Pregnant in the Quell | ✔️

Chapter 7

The grief didn't kick in until after Prim got a ten in training. Usually, the tributes with the higher scores are picked off first. I don't remember Haymitch's score, his came after Prim's. I'm laying in bed while Peeta is stroking my hair. He knows I am still awake and he knows he shouldn't bother me. I eventually fall asleep, and the next two days are a breeze. Teaching Prim how to act before a crowd. Cinna adopted her as he did me. Since Peeta and I are the mentors now, we have new stylists, Cress and Vender. They put us in matching outfits, I am wearing a dark purple dress while Peeta wears the same color suit. The Capitol doesn't make the other tributes redo their interviews, so the crowd is more energetic when Prim comes on.

Prim is stunning in the flowing gold, yellow, and orange dress Cinna put her in. She sits down, and Caesar looks teary. "Well, Primrose. Your name is very pretty. I like it."

"Thank you, Caesar," she giggles.

"Looks like Cinna is keeping up the 'girl on fire' thing? Your dress is very pretty."

"Thank you, Caesar. He said he wanted to keep it up because 'the flame is not out, and will never go out.'" The crowd makes a low ooooo sound.

"Well, those are wise, wise words. We were all very sorry that your sister could not be in the Games this year. What are your thought on this, Primrose?" Caesar asks. He pretends to look for me in the crowd but he knows where I am sitting. Everyone is pointing at Peeta and me. It was annoying at first, but we got used to it after a while.

"Well, I liked to see her on television, but I think it is better this way. Life should be preserved, not destroyed." The crowd ooooos. I see what she did there. A little point at the current rebellion. I wonder if someone made her say that or if she just decided to say it herself.

Caesar also sees what she did there. He stays silent for a moment. The buzzer goes off to signal the end of her three minutes. "Primrose Everdeen, everyone!" She bows and takes delicate steps off the stage. Caesar continues, "Everyone please welcome the victor of the last Quarter Quell, Haymitch Abernathy!" Haymitch comes on, a little drunk. He seemed to not be drinking since the reaping but decided to start drinking now. He sits down clumsily. "So, Haymitch. Welcome back."

"Thank you, Caesar. It's good to be back."

"What do you think about the star-crossed lovers from District 12 and their current situation?"

"Well. I didn't know until Peeta told everyone during his interview. I was shocked. And then I was like, so what? This stuff happens all the time. Then, when Plutarch took them out of the Games, I was like, oh no. I gotta go back in. But then I realized I hated life anyway because I had to train tributes to their death every year. Then, Katniss' sister Prim was reaped and I quit drinking. I felt that I should be there for her and support her until I go in. And then this morning I was like I need a drink. And here we are!" Caesar looks a little uncomfortable. I wouldn't blame him. Being around Drunk Haymitch is uncomfortable. He never is really fun to be around when he is drunk.

"Well, I think you should be proud. Like Primrose said, life should be preserved, not destroyed." He says that last part slowly, like he chose his words carefully. To show he wasn't part of the growing rebellion. They chat for a while and then Haymitch goes off the stage. Peeta and I link hands as we go meet Haymitch and Prim. Haymitch managed to get more drunk in the five minutes we didn't see him. We all go upstairs and I say goodbye to Haymitch and Prim. This was always the emotional part.

"Prim. I love you. Remember that," I hug her then move on to Haymitch. "Please protect her. I..."

"I know," he says and hugs me. He lets go and heads down to his room. I take Prim to her room and hug her again. I close the door behind her. Peeta and I go to our room and fall asleep.

Cress and Vender wake us up later than Cinna and Portia did last year. They put us in similar clothes as last night, but black. They tell us the directions on where to go, and we manage to find our way there just as the tributes are rising into the arena. The cornucopia is on a small island, with water on all sides, then the water is surrounded by a circle-shaped island. The counter goes down to zero, and Haymitch must have talked to district four tributes, Finnick and Mags because they grab their weapons and go. They manage to get to the edge of the arena. They haven't found water though. Finnick and Mags make a little tent-like structure for them to sleep in.

Peeta authorizes a sponsor, a spile for them to get fresh water. Deadly fog wakes them up in the middle of the night. Prim spots it first. They leave camp and start running towards the water. Haymitch is the slowest, then he puts on a burst of speed to pick up Prim and catch up with Finnick who is carrying Mags. They run to the beach, not letting the fog touch them. They lay there a while, then start to slowly get up after they recovered from the run. Then, they hear a high-pitched screech. They can't figure out what it is, so they stay on the beach.

The next day, they meet up with Johanna Mason, Beetee, and Wiress. They are covered in blood from the blood rain that happened in another part of the jungle. They wash it off and make camp. The next morning, they meet up with the careers.

Haymitch protects Prim from Enobaria's spear, and then Brutus comes up behind Enobaria. She throws her spear into Haymitch's chest and he falls into the water, dead. Brutus says something to Enobaria and she moves out of the way. Brutus puts his arm up over Prim, but she looks at the camera and says, "I'm so sorry Katniss. Take care of the baby for me okay?" He throws his spear into Prim's heart. I put my hands to my mouth and cry out. Everyone in the room looks at me.

Peeta takes me out of the room so I can cry. I fall into that state of grief my mother fell into after my father died, and I'm sure she has too. Depending on other people. Disconnecting from the world.

The gamemakers let us go home. Effie comes to the train station to send us on our way. We get back to district 12. There is no welcome home party. No one to welcome us other than my mother. She tells us that their bodies haven't come home yet. We all go back to my house, and my mother seems to be handling it pretty well.

The next few days go by. Gale comes to see me once or twice. Peeta stays with me almost all the time. Making sure I'm okay. Asking if I want to talk about it. He tells me he feels grief for Haymitch, and I feel grief for both of them. Two days after we came home, their bodies come in their wooden boxes like they do every year. We have a little ceremony, and then we bury them.

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So, I have two endings to this. One ending is where I just add one more chapter and end it, or I go into the story of what happens to Peeta and Katniss during the rebellion. Please comment which one you want me to do!

TOAST OUT