A/N: Only one more chapter until the end of this story. The next story will be called "Shades of Nightlock", so I hope you will follow me on that journey and look for it when it comes out. There will be a slight intermission between the last chapter of this story and the first chapter of that one. If you want more updates, sneak peeks, or want to find out when the story will come out, follow me on tumbler. I am 'AmeliaOdair'.
This election...crazy huh?
Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games
Changing the Game
Chapter 19 : All The World Feels Right
| Katniss |
'We need to refill our bottles as soon as we—' Sensing there is someone close by, I open my eyes in a panic, searching for our backpack; where is my water bottle? Where is Peeta? Did he leave the cave in the middle of the night? But I freeze when I catch sight of the stranger sitting next to my bed. I sit up and scoot as far back on my bed as possible, hugging my knees to my chest. Wait a minute, why am I in this bed? How did I get here? Where is our sleeping bag? And Peeta. Where is he?
"It's okay honey, you are safe. My name is Seeder, and I am one of the District Eleven mentors." Her voice is as soft as velvet and for some reason, her presence sets me at ease.
"Where is Peeta?" I demand through my gritted teeth, still not trusting her. Why is she here? Did she come here to kill me? Did she take Peeta? 'I will kill her if she so much as touches a single hair on Peeta's head' I think to myself, scanning the room for anything I can use as a weapon. Is she here to avenge Thresh's death? I did not kill Thresh, I tried to save him, so why is she—
"Peeta is in his room with his prep team getting ready for tonight. I am not going to hurt you Katniss." She gives me a compassionate, yet sympathetic smile. She is a mentor, so she must understand all of the overwhelming emotions that come with being fresh out of the arena. "You're okay, I promise. I just came here to thank you Katniss. What you did for Thresh; it was...it was so brave, and his family thanks you as well." Her voice is soft and gentle, without a single trace of malice or intent. Her words are genuine. But...I just can't...I can't trust anyone, not until I know that Peeta is okay, that he is safe.
"Oh, hey there sweetheart, you're awake!" Haymitch bursts through the door, placing a hand on this 'Seeder's' shoulder as if she is a friend. "I see you have met Seeder. She just wanted to thank you, I told her it was okay." Haymitch sends me a sad smile just as Seedar stands up.
"I was just leaving Haymitch." Seedar says, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. "Thank you, Katniss." She says before leaving the room.
As if I am not already overwhelmed, the door swings open again, but this time it is Vennia, Octavia, and Flavius, with huge smiles on their faces. 'My pet's.' I think, smiling to myself.
"Oh my! Darling, I just knew you could do it! We are so, so proud of you! It is time to get you ready! We cannot have you stepping out onto the stage looking like that!
0 – 0 – 0 – 0
| Effie |
"Darling, you will be in a bucket of trouble if they discover you tried to see him before the show." After looking everywhere for Katniss and coming up empty, I made my way up to the roof, which is where I finally found her.
"When was it a crime for a person to get some fresh air?" She snaps at me, rolling her eyes and then returns to her previous position, leaning against the wall, looking out into the city. Should I tell her? Should I inform her the ramblings of her drunken mentor? Haymitch made it clear that he had no intentions of telling her, but doesn't she have the right to know? Isn't it safer if she knows?
"Katniss dear, please—" I reach for her hand, guiding her over to the windchime garden. "You must know I never meant for any of this— How sorry I am that I called your sister's name. Peeta's name. I—"
"Effie, it is not your fault, you couldn't control which slip of paper you picked up." No, I cannot bare to tell her that part, but I can…
"Katniss, you and Peeta are in a world of trouble, your stunt with the berries made a fool of The Capitol, and—"
"The stunt? It was not a stunt Effie; I was NOT leaving that arena without Peeta. Theytold us we could win, so, if they look like a fool then it's their own damn fault! If eating those berries meant we both die, then I was fully prepared to do that. I couldn't kill Peeta, and he…we…I…. Effie, we couldn't. It was our only choice, Effie, I swear." She pleads with me, her eyes pooling with water.
"I know darling, I know that. But they believe otherwise." I whisper to her, glancing all around us. "You musn't allow anyone to know I told you anything; lives depend on it." My voice is barely above a whisper as I inch closer to her ear. "Not even Haymitch." I finish, knowing if Haymitch learns of my deception...well, let's just hope he doesn't learn this tidbit of information. "Now come on dear, we have a show to put on!" I give her my brightest smile, spinning around to go back inside.
"Effie?" I turn back around, meeting my darling girl's eyes.
"Yes dear?"
"Thank you for the lamb stew." Her gratitude is admired; however, it stuns me in place for a moment. Certain there are hidden cameras atop this roof, I quickly pull myself together, knowing my reaction must be impeccable.
"Well…Haymitch sent that in, not I." Katniss rolls her eyes at me and the corners of her mouth turn up.
"Okay. But, thank you, Effie, for everything."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0
| Katniss |
After my pets came in and kidnapped me, they spent hours and hours beautifying me, and as I look at the reflection of myself in the mirror, at this beautiful, innocent, yellow dress that Cinna has put me in, I am astounded by how magnificent I look, yet somehow, I do not recognize myself. The girl looking back at me does not look like a cold-blooded killer, she does not look like a survivor of The Hunger Games. This girl does not look anything like 'The girl on fire.' I do not understand why Cinna and my pets have put me in this dress, making me look like an innocent little girl, when just a few weeks ago I was parading around The Capitol in flames. This beautiful creation is very unlike Cinna, and I wonder if this dress serves a purpose.
I am standing anxiously behind the curtain backstage, tapping my shoe while I wait for Caesar to announce my name; my signal to enter the stage. I am ready, eager, nervous, anxious, and excited all in one to see Peeta. I need to see him, to touch him, to know that he is alive. That the voice in my head is in fact, really him and not just a figment of my imagination.
