Happy Turkey Day! Anybody else excited to stuff their face tonight?

Chapter 16

I hear a gunshot then I watch Maple's lifeless body fall to the ground. Her head is opened and I can see her brains. Blood starts to puddle around her body. Kenyan and Jess try to run and help her but guards hold them back.

I wake up. I've been reliving this scene in my life every night for the past month now. You'd think I'd be able to get over it. The strange part is though is that it doesn't bother me as much as I feel it should. Yes, I keep seeing it, but I don't gag or cry over the thought of it. I shiver as I come to my conclusion: it feels normal; like it's just a part of everyday life.

I get out of bed and get dressed. Today is Friday. Prim gets up to. She pulls a dress out of a pile of clothes we brought over from my mothers room.

I haven't seen Mom since we were being held prisoners at the Capitol. It doesn't bug me though, I just feel relieved. I realize that might sound kind of harsh but it's true. If they killed her, she'd be put out of her misery and be with my dad again, however, if they're torturing her. I think about that for a while. She might laugh. She's been known to laugh when she cuts or burns herself in the kitchen; I've even seen her do it on purpose once.

Prim and I have a bowl of Cap'n Crunch. Prim takes a bite and frowns at it, "What's wrong Prim?"

"It doesn't taste the same," she sadly looks down at it and takes another bite.

"Yeah, I've noticed that too. It doesn't taste as… sweet."

We both take another bite, "It's just weird," she finally says. She finishes the cereal though and we head off to school.

Prim subconsciously grabs my hand and we walk to our first class. As usual, we avoid our lockers until the end of the day. The last few weeks we've been sent to the Capitol, but Prim hasn't been to Josh's house in a long while. I put in the combination for mine at the same time Prim does hers. I hold my breath as I open it…empty. I laugh hysterically, "There's nothing. I'm not going tonight!" I'm nearly yelling.

Prim laughs, "I've got nothing too."

We laugh for a while. Once we're done, it gets really quiet. I feel stupid for asking but I know I have to, "So… what do we do?"

"I don't know. When was the last time you got the weekend off?"

"Once two years ago."

"What did you do then?"

I blush in embarrassment, I hold my hand up to my face to muffle my words, "I got on the train."

She smiles, "Did I hear that right? Say it again, this time without the hand."

I look away, still blushing, "I got on the train."

She laughs hysterically, "Why?"

"I didn't know that no costume meant no work," I wait for her to finish laughing, "So when was the last time you had a free weekend?"

"Three years ago," she shuts her locker, "When I didn't work."

"You've never had a free day?"

She shakes her head, "Nope, not one."

"So what did you do on weekends before you started working?"

She thinks long and hard, "I played with Thresh," she looks down and twiddles her thumbs. She's feeling guilty.

"Do you miss him?" it's been almost two months since she came here. She looks up at me with her sad, blue eyes. Soon the tears start flowing. I take her into a hug and try to comfort her.

"I miss him so much," she blubbers into my chest.

"Well, we don't have anything else to do this weekend, what do you say we pay him a visit?"

She wipes her tears and nods. Almost as soon as she wipes them away they return, "But they took your mom, what if they took him too?"

"I can call before we leave, would that be good?"

Again she nods, "Yeah that would be good."

We walk home in silence. Prim rests her head on my shoulder. As soon as we get to the house she goes to take a nap. I dial Prim's old home number into my phone. I wait patiently as it rings. One ring. Two rings. Three rings. I'm starting to get nervous but then the phone picks up, "Hello?"

"Hi, um, strange question, but may I ask who I've called?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess. You've called the Mellark household."

"Is this Thresh?"

"Yeah it is, why?"

"I'm sorry, but are your parents around?"

Silence. After a second or two he speaks again, "Um, no. They've been… out of town."

"Thresh, I'm sorry to ask you this but how long have they been gone?"

"About a month."

Crap, "So you've been home alone this whole time?"

"Yeah, well I've gone to some friends' houses and stuff. My parents are coming home soon right?"

"We're going to be coming very shortly."

"Wait, who are you?" Before I can answer his question I hang up. I look at the phone for a while deciding if I should call him back or not. I decide not to.

I sit at the kitchen counter for about twenty minutes. Finally, Prim comes out of my bedroom, "Well?"

"Thresh is there."

"And my parents?" I look down at my hands, "Oh, oh I see. Ok so um," I can tell that she's trying to hold back her tears, "So how are we supposed to get there?" Her voice finally cracks and she's crying. I hold her and stroke her hair gently.

Once she's finally quieted I say, "You know, we don't have to go. We can wait until next weekend and just get off in twelve with the train."

"No, we have to go this weekend. I can't leave him alone any longer."

"Then we can hop on with the returning train or find some one with a hover car."

"Do you know anybody with a car."

I cross my arms and frown. I probably look like a two-year-old, "Yes."

"Well? Who is it?"

I continue to pout, "Lucy."

Prim laughs, "This is going to be easier than I thought."

Kind of short, but I still want reviews. By the way, did anybody understand Prim's joke because I'm not sure how clear it really was.