Revolt 13 | Y.Jw

| 3.Teaser |

It might've been the door shutting that had pulled me out of my daze. I wasn't completely sure. I recalled a bang that sounded like a door closing, but I hadn't seen it. That had been a while ago by now. I was completely alone in the room and when I had moved to sit with my legs dangling over the edge of the bed I had noticed how hooked up I was. Immediately I had been too scared to move, and I didn't know how I could get a hold of anyone.

By the time voices started nearing the room I had looked up from the white tiled floor that stretched through the room. Perhaps they could give me answers. The door handle seemed to creak in slow motion before it pushed open and revealed a widely smiling Lin. 

"Well, don't you look to be doing better?" she questioned with a wide smile. For a second I was actually unsure if it was Lin, but once she spoke I was completely sure.

"Your hair..." I trailed off with a quiet voice. Beforehand her hair had looked like mine, now it was cut in bangs and to hair that hovered above her shoulders, levitating back and forth whenever she moved her head.

"Properly awake for the first time in over a month and that's all you have to say?" she chuckled and wandered over to press a small button by the bedside table, "yes, I got my hair cut. It only seemed fitting that if I was going to destroy the Capitol, then I had to look like the girl that entered the Capitol for the first time three years ago. Won't you think?"

"Where are we?" I questioned and her wide grin immediately faltered as a sullen look replaced it instead.

"In the shelters," she replied and I nodded quietly. I knew all too well what the shelters were. Initially they were underneath the old District Thirteen. It hadn't been under the new one I had lived in. Now the shelters laid in the no man's land between District Twelve and District Thirteen - where no one was supposed to know it was, but everyone in Thirteen knew of, "everyone's here... me, Soo, Xia, Sunghoon, Heeseung... Sunoo," she added while trying to suppress a small smile.

"Riki too?" I whispered and she nodded immediately.

"But they're keeping a close eye on him," she quickly assured, "something about him not being in the right head space towards the end of the games because... you know... his sister was killed in there. He's doing better now. You however... we'll have to find out."

"I'm fine," I shook my head and she looked over at me with a small mischievous smile.

"Don't go lying on me," she shook her head with a small laugh, "you've been out for a month and three weeks. If in doubt I'd refer you to Jungwon's calendar. Until three weeks ago he spent his every waking... and sleeping - moment in here. I think it might've gotten to his head in the long run, but now he's gotten something else to do. He visits you early in the morning and late at night... when he's home of course."

"What's he doing?" I murmured in confusion and folded my hands in my lap, concentrating to not pick at the needle in the back of my hand, being hold in place with a simple band aid.

"He's out in the districts," Lin answered casually, "Sunghoon and I watch over you. Mainly me of course, Sunghoon has to go with Jungwon every once in a while. Once you're ready to go out as well, the rest of us will be allowed to go out as well."

"Why's he in the districts?" 

"Well, the public couldn't wait for you to wake up," she reminded with a knowing smirk, "he was against it, but Venus got some sense spoken into him a few weeks ago. He went with no complaints the very next morning. He's doing great, you would be proud."

"Can I go out of here?" I questioned and Lin nodded calmly, "but the button-"

"Oh, it's just to notify that you're awake and coherent," she waved it off and fidgeted with the IV pole beside my bed, "let's just get you loosened from here and you should be up and walking in a few moments."

"But... don't anyone have to check on... something?" I frowned and Lin immediately started smiling.

"Capitol treatments, they're impressive aren't they?" she chuckled and loosened the IV pole completely, rolling it over to stand by my side, "Now let's get you up and walking," she urged and extended both her hands in front of me.

"But I thought we were in the shel-"

"Venus knew he needed your sponsor money for something more important than a warning note," Lin quickly interrupted, "apparently one of his good friends from the Capitol is a doctor... needed the money to sneak him out. Fixed you up with only a remaining scar. Quite impressive actually. Now up on your feet."

I let out a small huff and looked between both of Lin's open palms. I scrunched up my nose in dismay as I lifted my hands - they felt as heavy as if a bag of bricks had been tied to each wrist, but I got my palms securely placed in Lin's after a bit of work. Carefully Lin's fingers folded over the back of my hand and checked how secure the grip was.

"Just at your own speed," Lin assured with a small nod when I had glanced up at her with uncertainty.

I inched closer and closer towards the edge of the bed, my toes touching the cold floor before the rest of my foot did. With a last bit of Lin's help I got pulled up on my feet, easily finding my footing.

Even though Lin had sent me a weird look I had pulled my hands from her grip and grabbed onto the IV pole beside me. I didn't say a word, but she seemed to understand what I was trying to do.

"You want to go see if I'm speaking the truth about Jungwon?" she questioned with an arched brow and I immediately nodded slowly.

I had to walk slowly to not get a pain that felt like muscle cramps just above my right hip. It was a bit odd to have such a pain in that place, but by the circumstances it wasn't weird. It was simply ordinary. We did, however, get down to a small room that mostly looked like a surveillance room. A few officials sat around in it, only acknowledging Lin and I with a small nod before they turned back to the many screens on the wall in front of them. Each of them showing footage from various districts and the area above the shelter entrance.

"Where is he?" I muttered and Lin immediately reached over to point to one of the screens hanging higher above the others.

On the screen Jungwon stood, looking like he was delivering a message to a larger group. He almost looked like a peacekeeper that was dressed in all black. A boy on each side dressed just like him. The only thing neither of them had was a helmet.

"Why doesn't he have a helmet?" I muttered to Lin and she snickered as she glanced over at me, "he should have one."

"His entire suit is bulletproof, he's just fine," she shook her head and patted my shoulder gently to ensure me.

"What if they aim for his head?" I questioned and she let out a heavy sigh and crossed her arms across her chest.

"The two boys is Jay from District One and Jake from District Two. They both followed along when we had to get allied families out of the districts. Jay claimed to be a family friend of Sunghoon and Jake was the stepbrother to Heeseung," Lin calmly explained instead and I looked back up at the screen, first now noticing how unfamiliar the two boys by Jungwon's side was, "Jake's been sitting in your room a lot too. Jay, not so much, but he's been there."

"Why?"

"Well... if Sunghoon was out instead of one of those two, then I was the only one left to keep an eye on you. Jay was out more than Jake was, so Jake took a reasonable amount of time sitting by you," Lin shrugged casually, "according to him you never really did anything but sleep. He only said there was once he had to call a nurse because of your tubes having tangled up, somehow."

I sniffled quietly as I looked back up at the screen, watching the three boys intently as they stood in front of a larger group of people that mostly looked like a bunch of farmers pretending to be a dangerous battalion.

Daily updates at 3am (CET), from July 20, 2024