Burn: A Hunger Games Spinoff

Chapter 8

I open my eyes and expect to see Prim in front of me. Nobody's there. "Obviously she won't be here, Katniss," I think. "She's probably already got work in the hospital."
Prim, so young but forced to grow so fast...I feel guilty I couldn't protect her from it. From what I had to face, as well. She's never going to get to go back to having a—somewhat—normal childhood. She'll never see 12 again.
I feel like my heart stops when I think of something painful. She'll never meet Rue, a girl she could have been great friends with. "Oh, Rue..." I whisper.
It makes me think of the arena. Of Rue being speared, Thresh killing Clove, Glimmer dying to the tracker jackers I unleashed on the Careers, Cato and...Peeta coming after me.
The thought sends me into a frenzy. Coming after me, like he's probably plotting to do at this moment.
I frown, I remember it so clearly like that. Being chased by them, but nobody believes me, nobody believes Peeta did this. It would definitely make it on camera. The Gamemakers live for that stuff.

"Miss Everdeen?" somebody calls from the doorway. I look up. I don't recognize this person. "Hello, Miss Ever-" she begins. "Katniss," I say. The woman nods. She steps in with a tray of food. It's only then that I realize I haven't actually eaten. I haven't been hungry either. "We've deemed you fit to eat," says the woman. "How was I getting food, then?" I ask. "injecting you, Katniss," she replies tentatively.
The idea makes me shudder and a terrible fear rips through me. They've been injecting me. Stabbing needles into my skin. I don't feel as violent now as scared, the nurse seems to recognize this and walks over, setting the tray in front of me. As she leaves, her shoes click rhythmically against the floor. Tap, tap, tap, tap. Tick, tock, tick, tock . . .
----------------------------------------------------------------
I've been in 13 for a while, I'm not sure how long 'a while' is, but I know it's been a few days, at least.
Gale, Prim, and my mother visit when they can, even though it's not regularly. They help soothe me, especially Prim. She told me I'm going to be discharged fairly soon.
I hear Haymitch's voice outside. He's not a regular visitor, but he does come and check up on me sometimes. Re-introduced me to Plutarch, who I bit. Not like I bit Peeta, barely a graze. That though, well, at least Gale, my mother, and Prim say, was warranted, him being from the Capitol. Not like it was with Peeta, they add.

"And be careful, boy, we all know you wouldn't have the heart to hurt her," I hear Haymitch say. "I will, Haymitch, I will," says another voice. Peeta. I sit up. Footsteps approach the door and somebody steps into my hospital room. Not Peeta, though. It's the same nurse who gave me the food.
She looks at me apologizingly. She puts restraints on me, 3 on each arm, and puts a tube into me. I almost panic, but I have a feeling Peeta's watching, and I refuse to show any weakness.

When the nurse walks out, Peeta steps in almost immediately. "Peeta," I greet. "Hey, Katniss," he says. "Need something?" I ask, willing him to leave. "To talk to you," Peeta says. I laugh bitterly, "Talk to me? Like we're best friends?"

Peeta's face flashes with hurt, and I think only of all the hurt he caused me. "Katniss." Peeta sighs. "How have you been?" he asks. "Better than you," I tell him, eyeing the marks I left on his arm. He smiles slightly, "Glad for that, at least." "Did I love you?" I ask. The question takes Peeta aback. "Everyone says I did," I add. He looks at a loss for words.

"No," he finally says. "No, you didn't. You loved...you loved Gale, I think." "He certainly seems more trustworthy than you, doesn't he?" I say. Peeta's face grows sadder than it was before.
He stands up to leave, but before he can, a memory flashes through my mind. "The bread," I say quietly. I'm surprised he heard me. Peeta's face brightens a bit. "Why did you give me the bread?" I ask. It doesn't make any sense, he's a monster who killed my family, but saved my life? "I don't understand why you gave me the bread. It wasn't poisoned or rotten, just singed. Were you calling me a pig?" I ask. Peeta bursts into laughter. "No, of course not. I just . . . I guess I . . .," he pauses. "I love you, Katniss." Peeta's face turns sad again. "I'd better go," he says, leaving. I stare after him.

Haymitch steps in right after him. "Sweetheart, we're going to try something," he says.