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KILL FOR YOUR LOVE.

act three.

(chapter thirty-seven, the only one)

a white room, 75 ADD.

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CLAMPITT NEVER CAME BACK, but Juniper had no idea what time it was. It could have been the same day for all she knew, but she had a feeling hours had passed. 

She didn't try to sleep. She didn't want to sleep. With what Clampitt had shown her, what had really happened the last night of the Quell, questions began to torture her head. Was anyone else in the Capitol? Was there currently a full-blown war happening between the rebels and the Capitol? Or had the rebellion failed? 

Juniper tried to sort through her thoughts as she laid on the white bed, staring up at the ceiling. She could slowly feel herself go insane and she had only been in the Capitol for a few hours. Or maybe she hadn't. She had no idea how long she was asleep for. She could have been laying there, dreaming of Brent Higgins for days. A week even. 

Brent Higgins. 

Why had she dreamt of Brent Higgins? She had dreamt back to his Reaping, to the Sixty-Eighth Hunger Games. She was only thirteen with Brent being eighteen. There was no importance in the dream. It was merely her establishing that she hated the man even before he became a drunk. But why had she dreamt it? Brent Higgins held no importance in her life. She hated him, despised him. And she killed him because of it. 

(And instead of crying or sobbing over her district partner's death, she chuckled as she kicked his body with her foot, spitting on it)

Juniper took a deep breath as she ran a hand down her face. She tried to focus on something else, anything else. And so, she was reminded of her father. Where was he? Was he all right? He still had to be in Ten, but was he punished? No, because Juniper wasn't the one who fired the arrow. Katniss was. But if the Capitol thought Juniper was part of a rebel plan, they would kill her father. Or take him. Punish him to punish her. 

No, she didn't want to think of that. She tried to focus on something else. But every thought that popped into her head, it made Juniper's heart race. It made sweat build up onto her forehead. It made her sick because every thought ended with death whether it was hers or someone she loved. 

"You're so dumb, Juniper..." she hissed to herself as she got up, swinging her legs over to rest her feet on the tiles. The pains in her body hadn't come back as severe, but she could feel them creeping up her muscles slowly. 

Standing up, swaying slightly, Juniper surveyed the white room of hell. It had to be made to keep prisoners inside, for there were no faults. No cracks in the walls, no breaks in the tiles. There wasn't even a knob or lock on the door. And there were no windows. There was no possible way she could escape. Unless, once the door burst open, she could quickly defeat whoever it was that decided to come into the room and could run out. But no, that was stupid and incredibly pathetic. Cohorts of Peacekeepers' would be waiting for her and if she was in the Capitol, it would be heavily guarded. Juniper had to come to the terms that she was in the Capitol. She had been caught. There was no escape. 

But suddenly, as she thought this, the white door banged open and whilst Juniper expected to see Dr. Clampitt at least, a Peacekeeper came in, holding a tray. He ignored Juniper as he walked into the room, placing it onto the bedside table. And as he did, the Hale woman peered out of the door to see a long hallway littered with Peacekeepers'. There was no way she could run. There was no escape. 

The Peacekeeper that had walked in swiftly exited and slammed the door shut behind him, Juniper eyeing the tray on the table as she studied it. There was a steaming bowl filled with a thick, creamy clump that looked oddly like porridge, something Juniper had only tried once back in Ten when she was younger. And then there was a simple glass of water with the only amount of cleanness the Capitol could attain. Breakfast. 

It had to be early in the morning. Clampitt probably visited Juniper in the evening, considering she had just woken up from her sedation. And so, Juniper had stayed awake the entire night. It was the next day and the Peacekeepers' were kind enough to bring her breakfast. 

But the Peacekeepers' were never kind, never nice. Juniper eyed the food, fearing they were tricking her into eating it. It had to be poisoned. They wouldn't care about her health as long as she told them what they wanted to know. The rebel plan. What led to the events of the last night of the Quell. But if they wanted to know about that, they had to keep Juniper alive. Was the food poisoned or was she completely overthinking? 

