Chapter 8
Hello everyone, I hope you're all well rested and taking care of yourselves. This chapter and the ones ahead are pretty big for me, and I hope I can creatively and concisely convey the ideas in my head. Please feel free to leave any feedback, and as always I hope you all enjoy it.
Drink plenty of water, let your eyes see sunlight first thing in the morning, and try to be as active as you can mentally manage!
Special thank you to my beta reader xrae81, and all of the people that have reviewed or liked this story! (Like B-I-TW4Ever)
Viraha (Hindi) - The realization of love through separation.
After Gale spilled the news of District 12's fate, I was given some new clothes and allowed to go see my family. It turns out that the rebellion is mainly underground, and many of the survivors from my District live here now.
Prim and my mother greeted me outside the infirmary with warm hugs and choked words about how they're happy to see me alive. I had to fight back my own tears, knowing that more than once in that arena I had accepted that I'd never see them again. It was even a relief to see that Buttercup, Prim's mangy old orange cat, had somehow survived everything and made it here with them.
I had only been with them for a few minutes when I was summoned by Gale, saying "President Coin wants to see you..", with a look of guilt. He's wearing a similar outfit to what I was given to wear, a black pair of utility pants and long-sleeved black t-shirt. Except he has a bulletproof vest on and a gun on his hip. I gave my family a reassuring smile before turning and following Gale away from them. He led me down a corridor and out into the main area of this floor, which has a large circular shape, and in the center there's a pretty sizable hole that goes down and up several stories. Thick cables and contraptions fill the very center of the hole, leading to the top floor. The walls are mostly made of rock and it's apparent that we're underground. We finally make it to an old elevator shaft, and when we get there he presses the only available button. As the elevator comes down, I can hear the metal groaning and screeching, as well as feel the rumbling it caused.
I just gave him a wary side-eye, and he chuckled lightly before the elevator arrived on our level, which was apparently level 4. We both stepped onto the platform and to my surprise there weren't buttons to press, but switches to flip. He flipped a switch at the top right that was next to last, and the elevator began to ascend quickly. There was a small glass window on each elevator door, and I tried to count the amount of floors we passed as they zoomed by. He turned to look at me and the light of the passing levels illuminated his face as he spoke, "Katniss, I know Peeta getting taken has been hard on you, but you've changed everything for us. You started something the day you volunteered for Prim, and you made that something a reality in the Quarter Quell when you destroyed that arena." He turns back towards the doors before continuing. "We've actually been able to make progress. I know you want to get Peeta back, but don't forget the big picture here." His face is stern and he looks at me to confirm I understand.
His words only manage to anger me, and I roll my eyes as I bite back the flurry of hateful words I wanted to spew. I know it won't do any good, and we probably don't have much time left in this elevator to argue. "It's not just about Peeta, Gale. It's Johanna and Annie too, and anyone else they may have held prisoner. Any progress that has been made was only possible because of them. So, sorry, but I'm not just going to give up on getting them back." There's a bite to my last sentence and right as I'm done talking, the elevator dings and the doors open quickly, as if they no longer wanted to house the tension within.
I step out ahead of Gale and begin stomping forward without even registering that I don't know where I'm going. I look around at the giant donut of a level and I can see a staircase in the distance against a far wall, leading to a rather large wooden door with small silver filigree adorning the edges. 'Well if it's anywhere, it's probably there.' I keep walking towards it while Gale awkwardly stumbles after me. I know I shouldn't snap at him, but I can't help thinking that this is all about how he has this idea in his head that I love Peeta. Even though I had previously revealed to him that our relationship was a sham for the cameras, he was so jealous that he didn't believe me, apparently. How frustrating it is that he thinks I'm so caught up in the loss of Peeta alone that I can't grasp the "big picture". 'I practically took the picture for goodness sake!'
I make it to the base of the stairs but before I begin climbing them he reaches out and grabs my arm. "Katniss…I'm sorry. I don't mean to insinuate that you don't care about the others or what's going on out there." He glances up towards the door, "Just…don't argue too much. With Coin, I mean. She's harsh, and she wants to win this war more than any of us I think." He lets go of my arm before passing me and walking up the staircase. I take a collective breath then follow after him and when we get to the top he knocks five times on the door in a funny way. I'm assuming it's code to say 'It's someone you're expecting'. The door opens to reveal Plutarch, who smiles and opens the door further, motioning for me to come in.
Stepping in I can see a woman with long straight gray hair watching a large screen at the forefront of the room. On the screen is footage of what I'm assuming are recent battlezones. There's a big round table with lots of chairs surrounding it and Plutarch gently leads me over to one of the seats. I look behind me and watch as the doors close with Gale's form behind them, giving me one last little wave before he disappears. Coin turns around and delivers what I'm sure she thought was a warm smile, but I could see the frost at the corners.
"Well, well. It's good to finally be meeting the mockingjay herself. As I'm sure you know, I'm Alma Coin. I was once President of District 13 before leading the rebellion. Like 12, 13 was another district known for mining, once upon a time, and that's why all of this is underground." She gestures with her hands around her. "We use this underground city of sorts as a base for the rebellion, and have for a long time." She takes a few steps forward and sits in a chair opposite from me across the table.
"That's interesting. Now, have there been any attempts to rescue Johanna or the others yet? If so, when was the last time and what happened? When do we plan on trying to save them again?" I fire off all of these questions in my built-up impatience to know the situation. Her eyes widen in surprise at the use of Johanna's name instead of Peetas, but she doesn't comment on it.
"We have…attempted… to retrieve your cohorts once before now. Security around the Capitol is just too tight, we would suffer a grave many losses. And for what? I'm sorry, but their lives aren't worth more than anyone else's." She lifts her chin with an air of haughtiness.
I clench my teeth to remain calm, and try to think of what would best sway her. "They are the whole reason I was able to make it out and continue doing what you all wish, being a pawn to sway the people for this rebellion. They have influence too, as victors from their districts. Rescuing them would ensure that more people would get behind our cause. It would also ensure that I fully get behind our cause. So, I would argue that their lives are worth many." I cross my arms in a defensive posture.
