I began slowly losing hope with each session with Peeta. Everytime I stepped into the room, it was like meeting him for the first time. He could never recall my name, nor any of the information given to him in any of the previous sessions. His mind was in a state of complete disarray, and I was helpless to do anything about it. I knew I needed him to remember it all. For everyone's sake.
During another abortive attempt at bringing him back to normal, we were interrupted by a woman wearing medical scrubs and a mask. She was a tiny woman, whose clothes were much too big for her, as the back of her pants dragged under the heel of her shoes.
"Ms. Everdeen?" she said.
Her voice was high-pitched and squeaky. If mice could talk, I'd imagine this would be the voice they had.
"Ms. Everdeen?" she repeated.
I must have unintentionally been ignoring her and completely distracted by her voice as the second saying of my name startled me and broke me out of my concentration.
"Yes," I responded finally, standing from the bed and leaving the comfort of Peeta's side.
"Mr. Heavensbee would like a word with you in the Assembly room," she said as she began to inch her way into the room. "Also we need a moment with Mr. Mallark."
I looked over to him but his gaze stood fixated at the glass.
"What does he want?" I asked the young medic, raising an eyebrow curiously.
"I wasn't told any further information unfortunately," she replies. "Only to find you and send you to Mr. Heavensbee."
What could he possibly want?
I complied and began to make my leave. Outside the door, I was greeted by two large men hovering over me. They each held a rifle in their hands, and their muscles protruded from their tight military gear. They weren't playing any games.
"Ms. Everdeen, please follow us," one of the men said in a deep husky voice.
"What does Plutarch want," I once again asked.
The two guards turned to each other in unison, and then their eyes lowered back down to me.
"Follow us please," the man repeated, ignoring my question and stepping behind me. He placed a hand on my left shoulder and gripped hard. I was surprised and shook my shoulder rebelliously but the grip stood unwavering. I had no choice but to comply now.
I attempted to take one last glance through the glass at Peeta, but the soldier behind me quickly side-stepped, blocking my view with his hulking body. I dropped my head in defeat and we began our trip to the Assembly Room. Upon rounding the first corner, a caravan of people in medical scrubs passed us in a hurry.
I've never seen that many of them together before. Where were they headed?
I must have unknowingly slowed my pace, as the grip on my shoulder tightened.
"Continue walking please," the guard behind me said, his grungy voice too close to my ear for comfort.
"I can walk by myself!" I yelled, trying once again to shake the hand controlling me. It failed once again and this time his grip tightened, sending a wave of pain throughout my body. I let out a yelp of pain and collapsed to the floor.
"Let's go!" the guard in front of me demands, grabbing me by the shirt and hoisting me up violently. This was beginning to feel like less of an escort and more of a march to the slaughter house. We eventually arrive at our destination and I feel the grip on my shoulder loosen. Before he could completely let go, I jerk my shoulder from his grip and he inadvertently rips the sleeve from my shirt. My bra becomes slightly exposed and the two guards' eyes light up. The other guard reaches down to me, a look of lustful desire in his eyes. I swat his hand away and run into the room, fearing the worst. Plutarch stands at the other side of the broken table, facing a large screen that stands blank. Upon hearing me slam through the door, he turns to me with a look of seriousness.
"You couldn't help me?!" I shriek at him in exasperation.
His expression doesn't change and he turns back to the screen.
"Asshole," I can't help but mutter under my breath. A clicking sound draws my attention behind me to the door. The guards have locked me in here. Anxiety began to creep into my body and my heart rhythmically started pounding faster and faster. Fear keeps me glued to the floor and a feeling of helplessness hits me hard.
"Glad you could make it Ms. Everdeen," he finally says, breaking the uncomfortable silence and turning back to me. His 5 o'clock shadow had begun to set in and his eyes seemed to look more weary than usual. A single thought then dawned on me.
"Ms. Everdeen?" I asked. "That's a first. What gives?"
The tension in the room thickens, and my heart begins to pick up pace as he crosses his arms and scowls.
"You want to know why we saved you?" he answers back, beginning to fumble for something in his pocket. He eventually finds what he's looking for: a small remote of some kind. He begins to pace slowly back and forth, completely avoiding eye contact with me. My eyes however were completely fixated on the man, and I was ready to pounce and defend myself if necessary at the slightest twitch he made.
"That question is not rhetorical," he says. "Feel free to answer."
