat but being so thirsty made me not want to eat. It took to look to force food down my parched throat. I've finally made it to the edge of the fields, staring out at the Cornucopia at the two Careers and Lia who keeps sneaking out and stealing food.
I would have tried that too but I'm well over six foot and stand out like a fish in the desert. I can't even make it to the lake because one of them is always standing guard.
I'm not quite ready yet, I want to go down with a fight but just lose.
So I'm going to go to the feast tomorrow and get what I want, or die trying.
What does everyone else need?
On the other side of the door are...people. Lots and lots of people, dressed the same as me, with slightly different hair colours, my hair is the only hair worn down and I immediately wish for a hair grip to not look so out of place. Everyone was looking at me with shock.
"Umm...I like my new room."
I get another chuckle, "It's not your room." he corrects.
I hear lots of chatting, lots of it is light and happy like the atmosphere.
One small girl points at me. "I know you." she smiles sweetly.
I nod but keep quiet, it seems like most people know me but I don't know them. I've decided I don't want to know all these people, not yet anyway.
"I'm Sarah." says the girls Mother, "And this is Holly."
Holly has blonde hair and bright green eyes. "We're from 10." she adds. The other looks similar but with slightly darker hair, she mustn't know me.
"Nice to meet you," I reply calmly, holding out my hand for her to shake. "I'm Seven-eight-three."
I smile at Holly who gazes at me with wonder. My name is wrong compared to hers but she doesn't say anything. Number names mustn't be too strange here, especially as three-three has the same kind of name. It could be something to do with the hospital.
Three-three takes my arm and guides me round the groups of people, moving them out the way. He doesn't let go until we reach the door.
"How come some people knew me? Should I know them?"
"No. Don't worry about it, it's properly your drugs that make you forget."
"Properly? You're a doctor! You should know these things!"
"I'm not actually a doctor, I'm disguising as one."
"What? Is that why you're so young?"
"Yes, I'm just here to help you."
"Why do I need help? Because I'm crazy?"
"You're not crazy!" he yells angrily. "Sorry." he mumbles.
We reach a small door next to lots of other ones. It has seven-eight-three engraved on the door, in black. I open the door and find a relatively small space, with three door on each wall.
"That's the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom." three-three explains, pointing at each of the doors. My room is not white, it's a pale, faded blue colour with a dim light and pale furniture that looks used and worn. The room smells old and musky, but it has a window, which I really hope opens.
"If you need me, just call okay?" he looks reluctant to leave, eyeing the door with worry. It's strange only being able to see his eyes.
"Where will you be?" I ask worriedly, realising that I don't want him to go either. Three-three is the closest thing to a friend I have here, I'm tired of being alone.
"Just go into the main room we were just in, someone will help you find me."
His eyes soften and I can see he is smiling under his mask.
"Can you help me find things please? Like clothes and sheets and stuff. I don't know where it all is."
He nods, "Of course."
We spend the next few hours changing my sheets, cleaning up and three-three even manages to find me some clothes that fit. They are all the same as the ones I am wearing only clean. Mostly we work in silence.
"Where are we?" I ask him.
"In a nicer place." he says and I frown. "Sorry, I'm not suppose to talk about that kind of stuff."
"Oh." is all I can think of saying. "Am I really not crazy?"
Three-three shakes him head slowly, "No, you're just on strong medications and confused. You got hurt too."
"By the people who killed my family?"
"In a way, yes."
"So how did I get better? Why did I get away when they didn't?"
"We couldn't save them, we were too late. It was incredibly difficult to get you out alive, you did die actually."
"I died?"
"For a minute or so. It was so scary, I though I'd lost you."
I'd died? How come I can't remember dying? My family died. Why can I not remember them dying?
"I can't remember." I whisper, hugging my baggy top closer to my skin, wanting to crawl away and hide. I feel exposed now.
"You will, really soon. I'm not saying you'll feel any better, it's bad what you're going to remember but you'll get through it."
"How soon?" Not caring if it's bad, I just have to know.
"Later today, early tomorrow. We gave you your last dosage of meds today and they'll wear off soon." he says sadly. "Remember, I really am sorry seven-eight-three, for everything that's happened to you. I didn't mean to...I didn't know."
"That bad?"
"Worse." he sighs.
We continue to clean the kitchen, which is covered in mould and dust. I wash the pans while three-three scrubs at the oven.
"We don't use kitchens here but you're not suppose to leave the hospital unit so you have one for now. As soon as you move out, you're be expected to eat in the diner with everyone else."
I nod, taking in the information. I take two glasses and fill them with water, passing one to three-three before taking a sip. He has to remove his mouth mask to take a sip. He has a lovely, cheeky smile.
"Why do you wear the mask? So you don't catch the crazy?" I smile slightly at my own joke. He grins.
"So you wouldn't freak out if you recognised me. But you don't." he looks sad, his grin fading.
"I do...I recognise you more than anyone else but I can't place you. I will later thought right?" He doesn't smile at all.
"What's wrong? It really can't be that bad?" I wince.
"You might hate me."
"I could never hate you." I say firmly. Three-three is nice, he couldn't possible have done anything that bad that I would hate him.
"I'll never hate you." I repeat, "I'm done, can we take a look around please? I'd like to see more!"
Three-three shifts, "For a little while will be fine but we can't be too long."
We walk out of my new house, into the new, bizarre place.