No matter how many times I asked, begged, pleaded, bargained, yelled, screamed, or threw things at Haymitch's face, I was refused any and all requests to see Peeta, which only angered me more.
Everything is so surreal, as if the living nightmare of the arena was no more than that; a nightmare. I am certain nothing will truly feel real until I see Peeta. I need him.
"Oh my! Katniss, you just look…Wow, you are just radiant! Your team has absolutely outdone themselves; you are simply magnificent! That dress is the image of perfection on you!" Effie appears behind me, gushing over this dress that somehow erases all the murder from my resume.
Effie pulls me in close, too close to my liking, smushing our cheeks together. "Oh! Okay..." I am taken aback, shocked, and slightly uncomfortable with our proximity.
"Katniss, remember our conversation, and…and…you must appear over the moon, head over heels in love with Peeta. Our lives are at stake." Effie whispers into my ear just when Caesar announces my name, giving me no time to react to her warning, which I suppose were her intentions all along.
Effie pulls back as if nothing is amiss. "Go on dear, he is waiting for you!" She gushes, kissing the tips of her fingers and then touching them to my forehead before gently shoving me through the curtain. Quickly, I pull myself together, forcing my wobbly legs to work, and plaster a smile on my face as I make my way onto the stage with Caesar.
There is no need to pretend, I love Peeta Mellark more than words can describe. But when I see him, I am frozen, cemented in place. Throughout the entire day I have imagined this moment, pictured so many scenario's of how I would greet him once we are finally reunited. I envisioned running into his arms, kissing him hard on the lips, I imagined myself running into his arms, pulling him in tightly for a hug. The one thing that never crossed my mind was being frozen in a state of stupefaction once our eyes lock.
"They are definitely love struck, wouldn't you say guys?" The sound of Caesar's voice is followed by the cackling cheers of the audience, breaking my out of my trance, but Peeta and I pay them no mind as we walk the few steps to reach the other. When he is close enough to touch, I reach up and stroke his cheek, bewildered by the sight of him.
"You're really okay." I whisper, almost not even believing it with my own eyes. My body is flooded with so many emotions, I could not begin to describe it if I tried. With his thumb, Peeta tilts my chin up and plants a soft kiss on my lips. I think it was only intended to be a small, simple kiss, a reunion kiss of sorts, but when his lips meet mine, sparks begin to fly and before I know it, my arms are locked firmly around his shoulders.
"AGGHHEMM!" Caesar clears his throat after a moment, walking up to Peeta, intending to break us apart. Sensing Caesar's proximity, Peeta extends his arm and pushes Caesar back, never severing our connection; causing mass hysteria to escape the crowd.
Peeta ends our kiss just the way it began; with a light peck on the lips, and then tucks a stray lock of my hair behind my ear before joining our hands and bringing us to the love seat; at Caesar's behest. I slip my shoes off and slide them under the sofa, pulling my legs up and scooting as close to Peeta as possible. He slips an arm behind me, pulling me closer, if that is even possible.
Caesar takes a seat in his own chair, leaning back comfortably, and adjusting the microphone clipped on the lapel of his suit.
"You guys are looking fan-tabulous tonight! Your stylists really know how to bring out your natural beauty. But Peeta—" He tilts his body toward us, getting right down to business, "— I hear you have some new additions yeah? Anything you would like to share with us?" Cocking my brow, I turn my head to Peeta, giving him an inquisitive glare.
'Battle scars?' I question him.
Peeta's cheeks flush, clearly embarrassed, but quickly averts his attention back to Caesar. "Yes, Caesar, um…well…" Peeta stutters and then lifts his pant leg up, revealing instead of his leg, a metal rod in its place.
My hand shoots to my mouth, and I gasp out in horror. "Oh my GOD PEETA! I'm so sorry! This is all my fault, if I hadn't, if I just…If I didn't—"
Peeta turns my body so that we are facing and looks deep into my eyes. "Katniss. Look at me…None of that now, it's okay…I am okay…I'm alive, and that's what matters, right?" I nod my head, biting down on my quivering lip to prevent the flood of tears. Just the thought of what the alternative could have been causes me to feel like someone is smothering me with a pillow.
'It's better than the alternative, right?' As if reading my mind, he repeats his words from the cornucopia back to me, followed by a kiss to my forehead.
Peeta leans slightly back on the sofa and extends his leg, using his cane to tap on the metal rod. "Yeah Caesar, I didn't much like the other one—" Peeta quips, and I frown, scowling in Peeta's direction. "This is just temporary; I'll have my permanent one before I go home." Peeta turns back to Caesar with a smile.
"Is everyone excited for the recap?!" Caesar turns to face the audience, much too excited for my liking, getting them riled up. How can they act so cavalier about the loss of Peeta's leg? As if it were nothing more than…an object. It is his leg for crying out loud, his LEG!
Thankfully, the lights dim, and a huge projection appears on the wall behind us. I lived through our games once; I do not have any desire to watch it again. Why would anyone want to watch this? How does anyone find pleasure, why do they so enjoy the slaughter of children?
Resting my head on Peeta's shoulder and closing my eyes, I pretend to watch, thankful for the absence of light.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0
| Haymitch |
While the kids are busy with the recaps I decide to head to the roof for some fresh air and some time to think alone. When I open the door and see Trinkie next to the ledge, staring into the city, I am a little surprised. Hearing the wind slam the door shut, Trinkie turns around and she looks so...distraught.
"Hi Haymitch." Her voice is devoid of any emotion, not a trace of her lively, rambunctious, energy is present, which causes me to worry. I walk over to her, joining her by the ledge and rest my arms on the banister.
"You okay?" She lets out a sigh after a moment and then turns to look at me.