Coin lifts an eyebrow at me and smirks before her rebuttal. "Well, actually, Annie being from District 4 would do nothing since we already have Finnick. Then, Peeta is from District 12, and once again we already have you, a victor from 12, so there's really not much I can see him doing. Now Johanna…Johanna may actually be worth saving, if only to completely rally District 7 to our cause. They still show a hesitancy to fully fight with us, though I'm not sure why." She leans back in her chair and scowls down her nose at me as she continues, "Though even if we were to attempt this mission, it would take at least two weeks to prepare the supplies and troops needed to fully execute it. And though we knew you'd bring that up, that's not why you were summoned here today." She looks to Plutarch, who was sitting in the chair next to me, and he immediately stands and goes to retrieve something from a crate in the corner. He comes back with a black vest like Gale had and a key card. He grins as he places the items on the table and slides them towards me, then says "The key card is for your room, it has the number on it. The curfew is at 10:00 pm, meals are at 6:00 am and 6:00 pm, you're not allowed to go above ground without permission, and your training begins tomorrow. Before you go to the training area, you'll need to go see Beetee, he has something for you"
"Training?" I blurt out, equal parts excitement and anxiety swirling in my chest.
Coin clasps her hands together with her elbows on the table. "Yes Katniss, training. You've proven that you have potential as a warrior in the games. Now we'll see how you fare in a real life war." She stands up and slowly starts making her way around the room with her hands behind her back. "We will mainly be using you for propos to air to the capitol and the remaining people in the districts, but if you can truly show a consistent ability to follow orders, to be a pawn as you say, then we will consider sending you on the mission to retrieve your…fiancé…and friends." The smile that grows on her face as she rounds the table is one of carefully concealed malice, and her eyes are studying me for any reaction. 'Well at least she's honest about just wanting to use me…hopefully she's also being honest about letting me go on the mission.'
I fix my face and nod before muttering "Okay, I understand and I agree."
She claps her hands together, "I'm glad, Katniss. You know, we're not so different, you and I. We both want Snow to pay for all he's done, and we desire a better future for all of Panem." She has a secretive glint in her eye as she speaks the last part, and my instincts tell me to beware the undertone. I decide not to respond, because I know from experience that whatever I could think to say would just get me in trouble. I nod again in finality before I stand and turn towards the items on the table. Plutarch grabs the key card and holds it out in his hands while I pick up the vest, "Your room is in a small sector of these mines that we've set aside for the victors and their families only. We couldn't give you all any special treatment beyond this, and what Beetee still has to give you, but we did what we could." He gives me a reassuring smile and I take the keycard out of his hands. I give him a smile that really comes off more as a grimace, and I turn on my heel to leave.
Right as I make it to the door I'm stopped by Coin's voice behind me. "Oh, Katniss?" I turn my head in acknowledgement for her to continue. "Be ready tomorrow for your first propo, all of Panem is going to see it." She smiles before turning around and walking away.
After the doors close behind me, I make my way down the stairs and look at the keycard for the number of my room. It says '769'. I look up and around the giant circular level that I'm on, searching for a floor number, when I hear a familiar gruff tone resound next to me.
"You're currently on the 13th floor, funny right? C'mon sweetheart I'll show you to the elevator. Your room is only a few doors down from mine!" Haymitch flashes me his signature shit-eating grin as he pushes off the wall he was leaning on, and I roll my eyes but fall in pace comfortably beside him while we walk.
"So, exactly how long has it been since the arena fell?" There's been so many moments of black outs and days of unconscious recovery that my memory right now is shoddy.
"It's been about a week and three days since. District 12 was bombed barely an hour after you destroyed the arena. Districts 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, and the survivors of 12 have expressed their intent to aid the rebellion. However, 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 10 are undecided, with some of 'em wishing to remain neutral, like 3, and others are either choosing to side with the Capitol, like 1 and 2, or in need of more convincing, like 7 and 10." We make it to the elevator and he presses the button to initiate its ascent to us before looking around dodgily. I wait until it arrives and the doors open for us to step inside before I ask quietly "What is it that 7 and 10 need convincing of? Surely they're tired of living under the Capitol's repression like we all are?" I have a puzzled look on my face when I ask this, and he frowns then makes a 'tut' noise with his tongue and teeth while the doors close. He flicks the switch to floor 7, and the elevator begins its noisy lowering.
"Of course they are Katniss, but in their eyes, who's to say Coin is any better than Snow? Look, she's been around a long time, and it's no secret that she wants to become the new leader of the districts." He leans back against the wall and sighs. I feel lighter in weight due to the elevator's descent and having less force on my legs from the floor. I can tell he's not done so I wait for him to finish.
"But that'll be where you come in. They want you to be the factor that sways the districts in our favor. Honestly, sometimes it feels like we've only just picked the lesser of two evils, but I'd rather have some change than none at all. If you succeed, we'll have a better chance at winnin' this thing, and we'll worry about what comes next when we get there."
I consider what he's said as the floors flash by the windows and the metal grinding noises and clicking fill the space. "I agreed to be her propo puppet and follow orders in exchange for the chance to be on the team that goes to rescue Peeta and the others in a few weeks. I don't really care what her secret agenda is. I just want Snow dead, and when that time comes if she intends on replacing him then she can die too…we deserve to be free, Haymitch. We've sacrificed too much not to be." My voice cracks a bit under the pressure of my emotions, but I keep it together.
"Well, I agree with you there, sweetheart." He smiles a real smile at me and I return it as we spend the last few seconds of the ride in silence. He doesn't speak again until we make it to the corridor where all of our rooms are. It's a long hall like a cave and there's a door on each side every four meters or so, with odd numbers on the left and even numbers on the right. "Welp, here's where I leave you. My room is 773 if you ever need anything. Nobody occupies 771 next to you yet. I had them save that one just in case we get someone new." He winks before continuing, "Your mom and Prim are across the hall from you in 770. Get you some rest, you're gonna need it for tomorrow." With that he turns and stalks off back to who knows where.
I use the keycard on the security pad fixed to the mid-left of the door and a green light flashes. I open the door and step inside. The first thing I notice is a twin sized bed with white sheets and a dark green blanket, then a small wooden chair and desk with a lamp and alarm clock on it, the time reading 9:33 pm. There's also a little square in the corner with a toilet, surrounded by glass walls that reach the ceiling where a vent is. Lastly there's a full-length mirror attached to a closet door. 'Honestly, this is better than I expected.'
I close the door behind me and throw the bullet-proof vest onto the desk before letting myself fall halfway onto the bed. I kick my black boots off and use my feet to leverage myself all the way up to the pillow. A long exhale escapes my lips and I close my eyes to soak in the quiet of this room. This is the first real moment alone where I've been left to my thoughts since before the Quell.
