Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.
Ch. 51
"Put weight on your prosthetic leg. It can take it." Dr. Tetra urges the next day. He had come in only thirty minutes ago, with a leg made from the best of the Capitol. After teaching me how to put it on he had told me to sit on the edge of my bed, but now he was beginning to harass me. He wanted me to stand up, only I was scared. I wasn't sure of what. Maybe I thought that if I didn't except this fake leg my real one would magically come back. Or maybe I'm just afraid that it won't work. Either way, I'm scared.
"I can't." I say back. Dr. Tetra has been the only person I've seen in the past twenty-four hours. Every time he comes in I ask if Katniss is awake and every time he answers now isn't the time. I feel like they're just waiting to drop this giant bomb on me. I don't feel any safer here than I did in the arena. I'd feel safer with Katniss in my arms.
"You have to be walking by the ceremonies." He says for practically the fiftieth time. Except he never tells me when the ceremonies are. They could be tonight for all I know.
"Can't I use a wheel-chair or something? I'm not comfortable." I see Dr. Tetra's face go from worry to rage.
"You're a victor! Please you can walk on the prosthetic!" I'm a victor. That's right. I had managed to push it out of my head for a matter of two minutes before he brought it back up. If I'm a victor why do I act so weak right now? My only answer is because my new rock isn't here to hold my hand. Maybe if Katniss were here to reassure me I would have already walked a mile.
"I'm a co-victor. I need my partner." I let out the words, not with rage or anger, but with complete truth. I'll need Katniss by my side for the rest of my life. She'll always have to be there.
"I'm sorry." Is all Dr. Tetra says with the shake of his head. He begins to pace around the white clean room, so perfect, there had to be something wrong with it. Which had to be the person occupying it, me, who couldn't even trust probably the most trust worthy prosthetic leg known to man.
"Please, I'll walk if you'll just let me see her. Just let me see her, we don't even have to talk. I just… She doesn't even need to know I'm there. Just let me look into her room. How am I supposed to know she's okay?"
"You can trust us Peeta." I almost believe him, I almost give into the sneaky Capitol ways, but why should I trust him. He is part of the Capitol. The Capitol that wouldn't care if I had died in the arena. The Capitol that wanted one of us to die. The Capitol that didn't ruin everything, but my life definitely won't be perfect.
"No, I can't." I pause to let him take it in, but I doubt he can. His skin is light purple, his hair a neon green; no one in the Capitol would ever understand what I have been through. "Just please. I won't walk if you don't let me. I won't even stand." I threaten him with the only thing that I can think of. He seems to have a lot riding on getting me to walk.
"I have to go talk to some people." He's out of the room fast. The second the door closes I stand. I can't walk, he had explained to me that I would need a cane for a while, which he didn't bring in, yet. Today's goal was to stand. And I did. It felt strangely freeing, to stand feeling one foot on the ground and the bottom of my stump against the cold metal. The Games had changed me in more way than one.
I fall back instantly to my bed when I hear the door begin to open. I know I probably have people watching me all hours of the day, but I don't want Dr. Tetra to feel that victory just yet.
"Peeta we can't, but you can talk to Haymitch." Dr. Tetra doesn't come fully into the room. He stand with his head peeking in, the door partially open. I have a feeling he saw me standing, if I would've stuck to my gut I might've been able to see her. I just wanted to know what it felt like and in the one second that he left all my fears went away.
"Fine." I answer. He swings the door open and in walks Haymitch, my mentor and fellow victor now. I hadn't realized just how much I missed him until he walked through the door.
"Fine? That's all I get. No, I'd love to talk to him or man I miss him so bad?" Haymitch is drunk, but not as much as usual. I put my legs back on to my bed and lean back against the headrest.
"Yes, fine. You never sent me anything." Dr. Tetra smiles and leaves. Haymitch sits down on a chair right next to my bed.
"I did too. I sent you broth and lamb stew and lets not forget the sleep syrup." He says making himself a little too comfortable in the red plastic furniture.
"Yeah, well not before Katniss came." I said, I was only joking, giving him a hard time.
"Well whatever. You made it out didn't you? So I hear you want to see the lovely Katniss Everdeen." Says Haymitch, leaning his head against the armrest.
"Yeah, how am I supposed to know she's okay? I can't sleep, all the time I just think they're hiding something from me." Haymitch laughs.
"Please, they treat brand-new victors wonderfully." He puts emphasis on the brand-new. Obviously there are stories behind Haymitch, District Twelve Victor. "You'll see her at the ceremonies, they want your genuine reactions or something. I don't know, but your doctor will get fired if he doesn't have you walking by then. Don't you want to walk again?" It does sound tempting. My leg that is still there feels stiff and I feel a strong need to walk it, but I'm scared of…I don't know.
"I don't have my cane." I say, letting an excuse fall so easily out of my mouth.
"I'll help you. You can hold my hand or whatever." Haymitch waves his hands around and quickly gets up.
"What if I'm not ready?" I ask.
"Then you'll never be ready." I listen to him and swing my legs off the bed again. I steadily stand up. I grab Haymitch's hands and just like that I move my normal leg. My muscles let out sighs of relief, but then my stump freezes up. My eyes flash with worry at Haymitch. "Peeta I know you can do this." His words urge me to swing my stump and move the prosthetic and just like that I'm walking again.
I hope you liked it! So you know that part in the book when they first get on the hovercraft and Peeta just falls to the ground and Katniss just freaks out? Yeah, well I was really sad they didn't put it in the movie. It was a scene I was really looking forward to. Just so much raw emotion! And Jen would have done wonderful with it (I say that because well her acting is superb and that part when she's yelling at her mom during the Tracker Jacker part! Wonderful emotions!) So I was really disappointed when they didn't have it in there. That being said, what were you disappointed they took out? What part will you be mad about if they don't put it in CF? (for me it's the train scenes! Love it!) Haha, I'm just wondering about your opinions! Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! ~boywithbreadlover
