DISCLAIMER: HG characters do not belong to me.
Chapter 71-Spark
Katniss wakes up to the feeling of being moved to a soft surface. She screams out in pain as it happens. When she realizes it is over she opens her eyes and sees and aged man looking down at her. He gives her a hardened stare. He looked to be in his 60's if not older and had very dark skin and dark brown eyes.
"It looks like your left arm is dislocated and possibly broken, is that your dominate arm?" he says in a very unfriendly tone.
Katniss can only shake her head no in response.
"Well, I will have to try to set it then. I am no doctor, but my Aunt was once a healer so I know how it is done. Are you ready?"
Again she can only nod, confirming she was ready. She watches as he gets a piece of material for the sling. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath as she hears him say, "Okay, on three….one…"
And then she feels his hands push her bone in place. The sound she hears coming out her does not sound like her. She feels herself begin to sweat profusely.
"Sometimes it is easier to get through when you don't know it is coming" he says as he wraps her arm making a sling.
She feels her heart begin to slow down, realizing she has made it through the worst part. She tries to sit up when she hears him say, "Rest. I am going to get your stuff. It was all scattered about all over the place" he says in an annoyed tone.
He walks off without another word.
She tries to look around the tiny room she is in. She is in a very small log cabin with no windows. The only light coming from the cracks in the logs. She sees a makeshift fireplace leading up to a built chimney, assuming that is where the light comes from at night. She is not very high off the ground, assuming the soft surface she is lying on is made from animal feathers.
She dozes off and wakes up she is not sure how long later. She hears him say, "You awake?"
She jerks her head up and tries to sit up, feeling him helping her into a sitting position. She winces at the pain of moving.
"I see that you have morphling pills, do you want one?" he says in a more gentle manner than before.
"You looked through my things?" she finds herself saying in an irritated tone, realizing this is the first time she has spoken.
The man glares at her and says, "Yeah I looked, an animal got into your bag and it got all torn up. Your lucky I brought everything back."
Katniss huffs in response and doesn't say another word. She sees her stuff in a small pile by the door. Her bow still bent.
He sees her looking at it and says, "I can maybe fix that."
"Thanks" she mumbles in response.
"So-do you want the pills?"
"No."
"No?" he says confused.
"I don't want them."
He shrugs and says, "Be in pain then. I am going out to get us dinner."
She sees him leave with his own bow and arrows, again leaving without saying another word. He comes back what she thinks is a couple hours later and starts a fire and begins cooking the raccoon he caught.
She eats her food quickly. He has a surprised look on his face as he watches her devour her food. "Didn't expect a young girl like you to eat raccoon meat."
She shrugs in response and says, "You saw my bow."
"I thought you brought it to try to protect yourself."
"I can do more than just protect myself." She realized shortly after getting here the man does not know who she is. She figures he has been living in the wild territory for quite some time. She wonders for how long.
"What is that thing around your neck?" he asks looking at her dreamcatcher.
"A gift."
"Looks like something that was made by the Natives. There is a tribe about a two days walk from here."
She doesn't respond, she doesn't know the man's name, she was not about to tell him she was on her way there.
They eat in silence for the rest of the time. She has not moved from the spot she was placed in. After they are done eating she watches him as he cleans up. He asks her if she needs to use the bathroom and she nods her head in response. He helps her up and takes her outside, she is unsteady on her feet and realizes that she might have sprained her ankle during her fall as well, experiencing a lot of pain while walking on it. When she comes back in he helps her back down and says, "Have fun sleeping in my space" the irritated tone returning. She takes her boots off and sees that her ankle is indeed swollen. She sighs as she lays down, trying to get in a comfortable position with the sling. It takes what feels like an eternity to fall asleep, hearing the man snore on the floor beside her. Eventually though, fatigue overcomes her as she repeats Sioux words in her head and she falls asleep.
The next day, Katniss awakens to abdominal pain, she sits up and curses loudly, realizing what it means. She is alone in the room. She stands up slowly and feels the wetness from behind, mortified by what has happened. She sits down and calls out for help. After a few minutes, the man enters the room and looks at her questioningly.
"I uh-need your help" she says looking down at the floor.
He helps her get out of her clothes and brings her another change of pants and underwear from her bag. He goes outside to wash her dirtied clothes and when he comes back in he says, "Your clothes are outside drying."
"This is so embarrassing" she says not looking at him in the eye.
"Oh please. I was married for over thirty year's girl. I know what….that is all about. I am just glad you had something with you to take care of it."
"I never thanked you for bringing me here" Katniss says finally bringing her head up to look at him in the eye.
"I'm Marlon" he says in a somewhat friendly tone.
"Katniss" she says back.
"You with the group I've seen up here?"
"Group?"
"Yeah-I used to never see a soul up here. But in the last two months or so I have seen multiple people. There is a group not far from here, in the opposite direction of the tribe."
She knows he is talking about the Jay Killers, Gale's suspicions correct about them fleeing back up here.
"No-I am not with them."
"Good. You seem like a decent human being. That group looks rough."
"How many would you say are there?"
"Looked about a hundred."