How did this happen? I was the only person who didn't know about the plan that apparently revolved around me in the games. Thinking about all of the odd moments and times where the word "ally" was pushed so hard, where they dismissed my confusion to their strange actions, how Johanna protected me several times and risked her life for me…it all makes sense now. What doesn't make sense is why neither Johanna nor Peeta cut their trackers out and got rescued. I remember her hitting me in the back of the head and straddling me to cut out my tracker, right after I realized that we were being ambushed.
I felt so betrayed in that moment, believing that Johanna really had ill intent. The guilt causes my chest to tighten, and I reach towards my sternum to grab a fistful of my shirt, as if I could grab a hold of the feeling itself and crush it.
Did she fight whoever it was that cut the wire? How do we know she's even alive? The memory comes to me like rain on a sweltering day. The memory of Johanna standing below me as I'm pulled up into the aircraft. Of her reaching out for me, smiling and laughing. I'm soothed by this thought, knowing that even though she's in the Capitol's clutches, she's alive.
Yet, the treatment she's probably been receiving since being there is most likely horrid. I don't want to imagine the torture they're putting her through, but I know I can't pretend like she's eating cake and sleeping on satin sheets every night just because it makes me feel better.
'I miss her…'
I allow myself this thought and I can feel the beginnings of salty tears sting my eyes. I can't stop my mind from replaying all of those moments in the arena where we grew closer, as well as all of the times I was closed-off and paranoid. Johanna's words ring in my ears, haunting my waking mind.
"I got them out for you!"
" You know, Beetee had his reasons for separating us like he did"
"He can't hurt me…there's no one left that I love."
I cling to the last memory, torn between sadness over the words and hoping that they're true. Hoping that Snow really can't hurt her. Physically, yes, there's no doubt they would be hurting her, but mentally? They say mental abuse or trauma is much more difficult to deal with than physical, and I can attest to that from being in the games.
I know that she's a strong, resilient woman. I try to imagine that there's nothing they could use against her to mentally torture her.
The tears spill over and fall onto my pillow.
I have to forcibly change my thought trajectory to something useful, or at least more positive. I remember that I have to record a propo tomorrow, and thinking about going above ground again brings a bit of excitement that begins to replace the pain. I don't even remove my clothes, I just maneuver myself beneath the blanket and onto my left side. Closing my eyes, I drift off to the memory of walking along the beach, brushing hands.
…
When I wake up the next morning, it's to the alarm clock squawking incessantly and loudly. I throw the blanket off of me and stumble over to turn it off, the screen flashing 5:30 am. As soon as the noise ceases, the memory of Wiress repeating "Tick tock, tick tock" on the beach comes unbidden to my mind. Followed by the image of her getting stabbed by Gloss before falling into the water. I grab my head and squeeze my eyes shut, keeling over on the floor while I try to push the memories out. 'No! No…not today. I can't let this get to me today. I have to appear strong. Not weak and vulnerable like this!'
There's a sudden knock on my door that helps break me free from the self-torment. I stand up and brush myself off before going to the door and opening it. It's Prim, and she's grinning widely. "Breakfast goes pretty fast, so you might want to go ahead and get ready. Though it sort of looks like you already are." She eyes my disheveled appearance in the uniform I was given yesterday.
"Yeah? Well, I'm as ready as I can be for today. Who needs to shower? Not me. I'm so ready, I'm ready spaghetti. Ready confetti. Ready…teddy?" I internally roll my eyes at how stupid that sounded.
"Wow, you sound so ready…" she's hiding a smirk behind her hand, and her sarcasm is palpable, "certainly not nervous in any way about today".
I stick my tongue out at her and turn to put on my black socks and boots. She waits patiently by the door, and I look up to see our mother behind her. She gives a soft smile and says "I'm going on ahead, I'll see you two there.", before she turns and walks towards the elevator or stairs, I'm not sure which. I can't imagine the elevators are very free around breakfast time.
I finish tying my shoes and reach to pick up the vest that I'm meant to wear for training. I give myself a once-over in the mirror before turning to walk out the door with Prim. I don't exactly look chipper and full of life, and I let out a sigh as we go down the hallway. Prim speaks up before I can get too lost in my head. "It's going to be okay, Katniss. Gale says that training is rough but doable, and for the propo I know you'll do great. The people believe in you, just be yourself." I look over at her as we walk, and I can't help but to put my hand out and ruffle her hair a bit.
"When did you get so wise, huh?" She pushes my hand away and scoffs playfully. I change my tone to something more serious. "So tell me, what have you been doing since you and mom came here?" I don't say 'Since 12 was destroyed', because I don't want to bring up any more tragic feelings right now.
"I've been training in the infirmary as a medic. When the training is over, I'll be heading above ground to be a field medic." She looks away as she says this, and it's probably because she knows I wouldn't approve of her being in the fray. She leads me to the stairs and we begin the descent to floor 5.
"I don't understand, why can't you just stay as a medic in the infirmary?" I'm one step above and behind her, and she runs her hand along the railing as she says "Because, I'm young and I move fast. They want people who are going to be able to help as many injured as possible, as quickly as possible. Plus, it's not like there are a ton of people lining up to be medics right now. I'm one of only ten other apprentices in the infirmary." By the time she's finished speaking, we've made it to floor 5 and push through the doors that lead to the main floor. We meld with the throng of other people heading to the same place. We go around the circular floor, and unlike the other floors in which there are many hallways and caverns that branch off around the circle - akin to a sun drawing, this level has a large open space on one side with long tables and booths scattered about.
We file in line to wait for our breakfast, and I lean to my right to try and get a peak at what they're serving. "So why does nobody want to be a medic? Also, is the food any good here?" It's just now occurred to me that I haven't eaten a proper meal since before the games, and that all the time I spent unconscious I was probably fed a minimal liquid diet. I'm starving.
"Because medics see the horrors up close and personal. They have to deal with the inability to help someone who's screaming for their mother as you try to choose which limb to cauterize out of the two that are missing before they bleed out." Her eyes are downcast while she speaks, and I can tell she's already seen more than someone her age should ever see. Suddenly, my appetite has taken a sour turn.
I stay silent as I contemplate what she's said. I don't love the idea of Prim being out in the warzones, risking her life, but without people like her the rebellion would be nonexistent. I'm brought back from my thoughts by her small, dainty voice, "Also, don't get your hopes up too much about the food. It's more about quantity over quality."
I can tell she wants our conversation and time together to remain somewhat lighthearted, so I let the matter go for now. I internally resolve to speak with Coin the next time I have something of leverage and see if I can keep Prim off of the front lines.
