Chapter 9
A misty voice reaches my ears.
"Primrose! Wake up!"
I toss an turn in my dreams of blood.
"Please! Primrose! I need you!"
This time the voice is clearer. I open my eyes. Twill is standing over me with a wet cloth on my forehead.
"Prim! Oh thank god! You were getting further away and I was losing hope!"
She says.
"Bonnie! She's awake!" She yells.
Footsteps come running down the hallway and Bonnie bursts into the room.
"Oh Prim!" She yells, throwing her arms around me. I hug her back, dazed.
"What happened? What's going on? Why aren't I dead?"
"We don't know and don't question it, as long as you're not."
I sit up. Twill hands me a glass of water. I gulp it down in two seconds flat and she goes into the bathroom to fill it again.
"So, what happened?" I ask Bonnie eagerly.
"Well, you know the weird mutt tiger?"
"Yes?"
"We don't think it was coin who put it there. We think it was a species that ran away after the first rebellion that survived somehow."
"Well, it's not like the Capitol to have a giant tiger.... Not their style."
"That's what I thought. When it spotted you, I thought fast. The tiger went up to you and you closed your eyes and it spat on your leg... It was really weird."
"What was really weird? What happened?"
"Well, the spit started dissolving, INTO your leg. It was like acid. It bubbled and spat and then it was gone, leaving you with a burn-type mark. It then just turned and ran into the jungle."
I sit there, trying to process it all. Twill came back in and handed me the glass. I took it thankfully.
"Twill knows more about it."
Twill sighs and sits on the bed with us.
"Well, you know how the Capitol have tracker jacker venom?" I nod. "It's a little like that. I found a book on the capitols mutts in the rebellion. It's called the tigott, and it's spit a lot like tracker jacker venom. It enters the persons bloodstream and targets the brain. It's hard to explain but there's a nerve it hits and it gives the person, well, there worst nightmare."
I look at my feet.
"Snow. I was...." I trail off and start crying. Bonnie comes closer and puts her hand on mine. I lean my head on her shoulder. In between sobs I say,
"He... Had... Me.... Katniss.... I... Don't... Know... First I... Was... Katniss... Then Snow.... Put a knife to my.... Katniss's.... Face... And.... It, I was watching her be...." I sob loudly. Bonnie puts her arm around me and whispers into my hair.
"Shh. It was only a dream."
Again, I let my tears stream out onto her shoulder. At one point I'm slightly aware that Twill leaves us alone.
After a while, I stop sobbing but we still sit there. Suddenly I speak.
"I was Katniss. I woke, chained to a hospital bed. A bunch of nurses came in and literally walked me to an elevator. They left the chains on and sent me to the top floor where another bunch took me to a room where I got attached to a wall that spun an I thought I was going to be squished but it opened up to reveal what I think was president Snows office. He came up and told me I was going to die and then... He grabbed a knife and put a blood-smelling rose in my pocket. Then I was watching him cut my sisters face, drawing a mockingjay on her cheek and writing it on her forehead... He then took a photo and told a person to make sure everyone in Panhem has seen it. Then he went back to Katniss and shoved the knife in her chest... Her screaming still echoes around my head..."
Tears come again as I say this and Bonnie whispers soothing words into my blonde hair.
"Mmm."
"What?"
"Well, it seems as if it targeted every fear you have. Being in chains?"
"Yes, I hate the feeling."
"Being squished?"
"Well, yes. Who wouldn't be scared?"
"Mmm... Then Snow being there, and how he took the picture to give to all the people in the country, secured the Capitol winning the rebellion, which of course you're scared of."
I look at my feet, knowing what's next.
"And of course, Katniss getting hurt and screaming scared you."
I look into her eyes and inside them is empathy.
"I'm sorry for crying so much." I whisper.
She laughs, then looks at me.
"It's ok."
I smile.
"You remind me so much of my sister." She says.
"And you, mine, but it's not the same."
"No. It isn't. But it's the closest we have at the moment."
"Yes, and I'm glad I found you in the dungeon. Or else I would have been too lonely."
She smiles again.
"I'm glad too."
"Of course you're glad or else you would've died!" I laugh.
"Apart from that! I'm glad you found us because I am glad that I have met you Primrose. You are an amazing person with a unique personality. Even if you remind me of my sister at times, you aren't at others."
She has tears in her eyes. I throw my arms around her.
"Thank you."
We stand up and go downstairs, to where Twill is making sandwiches.
"Hello girls. Rabbit or squirrel?"
"Rabbit." I say
"Squirrel." Bonnie says at the same time. Twill laughs.
"Oh and Primrose, we need to make sure the house is in order."
"Why?"
"In case the supplies come, you were out for two days and that means its been 5 days since coin left you here."
Only fives days? It felt like 20.
"Wait, I was out for two whole days?"
"Yep. Time passes quickly while your asleep."
"Well, anyway, that means we need to nail back on the panel," I start.
"Already done."
"Hide the meat,"
"Already thought of, we have a secret stash in a secret place."
"Where?" I ask, curiously.
"Here I'll show you."
They lead me over to the elevator but instead of pressing the button, they go underneath to a barely seeable chink in the wall. Bonnie pulls it out and a square of the wall folds out to reveal a large box, filled with the food from hunting.
"Wait, how did you get it back?"
"I just went and collected it, as well as a few more berries. I also found an apple orchard. I think there was once a township a little ways from here, I found a whole bunch of old ruins and things with useful things. I also found piles wood, riddled with dust, inside the houses. I think it was from when the old country, America was here."
"Most likely."
"We could go exploring there sometime."
"Sounds fun!"
Twill reaches in and pulls out a few apples, washes then then chucks them in with the sandwiches.
"What's that for?"
"Me and Bonnie will have to spend a day or two out there, until coin comes back. We couldn't leave before because you were unconscious but now you seem to be alright."
Fear washes over me.
"You mean I'll be alone?"
"Just for the day, we'll be back at sunset. Ok?"
"Alright." I gulp.
Twill puts a hand on my shoulder.
"You'll be alright."
I nod. We walk to the door and I walk them down to the fence.
"Bye! I can't wait for you to meet Buttercup!"
"Who's Buttercup?"
"My cat. Coin said I could have him."
"Cool."
They jump onto the fence.
"Bye Prim."
They jaunt over and I hear their footsteps echo away.
They're gone. I am alone again.
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