Always: A Hunger Games Fanfiction

Chapter 38

Katniss

"Excuse me?" a gruff voice sounding says behind me. I turn. There is a large man dressed in a dark blue color standing before me. "Ms. Everdeen?" I hesitate but nod.

I'm sitting in the small meeting room nibbling on a turkey leg and green beans. I know I shouldn't waste my food, as so many are hungry, but I just don't have much of an appetite. Whenever I take a bite I feel a horrible gut-wrenching feeling in my stomach. I picture Enobaria's face above mine, about to sink her teeth into my neck like the mythical creatures in Prim's old fairy tale book.

Prim. I wonder where she would be right now if she hadn't been killed. I force myself to stop thinking like that. I have to face reality. I can't live in this false dreamland, where everything was happy and no one is dead. The ones I love, still wandering around on this Earth. I snap out of my thoughts and look up at the man again.

"Ruth Valentin, the eleven year old who was shot," the man begins. My interest is suddenly put towards him. The first thing I think in my mind is she's dead. I know that it is a possibility. I figured it would become reality eventually. It's almost comical, all of the people that I care about. That I let myself love, are dead. I'm surprised Peeta isn't dead yet. He almost was multiple times, but we had each other. We make each other stronger. I wish I could have shared that with the others also. Not just Peeta.

"She wants to see you. When we land, I mean," the man says. Wants? She's alive? She survived? A million questions buzz around in my head. Is she perfectly fine? I look back to the man, suddenly realizing that I stood up. The man motions his arm slightly for me to follow him. I take silent steps behind the soldier, or guard, or possibly even medic. I'm not sure what he does for a job. But like before, everyone in 13 has a job. Except me. Actually, that's not true. My job is to put on a pretty face and act for the cameras. That's what I've been doing for years.

The large man ushers me to the main lobby area of the hovercraft. I don't really see the point of going here. He says it would be more efficient this way, so I decide to go along anyway.

The hovercraft lands in 13 again only a few minutes later. I stand and wait for the doors to open. A few nurses push Peeta in on a moving bed. Not really a stretcher. More fancy and expensive looking than that. "Hi," he says, shifting on the bed. A pained look crosses his face but leaves as quick as it came. I smile somewhat, instead of saying the word hello.

The doors open and I notice a few 13 citizens who stop to put together what's happening. They eventually meander off somewhere else, losing interest.

Ruth. Ruth. Ruth. She's the only one my mind is focused on. I need to see her. The man says she is alright, but I need to see her for myself. I can't believe it until I see it. I always seem to get my hopes up, but they can so easily be crushed.

I leave Peeta behind, but he doesn't say anything. I think he understands why. I push my way through the actually, fairly small crowd for a regular day, in the lobby of 13.

I know where the hospital wing is now. I have been there more than once already, and I'm beginning to learn my way around this place.

I find it with no struggle. A woman is standing beside the door. When she sees me a plastic looking smile spreads across her face. She cocks her head to the side, as though giving me a look of pity. She then opens the door and letss me in, showing me another shiny smile.

I step into the room and immediately see her. She is lying on the farthest bed, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders perfectly. Although she looks more pale than normal, you can't really tell that she has been injured. I tiptoe over to her bed, careful not to wake the other sleeping patients.

I sit down in a small wooden chair a child might have. Ruth is sleeping, a peaceful look on her face. I smile and pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. Her eyes flutter open and I feel a pang of guilt for waking her up. The feeling dissolves almost right away. "Katniss. . ." Ruth whispers.

"Hey. I'm here now," I cooe. I use the same voice I used to use with Prim when she got nightmares. She nods and takes my hand.

"I'm sorry," she says. "I should have listened." A tear is beginning to form in her right eye. I shake my head and push another piece of hair behind her ear.

"No, it's okay. You're okay now. That's all I care about," I say. She nods and smiles. Her eyes close again. A feeling of happiness fills me. She isn't dead. She is alive and seemingly well. And that is all I care about.

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Thank you all so much! I can't even believe some of the wonderful comments I've been getting! I love all of my readers! And if you say that "I can never be as good of a writer as you.", know that I don't believe you. Not at all. For one thing, I'm not like an absolutely perfect writer. I know that. But you can definitely get where I am. Advice I tell everyone: If you feel confident in this book, and you love it, then nothing will stop you. As long as you love writing it, and keep updating, more and more readers will find you. If you're like "Oh, no one likes my books, I should just quit." Even if you mean it, people might be drawn away from that. Most people like to read books from authors that are confident with their stories ;) Just a word of advice!