She tries not to look worried but it doesn't work. "Something wrong?" he says reading her expression.
"How far away would you say they are?"
"A day's walk."
"Have you seen a hovercraft fly by today?"
"No. But I saw one shortly before I stumbled upon you. It was after you wasn't it?"
"Yes."
"I am surprised I am not seeing more of them. I can't imagine President Snow is happy with so many people jumping the fence."
She snorts loudly, unable to keep her composure. He looks at her in anger and she says, "Sorry-it's just-you must have been gone from Panem for a long time. Snow is out of the picture."
"He is?" he says in surprise.
"Yes, he was killed almost ten years ago. There was a rebellion."
"WHAT?"
She fills in him briefly on the rebellion, leaving out the fact that she was in the hunger games or her role in the rebellion and explains what life is like in Panem now and that people can come and go in each District as they please. And explains what happened to Snow.
"Damn. The only time I wish I was back in Panem would have been to see him die."
She tells him about President Paylor and how she is from District 8. He looks impressed to hear a woman was in charge, and a woman with his skin color.
"Okay, there are now two times I wish I was back in Panem" he says with a chuckle.
She chuckles back, feeling way more comfortable with him. He then says, "I wish I could have seen who the leader of this rebellion was."
"You are looking at her. Though I wasn't really the leader, I was used more as a symbol of the rebellion."
He looks at her in shock. She doesn't elaborate anymore and says, "I think I'll have one of my morphling pills now." She didn't want to take one, but her cramps were getting worse by the minute. Between that and her ankle and arm, she needed a release from all of the pain she was experiencing.
Over the next couple of days, she begins to move about more. The swelling in her ankle goes down and she is finally able to walk without assistance. When she is finally able to walk outside beyond the usual steps she took to use the bathroom, she sees that the log cabin is perfectly hidden in the trees. No hovercraft would ever be able to see it, nor even a tribesmen unless they were practically right in front of it or used binoculars to look. The cabin is hidden right below the cliff, the same cliff she fell down from.
Besides being able to move more, she also learns a lot more about Marlon. Telling her that he has been living here for almost fifteen years and that he came here shortly after his wife passed away. He was from District 11 and worked as a farmhand. He was raised by his Aunt, his parents dying when he was eight from poor health. He met his wife in school and married her when they were both 18. They had no children for which he confessed he was glad for he never had to experience the fear of having his children's names called in the reaping. He explained that after his wife died, he began jumping the fence and learning how to hunt, preparing for the journey here. He packed what he needed and brought an axe, some knives, and a bow and arrow and took off after jumping the fence one night. The journey took over four months, moving through the different District's woods including District 12's and 9's to get here. He says when he saw the cliff and area underneath it was the perfect spot to make shelter, eventually building the log cabin.
"After Bette died, I just-had to get away. I didn't care if I got caught, got turned into an Avox, I couldn't be in District 11 anymore. She was the only person who-really knew me."
He asks her if she had someone whom she shared that type of relationship with, and she responds by saying "Yes-my best friend, we met in the woods, when I was 12 and he was 14. We became more than just friends."
"Did he die?"
"No" she says quickly in response.
"Then why would you leave him?"
She doesn't answer and quickly changes the subject, asking how long it took him to make this log cabin, making it known she was not going to answer any more personal questions about herself today.
The next morning when she awakens, she sees her bow is fixed and placed by her arrows. She bends down and touches it. She goes outside and sees Marlon sitting outside gutting a fish and says, "Thank you."
"Took me longer than I thought it would, but I got it. Do you want to go for a walk later?"
"I'd like that."
After lunch they head out, deep into the woods. He takes her to the lake where he fishes and they sit side by side on a ground. She breaths in the air and closes her eyes, feeling at peace for the first time since she left District 9.
"This is the first time I've seen you look almost-happy" Marlon says eyeing her curiously.
She opens her eyes and looks at him. "You opened up to me quicker than I did you."
He shrugs, trying to brush off her words. "I haven't talked to another person in fifteen years, I guessed I missed it somewhat."
She finally begins telling him about herself, telling him how she volunteered for the games, about how she and Peeta were crowned victors, and finally her role in the rebellion. He listens without saying a word.
Later on that night, she tells him about Prim's death and her downward spiral. She talks about her life in District 12 with Peeta and her falling out with Gale. Finally, she talks about meeting the Sioux, the Jay Killers, her decision about becoming a teacher, and finally getting together with Gale and how they ended up together, and why she ran away. She somehow manages to tell the whole story without shedding a tear.
"I decided to come up here because-I need help. I thought I could handle it on my own, but I can't."
"It sounds like the Sioux taught you a lot when you lived with them before."
"They did."
"They why do you think you need to go back to them? What if you don't find what you are looking for when you are with them? Never return to Panem?"
"I would find it" she says defensively.
"I think you already know what it is you are looking for-an escape."
"What do you mean?"
"An escape from what you know you have to do."
"What's that?" Katniss says frowning at him.
"Come on. You've been through all that, you are not going to just forget about it all and stay up here in the wild territory. Unless you choose not to go back, live with the tribe forever. Otherwise, you know you will have to go back and fight."
