Under the Willow

Chapter 22

I go to her bedroom everyday and brush her hair. Her eyes stare into the distance just like mine did. Brushing Katniss's hair was almost soothing, it took my mind off of each day beforehand where I would be bullied more. Most of the kids that stopped, but the one girl, Ivy, just kept getting worse. She gave me horrible stares all the time. I finally told Rory, and he said he would look out after me from now on. Me and him walk into class giggling and pushing each other. Right when I walked in, I got the glance. Rory, surprisingly, mimicked it perfectly. We sat at our desks, waiting for Mrs. Crook to arrive.
" I am happy to say that everyone in this class are now officially nurses in the hospital." she said, and halfway smiled. The class was in an uproar, cheering. Rory and I both hugged.
" You will be payed five dollars a week, and ten cents an hour." I smiled brightly. It may have not seem like a lot to other kids, but it would be the most I've gotten.
Class ended, and I hurried back to the hospital room to tell Katniss the news.
" Where is she?" I asked my mom, who was folding the bed sheets.
" She went to 12 to see the remains. They're trying to convince her to be the Mockingjay."
I nodded. " So how was class?" Mom asked.
" I'm officially a nurse!" I said, and she smiled.
" Good for you sweetie!" she said, and wrapped me in a hug. Mom was starting to look more happy, a light blush was forming on her face. Now I could truly see why everyone called her beautiful.
" Alyssa?" a guard asked, looking at my mom.
" Yes?" she replied, answering to her name.
" I need you and your daughter back to your rooms for Katniss's arrival."
" Okay," she said.
My mom was also named after a flower, just like me and Katniss. It's actually a tradition in our family. Mom and I scurried back to our room, which had been moved up to a nicer one with a window, and tried to occupy ourselves.
Ten minutes later, the door clicked and Katniss came in. " Hey," she said, dropping her game bag. I thought she wouldn't have anything for me, because I was carrying my journal when the bombings happened, and wearing my tree bracelet. Katniss handed mom her wedding picture of dad, which made her hold it to her chest. There were also some medicines, and dad's plant book. But what I didn't expect was Buttercup, popping his head right out of the bag. Katniss handed me my favorite light blue ribbon, and I tied it around his neck, holding him and crying happy tears. I propped him on my bed and smiled. After awhile, he got annoyed so I had to take the bow off. I put it my little drawer that had with all my precious belongings. There was my tree bracket, my mini herb journal, and fifteen dollars. I carefully put the light blue bow in the on top of the journal. 
   We both hugged Katniss, but I had to get ready because I had night shift at the hospital.
I put on my nurse uniform and did my upbraided bun. Rory wouldn't be on staff, but I knew Ivy would. I brushed off the feeling of anxiety and walked to the hospital. I was greeted by the doctor I would be with.
She had a curly brown ponytail with cheerful blue eyes.  " Hi Primrose! I'm Samantha. You will be with me tonight."  We walked to a board with her name on it, and her position.
" I have emergency tonight," she said, her eyes a bit wider then they were before.
  " You can switch if you want to."
I shook my head.  " It's ok. I'll be fine."
" Alright." she said
   We scurried to the area where the people would come in. Samantha made me put gloves and a jacket that looked like a raincoat.
  " Why do we need these?" I asked.
" There's going to be a lot of blood, and we don't want you contracting germs."
A few seconds later, a woman covered in blood was rushed in by a wheeled bed.
" Where are my kids?" she asked, looking terrified.
Samantha held a bandage to the woman's head, it already soaking red.
" Prim, can you go look for her kids?" Samantha asked, wheeling the woman into a room. I nodded, and worked my way to the front desk. It took me at least seven minutes to get through the swarms of wounded people.
Finally, I reached the front desk.
" Hi, are there any kids here that have blonde hair and brown eyes and have a missing mother?"
She nodded. " Yes, a both and girl. The girl has a fractured arm, but otherwise they're good."
I smiled. " Thanks," I said, and rushed back to the room. It took another seven minutes.
" I'm here!" I shouted, just as I entered the doorway.
" The kids are fi-"
There were about a million tubes connected to the woman.

" What happened?!?" I asked, halfway shouting.
" She has a wound to skull, and is in a coma."
" Will she ever wake up?" I asked Samantha.
" We don't know. It just matters if she makes it through the night."
I could feel the tears slip from my eyes.
" Oh." I said.
" You can go now," Samantha said, checking the tubes in the woman's throat.
At night, sitting in bed, I questioned if this was what I really wanted.

Is it?