"Haymitch...What am I to do now? Where do I go from here?" My forehead wrinkles in confusion; what does she mean?
"Come again?"
"How am I to go on...as if they have not affected me so? How am I to behave around...around everyone knowing they will be taking a piece of my heart back to Twelve with them?"
"Effie...I...Geez, Trinkie, I am so sorry. I never meant to get you this deep. But you need to listen to me...And I mean absolutely no offense when I say this...But you need to go back to being "one of them" you need to—"
"Return to my previous, sophisticated, conceited, pretentious snob self?" Shrugging my shoulders and slightly wincing back, I give her a curt nod.
"I mean...yeah...basically. If you don't . . . Effie, you have to, you just have to. You can't do anything that will give them a reason to hurt you...or worse..."
"Get rid of me?" She interjects, as if reading my thoughts.
"Exactly. You need to carry on as if those kids—"
"Victors! They are victors Haymitch." Effie interrupts me, jutting her chin up and sticking her nose into the air.
"Right...as if they didn't walk into your life and change you forever. Do you think you can do that Effie?"
"Please, Haymitch. I am utterly offended! I have perfected the role as a stuck-up, haughty, taughty, superior escort for years."
"I know Trinkie, but things are different now. They will be keeping a close eye on you, and you can't give them any reason to...Listen Effie, I know I act like I can't stand you, and frankly, most of the time I can't, but I don't think...I couldn't—"
"I love you too, Haymitch." Effie warbles.
"Now, I didn't say all that." I tease her, giving her a wink.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0
| Peeta |
Apparently, we were in the arena for thirteen days. How they fit thirteen days into slightly less than three and a half hours blows my mind, but somehow, they manage it. Living through it the first time around was literally a nightmare, and equally as horrific to sit here and watch their 'recaps,' while Katniss and I pretend to have actually enjoyed it.
The first fifteen minutes or so is just a recap of the reaping. We see Katniss frantically jumping in front of Prim to take her place followed by a close up of us holding hands once I join her on the stage. They highlight each time Katniss and I are holding hands, commenting on our friendship from the start. It is supervened with our arrival to The Capitol, where we are once again joined by our hands. And then again on the chariots, our hands are clasped tightly together, high above our heads.
They show Katniss in Cinna's immaculate creation going up in flames during her interview with Caesar, followed by my spunky entrance onto the stage, my flames only an accent to hers.
I squirm in my seat when they zoom in on my face when I tell the nation that I love Katniss, and my intentions to make sure she is their victor.
Finally, they cut to the arena, where all twenty-four tributes are standing on their platforms. I clench my eyes shut just before I plunge the knife into the District Four boy; Triton Sanders. And then, they turn at least an hour into less than ten seconds when I am running at full force, my hands full with two backpacks, in addition to Katniss' bow, until I finally catch up to her. She glances back at me for a split second, and I wonder if she could hear me screaming in my head for her to run.
My mind begins to wander, thinking that this was about the time I started hearing her in my head. It was subtle at first, I would hear a word here, sometimes a phrase. Perhaps it was our combined adrenaline, accompanied by the fear that allowed us to communicate this way. Whatever the reason, I am more than thankful for it, and even more thankful that it hasn't been taken away, or dissipated over time. And then I wonder if distance is an issue. I make a mental note to test it out once we get back home.
I cringe at how eerily close the career's were to us on that first night when they came upon the District Eight girl who started the fire. Paisley Fabricia.
When Katniss and I went into the tree with the help of that transformer thing, it is just as Cinna said, and looks as if we are just perched in the tree together, which is when I decide to close my eyes for a moment.
I listen to the flirtatious banter between me and Katniss for a while until we've gone too long without any water. I could keep my eyes closed the entire time and still see everything perfectly, thanks to their audio.
When I say "mud" Katniss looks up at me stupefied, and I wonder what that look was for.
'Why did you look at me like that?' I decide to ask her while it's still fresh in my mind.
'Like what?'
'I don't know, when I said "mud" you looked up at me like...like, well, I'm not sure. Do you remember?'
'Because I was digging my fingers in the ground and realized I found mud. The second I thought the word in my head, you said it out loud...and I wasn't sure if I actually said it out loud myself.'
When I look back up, I see the Gamemaker induced fireballs, which push us toward the career's. Between our fight with the career's and being stunned by the tracker jacker's, Thresh wanders off into the wheat field, only slightly injured from the fight.
The corners of my lips turn up when I see Rue sawing the tracker jacker's nest, but then I wonder how in the world a girl as tiny as she was, was able to drag us all the way to our cave. After pulling us to safety, she leaves the cave and climbs a tree, waiting patiently for several hours before going back for our supplies.
Rue takes care of us, pulling our stingers out, placing the chewed-up leaves on the welts left over from the tracker jacker stings, and drizzling water in our mouths every few hours. And then I feel Katniss' hand brushing against my cheek.
I didn't even realize I was crying silent tears, tears for my friend Rue. 'I love you Peeta, we are going to get through this.' Katniss' words give me the strength to push through, and then I feel her gently squeeze my hand.
When I finally wake up some days later, I seem like a crazy person, ranting about how I was just talking to a clearly unconscious Katniss. I wonder what The Capitol would think if they knew it wasn't the ramblings of a madman, but that Katniss and I somehow share a telepathic link.
I think we are right in keeping it a secret, I do not doubt if The Capitol knew, they would lock us in a cage and study us, and eventually find a way to take it away. I refuse to allow them to take anything else from me.
Next, they show Rue and I going off on our own, Rue setting the fires, luring the career's away from me. They show me aiming like a marksman, watching Foxface dance across the mined field, and then shooting the bag of oranges, blowing the supplies up, which blasts me into a tree and knocks me unconscious. That is when I lost my hearing. I scratch the ear that went deaf to make sure it still works.