I see our mother close to the front of the line, so she receives her food long before we do. After ten minutes or so we make it to the front and grab our trays. Prim was right, the food that was hastily dropped onto my tray was some form of rice and goop mixture. It was a tan brown and it didn't smell or taste like much of anything. We were given one small roll to go along with it, as well as a decent cup of water. I follow Prim to a table closest to the cavern walls, and on the way our mother passes us by, telling us that she regrettably has to leave early to get to her shift at the infirmary. We sit near the end of the table after saying goodbye, and I take notice of our surroundings. There are small lights on strings hanging above us, and the chatter filling the space is like a white noise. It's actually kind of charming.
We sit and make light conversation for a while until we finish our food, which is twenty minutes later. Prim sets down her utensils and says "Training is at 7 am…you still have time to see Beetee before you go. He's probably in the lab on floor 6". She looks at me like she already knows what's going to happen. And she just might, with how many people adore and trust her. Johanna's words flash through my brain, "The whole country loves your sister…if they hurt her…forget the districts, there would be riots in the damn Capitol."
I allow myself a tiny smile as I reply "Thank you, all-knowing-one-Prim. Will I be seeing you for dinner later?" I smother my words in a funny tone as if to convey that I'm just her humble servant. She laughs brightly, then allows her face to twist into a slight grimace. "Sorry Katniss, I have to take a shift tonight in the infirmary. Mom usually just saves me a portion on nights like these." She looks guilty, but I don't want her to get down on herself, and I don't want to ask why they need someone to take shifts so badly.
"That's okay, I'm sure I'll see you soon." I reach across the table to squeeze her hand, before I put on my best reassuring smile and stand to leave. She nods once and returns the smile, and I head to the staircase.
When I make it to floor 6, I register the difference in the style of the level. There are more steel panels along the walls than on other floors, as well as big steel doors with tiny windows in a small section. There are vents leading away from the individual hallways and up through the walls and ceiling. Thankfully there is extra signage along the railings and walls, with writings like "Quarantine", "Weapons Laboratory", "Chemical Laboratory", and "Instrument Room", among others. I walk in the direction of the arrow for the weapons lab, and when I get closer I see it's a long hallway, reminiscent of the one where our rooms are, but much more sterile and unnatural. With blaring ceiling lights above and straight man-made walls and floors all the way down. There's a man in a lab coat standing at a desk near the hall entrance. He's got tattoos on his hands and he has several piercings in his ears, but all of the jewelry seems to be silicone or wood. His name tag reads "Medna". He looks up at me from what appears to be a book of some sort. "Hello, do you need something?" He quirks a brow at me.
"Yes, I'm here to see Beetee Latier, in the weapons lab."
His expression switches to one of recognition. "Oh yes, I was expecting you. Before you can go in, I need you to step into the sanitization chamber. You'll be sprayed with a light mist that will make sure you or your clothes aren't carrying any harmful microbes or chemicals that would cause problems in the lab." He stands and gestures towards a large tube to the right of the hallway. It has a glass door and a grated floor.
I can feel the nerves shoot out of my chest and into my hands at the thought of getting in a closed tight space, surrounded by a mist. I just nod and slowly walk towards the giant contraption. He comes up next to me and gives me a mask to put on, along with some goggles.
I put on the gear and step into the chamber while he closes the door behind me and walks to the left side of the machine. He presses some buttons and I can hear a hissing begin below me, startling me at first. My breathing picks up and I'm doing everything I can not to panic. I know this isn't a dire situation, but the memory of the fog swallowing Mags, of it rolling down the hill towards me as I accepted my death, is hard to fight off.
'It's fine. Just close your eyes and think about…about a time when you were in a closed space and everything turned out okay.' I struggle to get my mind to do my bidding, but then it hits me like a pickaxe on rock.
The elevator. When Johanna came into the elevator and started stripping. This memory certainly works to elicit a different feeling in me. The way she held eye contact with me as she stood there, exposed for us all to see. Yet, I wouldn't allow myself to look down, only continuing to hold the intense stare-off that she started. But I could see…in my peripheral vision…I could see the beautiful swerve of her hips and her toned legs. Her full breasts beneath distinct collarbones, begging me to look. It was beyond difficult to keep my gaze steady, wishing I could gorge myself on the details. Replaying that memory prompts goosebumps to form on my arms, and a heat simmers in my belly.
That moment had me questioning how I could have ever thought I was straight.
All of a sudden a loud whirring noise starts up and the mist is completely vacuumed out of the chamber while fresh air is pumped in. Once it stops, the doors open and Medna is standing there holding a clipboard with a polite smile. "You're all set, Ms. Everdeen. The door you're looking for is 622, it will read "Weapons Lab", so you can't miss it."
I step out on slightly shaky legs, and say "Thank you, Medna", dipping my head to hide my blush, before heading down the hallway. I only have to walk past four or five doors before the weapons lab comes into view. I press down on the handle of the door and push it open.
Standing at the end of the room, leaning on a wall is Finnick. And he was talking to Beetee, who's in a wheelchair. They both turn their heads when I walk in, however, and I give a little wave as I take a few more steps inside.
Beetee speaks first, but they both smile winningly at me. "Well, well. I thought you'd never arrive, but I'm glad you did, it's good to see you." He grabs the wheels of his chair and propels himself forward, and Finnick isn't far behind him as he says "Katniss! I agree it's good to see you" He stops and plays with his own fingers nervously, "I know you were upset with us about keeping things from you in the games, but they really pressed on us not to say anything. Johanna knew even less than we did. I hope you can come to forgive us." His eyebrows are upturned and he looks so pitiful I can't help but roll my eyes. The information about Johanna was like a gem in a cart of coal.
"I do forgive you, both of you. I just wish there would've been another way that I could have known, and maybe Johanna and Peeta…and Annie…wouldn't have gotten taken." They both look chastised, and I decide to spare them any further mileage on this guilt trip.
"So look, I know you've got something for me, but I only have about twenty minutes left until I have to be at training. I need to ask you both some questions about that last day in the arena, and I want honest answers." They turn to look at each other with silent communication before nodding at one another, then me. I'm relieved that they don't have any kind of argument to make.
"Okay, to start, what in the hell happened? Where did Finnick and Peeta go after Johanna and I left? When I came back to the tree it was just Beetee lying on the ground, and Finnick came out right as I shot the dome." I keep my pacing steady and voice even. Finnick straightens his arms and puts his hands on a table in front of him, then looks down while he speaks.
"After you two left, Peeta went to question me and Beetee again as to why he couldn't have gone with you. While he was talking, Beetee hit him over the head with a large stick he'd found. We were going to cut out his tracker and then toss it somewhere…" Finnick pauses and sighs. Beetee takes over for him.
