We protect each other~ A modern day HG fanfic

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Katniss wakes up in a cold dank room. There are no windows, just a steel door at the very corner. There’s no furniture either, just an empty space. She tries to move but is restrained by a metal chain that wraps around her body. “This place looks so familiar,” she thinks.

The door swings open; two figures approach her. It takes a while for her to distinguish them; black spots still dance at the corner of her eyes. “Aah, our tabby is awake.” That voice… no, it can’t be…

“Miss us tabby?” Katniss visions start to clear up, her eyes widen with fear. The figures are her parents. “You are finally home,” Sierra says.

Katniss tries to struggle out of chains; it’s useless. “Now Katniss, I hope you’ll behave this time,” Edward says in a gruff voice.

“What do you want with me?” Katniss asks.

“Want with you? We just wanted you home dear,” Sierra replies. She notices Katniss struggling against the chains and looks at her with kind eyes. “Are you uncomfortable tabby?” she coos. “Would you like me to get rid of the chains?” Katniss slowly nods; Sierra pulls a key out of her pocket and slides it into a lock. The chains clatter to the ground.

“There, do you feel better?”

“Yes… thank you,” she mumbles.

“Speak up child!” Edward booms suddenly. “I will not have a mute child in my household!” Katniss looks up in fear and starts to tremble. “Thank you,” she says louder this time.

“You stupid good for nothing girl!” Edward pulls out his belt and starts to whip her. Every lash stings her skin. She looks at her mother; her kind eyes turn dark. She walks out of the room and comes back with a long stick and beats her as well.

Katniss brings her arms over her head to protect her face and curls up in a ball. “Where are you Peeta?” she whispers.

<><><><><><><> 

It’s 12 in the afternoon; Mary calls her children to the dining room for lunch. Prim skips down the stairs happily followed by Peeta. “Where’s Katniss?” she asks. “I haven’t seen her at breakfast either.”

Peeta’s eyes widened. After their argument last night, Peeta grew so exhausted that he slept in. “You didn’t see her at all?” he asks.

“Nope, not since dinner last night.”

Peeta starts to panic, “Why don’t I check if she’s in her room?”

Mary nods and Peeta dashes upstairs. He knocks on Katniss door and waits. Silence. He remembered the conversation from last night; she didn’t really run away… did she?

He hastily opens the door and finds her bed unmade and pieces of paper scattered everywhere. His eyes scan the pages; they’re filled with disturbing stories. He doesn’t even realize how long he’s been standing there until Mary walks in. “Peeta, where’s Katniss? Is everything okay?”

“She’s not here,” Peeta says in dismay. “This is all my fault…”

“What are you talking about Peeta?” Mary asks.

“Last night, I yelled at her… I told her that I wished I never found her in the woods,” Peeta confesses. “Then I told her to leave, I didn’t think she’d run out of the house.”

Mary pulls Peeta into a hug; his tears soak the fabric of her shirt. “Don’t worry Peeta, I’m sure Katniss is okay.

<><><><><><><> 

Crack! Katniss feels another sting on her back. After a dozen more whips, Edward kicks her to the side then leaves her in a pool of her own blood. When Katniss is sure he left, she crawls to the side of the room. Every movement produces more pain. Katniss yelps in agony as she leans her burning back against the cool wall, her only source of comfort.

She brings her knees to her chest and starts to sob, “Where are you Peeta? I thought you said you’ll protect me…”

“He’s not coming.” Katniss jumps at the sound of Sierra’s voice. She tries to move backwards slowly but tears a muscle in her back. Sierra ignores her howls and continues to speak. “He doesn’t love you Katniss. You are just a burden, an extra luggage for him to carry.”

She walks closer to Katniss and crouches down beside her. “He’s better off without you.”

“Maybe she’s right… I’m the one that’s bringing him down… why he doesn’t have any friends,” she thinks. “No… he made a promise.”

“He’s coming for me,” she tells Sierra. “I know he is.”

“We’ll see about that.”