𝕾𝖔 𝕴𝖙 𝕲𝖔𝖊𝖘..

30 - 𝙼𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝙵𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝙻𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚆𝚎𝚊𝚙𝚘𝚗𝚜

The guard had swung the door to the cell open forcefully, carelessly tossing her limp body back into the room. The skirt of the dress she still wore for the interview splayed out around her on the floor as she landed on her side. She knew where she was, but part of her refused to believe that any of it was real. Not that she could even really tell what was real anymore. Her half lidded eyes stayed focused on the ground, feeling too weak and tired to try to even move.

"Aria," Peeta said with a shuddering gasp as he saw the bad condition that she was in. He quickly moved towards her, rolling her onto her back as her lifeless eyes stared up at the ceiling.

"What the fuck did you do to her?" Johanna spat at the peacekeeper that lingered in the room, leading him to slap her across the face.

"Learn when to keep your mouth shut," he said threateningly before finally taking his leave.

Johanna put a hand up to her reddened cheek, recognizing the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. She looked over to where Aria lay on the floor as Peeta desperately tried anything to get through to her. As awful as it seemed, she was almost grateful that Annie wasn't around to see the condition that Aria was currently in. Whatever torture she was being subjected to made her react to just about every little thing. She didn't want to know how she would've reacted to seeing Aria the way she was.

"Please wake up, Aria," Peeta pleaded as he shook her lightly.

Johanna moved to sit beside them, truly thinking Aria was dead for a moment. She wasn't exactly unconscious like Peeta had been worried she was. Her eyes were halfway open and it was hard to tell if she was breathing or not. She stared straight ahead, not really focusing on anything in particular. Finally she blinked slowly, adjusting her gaze from the ceiling to glancing between Peeta and Johanna in confusion, not being able to place their faces at first.

"Hey," Peeta said reassuringly, "you're okay."

She was alive, alright. Once she recognized them, she jumped backwards, scooting back until she had practically cornered herself in the cell. She looked scared as she rapidly looked between them, as if they had been poised to attack her. Her chest rose and fell quickly with panicked breaths, not knowing whether or not to trust her eyes that were registering them. Johanna looked over at Peeta worriedly, who continued to make eye contact with Aria.

"Woah, it's okay," he assured her as he gently reached a hand out towards her.

"Don't," Aria said, her voice wavering with uncertainty as she quickly moved her body away from him. 

Peeta stopped, instantly retracting his hand away from her at her reaction. "You're okay," he repeated, "you're safe."

It was clear that Aria still didn't trust them for whatever reason. Johanna hated the way she looked at them. It was almost the same way she had seemed after the jabberjays had cornered her in the arena. She looked at them like they were ready to lunge at her and she had to be ready to protect herself at any given moment. 

"Is this even real?" Aria asked quietly.

"Yeah," Johanna said matter of factly, "why wouldn't it be?"

Aria looked at the door, watching as Isla's figure stood in front of it, staring at her. This time, she appeared as she did when she had found her in the arena, not in the extravagant blue gown she had encountered her in previously. And she didn't have a threatening or unsettling vibe about her like she had earlier. Still, Aria knew she shouldn't have been there, but she couldn't seem to shake her off.

"I can't tell anymore," she whispered vaguely.

"You're safe here," Peeta said, "it's just us in here."