Life After the Games

Chapter 5

"No!" I scream. I sprint to the post and put my self between Peeta and the Peacekeeper.

He's about to strike again so I brace myself. I feel the whip hit my forehead and I immediately hunch down as it stings. I look up and see Peeta's back. It's all swollen and bloody. I look at Peeta's face. He's unconscious. I get up and and stand in front of Peeta's lashed back.

I don't recognize the peacekeeper. I see the whip come up again but not that clear because I'm blinking blood and tears from my eyes. I close my eyes and accept my fate. But it doesn't come.

I open my eyes to see he's standing there waiting to strike again.

"Please let him go." I plead with tears in my eyes.

"I caught him in the woods he deserves it!" The peacekeeper spits back.

"Please just leave him alone."

"Fine." he says. "Ill let him go with a warning. Buts that's only because he passed out, next time he'll be dead." He leaves without a single word.

The square emptied as fast as it gathered only a couple of mine workers stayed and helped to bring Peeta home.

I walk in the door at the house and tell Haymitch to keep the kids upstairs as I clean off the kitchen counter. The miners and I put Peeta up on the table. I have no idea what to do. Mom isn't here. I close my eyes and remember what she did when Gale got whipped. Thats when I remember. She gave him a shot of morphling. And put a snow coat on him.

I go get the morphling where I remember it last and open the closet door and find everything I need. I feel so relieved.

I put the shot of morphling between Peeta's shoulder blades and put snow coat on his back by grinding up ice and herbs. And sit and watch him. The miners said that they'll be happy to stay and keep me company, but I say that it will be fine.

Haymitch comes in.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"I don't know. He passed out. Do you think you could watch the kids for a while?"

"Sure thing."

I lay my head next to Peeta's and stroke his hair when I realize my forehead above my left eye is burning. I gently touch where it's burning and and see blood in my hand. I get up wash the blood off and put a snow coat on it.

Right when I put it on I breathed a sigh of relief. I go back to my seat next to Peeta and go back resting my head in the table and stroking Peeta's hair.

I eventually fall asleep because I feel Haymitch rubbing my shoulder.

"Hi sweetheart. How's Peeta doing?"

"Fine I guess. I'm going to put a new snow coat on his back."

I go to the freezer and take out ice grind it up and add the herbs. I go over to Peeta and take off the old bandages and spread the new snow over Peeta's swollen and scratched back.

I sit with him for a while when Haymitch comes in.

"I'll watch over him now. You need to get sleep."

"No, I'm fine."  I insist.

"No you have to."

"Okay." as I go upstairs.

I get to my bedroom and crawl under the covers and immediately fall asleep. 

•thanks so much for reading I really appreciate it! Please comment on what I could improve on because I need it lol! •