No. She had to overthink. She was in the Capitol. She had been captured. If Juniper wanted to survive, wait for someone to rescue her or get herself out, she needed to stay alive. And to stay alive, she needed to overthink. So, she left the porridge and water as it was. She wasn't hungry or thirsty anyway and she was sure if she could survive in the arena without food or water, she could last in the white room of hell. 

But Juniper found, as she paced around the room, trying hard to ignore the steaming porridge on the bedside table, that her patience was growing thin. She had only been there for a short amount of time, but Juniper Hale had never been a patient person. Making her wait, making her do nothing in the white room of hell made her heart thud with every passing second, every passing moment she remained in the room. She had no idea how long she would remain in the white hell, but she knew she had to do something before her brain went insane. 

And so, Juniper did little things. Simple equations in her head. Difficult equations in her head. Thinking things over and over that didn't involve the Hunger Games, or death, or isolation. She would think over little jokes people had told her over the years, something that could make her breathe out a laugh or crack a smile. Whatever it was, she tried to keep her brain going. She had seen what insanity could do. She had seen it with many tributes in the arena and with many Victors' who had been lucky enough to survive the Games and didn't want to become like that. Juniper did not want to become loony. 

It must have been hours since the Peacekeeper dropped off the breakfast because as Juniper sat cross-legged on the bed, fiddling with the end of her paper robe as she tried to think back to a difficult equation, the door bursted open. Dr. Clampitt stood in the doorway, hair down this time, but still with her glasses and lab coat on. 

"Ah, Miss Hale," she greeted as she began to walk further into the room. Juniper narrowed her eyes at her. Dr. Clampitt was holding a clipboard and a pen. "Oh, I see you didn't touch your breakfast."

"I didn't fancy eating poisoned food," Juniper snapped defensively as she scooted further back on the bed as she watched the woman sniff the porridge. 

"Poisoned?" Dr. Clampitt asked. "No, no, Miss Hale, this isn't poisoned. Though I can see why... here." 

Clampitt took the spoon that laid on the tray and dug it into the creamy, thick food before bringing it back to her lips, shovelling it into her mouth. Juniper watched intently as she swallowed, wincing. 

"Oh, it's cold," she said. "But there, not poisoned. I would suggest you eat. It will build back your strength and will limit your body pain. We can only give you a certain amount of morphling. Don't want you to go all loony."

Juniper furrowed her brows as she watched Dr. Clampitt sit on the end of the bed, clicking her pen as she readied her clipboard. There seemed to be a sheet filled with intricate words and boxes that Juniper couldn't possibly decipher. She figured Clampitt was going to ask her questions about the rebel scheme. 

"So, Miss Hale," the doctor said. "How are you feeling?" 

"Damn perfect." 

Clampitt didn't seem surprised at her answer, but did not write anything down. She looked up through the lenses of her glasses, grumbling something under her breath. Then she wrote something down, but Juniper didn't bother looking over to see what it was. 

"Are you up for some questions?" 

"Depends on what the questions are." 

"Well... was there something else going on in the arena?" Dr. Clampitt asked. 

"What?" Juniper scoffed.

Dr. Clampitt clenched her jaw slightly as she questioned, "Was there something else going on in the arena? Between the other tributes? A pact, a plan, if you will." 

"What makes you think that?" Juniper asked her. Of course there was. 

"Because, to the Capitol, it seems oddly like the other tributes were... protecting two certain individuals," Clampitt said. "Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, that is. There were certain times, in the arena, where tributes dropped everything, risked their lives, to protect the two Victors' from Twelve. Why is that?"

Juniper narrowed her eyes as she stared at Clampitt, who looked at her expectantly, before saying, "And what makes you think anyone would want to sacrifice themselves for those two brats?" 

