If Fire Caught

Chapter 27: Katniss

I know things have been getting worse for Peeta since I became public about being the Mockingjay. He's had another interview, after I traveled to District Eight so I could be seen as the Mockingjay, filming propaganda for the war. He looked terrible. He's lost weight, too much to have been lost by anything but starvation. He has horrible bruising that you could easily see beneath the thick makeup they used to try to cover it.

They are doing something to his mind. When he talks, its not even the same voice that used to comfort me at night saying those words. It's not him. The face is his, but that look in his eyes, the tortured animalistic gleam, the words he's saying, they aren't his. Snow is destroying my predacious baker to get to me. And I'm afraid he's succeeded.

I haven't even had time to properly mourn River. My baby is gone and I never got to really say goodbye. Yes I held him and yes I was there when he was buried, but those words never left my lips. I couldn't say those words. It was like I was accepting he was gone. And even though he is buried deep in the woods, safe from the war, I can't let him go.

I open Peeta's locket and smile at the picture of my baby. I kiss the picture and close it before Gale runs into my dorm.

"Katniss," he says. "They need you in command." I just ignore him before he says the words that get my attention. "It's Peeta." I get up and follow him out of the room.

"What is it?" I ask him as we walk. "Are they going to go get him? Can I go?"

"Not yet," Gale says. "But since you know him best, they want you to try to interpret what he said. We can't really understand it, and he was talking to you when he said it."

"Show me," I say. He takes me to command where I'm met with Finnick, Haymitch, Coin, and Boggs, Coin's right hand lacky.

"Miss Everdeen," Coin says. "How kind of you to join us."

"I heard that there was a new interview of Peeta that you needed me to see," I say.

"Yes," she says. "We don't quite understand what he means and since the message was for you," I nod, cutting her off.

"And I know him best," I say. "Can I see it?" Boggs presses play on a TV in the corner. I see Peeta sitting on a stool, looking worse than I've ever seen him. I see his leg moving and hear his prosthetic tapping a rhythm on the stool. Morse Code. "Pause it."

"Why?" Gale asks. "He hasn't even said anything." I ignore them at look at Boggs.

"Play that part over," I say. "I close my eyes and listen to the tapping. "He's telling me to get them out. He keeps saying run and hide."

"How does he know Morse Code?" Gale asks.

"I have no idea, but it can't be a coincidence," I say. It continues to play and I watch as Beetee fights the signal and it becomes a scramble of images of me and Peeta. Suddenly, the Capitol regains control and Peeta, my Peeta, looks into the camera and I see his eyes are clear,

"Katniss," he says, his voice contorted in pain, obviously fighting something. Possibly his mind. "How do you think this will end? What will be left? No one is safe. Not in the Capitol. Not in the districts. And you... in Thirteen..." he exhales sharply, as though in pain. A wild look takes over his eyes. "Dead by morning!"

The set turns into chaos. I hear Snow's voice orders. "End it!" the camera falls to the ground and I hear Peeta keep trying to speak. I hear a blow and Peeta's cry of pain. I scream as I see his blood splatter on the floor tiles.

"No!" I cry and Finnick comes up to me and takes my hand as He rubs my back with the other. The screen goes black and I fall to the ground.

"Katniss," Coin says. "I need you to tell me what he means." I look up at her with rage in my eyes. Anger at her for not getting him home yet, because if they had, he would be safe with me right now.

"I'll tell you," I say. "On the condition that Peeta and the others are brought home tomorrow!"

"Fine," she says coldly. "If his info is worth anything, we'll send a hovercraft at the next opportunity."

"Tomorrow," I reply.

"Done," she says. "What does he mean?"

"The Capitol will bomb us tonight," I say. "That's what he meant by dead by morning. They're coming for us."

"How do you know?" she asks. "The boy is obviously insane."

"I know because I know him better than I know anyone in this world," I say. "Even Prim. He's trying to protect me."

"Listen to her," Haymitch says. "That boy and her have a bond deeper than I've seen. She knows what he's saying, even in the state he's in."

"Fine," she says. "Even if its false, I think it's time for a drill." She types in a code and red lights and sirens start. "Evacuate the dorms, everyone to the bunkers." We nod and I stand up and allow Gale and Finnick to take me down to the bottom bunker, the underground district is in total chaos.

When we get to the bottom, my mother rushes up to me from where the hospital patients are gathered.

"Have you seen Prim?" she asks.

"She's not with you?" I ask her.

"She said she need to go get something," my mother says.

"That cat," I say. "She went back for the stupid cat!" I start to try to leave but Finnick grabs my arm. Gale looks at me.

"Stay with Finnick," he says. "I'll go get her."

"Please find her Gale," I say. He nods and leaves. Gale pulls me close and takes me over to the beds assigned to our bunks. I hear someone pushing their way over and see a ragged Prim holding Buttercup tightly to her chest as Gale carries her over to me. He sets her down and wrap my arms around her before kneeling to her level and clutching her shoulders.

"You went back for that stupid cat?!" I ask her. "It's just a cat Prim! He's not worth it!"

"I'm sorry Katniss," she says with tears in her eyes. "I already left him once. I couldn't leave him behind again." I feel my heart drop and back away from her and sit down on one of the makeshift beds. I curl into a ball and turn towards the wall. I feel myself start to cry and I hear Prim ask the boys a question.

"What did I say?" Prim asks.

"Nothing Prim," Gale says. "I think she just needs some time alone. Come on, me and Finnick will take you to your mom. She's worried about you."

"Okay," she says walking up to me but I don't even look at her. She sets Buttercup down next to me. "Take care of Katniss, okay sweetie pie?" The cat purrs at her in response before I hear Prim, Gale, and Finnick leave.

Buttercup crawls over my body and into my arms. I hate this cat. I despise him. I almost just lost my sister because of her. But I surprise myself by clutching his plump yellow body close, needing to hold someone right now.