My mind is running too fast to even come up with even a wrong answer so I keep silent. He sighs loudly and continues speaking.
"You, Ms. Everdeen, are a symbol. A symbol of hope. A symbol of justice. A symbol of peace and tranquility. You are our Mockingjay."
His pacing comes to a stop and his eyes meet mine. He begins to slowly approach my position on the ground and, unable to get up, I slowly begin to crawl away from him. My back eventually thuds into the entrance door and he stands over me. My eyes widen in terror and he kneels down to me. We're at eye level now and there is nothing but emptiness behind his.
"Many people are in need of that nowadays, and they look up to you for a sense of guidance," he continues. "And they'd follow you through thick and thin just to get a glimmer of that hope. Now what would happen if you were to, I don't know, disappear?"
I raise a brow.
There's no way he'd kill me right now? Right?
He stands up and raises the remote to the screen. With a push of a button, the screen flickers on, and on that screen stood me, my mouth agape as I examine the turrets inside Hangar 7.
"But how-"I begin but am cut off by Plutarch.
"You didn't think we'd have some sort of surveillance?"
Plutarch stops the video with the click of another button.
"Haymitch would've said something and-"
"Believe it or not, there are things that even dear old Haymitch doesn't know about. And obviously for good reason."
Fear has completely taken over and my breathing turns audible as I begin hyperventilating.
"Relax," Plutarch says, noticing my panicked expression. "We all know that if something were to happen to you, the rebellion is as good as dead." He begins to make his way closer to the screen and begins using his hand to move the picture over to Haymitch, who stood inside the observation deck, the microphone informing me about my where-abouts.
"But Mr. Abernathy on the other hand is complete cow fodder. Nothing more than a nuisance.'
I desperately try to get to my feet but my legs are numb and asleep.
It's no use trying.
"You touch a single hair on his head and I'll-" I begin through trembling lips, but was once again interrupted with sinister cackling coming from Plutarch.
"And you'll what?" he replies back.
My mind goes blank and Plutarch takes notice quickly and lets out another startling guffaw that raises my hair on edge.
"That's what I thought," he snaps to me.
My head drops in defeat and complete powerlessness takes over my body.
"Now you're going to do exactly as I tell you Ms. Everdeen. And you will follow all orders that I give you. Isn't that right?"
I bite my tongue hard, nearly causing it to bleed. Pride wouldn't let me answer or look up.
"It's in your best interest to respond," he says, tapping the screen where Haymitch stood still-framed.
"Fine," I say through clenched teeth.
"Atta-girl!," he sarcastically responds back. "And it goes without saying that if anyone were to find out about our little discussion, it could potentially have some pretty devastating consequences."
I bite down harder on my tongue and the metallic taste of blood fills my tastebuds.
"Fine," I say again.
"We're finished here!" he yells, alerting the guards outside, and the door unlocks with another click. They come in one at a time, with smug looks on their faces. My guess is they heard everything.
"Now do me a favor and get the hell out of my sight," Plutarch demands, his hand shooing me away.
I finally get to my feet and follow the guards outside the room, with my head still hung to the floor. I begrudgingly follow along as they motion for me to take the lead. When we arrive at the intersection that splits between the direction to my quarters and Peeta's, I begin to turn the way to Peeta's room but I'm met by hands clasping onto my shoulders aggressively.
"I'm going to Peeta's room," I tell them. "That's where I was before."
"Orders were to get you back to your room."
No way.
"I'm going to Peeta! The hell with your orders!" I yell. I shake loose of their grip and make a dash in the direction of Peeta's room.
Why were they so adamant about keeping me from seeing him?
Worry overtakes me and makes my legs go faster, making me break out into an adrenaline-fueled sprint. I rounded the final corner and the sound of muffled screams filled my ear. A scream that I was too familiar with.
Peeta!
I run to the front of the glass overlooking Peeta's room and my eyes can't comprehend what was going on inside. At the center of the room stood Peeta, fist balled up and with a look of intense stress on his face. He was surrounded by people in medical scrubs. The same people that I had passed on the way to the Assembly Room. Something about this looked eerily familiar however. And at that moment I realized:
This was my nightmare.
Author's Notes: With next Wednesday being 4th of July week I will unfortunately be too busy to upload. Don't be discouraged, however, as another chapter will come out the following week. Things are starting to heat up! Look forward to Chapter 7 on July 12th! Thank you for all the support and views as well!