"But I didn't hit Peeta hard enough, and he only got up thinking that we had betrayed him, that we were going to kill him. He took off running through the jungle and Finnick ran after him. While they were gone, I figured it was 'now or never' so I grabbed a small knife and cut my arm open to remove my tracker. I threw it as hard as I could away from where I thought any of you had gone. Then I worked on wrapping the wire around the same stick I hit Peeta with, when out jumped one of the other victors that we hadn't seen for the entire games, and had presumed dead. A man by the name of Augustus, if I'm not mistaken." Beetee pushes his glasses up higher on his nose and fidgets through retelling the next part. "I tried to fight him off, but he easily overpowered me, shoving me to the ground. He carried a large steel club, and swung it down on my legs so vehemently that both of my kneecaps shattered. I managed to grab the stick and jab him in the stomach with it right as a cluster of lightning gathered and struck down. Not on the tree, but on the stick that was partially lodged in his stomach, and also in both of our hands while he attempted to remove it." Beetee allows his lips to turn up at the corners. "I think Plutarch may have assisted somehow with that one, but the lightning sent Augustus flying back into the treeline. With my hands on the stick too, the electricity knocked me out cold." Beetee ends his retelling there, where he obviously has no more to tell because he was unconscious after that. So I look at Finnick expectantly, waiting for him to finish the rest.
He runs a hand through his hair and has a sad look in his eyes as he tells me. "I chased Peeta through the jungle, screaming at him to wait and just listen. When we got to a particularly thick part of the trees, I lost him. I kept going, trying to see him somewhere, but he jumped out behind me and clobbered me with a big rock. I blacked out. When I woke up it was almost midnight, so I cut out my tracker with my spear and ran back to the tree. Only to see you fire the arrow…" He smiles sheepishly before adding "We kind of majorly botched it there at the end, huh?"
I take in everything they tell me, thankful that they gave me the quick and condensed version. The guilt swells under my skin, making me itch. They really did try their best without revealing the plan.
"Thank you. Both of you. I don't think you botched it, I think you did everything you could. I appreciate how hard you attempted to save us. But it's my fault that Peeta freaked out so bad. Before we left the tree, I told him to meet me at the cornucopia if things go sour. I think being split up had us on edge already, and then I planted this idea in his head to be ready to run at a moment's notice." I turned my gaze to Beetee. "Honestly you just hitting him in the head may not have been the best plan…just like Johanna knocking me out wasn't, because I was already paranoid through most of the games that you all would eventually turn on us anyway. And I conveyed this to Peeta multiple times."
We all share a small chuckle at just how crazy everything turned out. Beetee idly touches his wheels, moving them back and forth slightly before speaking. "Truly Katniss, we only knew that Plutarch was going to help us escape. For that to happen we were told we needed three things: to lose the trackers, keep you safe, and destroy the arena somehow. When I saw the wire at the cornucopia, I knew that would be the best way to destroy the arena. Especially after realizing we were provided a source of lightning and conductor, thanks to Plutarch. Peeta, Johanna, and Finnick mostly took responsibility for protecting you. I think they did an excellent job. Yet, we didn't have a solid plan to cut out your trackers. We didn't come up with a real plan until we were on the beach about to go for the tree. Johanna offered to be the one to take care of yours. If we were too obvious about what we were trying to do, I believe Snow would have sent in mutts or even killed us on the spot. I apologize that the last minute plan was less than exemplary." He bows his head slightly before rolling over to a table that I see has a bow and different colored arrows on it. I realize this is what he's meant to give me.
"Wait, before we do that. Why did Johanna volunteer to cut out my tracker? Also, I spoke with Coin yesterday, and she agreed to let me go on the mission to retrieve them from the Capitol. Provided I'll be a good little soldier and actress until then." I roll my eyes for good measure, and Finnick glances at Beetee before looking back to me.
"She probably did it because you and her had grown a bit…closer…than you and I or Beetee did. So maybe you wouldn't be as suspicious. I also honestly think she didn't want either of us to do it, didn't trust us to do it right." I raise a brow at his hesitancy on the word 'closer', but I ignore it for him to continue. "It wasn't until we suggested that we split up the way we did that I feel like we lost control of the situation. But Johanna performed nearly perfectly, getting your tracker and drawing the enemies away from you. I only wish she could've gotten her own. I'm not sure why she didn't."
Finnick looks sad, and I feel a pit of sadness and emptiness grow in my stomach as well. He continues onward "As for the mission to retrieve them, please let me go with you. I need to be there, I need to help."
Beetee chimes in, "I agree. I may not be able to physically go, but I can provide plenty of support via tools and inventions of my own making."
I take a breath and smile gratefully at them. I know I don't have much time left. "I'll talk with Coin and see what I can do for you, Finnick, and thank you Beetee. I'm sorry that it was so hard to trust you both in the games, but I want you to know that you have my complete trust now." I turn and walk to the table with the bow and arrows.
Beetee rolls forward with a glint in his eye, pushing up his glasses while grinning. "Now, for what I'm meant to give you. Keep in mind that all of these are meant to be utilized when you are actually sent out into battle. For training, you will only use regular arrows unless otherwise instructed." He leans forward and grabs the beautiful black flatbow before handing it to me. My breath catches a bit as soon as it's in my hands.
It's exquisite.
It seems to be made mostly of dark stained wood and fiberglass. The tips of it have black feathers, which came to life as soon as I touched it, splaying out slightly. They gave the impression that they were mid-flight. It feels so good to hold a bow, I could cry. Beetee speaks up before I can get too emotional.
"It only activates upon your touch, and cannot be used by another unless you set a password for them to speak into the bow. To turn it off, you need only say 'Goodnight'." He reaches for one of the arrows on the table that has a red nock. "These arrows are exceptionally dangerous, so use caution. The red ones create a devastating explosion upon impact, the yellow are incendiary and will set fire to anything they touch. The blue ones are razor sharp, being able to slice through three cattle in a row at as far away as 700 meters. They will only work as intended once pulled through this bow, and only this bow."
I hold one of the blue nock arrows up to my face, and I can see the shine of the metal. When I spin it, the blades lined up in my vision are so thin that they disappear.
"Wow…you've outdone yourself, Beetee. Thank you. A million times, thank you. I wish I could've had something like this in the games." A light laugh escapes me, and the air in the room is a positive one. I decide to take my leave, with five minutes to spare before training begins. They tell me it's on the very bottom, floor 1, and I thank my lucky stars that someone is getting off of the elevator right as I approach. I jump in and flip the lowest switch on the panel before leaning against the wall and waiting on it to noisily carry me down.
