Finally got a chapter written up! Let me know what you think!
Chapter 3:
"Katniss, I know you're there!" Peeta's voice said a few feet away from where I hid behind a tree. I was in the Hunger Games again. The 74th one…all over again.
I kept myself hidden, willing him in my head to move on. Which he didn't. He wasn't here to help me. He was here to kill me.
The sword he held in his hand glinted red in the sunlight. It glinted red just like his eyes did.
My throat closed up as I tried to keep from screaming.
As if he knew where I was hiding Peeta was there, leering over me with a sneer. "There you are, Katniss."
I screamed and bolted into a run. He was in too close proximity for me to shoot with an arrow. My only option was to run as fast as possible and not stop no matter what.
"Katniss! Katniss!" It was a familiar voice and it belonged to Haymitch…but he didn't belong in the arena. How could he be there with me?
"Haymitch?!" I screamed. I knew I had to be hallucinating. I heard him but didn't see him anywhere.
It was then something small hit me. I realized it was a jabberjay. Out of nowhere came hundreds. They were all screaming and they all sounded like Haymitch.
I screamed and covered my face. I fell on my face to the ground. Getting distracted by the birds that I had almost forgotten that Peeta was chasing me from behind. I remembered when I felt his sword plunge into my back.
I knew I was dreaming but I couldn't seem to wake up from the nightmare. The birds kept pecking and screaming. They wouldn't go away. Peeta wouldn't go away. The pain wouldn't go away.
"No!" I heard a scream in the distance and realized with a start it was my own. I fought to get my eyes open but they stayed glued shut.
"Katniss!" It was the jabberjay again, calling me. I felt something touch me. A feather? No a human hand. This wasn't part of the horrible dream. It couldn't be.
"Katniss, wake up sweetheart." It was the real Haymitch. He was here. He had come back for me.
I found my eyes could open now but I kept them shut.
Haymitch sat beside me and gingerly held me, stroking my hair and saying soothing sweet nothings.
I pretended to not be awake. Once I was awake I knew we'd be back to bickering and fighting. I wanted this moment to last. It was important to me. I didn't know why I just needed this moment to last.
I laughed softly in my head. I must be starving for human companionship. Me wanting Haymitch, my old mentor to hold me and comfort me? He made me feel safer. It was laughable. I knew if Haymitch knew what I was thinking he would be laughing to. He was only doing it to comfort me nothing more. If he knew I was awake he would probably leave me.
Haymitch stroked the side of my cheek, "I know you're awake. You're a terrible actress."
I didn't move, feeling embarrassed. What must he think of me?
I opened my eyes and found myself staring up into his.
Haymitch let go of me but didn't move from his spot on the couch. "You were having a nightmare." He sounded like was defending himself on why he had been cradling me in his arms. Almost as if he expected me to be mad.
I wasn't mad at all.
I was still scared and was shaking over the silly nightmare like a leaf. I gripped his arm at the memory of it.
He looked down at me strangely as if I had lost my head. Maybe it was because I was holding onto him like this.
After a while he seemed to be more comfortable with me clinging to him and he began rubbing my back soothingly.
A sudden thought came to me and I had to ask after I calmed down a little. "Haymitch, what were you doing in my kitchen so late last night?"
He cleared his throat and his hand stilled its soothing pattern on my back. "I…" he trailed off.
I sat up and scooted away from him while staring at him expectantly.
Haymitch sighed and ran a hand through his blonde hair. "Okay, I ran out of whiskey. I thought maybe you had some stashed away."
I crossed my arms. "Even if I did have some stashed somewhere it would be where you could never find it because I know how you are." I acted mad at him but I couldn't be even if I tried. I was alive right now only because he had been snooping for booze.
Haymitch looked away. "I know."
I took his hand and he looked back at me almost confused. "Thank you for being here for me. Even if it was only so you could get my booze."
He gave a small half hearted smile and then made to get.
Before I even thought about what I was doing I grabbed him and pulled him down to me and kissed him.
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