Finally, I am sick to my stomach from watching so, I lean over, resting my elbows on my knees and lower my head into my hands, massaging my temples as if I have a headache.
I can close my eyes to block the images, but nothing can prevent the sounds from penetrating my ears. Except maybe there is.
' Peeta?' Katniss says, continuing to rest her head on my shoulder, filling my head with the sound of her voice instead of the sounds of children being slaughtered.
'Mmmh hmmm?'
'Do you remember our last night here before the games, up on the roof?'
'Perfectly.' I answer her, remembering how amazing she felt that night.
'Do you remember when you said you had another secret, but you couldn't tell me, that it wasn't safe?'
Oh... not what I was expecting. 'Yes, I remember.'
'Can you tell me now?'
'Katniss, this really isn't the best place.' I tell her, yet knowing she won't stop until I give in.
'Please.'
'Okay, but you have to promise to keep a straight face.' I am such a sucker, so weak when it comes to her.
'Okay. I promise.'
'Okay, well…During my interview prep with Haymitch, he took me somewhere. In The Capitol, some secret meeting place where I met the Head Gamemaker. They said…from the very beginning, the plan was to get you out of there, but all of that changed the moment my name was called; they changed the plan to getting both of us out of there. Something about a rebellion, and you being of the utmost importance to it. I think…I think you going in was set up from the beginning, but I don't know that for certain.'
I can tell how hard Katniss is struggling to keep a straight when we hear the recording of Claudius Templesmith's voice. She so badly wants to scream, she wants to punch something, break something, anything. She is livid; not at me, but with whoever picked her.
Perhaps I should not have told her just yet. However, I am more than thankful that we completely missed all of the abhorrent "mutts" toward the end of the games.
"ATTENTION TRIBUTE, ATTENTION TRIBUTES…" We both look up when we hear the familiar voice of Claudius Templesmith announcing the revocation of the rule change, and we get to see what the world saw when we held up those berries. Katniss and I lock arms, say our 'I love you's and place a berry into the others' mouth. The moment we close our lips, Claudius Templesmith is yelling for us to stop.
All I remember is not wanting to live without her, refusing to go on without her, not willing to kill her, repudiating their "games", but there it is. The defiance. Underneath our undying love, there is a look. It is barely there, but it is there. It says, "We will not be another piece in your game."
The lights gradually get brighter and brighter until there is a spotlight shining on the three of us.
"Well, that was rather…entertaining. Tell me Katniss, Peeta, what were you thinking when you had those berries in your hand?"
I am shocked, stunned, stupefied, and bewildered by his question. Never in a million years did I think he would have the audacity to ask this question. But I have to play this right, my answer must be impeccable.
"Well Caesar," I say, grabbing Katniss' hand and linking our fingers together. "I can't speak for Katniss, but…she is everything to me. I love her more than anything and I couldn't imagine a life without her. I couldn't…I could never live in a world that she doesn't exist in." And then I turn my head, meeting Katniss' eyes with a smile. She forces a smile on her lips, knowing "they" are watching, and then lifts our joined hands up to her lips and kisses my hand.
"And Katniss? Is there anything you would like to add?" Caesar asks.
"Caesar, it's like Peeta said; he is my world. There is no me without him."
"Well folks, there you have it! Until tomorrow night! I give you the victor's of the 74th Annual Hunger Games, the Love-Struck Fools of District Twelve!" Everyone in the audience stands up, applauding, hooting, and hollering when Caesar leans over to me. "They changed it from Love-Sick to Love-Struck." He says, as if it is the most brilliant thing he has ever heard.
After the recap is the crowning. President Snow makes an appearance, as it is his job to "crown" the victors. He pulls out the crown, and it looks just like all the crowns from previous years. We kneel down, bowing our heads, and I am curious as to which of our heads he will place it on when he snaps it in half, much like our sunglasses in the arena, and it becomes two crowns.
It is quite possible that I am imagining things, but the vicious glares he tosses me sends a chill up my spine. He is not happy with us, that is abundantly clear.
When he extends his arms to place the crown on my head, I can almost swear the aroma of blood and roses slithers up my nostrils.
After the show is over, Katniss and I are ushered off the stage. All I want to do is go up to our room, get out of these clothes, crawl into bed with Katniss and hold her all night. However, no one seems to take my wants into consideration. And to top it off, Cinna steals Katniss before we even have a chance to talk to each other.
"Come with me, kid." Haymitch says, grabbing on to my arm, and leads us up the stairs to the roof.
"Haymitch, what are we doing? Why are we up here? I just want to go back to my room and lay down, my leg is bothering me really bad right now." I complain, lying through my teeth.
"That's fine kid, but we gotta talk first. There is something you need to know." I nod for him to continue.
"Your little stunt with the berries...President Snow is outraged. You guys need to tread lightly, or he will retaliate. And you cannot tell Katniss right now, she seems a bit fragile."
"STUNT? Seriously, Haymitch? They told us we could win! And it wasn't a stunt Haymitch, I was fully prepared to die. What were we supposed to do? I couldn't—"
"I know kid, I know. I'm just warning you; we all need to tread lightly. The slightest misstep and they will kill someone."
When I meet Haymitch's eyes, I understand his message. "Haymitch, I can't keep secrets from Katniss."
"Well, you need to make an exception." He retorts, rolling his eyes.
"No Haymitch, you don't get it. I literally 'CAN NOT' keep secrets from her. Something happened to us in the arena, something that allows us to talk to each other in our heads or something." I admit to him, feeling slightly embarrassed because it sounds pretty insane when I say it out loud. Haymitch looks at me as if I'm crazy, but I see the wheels in his head spinning, wondering if there is truth to my words.
"You... you're serious, aren't you?" I nod.
