Stay Sane

Chapter 11: Confusion.

"I demand to know what's going on!" I scream, ripping my body away from the woman who was holding me close.

All my senses were heightened. The smell of perfume too strong. The lights too bright. The sounds too loud. The room slowly shrinking in size, making me go small.

"Johanna please. Calm down-" she starts in a posh tone, pronouncing every syllable.

"Don't tell me what to do, Old Lady! I have the right to know what is happening to my poor boyfriend who has just been beaten up by some butt-ugly man who thinks he can rule us! Now tell me what is going on!"

"Oh no. Oh dear." She whispers, more to herself than to me.

She looks over at the man who is towering above Braedon, pining him to the floor.

"You sick, sick boy. You knew she was ill and you told her so many lies! Just wait till Panem finds out about this, you'll be absolutely done for!" The man almost spits.

He released Braedon from his iron grip and walks slowly over to me.

"Don't come any nearer! Stay the hell away from me, you creep!"

"Don't you know who I am Johanna?" He sounds...defeated. Like the world has somehow tumbled off his shoulders and squished him. His body slumps like the world is actually resting on his shoulders.

"I know you're a bully!"

"Let's get her to the doctors. Blight, you stay here with Braedon and get him taken away, I've already called the Peacekeepers. Let me go protect Johanna." The woman says in an authoritative tone, quickly pushing me away from Braedon and the room.

"No! You can't do that! No!" I scream, pushing my way back to Braedon.

In the distance I hear the creak of the door, the whisper of an apology and then all goes black.

-

A buzz is the first thing I hear. A hum is next. Then two familiar voices. Blight and Una.

My eyes just don't seem to open. Glued shut and not willing to part with each other. It must take five minute for me to rip my eyes open, with a fuzzy vision to follow.

Where am I? Who am I with? Why am I here?

"Hey sleepy head." A soft, cautious voice whispers.

It's a girl voice. Soft. Gentle. Little whispers of the wind outside mixed with her voice, it's calming.

Slowly flickering my eyes open I witness a very white room with three very sleepy eyed people at the foot of my bed.

What is going on?

"Ah young Johanna. Barely awake and already questioning everything she sees." The old man chuckles, rubbing his furrowed brows into a soft smiles. He turns to Una and Blight stood by him. "She recognises you again, I can tell from her face. She will be forgetful, that's normal when a person has been given what she had. But you must not stress, and be calm for her to get back to her old ways. Though I doubt it will take long. I'll give you some time as I sign her notes, then you're free to go."

"Thank you Doc." Blight shakes his hand and Una kisses both cheeks.

"Given what I had?" I ask out loud not wanting to be ignored.

My throat scratches and makes me croak.

"That nasty boy you were with put something in your drink while you were sleeping. He has caused all of this and will be paying for it." Blight curses.

I burst into tears. "I'm so sorry."

"None of this is your fault Jo. You've done nothing wrong. You get better and well rested before we have to make an appearance at the tribute interviews tomorrow night."

-

The lights in the interview room are beyond bright. They scald my eyes and hurt my pounding head.

I don't smile.

Why the fuck should I smile?

So I don't.

I take my seat with all the other district mentors and stylists. There's new faces I don't recognise and old faces I'd be silly to miss. Finn is sat with an old lady, Mags is her name. Oh and Seeder from 11. I don't really remember her games but her face is hard to forget with deep set lines and warm eyes.

The lights dim suddenly and briefly before purple light spouts everywhere.

The Capitol anthem plays out while Caesar Flickerman takes his place.

I remember this perfectly from last year.

"Johanna!" Caesar claps, taking my hands in his hands. He kisses them gently.

"Hello." I whisper meekly.

"We aren't shy are we?" Cue the audience to laugh.

"Well we'll get right down to business shall we?"

I give a shivering nod.

"You received a slightly low score of 4. What do you make of that?"

I make my hands shake and I turn in my seat so I shade myself from the tortuous eyes of the Capitol citizens.

"I...I thought I did good. I was e...expecting maybe a t...two or something..." I trail off.

"Well young Johanna, I think you did great! What do you think?" Caesar rounds up small applause from the crowd.

A shiver brings me back just in time for the district one tribute.

I pay very little attention to the person just the strategy they are playing and scores.

Girl one; 9 and sexy.
Boy one; 10 and obnoxious.
Girl two; 6 and shy.
Boy two; 9 and loud.
Girl three; 4 and weak.
Boy three; 6 and homesick.
Girl four; 9 and strong.
Boy four; 8 and independent.
Girl five; 7 and flirty.
Boy five; 5 and lost.
Girl six; 3 and lone wolf.
Boy six; 7 and brutish.

By boy six I give up and listen to the pounding noises in my head. I miss my own tributes scores and interviews but at this point I'm past caring.

I wonder if Blight ever felt that way about me?

I could do with some drugs of some sort. Morphing would be fine right about now.

"And that is tonight's interviews over and done with folks! We will be doing a live commentary all throughout the games as per usual! Sponsor lines will be open for the duration of the games! Just ask for your tribute and amount and also what you'd like it to go towards and you're done! Thank you very much Panem. Bless you all."

With that, the lights flash up a bright white. Pretty contrasting from the purple we've just had.

"Up and up and up Jo." Una rallies me up and holds onto my arm the entire way back to our floor.

I look up and my eyes connect with Braedons for a split second. I haven't seen him for quite some time.

His face purple with bruises. Lost teeth. And missing tufts of hair.

I wonder what happened.

Or who.

I settle into the corner of the sofa willing this nightmare to be over.

But when do you ever get anything you wish for?

As I begin to nod off, the telephone peaks up my ears.

"I'll get it." I tell Una who's cuddled up into a sleeping Blight next to me.

"Hello?"

"Miss Mason. Just the girl I need to speak to." The icy and cold tone of a snake like human echoes in my ears.