I make it to the bottom, and I'm taken aback by how large the space is. It's much bigger than the other levels, not to mention there is no hole in the center here, so it further expands the flooring. There are people running around and doing drills of some kind. Some others are doing combat training. There are simulators and rooms meant for special kinds of training, like resisting torture.
I step out and have only walked forward for a few seconds when my attention is drawn to the large man approaching me on the left. He's at least six feet and some inches tall, and his skin is the color of ochre. His voice is deep when he speaks to me.
"Katniss Everdeen. My name is Joseph Boggs, I'm the second in command to Coin, and the overseer of all of the training that happens here. You'll be under my orders while you are here every day from 7 am to 5 pm except on Saturdays. I won't accept any whining or slacking off, and as I am the one in charge of deciding whether or not you're ready to go on the rescue mission, the moment you give up is the moment you are done. You can kiss your hopes of being there goodbye." He has a stern expression, and I might have felt a bit intimidated if it weren't for him mentioning that he's in charge of whether or not I get to go. So I steel my posture and nod at him firmly before simply saying "Yes sir."
He seems pleased with my compliance, and turns on his heel before striding away towards one of the obstacle courses / simulators. I follow him and when we arrive he's pressing some buttons on a raised screen. "I want to get a baseline of your stamina and agility. I'm going to have you run this obstacle course and evaluate your performance."
My eyes drag down the long line of the course, and I can make out large beams holding ropes, big walls with notches in them, and other various hazards to overcome. It appears most of the course will be dealing with simulations.
I walk over to the beginning point of the course, do a few stretches, and nod at Boggs once I've taken a breath and readied myself. He returns the nod, and presses the button to start the run. I take off in a sprint and the first several meters appear devoid of challenges, until a simulation of someone jumping out with a spear to my right appears, and I jump and roll past the attack. I get to my feet quickly and keep moving forward, with two more figures coming out at me in different directions. Right as I'm coming to the area with hanging ropes, I wonder if I even need to grab them, since beneath them is flat ground. This thought is demolished when the ground turns to water beneath the ropes, and I have just enough time to leap up and grab the first fibrous cord. My momentum has me swinging, and I know I need to take advantage of it instead of hesitating, or I'll lose the leverage I need to get to the next rope. I angle my body in a way that will swing me forward with more umph, and I let go while stretching my arms and body out. I manage to grasp it with relative ease, but my momentum isn't as strong as when I ran and jumped.
I notice the water below begins to heat up, steam rising from its surface. I wrap the rope around my foot and perform a swinging motion with my body two times back and forth to get myself going, then I let go again once propelled enough to reach the next one. After I successfully grab it, I decide to go for the final one like a monkey would, only holding on with a hand and one foot, reaching the other limbs out sideways towards the vine. I feel the fibers in my fingers and squeeze my hand around it as tightly as I can manage, while releasing the grip on my other hand. I'm on the final rope and I only need to swing and jump to the platform before moving on. I chance a look down when I realize I'm sweating and struggling to breathe. The water is literally boiling beneath me, and my hands start to feel more slippery due to the sweat.
I do like I did before, swinging myself back and forth, trying to get a high enough lift, when my fingers start slipping down the rope. Instead of letting the panic set in, I kick forward hard towards the platform and let go. Flying through the air, I land on my feet first but go tumbling to a stop. I take a few ragged breaths before getting back up and running again, glad to be on solid ground.
The next obstacle ironically involves being very intimate with the ground indeed. I can tell that I'm meant to crawl beneath a low field of barbed wire, so I drop to my stomach and start elbowing my way through. I'm trying to be careful, and a few times I feel the wire poke me. I let out a little "Ow, fuck" under my breath before moving on.
All of a sudden green and brown snakes start crawling in on me from the sides of the course, hissing, and the dread causes me to pick up my pace. "No, no, no, no, no" is all I can manage to repeat as I pull myself through like lightning, cutting up my back along the way. Once I'm at a place where my head and shoulders are no longer under the wire, I kick and lurch up , scraping my hip on a barb on the way up.
I stumble but I'm able to keep moving at a jogging pace. There's a wall I have to climb, and I do it without any weird simulations or tricks, thankfully. When I'm on the other side, I can see the next set of obstacles in front of me. There are six platforms in the shape of upright cuboids, and they each have a different weapon lying on top of them. There's a flashing sign above that says 'ONE WEAPON PER KILL'.
I step forward and pick up the first weapon, a sword. As soon as I grab it a simulated figure pops out from the air and goes to swing down at me with its own sword. I have to jump to the side to avoid it, and I spin my arm around to slice off its legs. The simulation collapses, hundreds of golden orange blocks falling away and disappearing, along with the sword in my hand. I stand up, and continue along the path, picking up weapons and slaying the projections. Only struggling here or there with weapons I'm not familiar with, like the spear or mace. The last weapon gives me the most trouble.
It's a gun, and I pick it up assuming it's loaded and ready to fire. However, when the simulation aims their own gun at me and I pull the trigger, nothing happens. Alarm fills my head and I drop to the ground, feeling the earth on my hands and arms while hearing the telltale sound of gunfire. It just missed me, and I'm starting to wonder how real these simulations are. This thought doesn't comfort me, so I jump behind one of the platforms and turn my attention to the gun in my hand. I know this is my first time handling a gun, but I thought it would be easier than this. There are a few places where you can press or switch to do something to it. I press one the switches forward and the cartridge containing the bullets falls out of the bottom.
"Shit!" I shove the cartridge back inside, and my eyes are drawn to the two block-built legs that just stepped around the column, gun aimed at my head. I lunge forward without thinking and tackle it to the ground before it can shoot, kicking it in the head then diving behind another column. I know it's not actually hurt and I need to move fast. I look at the gun again and this time go for the switch that has a red color to it, I flick it forward and grasp the gun in my right hand, ready to give it a literal shot.
I quiet my breathing and wait to hear the footsteps coming towards me. They sound more like electrical *zips* than footsteps.
*Zip*...*zip*...*zip*...
'Come on you bastard, just a few more…'
After two more steps I could tell that they were approaching from the left side, so I swiveled around the right side of the column and lifted my head up with the gun aimed at their simulated skull. Pulling the trigger, I felt the shock from the gun be absorbed by my hand, and it fired off right where I was aiming. The simulation crumbled, and the gun in my hand vanished.