"Okay, well, if you 'can't' keep secrets from her, then we will tell her the absolute bare minimum." He says, not believing me
"Can we go back now?" I ask, ready to see and hold Katniss.
"One more thing, kid. That fancy leg of yours—" Haymitch leans over to whisper in my ear just as the door leading to the stairs whooshes open.
"There you are! I have been looking everywhere for you!" Portia gleams, running up to me and pulling me into a hug.
"We'll talk later, kid." Haymitch tells me, and the three of us head back inside.
Katniss is nowhere in sight when I return to the suite, so I decide to take a shower, ready to wash all of the makeup and remnants of The Capitol from my body. I will be glad when we get back to Twelve where I can complete eradicate The Capitol from my body.
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| Prim |
"Calm down Dylan, it's going to be okay." I hear mom whispering to dad from my hiding spot in the hallway that leads to mine and Katniss' room. They think I am already asleep, but who are they kidding? My sister and Peeta are coming home tomorrow; there is no way I will be able to sleep tonight.
"No, Lilly, I don't think it is. When Katniss finds out what I did, she's going to… oh God, Lilly, what the hell have I done? She will never forgive me!" What did my dad do? I do not think there is anything on this planet that my dad could ever do that Katniss would not be able to forgive him for. The sun rises and sets over our dad in Katniss' eyes.
"Honey, you've got to calm down. What's done is done, there is nothing you can do to change it. In time, she will understand…I am sure of it, as will Primrose. It may take some time, but eventually, they will see the bigger picture." I hear footsteps; it sounds like mom is walking into the kitchen, and then I hear the sound of water running.
Holy smokes! What in the world is going on? It is like every which way I turn, there is a conspiracy going on. First, at Madge's house with that phone call from The President, and now this. I have never heard my dad sounds this afraid before... What could he possibly have done?
"Lilly, I con— leader of Thirteen and a group—rebels—rigged—reaping ball. I gave the okay—call Primrose's name—Katniss— volunteer." The gurgling faucet is muffling dads voice and I can't hear everything. "I do not think—okay with this. I know—take here—about my girls? How did I—talk—into this?"
A tear falls out of my eye when I hear my dad's chopped up confession. Even though I couldn't make out everything he said, I got the gist of it. Did I really just hear him say those words? He planned for them to call my name? But what if Katniss hadn't volunteered for me? I would have gone in there, and what about Peeta? I know without a doubt if it were the two of us in there, he would have stopped at nothing to make sure I came home to my sister. And if Peeta died it would break Katniss. Was Peeta's name planned too?
Slowly, I tiptoe back into my room, not making a sound and shut my door. I fall face first onto the bed Katniss and I share, burying my face in the pillow. What is going on? There must be a good reason for this, my dad wouldn't just…no, it's just not possible. I need to…I need someone to talk to, but who? Who can I trust?
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| Madge |
After the secret meeting with dad in the tunnels, I am back in my room, lying on my bed, looking up at the ceiling and counting the dots, connecting the dots. Suddenly, there is a tapping on my window, causing me to jump. Is it the peacekeepers? Are they coming for me? Curiosity gets the best of me and I get up and walk over to my window, scared at what I might find.
"PRIM!" I huff out in a hushed whisper after opening my window. "You nearly scared me to death! What are you doing out so late? Do you know how dangerous it is to be out so late, what if the Peacekeeper's—" But then I notice her red, puffy eyes. "What's wrong Prim? What happened?"
"Madge, I need to… Is there somewhere safe we can talk?" I nod my head and motion for Prim to follow me over to the vent, and into the walls. We quietly make our ways into the crawl space and find ourselves back in the same spot where we overheard my dad talking to The President.
"It's safe right here, Prim. Now tell me, why are you so upset? Did someone hurt you?" It takes her a few minutes to catch her breath, from all the crying she's been doing. After a moment, she takes a deep breath and begins.
"I…Well you see, my parents thought I was asleep, but I was too excited because you know, Katniss and Peeta are coming home tomorrow... and I overheard them talking… and oh Madge, it's just awful! I can't believe what I heard; it must have been a dream… It had to of been."
"What was it Prim? What did you hear?"
"It was my dad, he was upset… talking to my mom. I couldn't make everything out because mom was washing the dishes or something, but he … dad said he was scared for when Katniss finds out … that she would never forgive him!"
My heart nearly stops when Prim says this… what could she have possibly overheard? "N-never forgive him for what Prim?"
"I mean…" Her labored breathing begins to even out, allowing me to understand her more clearly. "The water was running in the kitchen, so I couldn't make everything out, but Madge… I swear he said something about District Thirteen and rebels and rigging the reaping ball. And he said my name! I must have heard it wrong, or missed something… because he's my dad, and he would never, but I heard…Madge, I just can't believe it!"
Oh my God, this isn't happening, this can't be happening! Prim is in way too deep, she knows too much, this is bad, this is really, really bad.
I grab Prim's face and look into her eyes, our noses only inches apart. "Prim, you have to listen to me, you have to forget what you heard, do you understand me?"
"You knew?" She exclaims, exasperated.
"Prim, you cannot say anything to anyone, okay? Oh God, this is bad Prim, you have to forget everything you heard. I…I can't tell you anything, I wish I could, but... but... it's just too dangerous."
"Madge, please tell me, I need to know. Is it true? Did you know about this?"
I hold my head down in shame, feeling so guilty, and then slowly look up to meet Prim's big, blue eyes. "Yes. It is true. And yes, I have known all along."
"But, but why? Why would my dad agree to this? What if Katniss hadn't volunteered?"
"Prim, I… All I can say is that this is bigger than both of us. Bigger than Katniss, Peeta, bigger than anything we can imagine. And we have to play dumb, no one can know about any of this, or they'll kill us. Come on Prim, we've got to get you home."
