𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 · 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐈

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

~"have you seen yourself recently?"~

When I wake again, all I can register is pain.

Then it goes dark again.

And then I wake up again. There are tubes in my arms and some type of cast on my leg. Everything is oddly numb.

Dark again.

This happens several more times before I'm able to retain my consciousness. I vaguely notice that my scars are going away, and that I'm clean. Very clean. And my hair feels completely smooth and silky.

The next time I wake, food has been set on a tray next to me. A bowl of clear broth and a glass of water. It's an effort to eat it. Once I'm done, the machine I'm hooked up to makes a soft clicking noise and I'm knocked out again.

This happens multiple times, each tine the food portion getting larger. Then, through the haze of half-consciousness, I register a familiar voice yelling and then the next time I wake up, I'm not alone.

"Hey, Cal," Finnick says, brushing a stray hair from my face. He looks...bad. Tired and pale.

"You-" i cough. "Don't look so great." My first words since joining him in the Victor club. I can't even think about the Games.

Finnick laughs. "Have you seen yourself recently?"

"How rude!" I say. "I'm sure I look great, thanks to all those doctors," I say, somewhat sarcastically.

Finnick rolls his eyes. "Yeah, except for your leg."

My leg's still completely immobilized and there's steady, throbbing pain. "What's wrong with it?"

"You snapped the bone and then twisted it around, clutz."

"Pleasant," I say as a wave of fatigue washes over me.

"It's okay, you're not a cripple."

"Yet."

"Good to know you've retained your sense of humor."

After a moment's pause, I ask, "When do I get to leave?"

Finnick reaches out and takes my hand. "Soon."

"How soon is soon?" I ask.

"Probably a couple of days," he answers.

"That long?" I ask. I want to get out of here. It feels like a prison.

"You were messed up pretty bad, Callyn," Finnick says.

"I wasn't that ba-"

"You were." Finnick sighs. "They lost you. Several times. Callyn...you have no idea how bad it was. You lost so much blood."

I don't know how to respond. 

"It'll be over soon."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think it's a couple days before they let me go. I'm not sure, really. There's no way of telling time.

I have to get dressed in the tribute outfit that I wore in the arena. The green pants and brown shirt. I can't see them without blood stains anymore.

I'm led out by a Capitol attendant, who takes me to Lino, Andi, and my brother. I immediately launch myself into Finnick's arms, and almost knock him over despite my unsteady leg. It still has a cast. I only got to see him that one time, and not for long. I've been lonely.

I hear a little sniffle and realize that he's crying a little, which scares me, because I haven't seen him cry since Dad died. I didn't even see him cry when Mom died a few years later. I can't tell if he's sad or happy. Maybe both. I feel a range of confusing feelings right now.