The New Mockingjay

Chapter Eleven

I was breathing heavily again. It was noon by the look of a digital clock. 

Buttercup looked at me again with worried eyes. Mrrow. He said.

My mother opened the door. She had some hot broth in a bowl with her.

"Nurse Patten and Doctor Bane told me what was happening with you lately," she told me, "I brought you some hot broth so maybe you would like to tell me what is happening."

She handed me a spoon and I sipped the broth. It felt good, the hot warm liquid slipping down my throat.

"So, what is going on?" Pried my mother.

"I've been having troubling dreams," I confessed to her.

My mother looked sympathetic and stroked my hair, the way Katniss did to comfort me when I was younger. "What kind? Nightmares?"

I nodded. In a way, it was the truth. 

"Just dreams of us losing this war," I said, "I've been having them for a couple of days now."

My mother sighed, for once, she looked quite old. Perhaps it was all the stress getting to her. "I hope your dreams will not come true."

I nodded quietly and sipped my broth.

Katniss came into the room. There was a look of worry on her face. 

"Prim! Ohmygosh, are you alright?"

I sat up in my bed. "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"I overheard the Doctors, talking about your lack of rest, and possible effects it may have on your health state, and-" She burst into tears hugging me tightly.

A year ago, mom and I always comforted Katniss when she is stressing out about the games or something, now it was the other way around.

"Katniss, I'm okay, everything is okay," I whispered comfortably.

"No, it's not!" Snapped Katniss, still sobbing.

Our mother got up. "I'll give her something to calm her down." She told so softly that Katniss would not likely hear due to her loud sobbing.

When she left, Katniss finally looked at me. 

"Johanna has no interest being the Mockingjay," she rasped, "saying that no-one likes her. I need someone to take her place now!"

Mrrrow

Buttercup looked up. He glared at Katniss.

"You're an ugly furball, you know that?" Katniss asked him with a weak smile. 

Mom came back. She had a couple of sleeping pills. 

"For both of you." She told us, "Nurse Patten and Doctor Bane want you to take the day off, Prim. Just rest for today."

She gave us the pills and a glass of water. Then, she pulled the covers up to our chins.

"Mom, this won't affect our promotions will they?" I asked nervously.

She kissed my cheek, "You're contributing very well in the Medical Center. They wouldn't do anything to affect your promotion, I assure you that."

When she left, Katniss's rapid breathing slowed down to a slow, drowsy breathing pace. Meaning that she is asleep.

For a while, I stared at the ceiling. And playing a game called counting every cement speck in the ceiling. After I hit about twenty, I closed my eyes, and went to sleep.