I'm still reeling from the experience when a piercing siren goes off in the speakers beside the course.
"Good job, Everdeen. You performed well. I was told you'd never wielded a gun before, so I was interested to see how you would handle it." He allows his lips to turn up in a smile, but his teeth don't show.
I stand with my hands on my knees to catch my breath and remove one hand to give him a thumbs up gesture. He steps closer to me with a bottle of water outstretched. I take it while he continues on to say, "I'll allow you the rest of the day, while I formulate a training regimen for you to begin tomorrow. You still have your propo to record at 3 pm, someone will come to retrieve you. Dismissed." He whips around, turns and walks away from me, and I'm left wondering what's in the works for my future.
When I make it back to my room, I smell myself and wince at the fact that I need to take a shower. I open the closet to see several of the same black outfits on hangers, as well as drawers with gray sweatpants and t-shirts, and a laundry basket on the closet floor. I'm grateful that they provided me with so many essentials. I don't have a shower in my room though so I'm assuming there's a communal shower room, and I gather the clothes I need before walking out to find it. I locate the shower rooms at the end of our hallway, one for masculine presenting, one for female presenting, and one for mixed genders.
I enter the female presenting room and I'm grateful to see that there are several concrete walls with curtains as doors. Soap and shampoo are provided via pump stations within each shower, and towels line an entire back wall. I grab a towel and hang it on a hook right outside the stall I choose, and then turn on the water. There's no one else in here, and I bask in the silence and peacefulness of the shower.
I go back to my room after drying off and putting on the new shirt and sweatpants, then collapse in the bed. 'If I have the next few hours free, so what's the harm in taking a small nap before the propo?'
Except, I don't fall asleep right away. I give myself over to the replaying of everything that has happened today. I'm glad I got to see Prim, as well as Finnick and Beetee. Now that I have a moment to really slow things down and think about them, there were times when speaking with Finnick especially that I could've sworn he was insinuating there was more than friendship between Johanna and I. There was also him saying that Johanna volunteered to cut out my tracker, that they thought she did it because she believed nobody else could be trusted to do so. I'm not sure why, but my face heats up thinking that she wanted to be the one to do it and ensure I get out safely.
This leads me to more thoughts of Johanna, and soon I'm giving myself over to every memory I've had with her.
'I wonder if she ever thinks about me…like I think about her'
The image of holding eye contact with her as she lathered herself with oil, the way we flirted while walking along the beach, our almost-kiss in the water…It can't just be me that feels this way.
'At least I hope it's not.'
These memories cause me to squirm in place, feeling heated not just on my face. I roll over onto my stomach and press my face into my pillow to let out a long groan of frustration.
Before the games, Johanna was much more bold and forward. In the games, we were constantly being watched, and I had a facade to keep up with Peeta.
What would it be like if we wouldn't have been interrupted in the water that day? If no cameras were on us and we were free to let the waves bring us together. It's like I can feel the phantom caress of her knee up my inner thigh, and I grind down into the bed, letting out a low moan. I imagine her knee going further, pressing into my center, as she gently runs her fingers up my arm. Her hand grazes my breast, our hips now meeting as our legs tangle.
I undulate into the bed again, trying and failing to gain friction. Fed up with the unmet need, I squeeze my hand in between my body and the bed, dipping my fingers under the waistband of my pants and underwear. Instead of going straight to rubbing circles on my swollen clit, I press the back of my hand into the bed and lift up my two middlemost fingers. I allow myself to grind down onto those lifted fingers repeatedly.
I go back to imagining Johanna and I, so close in the water that our lips brush against each other. Breathing the same breath. We finally succumb to the desire and let our lips meet. It's so delicious, and when her tongue enters my mouth to deepen the kiss she gingerly seizes my breast at the same time.
I can feel a bead of sweat run down the side of my head as I hump my own hand, panting into my pillow. A whimper escapes me, with the coil in my belly growing ever tighter. I press the two fingers down between my labia and enter myself just enough to wet the digits, then drag them back up against my throbbing clit. I use a firm pressure as I add another finger and conduct circular motions around the head of my pleasure.
Johanna is sucking on my neck now, having me pressed up against the rock. She finds a small hole in the waist area of my suit and tears it open until it's gaping. Then she slides her hand through the hole and down to press against me. My head is tossed back while she leaves bruises on my neck and shoulder.
She kisses back up, reaching my ear, and whispers "You're such a good girl, do you want me to fuck you?"
My eyes roll back and moan out a breathy "Yes…please" as I press myself into her harder.
"Mmm…I guess I can't ignore such polite begging." Johanna abruptly plunges two fingers into me and I cry out in surprise and pleasure.
I insert my own two fingers into my soaking wet entrance, biting the pillow to keep from screaming. I go as deep as I can, pumping the fingers in and out while I grind down onto the palm of my hand.
'I'm so close, just a bit more…'
Johanna is fucking me relentlessly, making sure to stroke my sensitive inner wall with interchanging flicking and walking of her fingers, while also palming my clit. She takes me by surprise as she grabs the hair on the back of my head roughly, bringing our faces close together. "Look at me" She says this with such force, the taut string inside me threatens to snap just from the command. I follow her orders and open my heavy lidded eyes to see her lick her grinning lips, eyes blazing. "Katniss…I want you…will you be a good girl and do what I say?"
Another surge of pleasure shoots through me, and just when I'm not sure I can hold on anymore she says "Cum for me, Katniss."
Stars explode from my core and spread out under my skin. I let out a drawn out whine into my pillow, tensing my muscles and feeling my walls squeeze around my own fingers, my liquids dripping into my palm.
I sag against the mattress, relishing in the after waves of the orgasm. I come down slowly, pulling my fingers out and rubbing them gently against my sensitive clit until the waves pass.
I roll over onto my back and pull my hand out of my pants. I wipe my hand off on the side of the bed. Sleep is already pulling on my eyes and I don't fight it, letting myself succumb to darkness.
I'm only asleep for about an hour when there's a knock on the door that wakes me. I swing my legs out of bed groggily and go to open the door. It's Gale, and he's smiling as he gives a little wave. "Hey sleepyhead, I heard you got out of duties until the propo. They gave me this time off too, plus permission to take you above ground for two hours with extra guards before we go to the filming location. If you maybe wanted to go?"
The words are out my mouth before I even register I've spoken, "Of course I want to go! Let me put on shoes."
