When The Canary Sings

Can I Kiss You?

Third Person Point of View:

* 

"We have them." Gale speaks into his headpiece, "it's strange. Barely any guards, just a few locked doors. It's too easy." Gale says, holding an unconscious Becca in his arms while Boggs carries Peeta.

Back in thirteen, a large weight had been lifted off of both Haymitch's and Plutarch's shoulders. They sigh in relief. The kids are coming home.

"Who's accounted for?" Plutarch asks.

"Johanna, Peeta, Becca and Annie." Gale says, "they barely weigh anything, and the room we found them in, brutal."

Becca. She's alive. They didn't kill her. "What do you mean?" Haymitch responds quickly, his stomach churning in disgust and anticipation. The kids are coming home. Becca's coming home. She's alive.

Then, Boggs cuts in. "When we found Johanna, she was lying convulsing on the ground. She's beaten to a pulp, head shaved, and open wounds still bleeding and extremely infected."

"Annie was shaken when we found her, beaten bloody, but not as bad as Johanna."

"Becca? Peeta?" Plutarch asks because Haymitch's voice has gone dry. He won't be able to face either of them without a bottle. He can't look at their tortured faces and sunken, disappointed eyes. Not without being drunk enough to forget them.

"We found them in this room. Well, just outside this dark, tiny room, like they were being dragged out." Boggs says. "They both have severe injuries, open and infected wounds, broken bones, they're both extremely sick. Starved, dehydrated." Says Boggs, keeping Peeta's head supported against his chest. "The room, small, maybe four feet by four feet. Pitch black, not even a light. It stank. No toilet or sink, so you can imagine."

"They've been in there for days."

"Becca is on the brink of death." Gale interrupts. Haymitch feels his stomach drop. "We only found her and Peeta because she was blowing this whistle thing. Then, as soon as we came in, she passed right out." As he carries the limp and paper-weight Becca in his arms, he doesn't miss the strange feeling of movement over his skin that was covered in thick leather and Kevlar.

"Boarding the hovercraft now, Mr. Heavensbee." Boggs says, "have the medbay ready. These kids are going to need it." Just like that, the headpiece cuts out. Plutarch faces a pale Haymitch.

"What's the matter?"

"Did you not hear the man?" He asks, "the kids, they're on the brink of death. And it's my fault. It's our fault." He argues, "how am I supposed to look either of them in the eye after this?"

Plutarch only chuckles, "why, you're their mentor and I feel like I know them more than you." He adds. "You know Peeta, understanding as always, and I'm sure when he gets back he'll be too busy kissing Katniss to care." The man bellows, "and if you're worried about Becca. Don't be. You know her, always a ray of light. She'll be nothing but smiles."

His words provide little comfort to the victor, but like usual, instead of facing his problems, he leaves. "I'll get Katniss and Finnick." He mutters, quickly leaving with his head hung low.

~~~

On the hovercraft, Becca woke up for a moment. She had to warn the people about the snakes she kept with her. The ones hidden in the folds of her dress. Unfortunately, her mouth is too dry and her brain isn't working properly. So silence consumes her.

As soon as her thin, pale, pale body was laid on the table, and her filthy dress was beginning to come off her, a snake jolted outwards, heading straight for a terrified doctor.