Pure Torture: a Hunger Games Fanfiction

Chapter 55

Peeta

"Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you." -Coldplay

I sit behind where the doctors are stationed, observing Katniss's brain. I try to blink away the tears and the fear of what could happen. I've just about composed myself when I hear what sounds like a scream. I try to brush it off. My ears have to be playing tricks on me, right?

But no, I hear it again. This time, it's louder and more intense. Is it even screaming? It happens again and then again. Pretty soon, the next one starts just as the one before it ends. And then it hits me. They are screams. They're coming from the room Katniss is in. The screams belong to her.

"Is she alright?" I ask, even more concerned now that I hear her screams.
"She's definitely in a relapse." Is all the reply I get. So what can I do? Nothing. I sit back down and try not to let her screams of fear and agony drive me insane.

There's one, final scream and then it stops.
"Is... Is it over?" I ask.
"Doctor, she's gone unconscious. Brain activity suggests that she's still enduring the fear." A nurse says.
Doctor Aurelius turns to me.
"Unfortunately, Peeta, no. In fact, it's far from over." He says. Then he turns back to his work and continues watching her brain.
"Oh my-" The nurse starts, "-Doctor Aurelius... Her brain's totally shut down!"
"Give her a second or two, she might come back to us." He says.

It's all I can do not to panic. With her brain shut down, she's could die. There's no brain activity.

I hear the nurse gasp. Tears sting my eyes, and I know something must have gone wrong. But then she exclaims something about a miracle. She's okay.

The doctors whisper occasionally. I dig my fingernails into the palms of my hands.
"Hey, Doctor, she's waking back up." A nurse alerts.
"Is she still in the relapse?" Doctor Aurelius asks.
"Yes, I believe so. There's still a little longer left." The nurse replies.

The screams start again when she wakes. I can just imagine her on the ground, covering her ears and screaming bloody murder just to try and escape what her brain thinks is reality.

"It should be over in a few seconds." One of the nurses says.
"Peeta," Doctor Aurelius instructs, "Go over by the entrance. When she stops screaming, be ready to go in. Just do what you need to, we already have the data we need."
I stand up and walk over there obediently. I listen intently as her screams start to lessen. I hear one last scream and then I can't hear any more. If she's still going, they must not be as loud. Doctor Aurelius gives me a look, signaling me to go inside.

When I enter, she is making a completely different noise. She's whimpering. She's on the ground, collapsed in a heap. I approach her carefully. She continues to whimper and heave on the floor.
I reach my hand out to her back, trying to be as gentle as I can when I touch her.
"Katniss?" I ask.
There's no answer. Instead, she bursts into loud, wet sobs.

I sit on the floor next to where she's collapsed. I pull her body upright a bit as if she's a rag doll. I let her head and upper body collapse back down onto mine. I put my arms around her and hold on as tight as I can while she sobs. We sit like this for a while until the Doctors come in.

"Katniss! Phenomenal job, my dear!" Doctor Aurelius says cheerily. I want to shoot him a glare, but I don't. Katniss doesn't respond to anyone. Not the doctors, not the nurses, not even me. She's gone mute except for her cries and her heavy breaths.
"Hm, she's not talking." Doctor Aurelius says, mulling over the situation.

"You can't blame her." I shoot back. I regret my tone after it comes out, but I don't take it back. I meant what I said. They really can't blame her for not talking after what just happened.
Doctor Aurelius just looks at me. He doesn't say anything.
Katniss's tired eyes look a little swollen as they stare into mine. She's so pale.