"Fight?"
"Yes-fight. Spark another uprising, tell the new Panem what is really going on, get these Jay Killer bastards out of here."
"No way. I am done fighting. If I go back, I am going to be a teacher, I want to live a quiet life, out of the spotlight."
"IF you go back? So you are thinking it."
"Of course I am thinking it. I may have just ruined my opportunity to finish my teaching experience and Gale might not forgive me for leaving."
"From what you've told me so far about the things he's done for you, I think you can probably manage to get back on his good side."
"I don't have it in me to fight anymore. If I do, it might finally destroy me if I see more people die because of me."
"So you will just-live in fear of the Jay Killers finding you again?"
"If it happens, it happens."
"Tell me something, if you die, then what?"
"They get what they want."
"And then?"
She shrugs and says, "They focus more on Paylor, getting her thrown out or worse."
"Exactly. Sure they might be happy they accomplished one of their goals, but ultimately, the goal is to start another rebellion, take back what they feel they have lost. You can't let that happen."
"Panem's military is looking for them, they can handle it."
"Well, they are doing a shit job. I know where these guys are, obviously they don't."
She can't argue with that statement and only nods.
"Someone is starting something, two months ago, I saw maybe a dozen, now there is a hundred or more. Someone is bringing them here."
"Their new leader most likely."
"Yeah, and that person could be even worse."
"Worse?" Katniss says in disbelief, angry that Marlon has downplayed what happened to her.
"This person may be able to attract even more followers."
"There are only so many people in the Capitol and Districts 1 and 2."
"You say people can come and go from the Districts. But do they?"
"Not really. Some have, but for the most part, people have stayed put."
"Some are still poor then?"
"Yes, but-no-where near what it was."
"Doesn't matter, people are still struggling. I mean, look at that baby you found. How do you know this new person won't tell tall tales to get people to join him, promising things he can't but sounding like he can? That's why I said he could be worse. He may be even more of a charmer than that Geffen, and that's dangerous."
"I can't, I just can't. I don't have it in me" she says in a tired tone.
"Then everything your sister, your friends, and all the others died for will be in vain." He walks to the other side of the room and picks up a small knife and throws it at Katniss's feet.
She looks down at the knife and then stares at him in confusion.
He kneels down beside her and says, "If you are so-damaged that you can't function without those morphling pills, that you run away from the person who you claim you are meant to be with, then give up. End it-either with that knife or swallow each one of those morphling pills you have in that bottle."
"I almost did that once-overdose on morphling pills" she hisses at him, angered by his suggestion that she kill herself.
"And why didn't you?"
"I choose not to."
"Why? What did you do?"
"I started singing again, and I got myself off the pills."
"Sing for me then."
She thinks about the dream she had before her accident, with Prim saying to her she never sings anymore. She realizes she hasn't sang, for years, realizing she never noticed that she stopped in the first place.
'Because I was depressed' she thinks to herself.
She begins singing the hanging tree to him, then deep in the meadow. She closes her eyes while she does it, the words automatically coming back to her. She feels a sense of peace that she hadn't experienced before, not even in the forest and feels a sense of hope. When she opens her eyes, she sees Marlon's eyes are slightly watery.
"When my time comes, I want to remember that song" he says.
She places a hand on his knee in comfort.
He wipes his eyes and says, "So? Are you going to give up? Stay with the Sioux and hide up here like me? Let Panem fall into another possible rebellion or will you fight to protect what you helped create? These men are not far from your Sioux friends, if they find them-then what?"
She knows he is right. She has to protect not only the Sioux, but all of the tribes, no matter what her personal feelings are concerning some of the tribes she had encountered.
She looks fiercely at him, her eyes showing that spark that she thought was long gone.
That night before bed, she throws all of her remaining morphling pills into the fire, watching them burn.
The next morning Marlon comes flying into the room and shakes her awake. "Get up! You have to go. The Jay Killers are headed this way. They can't find you here."
She grabs her dreamcatcher and throws it over her head and says, "Let's go."
"No. You can run a lot faster than me. I will just slow you down. I am 68 you know."
"I am not leaving you!" Katniss cries as she gets her boots on, Marlon bending down to tie her laces for her.
"I will try to hide, now go!"
"Hand me that watch" Katniss says as she points to her things.
Once he hands it her she has him strap it on her wrist and she says, "This watch sends a signal, I will run and then activate it. A hovercraft will come. Stay hidden, I WILL come back for you."
They both head outside, right before she takes off she hears him call out her name. She turns and looks at him as he says, "Remember, don't let the Jay Killers win, don't let them break you."
She nods and sprints off, activating the watch on the wrist of her broken arm as she does so.
Twenty minutes later she is sitting on a rock, breathing heavily from her sprint, completely exhausted from her limited movement these last few days.
She sees the hovercraft approach and land. She begins walking towards it and sees soldiers come down the walkway with Gale behind them.
He begins walking faster and approaches her first, she starts moving more quickly and begins to run to him, but slows down when she sees the look on his face. He is glaring at her, looking very unhappy to see her.