I lace up my boots and throw my hair into a ponytail before following him out the door. We go to the elevator and there are three guards waiting for us there. All five of us step in to go to the top floor, and when the elevator doors open back up again I see a hall that leads to a staircase, with a door at the top. I can see the bright light of the sun shining through the small window of the door. The three guards go through first, followed by Gale and then me. The light that my eyes are exposed to is so bright that I have to hold my arm up to shield them.
The fresh air is incredible, and we're surrounded by mountains and forests. It looks like ruins of buildings lost, scattered about the area. There's a large river that runs through it all, and the sound of birds chirping and water flowing is like the most soothing balm to my sore heart. Being underground has been taking its toll on me, as I've always felt like I belonged in a forest.
I soak up the outing, gaining some much needed clarity and peace. The two hours pass too quickly before the guards tell us we need to prepare to board an aircraft. I resolve to make more trips up there, knowing it will help with my mental wounds.
The door to the underground opens up and several more soldiers appear, followed by Boggs.
"Everdeen. Did you enjoy your time off?" He surveys the area while he speaks.
I fight off the blush at remembering what I did with my time off. I don't want to chance my voice cracking so I just give him a nod.
Boggs raises an eyebrow at my reaction but spares me any further questioning. He pulls out a large handheld device with an antenna attached. Pressing multiple buttons on the device leads to a sudden shaking of the earth beneath our feet. I look to my left and I can see gargantuan sized doors open upwards from the ground. Dirt, detritus, and debris placed on top of the doors to disguise them slide off, and a behemoth of an aircraft raises from the ground. Already having been started and revving up, the bottom opens up to reveal a staircase to board the ship.
We step forward and climb the stairs.
As soon as we're on board, a team of beauticians and stylists rush me, working to change my appearance. They say that they want me to have a 'fierce' look for the propo. I'm given a classic side braid with dark eyeshadow, and skin tight pants and shirt with a black cowl to go around my neck and chest. They have my bow there for whenever I'm ready to take it, and a bottle of water on the table next to me.
I'm a little overwhelmed by this sudden bombardment, but I don't get a chance to rest as four more people approach me holding different kinds of equipment. The one with long hair but one side of their head shaved speaks first. "Katniss, it's good to finally meet you. My name is Cressida, pronouns are she/her, and these are the members of my team, Castor, Pollux, and Messalla. We'll be filming and directing your propo today." Cressida gives me a reassuring smile when she's done speaking.
The dark-haired one named Castor steps forward and holds out their hand for me to shake, which I do. "Hi Katniss, an honor to meet you. I'm Castor, and this is my brother Pollux. He's non-verbal, and both of our pronouns are he/him." He flashes a big smile at me, showing all of his top teeth. I give a small grin back and turn to the blonde Pollux, who has possibly the kindest eyes I have ever seen. I give Pollux a nod and let my lips turn up even more, and in return he shyly beams at me. Both of the brothers have full beards, with Castor having shorter hair than Pollux, whose hair has to be put into a small bun.
I turn to the final person in the group, and they have a shaved head and piercings in their lip and ears. They speak after I make eye contact with them. "I'm Messalla, they/them, and I look forward to working with you." They don't give me a wide show of teeth or lips like the others, instead keeping a calm, neutral expression after they speak. Their voice and face have a feminine sultriness about them, but their body seems hard and well-built.
I'm trying to think of what to say, because I'm caught off guard by how inclusive and open-minded they appear to be. It reminds me of how people were in the Capitol, where they could afford the luxury of exploring their sexual identity and self-expression freely. In 12 we were so concerned with surviving that we didn't stop to ask who someone felt like they were inside. Sure, gay relationships happened all the time. It wasn't something that people cared about anymore, not like the history books say people did long ago. However, gender identity and expression has been reserved for those living lavishly. In the poorer districts, you're not a they/them, he, or she; You're either reaped, or you work to not get reaped.
These people don't look like the classic Capitol kind of people though, and I immediately take a liking to them. I decide to just say what comes to mind.
"I'm glad to meet you all. I have to admit I'm nervous about this. I'm not very fond of being in front of the camera, and I'm not a good actress or anything." I fidget with my fingers as I look down and away.
Cressida's voice reaches across the space, "That's okay Katniss. We hope most of our footage will be you in a natural state, interacting with the people from district 8. They're an undecided district, ever since they attempted to rise up and were put in their place. We have reports that the Capitol persuaders just left the area, so this is a good time for us to go in. We need to sway them to our side, and that's where you come in."
I feel my skin prickle a little in discomfort as they all look at me with expectant eyes. "I'll try my best." is all I can say.
The ride goes by too quickly, and just two hours later and I can feel the slight turbulence from landing. We all gather close to the door, and everyone is strapping in the final pieces of their gear or equipment. My hands start to sweat, and I grab the quiver of arrows before wrapping the strap around me, then my bow to thread over my body. I don't know if I'll need these, but I'm glad they allowed me to have them. I'm sure part of it is the look of 'The Mockingjay' that they cling to so desperately.
Gale claps his hand on my shoulder, and I look up at him with a nervous expression.
"It's gonna be okay Katnip, we're all here to protect you, and we're going to take measures to ensure the Capitol cronies aren't near.
"It's not me I'm worried about Gale…it's the people of 8. If the Capitol finds out I'm here…"
"They won't." He tries his best to soothe my worries, but there's a fear in his eyes that he can't erase.
People are shouting around us, loading weapons, and forming lines. A gust of air blows through the ship, and I can see the light streaming through the cracks of the now opening door. I can feel the rowdy banging of my heart in my ribcage.
Boggs steps up to the front and waits until the stairs have fully extended down before roaring "Let's go!"
Dinner was nothing special, another bland meal. I sat with Haymitch and Effie, who gossiped about some of the trouble-makers down here. Effie gifted me a journal that she gained through bartering. I thanked her, and when I got back to my room, I wrote my first entry in it.
I proceeded to draw doodles to pass the time, until my boredom pressed me to visit my mother and Prim's room.
The days continued on like this for two weeks. Wake up, go to breakfast, then training, dinner, and writing in my journal or finding ways to kill time with myself or others. I spoke with Coin, and she left the decision on whether or not to take Finnick on the rescue mission to Boggs. So Finnick joined me and Gale in training every day.
The training was grueling at first, but after four or five days I began to get used to it. Even looked forward to it. It was something to do that benefited me in the long run.
The two weeks passed quickly, my anxiety creeping up a step with every day that passed.
Before I knew it, I was being summoned to Coin's room.
Author's Note: I'm thinking about doing chapters that are much shorter, so that I can push them out faster. Any thoughts on this are appreciated. I'm so tired. :')