Leevy, a girl who lived near us in the Seam, accompanies us home, filling me in on what happened along the way."From what I can tell, Thread caught her not far from the fence and made her empty her bag. All she had on her was a turkey and she said it must've gotten through the fence somehow and she just stabbed it. Couldn't prove she was lying. But apparently that is still a crime."
I exchange a nervous look with Madge. Thread might not have been hanging around the fence by accident. Maybe he was trying to catch Katniss doing something they could have her executed for, and he just got there late. Actually, that is most likely what happened. I start shaking again, bile rising in my throat. Leevy wraps an arm around my shoulder and I nod for her to continue telling me what happened.
"I have to go get something,"Madge suddenly blurts and, spinning on her heal, she runs into the opposite direction. I don't know what she's up to, but I can only hope she does nothing foolish. I turn to Leevy again."What happened to Darius?"
"After about twenty lashes, he stepped in, saying that was enough. Only he didn't do it smart and official, like Undersee and Purnia did. He grabbed Thread's arm and Thread hit him in the head with the butt of the whip. Nothing good waiting for him, I bet."
She's right, I think, swallowing hard. Nothing good seems to come from standing up for us Everdeens.
Finally, we step into Victor's Village. I turn to Rory."Can you get Haymitch? If he's asleep, just throw something at him. Don't get close enough to be grabbed, he always has a knife."
Rory nods and runs towards the other house while our procession moves towards mine. Mum opens the door and takes in the scene with a stony expression.
"New Head,"one of the miners carrying Darius offers. Mum just nods and ushers us all in. Outside, snow begins to fall.
In moments, the long kitchen table has been cleared, a sterile white cloth spread across it, and Katniss hoisted onto it. My mother pours water from a kettle into a basin while ordering me to pull a series of her remedies from the medicine cabinet. Dried herbs and tinctures and store-bought bottles. I watch her hands, the long, tapered fingers crumbling this, adding drops of that, into the basin. Soaking a cloth in the hot liquid as she gives me instructions to prepare a second brew. My hands are shaking so badly I don't know how Mum is doing this. This is Katniss we're trying to help. Katniss. But Mum's hands are as steady as ever. Only when I meet her eyes do I find the panic I am feeling.
"Someone go get snow and pack it on Darius's head,"my mother says and Leevy hastily obeys. The other people who helped carry my sister and the peacekeeper are slowly making their excuses and heading out. Not that I can blame them...
Haymitch and Rory come in, my mentor sucking in a deep breath at the sight of Katniss's back. Leevy returns and I hand her a piece of cloth for Darius's snow wrap, then telling her to get home – she doesn't need to be involved in this any more than she already is. Mum swats my hands away as I try to help her clean Katniss's wounds."You're shaking, sit down."
I can't help but obey. Haymitch surveys the room slowly."Anyone going to help bread boy?"
My eyes widen in shock. I can't believe I almost forgot about Taftan. He's standing of to one side silently, clutching his bleeding arm to his chest and staring at my sister's unconcious form in horror.
I get up and pull him to a chair, facing him away from Katniss on purpose. He protests as I move to get needle, thread and bandages."It's okay, I'm fine, I'm not your priority, I'm okay."
His jacket is soaked in blood by the time I can get him to let me look at his wound. The skin is split from his palm to his elbow and the cut is quite deep. Still, with him, my hands are as steady as with any other patient and I'm done before Mum is even halfway finished with arranging what skin can be saved on Katniss's back. There's a knock at the door and Rory goes to answer it, returning with Madge in tow. Her hair sticks to her face, wet from snow, and her cheeks are bright pink. She wastes no time in handing my mother a small vial."I couldn't get any more,"she says appologetically."We used a lot on Gale and I had to keep some for Mother... If we asked for more now, they'd know we'd used it on someone else, we should still have plenty left over since the last shipment -"
"Thank you, darling, I'm sure it'll be enough,"my mother cuts her of gently."Prim, would you make some tea for everyone? We could surely use it."
And with that, she disappears into her own little bubble, containing only her and Katniss.
After we've finished off the pot of tea, Darius slowly comes to. He's slightly dizzy and his head hurts, but he's more or less okay. We go through three more pots of tea – and Haymitch and Darius through half a bottle of liquor – before my mother checks the last bit of bandaging is properly secured, then she takes a step away from the table and sinks to her knees, sobbing hysterically.
I'm by her side in a second, my arms wrapped around her, my own tears flowing freely.
We stay on the floor for what must be close to an hour. The cold of the tiles is seeping into my legs and my knees hurt, but I can't help it, I couldn't move if my life depended on it. Mum stopped crying some time ago, but I can't. I just can't.
It isn't until there's another knock on the door that my head shoots up. My gaze instantly finds Haymitch and I know we're both thinking the same thing. Peacekeepers.
"They can't have her,"I say, panic rising in my chest. Haymitch gets up slowly."Might be they're here for you, kid."
"Or you,"Ireply, even though that makes no sense. Darius gets up aswell, his jaw set."I think you're both wrong. That'll be for me."
Before any of us can react, he leaves the room and opens the door. I get up as fast as my aching knees allow, following him. I arrive just in time to see Thread snap the handcuffs closed around Darius's wrist.
Before he allows them to drag him off, Darius's eyes lock with mine and he mouths three simple words at me."Make them pay."
)o(
Oh, Darius, my poor baby :( why do all the redheads get screwed over in Panem?