Hi everyone! So sorry to keep you waiting.. Some last minute plans came up and so I've been away from the internet since Sunday.. Sorry :(
This chapter is rather sad…. You have been warned. Grab a Kleenex or two cuz you may need them haha. Please enjoy this chapter as much as I did while writing it.
Suzanne Collins is my hero. She created my reason for obsession. I regret nothing.
xxxxx
I feel myself go stiff bracing for the impact of finding out my mother is dead.
"Hello, sweetie, I'm Faye, the woman you talked to on the phone yesterday." The plump lady reminded me. I now remember her as the one that had to tell me of the present situation. As it turns out I wasn't far off when I pictured her. She is a heavy set woman with gray hair from the many years life has thrown at her. Her eyes are soft and hold a rare kind of kindness in them, they remind me of a certain baker I used to know.
"Yes, I remember." I say coolly.
She walks over to me and slides the little table across from me closer, "Dear," she says as she sits down. "I'm sorry. Things aren't looking good for your mom. The infection has spread now to her lungs which we figured would happen. It's the last stage before," she pauses to collect her self. "Before the final goodbye." I nod my head in understanding because I'm afraid if I speak I won't be able to stop the screams.
"I'm going to allow you to see her one last time, okay?" Faye says. A couple tears fall down my face, but I am quick to brush them away.
Faye is no longer talking to me when she speaks, "Does she really need you two following her?" If I didn't know any better I would think Faye was angry with the situation. Effie, of course, speaks first. "Of course she does. She makes rash decisions that usually end up with someone dead." Even for Effie that was cold, but I don't let it get to me. Faye stands and in a few quick steps she is right in Effie's face which makes Effie all the more uncomfortable. "You listen," Faye says angrily. "This child saved all of us from the destruction looming over our heads. The least you can do to thank the poor girl is give her space and time to grieve. She doesn't even let herself cry because someone is constantly watching her every move!" Faye is shouting and I'm surprised. I never thought such a kind older lady that seems to bake more cookies than shout commands would stand up for me. Effie is stunned and doesn't say a word. She motions for the body guards to sit down. They do.
Faye comes back to me and offers a hand. I take it swiftly. We're walking as fast as we can to where my mother's room is.
"Thank you, Faye, for sticking up for me like that. You didn't have to."
"Nonsense sweetie. You have done far enough for me and the others and it was the least I could do as my thanks to you." My cheeks go pink because I don't want to be treated differently when I did so little and so many lives were lost. I let the thought go when we reach my mother's room. Faye stops us.
She turns me around to face her. "When you walk in those doors it won't be nice. Her infection has spread through her pores and they had to put her in a kind of quarantine. That means she is in a kind of clear box that is almost the size of the room. There is enough space for you to walk and see her, but I'm sorry, sweetheart, you can't go inside the box. She's too contagious. She also may have wires, I'm not sure. I wish I could tell you more and prepare you better." Faye looks sad, but still has the kindness in her eyes.
"You have done more than enough for me, thank you." I tell her. She gives my shoulders a squeeze and opens the doors. I walk through and the first thing I notice is the large clear box holding my mother inside. There is about five feet from my mother's bed to the box wall. Her left side is facing me and I see her chest going up and down heavily. She has some wires hooked up to her, but no tubes and I'm relieved for a moment. I put my hand to the glass and she looks over, knowing I'm there. I see her chest slow, the movements becoming harder. I begin to cry and press my forehead to the glass. I'm still looking at her and I see a few tears of her own slide down her face. This breaks my heart because she knows the end is coming.
Then my mother does something completely unexpected with the last bit of energy she has. She takes the three fingers of her left hand, brings them to her lips and extends her arm to me. With that her arm falls and I see her chest rise for the final time. She closes her eyes and exhales the last bit of air that will ever grace her lungs. I cry for her and pound on the glass with my fists.
"Mom!" I completely fall apart.
Whatever she was hooked up to is setting off a continual high pitched beep and won't stop. I know this signals her death. My mother, my last remaining family is dead. She now dances with my father and Prim. That thought sends me crumbling to the floor.
My world becomes set in slow motion as doctors blur by to get into the sealed container my mother's lifeless body lies in. Sobs send my body into convulsions and I'm soon going to fall to the floor because my body can't take anymore.
Just then before I fall over to be completely forgotten, a pair of familiar warm arms wrap around my body keeping me together. I can't believe who is here, it can't be possible. I don't want to be wrong so I don't look at anything and I keep my eyes tightly shut. One arm scoops up my shoulders and another is scooping up my legs. I'm in the air in a moment and out of the room. I feel the gentle sway of being carried for a while until I feel the person holding me sit in a chair. I have buried my face in their chest. I want to believe.
But I can't.
xxxxx
So that was super sad.. Her mother's last gift to her-the ultimate sign of love and respect and it was her last action. Review and tell me if your heart just completely broke at that moment.. or not lol it's okay if it didn't. But tell me! I want to hear from you all :) Who is the unidentified stranger? Can Katniss go on seeing this heartbreaking moment? Will there be a happy ending? Tell me what you think!