The Forgotten Days

▬▬ 𝟎𝟔 ∙ 𝝩𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝝾❙

･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽

˚✩ ⋆｡ ✩┊ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 ┊✦ ˚ · .

▬▬ 06 ∙ 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙲𝚊𝚙𝚒𝚝𝚘𝚕

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WE CAN'T stay here forever, sitting on the floor, as much as I want to. As Moxie loves to say, the show must go on. And I'm the show now.

Finnick takes my plate when I'm done and brings them to the kitchen. The room is unnaturally cold when he leaves; I'm alone once more. The silence is harsh, too quiet, too quiet. A tingling feeling in my chest begins, spreading to the tips of my fingers and my toes. I try to feel the rise and fall of my chest. Up, down, up, down. A cycle, repeating like the waves on a beach.

I feel as if one push, and I'll fall over the edge. I'll crack. Explode like a bomb, ticking, ticking, just waiting to go off. I cling to my arms as if they can provide me support, wishing I could just shrink and disappear. I can't handle being a victor right now.

Heck, I can't even handle being alive.

I still have a few hours before I must go onstage, and I know most of that time will be dedicated to getting me dressed up, but I feel a pushing urge to do something first.

I pick up the phone from the floor. Dialing the number by memory, I hold the phone up to my ear and listen as it rings. Somebody picks up on the other side, thick with sorrow. "Hello?"

"Mom? It's me, Cory."

"Oh, Cory. Did you hear the–"

"I know, Mom. Listen, I'll be back in a few days, okay? I'll be there." The last thing I'd want is for my mother to go down the same path my father did. I have to be strong for her. I have to. "Don't leave the house without someone else with you, never alone." I talk urgently. "Do you understand?"

I hear my mom take a deep gulp. "Yes."

"Good. It'll be okay. We'll get through this, yeah?"

"Yeah." But something in her voice is saying no.

"Mom, I have to go now," I say, looking at the door for someone coming in. "I'll see you in a few days. Hang in there." Finnick's back as I hang up, and he enfolds me in a hug, my head resting sideways against his chest, listening to the rhythmic beating of his heart. Steady, like a drum.

"We're almost done. We'll be back home soon."

"And then another six months of pain before they drag me out again for the Games, right?"

"No, not necessarily. There are two other female victors, Mags, who you know, and Shelly Sanders, victor of the 59th Games. They usually mentor on a rotation and it's her turn this year, so I'm sure you won't have to mentor until the year after. That sounds okay?"

I nod slightly. He releases me and pulls me up to my feet. "I think your prep team will be here soon. Do you want me to check where they are?"

"Sure."

He steps outside of the room, only to pop his head back in three seconds later. "ETA is five seconds. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Okay."

"Stay strong, Cory."

"I'll try." He smiles comfortingly and leaves, probably to get ready himself. As he disappears from view, my prep team falls over their feet to burst into my room, the three of them unsuccessfully squeezing through the doorway.