Mockingjay: The New Story

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Katniss's POV

Four more bunker missiles hit over the course of three days. As you think the raid is over, as the long hours anticipating the next one come and go, yet another blast sends shocks through your gut down to the hollows of your teeth. We get little to no information on what's happening on the ground of the war, only brief audio updates from Coin about the nature of the bombs. She thanks us for our patience and again on safely making down to the bunkers. 

Inside the bunker is the same as being outside of the bunkers. There is a tight schedule everyone must cooperate to for the following: meals and bathing, exercise and sleep, small periods of socialization in a spacious floor with nothing but a tile floor and four cement walls. As if I wasn't popular enough to stare at, Buttercup and I become a fascination with both adults and children. He attains a celebrity status with his evening game of Crazy Cat. It was years ago when I invented this game, it was winter and the Seam, as always, was in a blackout. You simple wiggle a flashlight beam around on the floor, and Buttercup tried to catch it. I'm patsy enough to enjoy it because I think it makes him look stupid; Peeta thinks it's cute like that's how we bond. 

"He looks stupid Peeta," I'll tell him. He'll only laugh and kiss me. 

Inexplicably, everyone thinks Buttercup is clever and delightful. I've even been issued a special set of batteries - an enormous waste - to be used for my little game. The citizens of 13 are truly starved of entertainment.

-

Twenty-four hours after the last bomb, pure quiet, and Coin finally announces we can leave the bunker. Our old compartment has been destroyed by the bombing. We all have to follow explicit directions to our new quarters. Before, we must clean our spaces, as directed, and file obediently toward the door. 

I last about five minutes walking up the stairs before I have to sit down. My feet ache and the twins are angry that I am moving so much. Peeta sits with me as my mother and Prim go up to the medical unit to continue their work. Peeta encourages me to go on, but I ache so much. Plutarch is one of the last ones going up the stairs and when he meets us, he says it is only two more flights until an elevator can escort me up to our floor. That builds my confidence, even the twins calm enough until I reach the elevator. And it seems that Plutarch thought of everything: there was even a wheelchair waiting for me inside. Although my scowl made Peeta laugh, it felt nice to not have to walk around so much. Once we entered out new compartment, Peeta helps me lay down and we sit in the quiet.

There is no window in this new room, but besides that, it looks about the same. A door leading to the bathroom across from the bed; a large dresser for the two of us to share, we will be assigned new clothes another day; a king sized bed for us to share; and two miniature dressers beside the bed. 

We lay together for who knows long, up until someone knocks on the door, making Peeta get up and leave me alone on the warm bed. It is Cressida and her crew. 

"Wanna come up and do a propo?" she asks gently, seeing how comfortable I am.

"Sure."

She smirks, knowing I wouldn't resist. Snow struck once, know its time for us to throw what we have back.

-

I couldn't fit into the suit.

The material only goes so far, and the costume was not meant for the Mockingjay to use so close to her due date. My prep team refused to try any longer with it after I almost ripped it trying to get it over my ginormous belly. They put natural makeup on me and a black jumpsuit that matched the gray ones assigned for everyone to wear. Flavius added a white scarf from his secret stash of things he brought with him. I smile as I can still smell the Capitol perfume.