Mockingjay: Prim [Completed]

Chapter 19: Trusting Myself (Rory)

I didn't expect everyone to want me here, but I thought Boggs would be glad to see me. Apparently not. He calls Thirteen to make sure I'm supposed to be here.

"Coin assigned me," I tell them.

Boggs isn't too happy about it. He assigns shifts for people to flank me, so I'm accompanied at all times. It's a good idea too, because I have many many relapses. Courtesy to the bullet lodged in my shoulder.

Mitchell and Leeg flank me now as we take a short break. Prim joins.

"I'm not 100% stable but I need you to trust me," I start.

"I'd trust you with my life."

I feel terrible because I might kill her by accident. And then there's the matter of Coin. I break it to her. "Coin wants you dead."

"W-what?"

"You're a threat to her. Haymitch told me. Because one day, the rebellion will die, and a new leader will be chosen."

"I'm not going to be a leader," Prim says with a laugh.

"Yeah but you're mighty powerful. Who will you pick, Coin or someone else?"

"I don't know...I haven't thought about it."

"If your immediate answer isn't Coin, then you're a threat to her. So now that you've united the districts, you have no purpose to her. She wants you dead. That'll add fire to the rebellion, give the people a reason to fight for, so she can rise to power in the end. She thinks...I can kill you by accident. So please. Stay away if you can."

"But-"

"Please, it's for the best. I'll get better one day."

She leaves with a sigh.

At night we sleep under the stars. Leeg cries as her sister's death finally sinks in. I feel terrible, like I'm in the reason she's gone. I'm the replacement, yet I won't ever make up for her sister.

I lay in the middle of the group where I'm visible by all. It's safer that way. Finnick and Homes are on shift and watch me carefully.

"I can't tell apart what's real and what's not," I say.

"Then you should ask us, that's what Annie does."

Prim joins us as I start. She sits far away but we can still talk.

"Your favorite color is...blue?"

"Yeah, blue," she replies. I feel proud for getting it right.

"Like your eyes," I smile. "What's mine?"

"You like all colors..." It triggers a memory and I chime in as she finishes. "I like all colors, I'm a colorful guy."

We both laugh. It's a good memory. We were maybe 6, going through coloring books together out in the yard.

In the morning Prim, Finnick and Gale go shoot some glass for the cameras. I stay behind and play Real or Not Real with the others, but Katniss is the only one who can really answer. It's a game where I ask if something really happened and they let me know if it was real or not real.

Apparently, Plutarch isn't happy with the footage we're giving him. Boggs and Cressida decide it would be good for us to get our weapons and get out on a fairly simple block. Everyone is excited. Prim's given her sling, Gale is given a gun, and Katniss is given her bow. I'm given a gun with blanks.

"You're an avox," I tell Pollux. "Like my brother. Like the ones that served me in the Capitol. There was a red haired one next to my cell during my stay. Lavina I think? They killed her with electric shocks. I wish she died the first day. It took several to finish her off. It must have been painful..." They stare at me with wide looks. Maybe it was all a dream. "Real or not real?" I ask. They don't reply. "Real or not real?!"

"R-real," Prim stutters. Things start to look fuzzy and I get confused as we enter the block. Why am I here? How does Prim know Lavina died? She's the monster, I think as people apply make up to our faces.

"Action!" the one with vines calls. I forget her name. Cassandra?

I look over at the squad and double over laughing. Feigning desperation, Mitchell is flaring his nostrils and gritting his teeth. Maybe I was just hallucinating but the others are laughing too.

"Pull it together Four Five One!" Boggs orders. But even he has a smile on his face as he steps back, activating a pod that blows off his legs.

~A/N~ Cookies for you if you could imagine Mitchell :P

I know this was short but I'll be doing 5 chapters today to celebrate 5K!!

(And no, 100K on THGP will not mean 100 new chapters)

-Monica