And again, Catnip, I'm afraid. Not for myself. I don't care about the pain. But they can't kill me. I didn't teach Rory how to hunt; well, he does hunt, but I'm not sure if he can feed our family. And how about Prim? I have to take care of her. Two peacekeepers grab my arms and drag me to the center of the square. It's different now. How could I know seen this when I was coming home? There's a wooden post in the center of the square, and the people are opening the window of their houses to know what's going on. My mom didn't come, but Rory is there. She probably stayed with Posy and Vick at home. She wouldn't want them to see what was going to happen. But I see Mrs. Everdeen, with Prim by her side. And I also see people getting to watch what was going to happen. I search for Cray. He's kind of a friend of mine. He could stop this, if he wanted to. But I can't find him, and the crown gets bigger and bigger. People from the Seam, people from the city, I even get a glimp of Madge.
The new peacekeepers bond my hands in the post, and all I can face it's the wood. It's an uncomfortable position, but this is not what I'm worried about. The peacekeeper begins to talk, but I'm not listening. I'm sorry, Catnip. I failed you. I feel a movement behind me, and I prepare myself for what's going to happen. I feel the whip hit my back, and I hold down my scream. I won't scream. They won't see me cry. They won't hear me scream. I will not bow to them. They took you away. I would get whipped a hundred times if needed, but I will not bow to them.
Another lash and I hold my scream again. Its hurts, Catnip. I feel the warm blood runs through my back, and my whole body is aching.
Another one. I don't scream. I won't scream. You didn't cried at the Reaping, I won't scream today. I'll be as strong as you were.
Another lash. I don't know it is the third one or the thirty. I've lost count already. I feel the blood dripping from my back, and the rope cutting my wrist.
Lash. Maybe I should scream. Maybe I should give up. I don't have you anymore, I could die. I could go away, I could be with you, I don't care.
Another one, and I hope it's the last. I know I'll break anytime soon. I fall to my knees, I can't stand on my feet anymore.
"Stop!" I hear a boy's voice screaming. "Stop it, you'll kill him!"
And everything goes black.
Am I going crazy, Catnip? Everything is so confuse. I see little white lights in my vision, but the darkness is the main part. My back hurts. Why does it hurt? No. It doesn't hurt, it burns. I wanna scream, it hurts like hell. Slowly I recover my vision. I'm at Mrs. Everdeen's house, laying on the couch. I look around, I search for you. But you aren't there. My mom isn't there either, she's probably working, but he have Rory sitting on the floor, talking in a low tone with Prim, and they both don't notice that I'm awake. Mrs. Everdeen is gathering some herbs, I think it's for my back. And I also see someone that I didn't expect to. Mellark boy.
"Where's Catnip?" I ask. You're probably in the woods, right? You'll get home soon. I know you will. Those two words makes everyone in the room look at me, with a worried look. No one was the guts to answer. "So, where's she?" I ask again.
"She's… She is dead." The Mellark boy answer, looking miserable.
And then it hit me. You went to the games. You died. You're gone. The peacekeepers got into District 12. And I was the first person they decided to punish. I close my eyes again.
"Gale?" Rory calls, quietly. I grunt in answer. "You… You have two weeks free."
"That's good." I whisper. At least I will have two weeks free of that freaking mines.
"And… And I kinda…"
"You kind of what?" I ask in a rude tone.
"Took out some tesserae."
"You did what?" I ask, trying to sit down, but the pain fills up my body, that I lay down again.
"I had to. The Reaping is two weeks ago, and, well, you can't work."
"I could hunt or…" I whisper, trying to hard not to faint.
"The fence is on." I grunt again, closing my eyes.
"Leave him now, Rory, he needs to sleep."
Your sister is right, Catnip. I do need to sleep. Forever.
I'm not really proud of this chapter, and it's really short, but well, it's the best I can do. I'm not good with physical pain.