"No." She protests, stubbornly crossing her arms in front of her. "Tell me now. I am not going anywhere until you tell me something. I am not some innocent little girl who needs to be protected." I mean, she kind of is, but... okay.
The corners of my mouth turn up at how much she reminds me of Katniss in this moment. We are silent for some time while I contemplate what to do. But I realize she is right. At this point, not knowing could be just as dangerous, if not more. I sit back, defeated and tell her as little as possible.
0 - 0 - 0
"Thank you, Madge; for trusting me. I promise, I won't say a word." Prim tells me on our way back to her house. By the grace of the gods, we make it to her house without seeing a single Peacekeeper, and she invites me to stay the rest of the night, too afraid to chance running into a Peacekeeper and getting caught on my way home, and I take her up on her offer.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0
| Peeta |
"Where are we going?" I ask Portia as she leads us towards what looks like the Medical Center.
"To the Medical Center; your prosthesis is ready."
"And then I can go to my room?"
Portia chuckles at me, slowing down to match my pace. It is so strange, having a piece of your body missing, but not missing. "Yes, Peeta, you can have the rest of the night to yourself after we are done here."
When we reach the awning of the Medical Center, Portia presses a button on the intercom, and instantly a voice yells out to us.
"Medical Center, what services do you require?"
"I have Victor, Peeta Mellark with me to see the prosthetist." A buzzing noise causes me to jump, and Portia grabs my arm before I stumble and fall over. She gives me a smile and opens the door, motioning for me to go in front of her. A woman in white greets us at the door and instructs us where to go. We do not wait long in the room they sent us to before the doctor arrives.
"Hello Peeta, my name is Dr Corinne Cunningham. Congratulations on your victory." She says cheerfully and with a radiant smile. Is this woman really from The Capitol? She seems much too kind to be from here.
I take her hand, giving it a firm shake. "It's nice to meet you Dr. Cunni—"
"You can call me Corinne; Cunningham is a mouthful. Come over here and have a seat." I am in awe of her bedside manner, as most of the doctors and nurses are cold and emotionless when they speak to me. Not only is she probably the kindest person, other than Cinna and Portia, but she is absolutely captivating. She must be close to six foot tall with short auburn hair; which again, I find strange because most people native to The Capitol have so many artificial enhancements, I am not even sure if they are human.
I look to Portia for assurance, not yet completely trusting this doctor. She nods, giving me a smile.
"How is Cinna these days, Portia? I haven't seen much of him lately?" Corinne asks Portia as I walk over to the chair in front of her. The women talk casually back and forth with such ease, causing me to speculate that they just may be friends.
"He's good, Cori... Holed up in his office with his team." Portia must notice my confusion as I watch them conversate.
"Cori, Cinna and I went to school together. I have known this woman since I was about six years old." Oh, okay, well that explains the familiarity between the two. Once I am situated in the chair, Corinne immediately hikes my leg up and onto her lap, pulling my pant leg up and removes the metal rod. I close my eyes when she removes the "sleeve" covering what is left of my leg.
"Peeta, I know it is difficult, but I need you to watch me so that you can do this on your own. This is very important, if it is not comfortable, or is placed improperly, it will cause you a great deal of discomfort."
I take a deep breath and watch Corinne attach my new leg. This is actually my first time seeing my naked stump, and truthfully, it isn't nearly as repulsive as I imagined it would be. My new leg truly looks like a real leg; it even has a "foot" and "toes". She removes it, having me take it off and put it back on several times before she is satisfied. We spend an hour putting it on, taking it off, and walking around the room.
"You're a natural!" She says enthusiastically.
"It's a good thing, since I am stuck with it for like...ever." I remark, trying to be optimistic.
"Well, I think that is it, unless you have any questions."
"Don't forget to tell him about the water!" A voice booms into the room and echo's off the walls. I look all around, trying to figure out where the voice came from. Corinne senses my confusion and gives me a smile, placing her hand reassuringly on my shoulder.
"It's the intercom. 'Thank you, Callexia!" She tells me before yelling into the intercom and then meets my eyes with a sad smile. Does she actually pity me? Who is this woman and why are there not more like her in The Capitol?
"So, Peeta. This prosthesis is the top of the line. In time you will find that it will out perform your previous leg, however there are some drawbacks."
"Drawbacks?" Portia interjects.
"Yes, this particular leg may not, under any circumstances be submerged into water for any longer than thirty seconds. You may get it wet in the shower, it just cannot be fully submerged. If this happens, you must notify us immediately for a replacement." Portia and Corinne share a worried look, but it quickly disappears.
"What will happen, will I get electrocuted?" She glances to the floor for a split second before her perfectly fake smile is back on. "It just won't work. Do you have any other questions? If not, I must be going." I shake my head and she looks to Portia for her answer. She gives Portia a hug before leaving the room.
"Call me Portia." She says before disappearing into the hallway.
Portia and I make our way back to the suite in silence. That was strange, the way the doctor was acting, and I decide to mention it to Portia.
"Did you get the sense she was… that something was... I don't know… "off"?" Portia glares at me, warning me to leave it alone.
"I'm so tired, I think I'm going to head to bed. You should go take a shower and relax, okay? Cinna and Katniss should be back soon." Portia tells me, pulling me in for a hug. When she pulls back, I feel her slip something into my pocket.
I make my way to my room and grab a change of clothes, a clean towel, and head into the bathroom. I check my pockets before removing my clothes, wondering what Portia slipped into my pocket. I pull out a folded-up piece of paper and open it up to see Haymitch's code written neatly in print. I have the code memorized by now, so it takes me less than ten seconds to decipher the message.
"Leg is bugged. Watch what you say." That figures. Of course they supply me with a top of the line prosthesis and place a listening device in it. Why can't they just leave me alone? Let me go home and live my life?
