Mockingjay: The New Story

Chapter Twenty-Six

Katniss's POV

"You're gonna have to talk at some point."

I ignore Peeta. Mainly because the calming serum my mother injected me with is still at work. A fight doesn't seem too enjoyable right now, so I let Peeta stand at the foot of the bed with an annoyed look on his face and his hands on his hips. We were both released a few days ago, both told to rest. My mother continues to inject me with the calming serum and Peeta with morphine to ease the pain in his stomach. The scar is pink and tender, the empty space in him leaves a weird feeling, he has told me. It made me laugh, the first emotion I had shown in days.

"I know," I whisper. I want to speak up for myself, tell him I don't want to talk now. My heart is getting angry and selfish again, but my brain is swimming.

Peeta sighs. "We have a Command meeting. That's why your mother gave you the serum. You'll stay calm for most of it, but then we have to come back to rest. Alright?"

Peeta lets out a laugh, thinking it is funny that I can't yell at him or disagree with what he says. It isn't a rude laughter, just something to brighten the mood. I smile, actually finding it funny. He helps me up from the bed and sets me in the wheelchair I am required to move in. No more walking, or stressing out, or Mockingjay duty, for the Mockingjay. Just until the twins are born and I have fully recovered. Then I am a free Mockingjay with new baby birds to nest, but a beast to tackle at the same time.

The meeting, as always, is the same old stuff as always. I, as always, ignore it. I watch Peeta take in all the information they talk about, even asking questions. He has taken much interest in the meetings and war, as I just wanted to get Peeta and kill Snow. He is off limits from Mockingjay duty as well, all the victors are not permitted to enter any line of battle up until we are close enough to winning. Peeta still takes a curious point to the war as it advances.

It all takes a turn when Beetee announces that the other half of the We Remember propos will be aired today. He answers everyone's question before they ask it. "Yes, it will be Annie's piece of her interview. Before everyone is surprised, the rest of Katniss's and Brutus's interview will be played before to make it seem it isn't so large, up until Annie's. Her interview proved to be out of the ordinary, being so all the secrets she speaks of. Of course, we have cut out some non-important people she made public of, but we might possibly air those later on if we attain more footage to use."

Beetee continues to speak of something less of interest to me when the interviews begin again over the Capitol propaganda. My pin flashes in the regular flames, then I show up on screen again.Cressida begins to ask me a question when the interview is cut short. The Capitol has overwritten Beetee's access, showing their seal instead of my face. Snow shows his face, but he is cut off by me. Beetee and the other brains run out of the room to fight the Capitol tech masters.

"Fighting is all I have left to do," I say. "I never wanted it, I never asked for it. But it was handed to me when I was called in for the Games. I was supposed to fight to survive, and that's what I'm doing."

I reach out for Peeta's hand to pull me up. I stand and take a deep breath, on my own two feet, ready to run. I want to run, the interview reminds me of what I said. I can't watch any further than this, or I will break down crying.

I am cut off before Cressida can ask the next gruesome question. Snow appears again, angrier than before. I take notice that Peeta stands behind his desk where he sits, so this was filmed long ago when he was in Snow's hands. Peeta is in the white suit he wore before, stood like a puppy in trouble. Peeta is quiet and still, with a hard face of determination. They were torturing him, and prettied up his hands and face. What lied underneath that suit burns in the back of my eyes. Snow calmly states that clearly, the rebels are, once again, attempting to disrupt the dissemination of information we find incriminating, but that we will no longer have the chance to distribute such horrendous lies to them. Truth and justice will reign in the Capitol. The full broadcast will return when their security has been reinstated. He turns back to Peeta, then to the camera, asking him if he has anything to say about tonight's demonstration. If he has any parting thought for Katniss Everdeen.