Pure Torture: a Hunger Games Fanfiction

Chapter 52

Katniss

"Won't you stay with me my love for another day 'cause I don't want to be alone when I'm in this state." -Daughter

Peeta sits next to where I lay on the bed. He holds my hand, and I squeeze it every few minutes so he knows I'm alright. My eyes sting a bit from getting dust in them, and my arms and face are scratched up. Not to mention my black eye. And my head? The only way I could ever describe it is as if my brain was getting bigger and was crushing my skull.

Quickly, he runs downstairs to grab a phone so he can call Doctor Aurelius in the Capitol. He returns to my room with the phone and the paper with the Doctor's phone number.
He dials quickly and holds the phone to his ear.
"Hello?" Doctor Aurelius says on the other end.
"Doctor Aurelius? Hi. It's Peeta." Peeta says.
"Mr. Mellark! So good to hear from you! How are things in 12?" He says, as if greeting an old friend.
"It's fine. But we have a situation." Peeta replies.
"A situation? Of what sort?"
"Katniss." Is all Peeta says.

"Is she alright?" Doctor Aurelius
asks, "Was it severe?"
"No, it wasn't a flashback. She was attacked today. These people pushed her to the ground and she tried to fight back. They threw her and she hit her head on the ground. And then the one man brought his foot down on her head as hard as he could. An old woman found her lying on the ground, barely conscious. She's awake now, but we're worried." Peeta says.
"People attacked her?" Doctor Aurelius asks.
"Yeah." Peeta says.

Dr. Aurelius is quiet for a moment. "Okay. I just notified a Medic from 13 they have in 12." He says.
"Thank you." Peeta says.
"Not a problem. Call when the medic leaves. Goodbye!" He says.
Then Peeta hangs up. He turns to look at me and I stare at him, blinking slowly.
"A medic. Like Prim... Like Prim was?" I say the first thought that actually connects into a coherent phrase. If I could, I would cry, because I've just been attacked and my head hurts so badly and I've connected something to my sister. My dead sister.
"Yeah." Peeta says. He comes over to the bed and sits by me. He takes my hand and I squeeze his hand and squeeze my eyes shut, hoping that he'll never leave and that my pain will lessen.
"Please, Peeta... You can't leave... Me like... This." I say through the pain.
"I'm not going to leave. Ever." Peeta says.

--

There's a knock at the door soon later, and Peeta gets up to let the Medic in. When she comes into the room, I don't do anything except fight the urge to cry and break down. She's probably around 20, with golden blonde hair and brown eyes. And behind her is a young girl, who looks like she could be Prim's age before she died. She's got the same blonde hair, but her eyes are blue, like Prim's. Her hair is, coincidentally, in a braid. She is like the exact image of my sister, only her nose is a bit different. She peers shyly at me and I muster every bit of strength and give her a weak smile. She smiles back at me, relieved.

"Katniss? My name is Marina. How are you feeling?" The woman asks.
"I feel... Bad." I say.
"Bad? In what way?" She asks.
"My head... Hurts so bad." I say.

She continues to ask me questions.
"Where are you?"
"I'm in 12, right?" I say.
"Yes. Can you tell me about yourself?" She asks.
"My name... Is Katniss Everdeen. I'm 18 years old..." I say, squeezing my eyes shut to remember.
"Katniss?" Peeta says, looking me in the eyes.
"Yeah?" I reply.
"What's your favorite color?" He asks me.
It takes me a good amount of thinking before I realize. I can't remember.
"I...I can't remember." I say.
Peeta looks to Marina.
"Go ahead," She says, "You can tell her."

But before he can, I burst into tears. I can't remember. I'm trying so hard to remember. I can't. The crying makes my headache even worse.
"I... Can't... Remember!" I say. Why can't I remember?
Peeta takes my hand.
"Hey," He says, "Hey. It's okay, Katniss. Shhhh. It's alright."
My sobs quiet a bit.