After emptying my pockets and removing my clothes, I place everything on the table next to the sink and sit down on the toilet to remove my prosthesis, along with the sleeve that is over my stump. Once it is removed, I prop it up just outside the shower and then using my foot, I slam the door shut.
I am so exhausted, drained, and maybe even a little depressed. I want Katniss, but she is nowhere to be found. Hobbling over to the shower is not an easy task when you only have one leg, much less trying to stand on a wet, slippery floor while trying to wash. Once I am done, I twist the knob, turning the water off and hop over the shower to grab my towel. Between the slippery floor and my lack of equilibrium, I trip over the grate in the floor and fall flat on my face in the bathroom, stark naked at that. I must have bumped into the shelf because it comes crashing down on my head.
"FUCK!" I scream out, frustrated with myself.
"Peeta! Are you okay?" Katniss must have come back while I was in the shower, and after hearing the crash in the bathroom, she rushes in, swinging the door open in a panic. Thankfully, I managed to wrap the towel around my waist, otherwise; I do not think I would be able to take the humiliation.
I cannot seem to help the tears that escape my eyes but am thankful for the cover of the shower to explain the wetness on my face. It has just been one of those days where nothing goes right, and anything that can go wrong, goes wrong.
"Go away Katniss, I'm fine." I scoff at her as she leans down, offering me her hand to help me up.
"Let me help you, Peeta." She says, pleading with her eyes.
"Stop it Katniss, I said I'm fine. Just go away and leave me alone. I can take care of myself; I am not an invalid!" I yell at her, immediately feeling guilty when I see the pained look in her eyes. I think she is going to leave me alone in the bathroom, which is actually the opposite of what I want. And then she drops to her knees, planting herself in front of me.
"I know, Peeta. I am very well aware that you are more than capable of taking care of yourself." She lifts my chin with her finger, forcing my eyes away from the floor. "But just because you "can" take care of yourself, it doesn't mean you have to. Let me help you, Peeta. I want to help you. Please, let me."
I am thankful that I am still wet from the shower so that she cannot tell the water from the tears. She reaches for a washcloth next to the sink, runs it under the faucet and then resumes her position in front of me on the floor, patting my forehead with the washcloth. When the shelf fell on my head, it must have broken the skin because there is blood on the white washcloth when she pulls it back.
"Katniss, go away, I said I can take care of myself!" I plead with her to just leave me alone. There is no reason for both of us to be miserable. I just need to wallow in my own self pity for a while.
"No." She asserts; damn her.
"Why won't you go away? Why would you want to be with me anymore? Look at me! I am a pathetic cripple now. I am disgusting. They disfigured me, mutilated me, they...I mean, look at me, I am repulsive..." She wipes my face with the side of the washcloth without any blood and strokes my hair, climbing into my lap, and wraps her legs around my waist.
"W..wh..what are—" she wraps her arms around me, pulling me into a hug, pulls back slightly and kisses my lips softly. Her lips hover above my own, and then she begins tracing her tongue along my lower lip. We stay in that position, kissing intensely and then she begins kissing my jaw. She trails kisses along my neck, crossing over my adams apple, to my collar bone. The heat soars up my body when she begins exploring my body with her tongue. I want to object, but I have lost any remaining will power. I am now at her mercy. I am hers to do as she wishes.
"Katniss, what are.." I try again to ask her, but stumble across my words. She pulls back to look into my eyes.
"I love you Peeta; all I have wanted for the last few weeks was for us to go home together. I couldn't…I can't ever imagine a life without you, Peeta. You could lose both your legs, your arms, they could disfigure every inch of you and I would love you still. Because it's what is in here—" She lays her hand on my chest, "—that matters to me. I love YOU Peeta, only you."
There she goes again, blowing me away with her words.
I wrap my arms around her back, pulling her close to me, hugging her as tightly as I can. "I should get dressed. We have a big, big day tomorrow!" I snicker, forcing a smile on my face. We should get out of here before we get carried away, and besides, I want to cover my leg up. Stump. 'There is no leg anymore, Peeta.' I remind myself.
"Do you need any help?" She asks genuinely. My face flushes in embarrassment, but I look into her eyes with a smile.
"I think I can manage. I'll meet you out there?" I ask, nodding towards the door.
"Okay, but I'll just be right out there if you need me, okay?" She leaves the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Using my arms, and thankful for the years of chucking around hundred-pound bags of flour, I pull myself up and get dressed. I dry my hair with the towel and toss it over the curtain.
"Katniss?" In record time, she is at the door.
"Are you okay Peeta?"
"Could you…do you think you could help me to the bed? I... I need to let it breathe for a while."
She raises an eyebrow, eyeing me suspiciously. She always knows when I am lying to her, and now is no different.
'It has a listening device in it.' I tell her. She comes over to me, kneels down and I grab onto her shoulder, leaving my prosthesis in the bathroom for now. We make it to the bed and slide under the covers. With her back is against my chest, I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her closer, burrowing my face in the crook of her neck.
In this moment, all the world feels right.
"It doesn't gross you out?"
"What?"
"My leg…or well…what's left of it." She flips her body around to face me, cupping my face in her hands.
"Nothing could ever gross me out about you Peeta. Nothing." She whispers, looking straight into my eyes and then plants a kiss on my lips.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0
| Grace Undersee |
"Grace dear, do you have everything packed up?" Ric walks into my room with a smile on his face.
"Just about honey. What time are we leaving?" He looks down to his watch and scrunches his face up.
"The Victory Dinner is tonight with Katniss, Peeta, their families and Haymitch, so I believe first thing tomorrow morning."
"Okay, thank you Ric." I tell my husband.