"Mags Flanagan from District Four walked right into the poisonous fog so Finnick Odair could carry Peeta Mellark. The female tribute from District Six pushed Peeta Mellark out of the way so the monkey's fangs could dig into her chest and not his. Finnick Odair from District Four broke up a fight between Katniss Everdeen and Johanna Mason so they didn't end up killing each other. Finnick Odair from District Four knocked Brutus's spear before it hit Peeta Mellark even if it meant taking Enobaria's knife to the thigh. Juniper Hale, who is you, from District Ten held Katniss Everdeen's hand to stop her from flying into the water as the Cornucopia spun even though you admitted to wanting to kill her in the arena. And then Juniper Hale, who is you, from District Ten followed Katniss Everdeen and Johanna Mason with the intent of protecting the former."

"Well.." Juniper blinked with a slight smirk as Clampitt finished reciting all the times people had protected the two from Twelve. "I think that's just you overthinking, Doc." 

"Is it?" Clampitt asked. "It is consistent. There have been multiple moments throughout the Quell where people have protected the two of them. Even you, who admitted to wanting to kill them, protected them. No-one can have a change of heart like that. What was the pact between the tributes? Why were you all protecting them?" 

"How do you know I wanted to kill Everdeen and Mellark?" 

Clampitt didn't say anything and looked rather calm as she dug her hand into the pocket of her lab coat, retrieving a small device. She fiddled with it before holding it up slightly, clicking a button. 

"Difficult?" Juniper clenched her jaw and tried to control her breathing as she heard the audio of herself speaking. "Yeah, you know how hard it is to not go over to Twelve and kill those two bastards myself?" 

"You told that to Finnick Odair two days before the announcement of the Quarter Quell," Dr. Clampitt told her as she placed the device back into her pocket. "On the phone." 

Juniper was immediately reminded of the arena, to the jabberjays. The Capitol had used Annie against Finnick when the birds sang the screams of loved ones. And Juniper remembered the sickness she felt at the realisation that the Capitol had found out about Annie through her and Finnick's phone calls. It was no surprise that Clampitt would sort through the audio files to find that exact statement. And she was right. How could someone have a quick change of heart? 

"It was instinct," Juniper lied. "For me, anyway, when the Cornucopia spun. And with me going down with Johanna and Katniss, it would make things even. Three boys at the tree, three girls with the wire. It was just instinct and strategy for me. For the others, go ask themselves yourself." 

"Well, we can't because you're the only one we retrieved from the arena." 

Juniper blinked. 

Then she blinked again.

 And then again. 

She tried to process Clampitt's words, staring into her soulless eyes as she did. The only one? Juniper was the only one in the Capitol? She felt her heart drop immensely low, nearly choking on air as she tried to swallow a lump in her throat. How could she be the only one in the Capitol? Did Plutarch really leave her behind?

"Whatever deal you made, Miss Hale, whoever you made it with... it wasn't worth it. They left you there," Dr. Clampitt said softly, placing the pen and clipboard on the quilts before turning to fully face her. 

"I... I don't know what you're on about—"

"Yes, you do." Clampitt nodded, interrupting her. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. There are rumours that there was a... rebel plan amongst the tributes. What was the plan, Miss Hale?" 

"There was no plan." 

"Miss Hale, they left you there. In the arena," Clampitt told her. "Whatever they said, whatever they told you they would do if you told anyone, they won't do it. You're safe here. No-one will get to you here... there will be no consequences."

("Oh, and, Miss Hale?" Plutarch said. "Do not discuss this with anyone and especially not with Miss Everdeen or Mr. Mellark. We cannot have them jeopardise this plan. It's best to keep them in the dark.")

"I have no idea what you're on about because there was no plan," Juniper said with a shaky breath as she leaned forwards. Plutarch left her there. "No-one was protecting Katniss Everdeen or Peeta Mellark. We all wanted to survive and to do that, we had to play allies. There was no rebel plan." 

"And so why did Katniss Everdeen destroy the arena?" Clampitt asked. "Blow up the force field?" 

"I don't know," Juniper stated. "But there was no rebel plan. It would be stupid if there was..."

