The corpse of the past

Chapter 6: He's not himself

Chapter 6

-Katniss-

The camera men leaves.

Caesar remains, but I think that he's in a hurry though, it looks like he is.

Peeta and I walk down the stairs.

"Hey you guys, I need to run, I just wanted to say hi", he says and shake hands with Peeta.

"But what was that?" I ask irritated as he hugs me.

"Oh Effie can explain", Caesar says. "I really have to go now, I'm so sorry that this was such a short meeting, but I really need to run".

And so he's gone.

I spin around, looking furious at Effie Trinket. I haven't seen her in months and the very first time I see her, she pisses me off by doing something like this.

"So?" I ask angry.

"Well, we're going to the Capitol tomorrow to go on an interview, or not me, you two, and of course, Johanna, Haymitch, Annie and Beetee", Effie says.

"Yeah, all of the people in Panem have wondered what happened to you two", Plutarch says, I've heard that he's Paylor's assistant and very good friend right now. "So we decided to do an exclusive interview with all the remaining victors, not Enobaria, though".

"And you didn't even bother to ask us first?!" I shout. I don't wanna go to the Capitol! I don't even wanna put a single toe in the Capitol. "And Peeta just returned home!" I continue. "And now you're gonna drag him out there again?"

I turn to look at Peeta. He's shaking. And his eyes are really dark blue, not his usual shade of ocean clear blue. Oh no. I ... I think his going into his ... His mutt phase.

"Katniss go upstairs", Haymitch tells me carefully and low.

"No..." I whisper.

Why would I when Peeta needs me... Or does he? Does he need me? I don't really know. Does he really need me, now when he's in this phase?

I still don't want to leave, so instead I just go and stand behind Haymitch and beside Plutarch and Effie. Effie puts an arm around me and I lean my head on her shoulder. I know that I'm usually not this close to Effie and yes, she does piss me off most of the time, and she's this wig head with a white face and overly high heels with exaggerated dresses, but when it really counts, she's there for me.

Haymitch walks over to Peeta.

Peeta starts to mumble.

What is he saying? I can't hear.

Suddenly his head flies up and he points accusingly at me.

"YOU MUTT! YOU KILLED MY FAMILY! NOW I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

I jump. What? What is he saying? Why is he saying that?

I start to cry.

"No Peeta..." I whimper. "No, I didn't, and you don't mean what you're saying".

"HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME MUTT?! YOU'RE NOT SAYING ANYTHING BUT LIES!" Peeta roars.

This hurts. I mean this actually hurts more than any pain I've ever felt. The fact that Peeta really thinks I'm a mutt, that I killed his family and he called me a liar, hurts. And he says he wants to kill me? No he doesn't. I know he doesn't.

Peeta is not himself. I gotta remember that. I really need to remember that now. Peeta can't help this.

"Katniss don't listen to him", Plutarch whispers to me. "He's just having one of his flashbacks, he doesn't know what's he's saying".

I knew it!

Peeta starts running towards me with his hands reach out, thirsting after my throat.

My eyes widen and I start running backwards. But Haymitch is one step ahead. He tackles Peeta to the floor and than ... Sits on top of him.

"Get off me!" Peeta growls, shouting.

"Nope, not until you calm down, boy!" Haymitch says.

Peeta growls frustrated and keeps resisting and hits Haymitch, but Haymitch continues to sit on him.

He's looking really serious and concentrated.

Peeta is starting to turn blue in his face and I'm starting to get worried.

"Haymitch, let him go now!" I say.

I walk up to them and throw myself on my knees, not thinking of what I'm doing.

"Katniss, don't!" Haymitch warns me but I don't wanna listen to him right now.

I push Haymitch hard and his not prepared for that so he is taken by surprise and falls off Peeta who immediately sits up.

"Peeta..."

He's hands finds my throat right away.

Haymitch is about to take him away.

But I hold up a hand to prevent him. I look Peeta in the eyes, even though I get hard to breath.

"Peeta... I know you're in there", I say choked, and I can sense that Peeta is listening to me, but he dosen't release his grip of my throat. "Just please, please Peeta, this is not you, it's not, so please try to find in your heart who you truly are, please, I need you, I really do, I just got you back and you can't leave me again".

Peeta just looks at me for a couple of seconds, his eyes turns back to its normal shade of beautiful ocean blue. And  he release the grip and I start to coughing and gasping for air.

I get pats on my back, I think from Effie. I look up and see that Peeta is really pale.

"No..." He whispers and stands up.

I stand up as well.

"Katniss... Keep away from me please", Peeta whispers.

"No! Did you not hear what I said only a minute ago?" I ask.

Peetas eyes starts to tear up.

"I did", Peeta whispers, and now his eyes flow. Oh I hate it when he cries. "But ... I hurt you, I just did, I could've killed you, and that can't happen, it just can't, I'm a monster".

I shake my head and walk up to him.

"No you're not! You can't control when you're having these ... Flashbacks", I protest putting my hands on his shoulders. "But the main thing is that your here, you can come back from your flashbacks and you are yourself, don't forget that, you are my old Peeta just with a few bad days sometimes".

I realize that I called him my Peeta. How did that sound in his ears?

Before he can say something else I hug him. I don't ever want to let him go. Not now that I have him back. I don't care if he has flashbacks, I don't, I care about him, and I'm not letting him leave my life again. I just won't.

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Hey you guys, since I'm on good mood today, I decided to give you another chapter.

I hope you like it, please tell me what you thought of it :)

Please vote and comment you guys :)

-Josephine xx