Do you need any help?" Since we are leaving in the morning, I figured it would be strange if I did not pack a suitcase.
"No, I'm okay." I tell him.
"Okay, well yell if you need me. I'll be in the office."
"Thank you, sweetheart." And then he leaves, closing the door behind him.
I know we are not coming back, just like I know we are not actually going to The Capitol. Or maybe we will go to The Capitol, but not for this "experimental treatment". I know I will never see my daughter again, but I am relieved she was not instructed to come along with us. Madge will be okay, she is strong. She is a fighter, unlike me. She has so much of her aunt in her, and there are so many who love her here in Twelve. Yes, Madge will be fine.
Once my suitcase is packed and ready to go, I take a seat at my desk, pulling out some paper and a pen. I have already written Madge so many letters, but no amount of words ever seem to be enough. Three pages into my letter, there is a knock at my door.
"Come in." I yell to my visitor.
"You wanted to see me, Gracie?" Rose asks, poking her head through the door. I give her a smile and stand up, pushing my chair under the desk and stuffing the papers into my drawer.
"Yes, if you have a moment."
"Of course; I always have time for you." She beams at me. I do not know what Ric and I would have done all these years if it had not been for Rose. She is amazing beyond belief, going above and beyond her list of instructed duties. She has been more of a mother to Madge than I ever was, and I can never repay her for her kindness.
"Do you think we could go out on the dais?" I ask her, remembering where Ric said the surveillance was in our home.
"Sure, should I make some tea?"
"That sounds lovely, I will help you." We walk to the kitchen and Rose prepares the water for our tea. Once it is ready, she places the tea kettle and two cups onto a tray. We take a seat on the sofa and prepare our cups of tea.
I smile when I hear a beautiful melody emanating from throughout the house; Madge has been playing the piano for hours now.
"Gracie, what is wrong? You've got me anxious over here." She asks me, slurping her tea just a bit to make sure it does not burn her tongue.
"Rose...Ric and I . . . we will not be returning to Twelve." Rose looks at me suspiciously, but remains silent, allowing me to continue.
I tell Rose what happened, I tell her of my true identity and how my confession to Madge that one night has led up to the current events. That this "treatment" is likely a death sentence, and I do not foresee us returning. Rose pulls me into a hug, squeezing me tightly.
"Oh, Gracie, I am so sorry. It is no wonder . . .To carry that around for all of these years. What can I do?"
A tear escapes my eye at her question; this being the reason I requested to speak with her. "Rose, you have been so good to my family, to Madge...and . . .I feel horrible asking this of you, yet, you are the only one I trust."
"What is it? You know how much I love Madge and would do anything for that girl."
"Will you look after her once we are gone? Will you keep loving her and take care of her and be there for her? She is stubborn; that daughter of mine and she will refuse the help of others . . . Rose, will you promise me that you will keep an eye on her, keep her close. I don't have a way to pay you for this, and I know what I am asking is so much, but—"
Rose takes my hands into hers and looks into my eyes so seriously. "Gracie...you never needed to ask. Of course, I will watch over her as if she were my own. You have my word . . . but are you certain . . . perhaps—"
"I am certain, Rose."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0
| Katniss |
"I bet you guys are excited to get back home, tell me, what is the first thing you will do when you get to Twelve?" Caesar says, facing at the audience.
I cannot help the huge ear-splitting grin that overtakes my face. "I am going to hug my sister, my parents, and then my best friend. And . . . and thank her." I say with a grin, looking at Peeta.
"Thank her for what, may I ask?" Haymitch said we need to put on the performance of a lifetime, which is the ONLY reason I am sharing this with the world.
"For Peeta." Caesar cocks his head, bemused by my response.
"Can you elaborate for us, Katniss?"
I squirm in my seat, uncomfortable with what I am about to share. But it is necessary. "Well Caesar, you see, Peeta and I have been friends for a long time; as you know. It was only recently that I realized that I have actually been in love with him for almost as long as he has me. My best friend . . . well, we have this ritual every year . . . a girl's night." I am not giving them any details of our 'Reaping Night Ritual'. "She caught me looking at Peeta this one evening when he dropped some books off, and she kind of tricked me into telling her how I felt about Peeta. You see, II was going to tell him after the reaping, but then . . . well, they called my sister's name, and well, you know. After I volunteered, I decided not to tell him, but then Ma—my friend . . . she blurted it out to him when she was telling him goodbye after the reaping. So, if it wasn't for her, I probably would have never told him."
"AWWWEEEE" The crowd hums in unison.
"Isn't that the sweetest thing you've ever heard?" Caesar asks them, and they follow it up with an applause.
"Okay, I have one last question for you, Peeta, before we call it a night."
"Sure, Caesar." Peeta says, giving Caesar his most charming smile.
"Do you see wedding bells in the future? You finally "got the girl", now you need to make it official!" I am instantly frozen at Caesar's words, which leave a slight humming in my ears. I hear Peeta responding to Caesar's question, but I cannot tell what he says. Suddenly, my face feels flushed, I feel like my body is radiating this kind of heat and then I start seeing these floating, speckles that look like stars every which way I look, and then everything goes black.
A/N: If you know someone, or are someone with a prosthetic leg, I hope you will forgive the discrepancies between the information in my story versus "real life" facts. I did no research, so I am not even sure if my information is even slightly correct.
On another note, I just want to thank everyone who has travelled with me on this journey of "Changing the Game." I would not have come this far without you, my loyal and amazing readers! Your comments, responses, opinions, feedback, and questions truly mean the world to me! When I wake up and my inbox is full of comments, when I wake up and I see notifications that you guys are favoriting, following, and giving me kudo's...I cannot express the intense, euphoric levels of joy that consumes me! So...thank you for my constant high! (LOL)
Chapter 20 will be out next Friday! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!