Grain & Blood | A Hunger Games collection

System Overload: Chapter Eight

Iris

I stare down at the note from Kamalyn, wondering why she's only told me this now. It's only a small hint but I'm sure of it.

♡

Are you okay?

The words aren't the things that intrigue me, but the small heart in the corner does. Is this her way of saying that she loves me? Surely she was so into Benedict that she would never consider anyone else? Anyway, she asked a question, so I'll answer and ignore the heart for now.

Hey. I'm doing alright, just quite bored. I'm getting off lightly, which is a relief. But the question should surely be if you're alright? I can tell that I messed your arms up, the note you sent isn't your handwriting. Being shut up in this room all alone sucks but you've probably got it worse, with the head injury, punctured stomach, slashed open arms and all the other stab wounds. Good luck.

The next time a nurse comes in to give me food or whatever, I'll ask her to pass the note on. I'm bored, being trapped in an eight by six foot room with no human company. It's probably because I'm a danger, but I'm still human, and a room like a prison cell except it's a hospital room doesn't help me feel any less homicidal. Occasionally the guard that didn't shoot me comes to visit, maybe once or twice every five hours, but that won't change anything. Every time I seem to know him from some other time, but I just can't put my finger on it. He reminds me of someone I know, but who?

The door opens and the man walks in. Who is he? Maybe I'll find out.

"Hey." I greet him.

"Hey, how's it going?"

"Other than the whole 'locked up' thing, I'm fine. How about you?"

"I'm okay, yeah. I figured you would be pretty bored, so I brought you some stuff."

He lays out some books and a pack of pens and a notepad.

"Thanks. You wouldn't believe how lonely I am, shut up in here. It's even worse than being dead!"

"Mmm... I would say otherwise, but you do you."

I laugh a bit but ignore it. "You've never been dead, how would you know?"

"Iris, I've been dead. I know how it is." His expression is flat.

"Okay, you've been dead, but for six months?"

"For seven years."

He parts the hair at the side of his head to reveal a scar clearly from a bullet.

"Dada?"

It's late autumn, four days before my birthday, and my father is on his knees in the main square.

"Iris. It's okay. I love you, I love your brother and sister and Mama."

"I love you too Dada."

"I'll miss you."

"Where are you going?"

He doesn't answer, and I start crying because I don't want him to leave.

"I love you so, so so much Iris. I always will. I'll see you again someday."

He gives me a hug and kisses the top of my head. I hug him back, wondering what's wrong.

I step back because I feel like it's time for him to go now, wherever he's going. Then a peacekeeper places a gun against the side of his head and with an echoing bang, he falls to the floor, dead, blood pooling on the cobbles like a river of death.

"Dad?"

Wordlessly, he kisses the top of my head and takes my note for Kamalyn.

My father is alive. My dad, who died when I was six, has been working as a guard here for two years. And he didn't kill me, not because he thought I didn't deserve it, but because he recognised me as his daughter, nine years later, and couldn't bring himself to shoot me.

This hour has been hectic. Kamalyn... likes me? Whatever. But my father, the one who I never thought I would ever see again, is alive and I have found him.

Another early morning upload. 
Red_Panda_Writer11, can i just ask why you spammed the previous chapter with WHAT because it's too early for me to deal with bullcrap. Thanks.
Back to the author's note. eArLy AgAiN! yay. i hate myself at times but like sleep in the evening ain't a common occurrence, I sleep for about four hours a day and it's rubbing off on my mental health, I literally just crept downstairs for a plum. A PLUM. What is up with me I'm so hungry and this sucks but i also have skittles in my room so happi also if u want a good song to listen to on repeat then i don't have one look somewhere else like ur spotify reccomended or whatever. pls don't judge me for being awake or for eating plums byeeee

-A very sleep deprived Katherine