"Yes... it would be, Miss Hale..." Dr. Clampitt whispered. She eyed the tray of cold food, the steam being long gone. "I'll let you... process this... and do eat dinner when it comes." 

The woman stood up, placing the pen in her pocket as she tucked the clipboard under her arm. She then took ahold of the tray and began to walk to the door. She tapped it slightly with the point of her heel and as a Peacekeeper opened it, Clampitt shared one more glance before walking out. The door slammed shut and as it did, Juniper let out a gasp before flopping on the bed. 

Plutarch left her in the arena. She was the only one in the Capitol. If she was the only Victor here, the rebels must have picked up the others. Finnick. Johanna. Beetee. Katniss. Peeta. All five of them were safe whilst Juniper rotted in the Capitol. But why? Why did Plutarch leave her? Did he truly think she didn't do a good job at protecting Katniss? And yes, she probably didn't, but the girl was still alive. 

But it didn't matter. Plutarch left her. The rebels left her. Everyone else was safe and sound, somewhere with the rebellion. But Juniper wasn't. She was locked away in the white room of hell, sentenced to an inevitable death. Surely Finnick would do something. He would fight for her rescue. Peeta, maybe. The two didn't get along with mostly Juniper despising him for being too much like —  but no, he had killed Brutus. Justice would never dare to kill someone. That was where they differed. And Peeta was alive whilst Justice— 

Juniper gritted her teeth as she looked up at the ceiling. She could feel her airways constricting, heart seizing up. The pain in her body was slowly coming back, steadily enveloping her entire being as it began to spread from the tip of her toes to the top of her head. It wasn't as searing as it was prior, but it was enough to have Juniper fighting slightly. 

The only one.

She was the only one in the Capitol. She couldn't wrap her head around it. It seemed nearly impossible. She couldn't possibly be the only one Snow retrieved from the arena. There had to be others. There just had to be. 

But there wasn't. Juniper knew there wasn't. It made sense that Plutarch would leave her in the arena. He was a Capitol citizen. Capitol people were never to be trusted. The Capitol itself was never to be trusted. Why did Juniper trust Plutarch in the first place? She was so caught up in his intoxicating words of rebellion that she didn't even falter. And that was a mistake because now, she was in the white room of hell. 

And then Juniper thought back to Clampitt's words, that she was safe, that nothing could possibly hurt her in the Capitol. It was false, of course. Juniper was not safe. Everything could hurt her there. But then she thought back to the food. She was sure it was poisoned, but Clampitt ate it like she had it daily for breakfast. Were they truly not trying to kill her? 

But they had to be. The Capitol, for all her life, had been trying to kill her. They brought District Ten to poverty, limiting the food supply that was sent there. They didn't do anything about the mud, the wooden shacks that they were living in. And the Capitol were the ones that Reaped Juniper and Justice Hale. They turned her into a monster. And once she was crowned Victor, just three-years-later, they would thrust her into the arena once more. The Capitol was known for trying to kill those of the districts, infamous for trying to bring Juniper Hale to her knees. 

But she was naive. She truly thought that Plutarch would get her out of the arena if she protected Katniss Everdeen. Whilst she feared it, she never expected Plutarch to actually leave her. But he did and Juniper was stuck in the Capitol. And she was inevitably going to die.

Juniper clenched her jaw as she shuffled herself to be under the quilts and not over. She sighed at the feeling of the soft blankets and sheets caressing her flesh, giving her at least some comfort. And as she breathed out, she thought to her father. Did he know Juniper was in the Capitol or did he figure she was dead? And then she thought to Finnick. Was he trying everything he could to get them to rescue Juniper? And then she remembered Lucy. Was she beating herself up, drowning in guilt because she had lost two of her Victors'? 

The Hale woman did not know the answers to her questions, to her thoughts. And so, with the tightness of her heart suffocating her, Juniper let in deep breaths as she let the fact that she was alone kill her. 

⇢ ˗ˏˋ matz 🎧 !

— DISCLAIMER: NOT EVERYTHING YOU READ IN THIS ACT IS TRUE