Chapter 12: Training Centre (Part 2)

(Peeta Mellark POV)

After my outburst last night, I have decided to limit the time I am in contact with Katniss as not to hurt her. It has also allowed me to reflect on how extreme my emotions seem and why they are so. I believe it is a side-effect caused by body forging but I have no proof as of yet.

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(Katniss Everdeen POV)

My slumbers are filled with disturbing dreams. The face of Peetal intertwines with gory images from earlier Hunger Games, with my mother withdrawn and unreachable, with Prim emaciated and terrified. I bolt up screaming for my father to run as the mine explodes into a million deadly bits of light. Standing behind me watching with amusement was Peeta.

"I will save him. If you become mine." the voice of the devil spoke to me, forcing my answer "otherwise I will have to take you by force..force..force", its voice echoes in my ear as I was down the mine's shaft.

Dawn is breaking through the invisible, unbreakable wall. The Capitol has a misty, haunted air. My head aches and I must have bitten into the side of my cheek in the night. My tongue probes the ragged flesh and I taste blood.

Slowly, I drag myself off the ground and down the stairs. Passing through the door, my face pales and my breathing is unsteady. I head towards my room stealthily, prepared for an ambush.

Once in my room, I strip down and jump in the shower, trying to clean myself of last night. Why would Peeta act that way? Why? I arbitrarily punch buttons on the control board and end up hopping from foot to foot as alternating jets of icy cold and steaming hot water assault me. Then I'm deluged in lemony foam that I have to scrape off with a heavy bristled brush. Oh, well. At least my blood is flowing and I am not concentrating on his chang. I better stay away from both him and Cinna, maybe Haymitch as well but I think Effie and Portia will be fine.

When I'm dried and moisturized with lotion, I find an outfit has been left for me at the front of the closet. Tight black pants, a long-sleeved burgundy tunic, and leather shoes. I put my hair in the single braid down my back. This is the first time since the morning of the reaping that I resemble myself. No fancy hair and clothes, no flaming capes. Just me. Looking like I could be headed for the woods. It calms me. But reminds me of him. I undo my braid letting my hair fly free.

Haymitch didn't give us an exact time to meet for breakfast and no one has contacted me this morning, but I'm hungry so I head down to the dining room, hoping there will be food and no Peeta. I am not disappointed. While the table is empty, a long board off to the side has been laid with at least twenty dishes. A young man, an Avox, stands at attention by the spread. When I ask if I can serve myself, he nods assent. I load a plate with eggs, sausages, batter cakes covered in thick orange preserves, slices of pale purple melon. As I gorge myself, I watch the sun rise over the Capitol. I have a second plate of hot grain smothered in beef stew. Finally, I fill a plate with rolls and sit at the table, breaking off bits and dipping them into hot chocolate, the way Peeta did last night. Then I stop.

My mind wanders to my mother and Prim. They must be up. My mother getting their breakfast of mush. Prim milking her goat before school. The goat Peeta gave her. Just two mornings ago, I was home. Can that be right? Yes, just two. And now how empty the house feels, even from a distance. What did they say last night about my fiery debut at the Games? Did it strengthen their belief of me winning? I hope not, as with Peeta no longer supporting me nothing is assured.

Haymitch comes in, he bids me good morning, fill his plates, grabs a bottle of wine and sits down. I need to say something to Haymitch. About what Peeta did last night. But my throat catches, if I tell him will Peeta kill him. Surely, he will.

"About last night, you screaming. What happened?" Haymitch says casually causing me to have quite a fright. "You know he later went and killed that red-haired Avox. something must have happened between you 2 to set him off again."

"Again?"

"Wow, you of all people should know about his mood swings. Everyone in District 12 knows not to piss him off or mess with you due to what happened with Gale something's family and that old lady who hit you."

"He killed gale?", I burst out in tears uncontrollably. Gale's death was so brutal just hearing about it second hand was terrifying. Haymitch nonchalonce about Gale's brutal death showed how hardened he was towards gruesome deaths because of his decades of experience mentoring kids soon to die. Fear spread throughout my consciousness. Then rational struck, he could have killed me then r*** me last night, why did he not? Maybe he still cares enough about me not to. Or maybe his lust was induced, induced through an aphrodisiac. I always knew that Peeta would kill for me without hesitation, he had told me multiple times. Haymitch telling me it was true just reinforced that. Now coming to the conclusion he was drugged allowed some part of me to forgive him. Only a small part, being drugged was no reason to act the way he did.

Soon the training will start, there will be three days in which all the tributes practice together. On the last afternoon, we'll each get a chance to perform in private before the Gamemakers. The thought of meeting the other tributes face-to-face makes me queasy. I turn the roll I have just taken from the basket over and over in my hands, but my appetite is gone.

When Haymitch has finished several platters of stew, he pushes back his plate with a sigh. He takes a flask from his pocket and takes a long pull on it and leans his elbows on the table.

"So, let's get down to tactics as I doubt Peeta will turn up. Training. First off, if you like, I'll coach you separately. Decide now."

"Why would you coach us separately?" I ask. Knowing full well why he asked the question.

"If you do not want to separate, that is fine by me as long as you do not argue again. I might be next," says Haymitch, the last sentence was muttered just loud enough so I could take a guess at what he had said.

"I will be seperate, I think we need to seperate. We could maybe be together in the Games but that is a few days off"

"Yeah, I agree. That is fine by me."

"The first tip I will give you for the training is…"