How Did This Happen?

Chapter Six: On The Verge Of Death

(Peeta's POV)

"I don't believe it for a second."

My brother Michael is telling me that he doesn't believe that I was in the woods.

"Katniss, tell them. I got a bullseye," I tell my wife.

She nods. "He can really use a bow, especially for someone who hasn't picked one up in his entire life."

I roll my eyes. "Well, that's mainly why I got whipped. For being out there. If they knew what I was doing, I would've been killed."

Katniss's grey eyes widen and she rests her hand on her protruding belly. "I couldn't have had that happen. I would've killed myself."

"No!" Prim interjects, shaking her head.

"I know you're my life, basically, little duck, but so is Peeta. I don't know what I would do if he had died," Katniss says, looking at me with teary eyes.

"Katniss, don't stress yourself out. It's for the baby's own good," I tell my wife, and rest my cheek back against the table since the pain grips me like a vice.

"Painkillers. Now," Mrs. Everdeen orders Prim.

Jacob, my other brother, stands up. "Dad, we're killing him."

Dad shakes his head. "No, he's just stressed. He'll be okay."

"It hurts, Dad," I say, clenching the towel in my hand.

"Why do they have to go back?" Dad asks Mrs. Everdeen.

She sighs. "I don't know, James. The Capitol is corrupt. I think we've all figured that out by now. Sending our children back into the arena, especially, has crossed the line."

I rest my forehead on the table and cough up blood, making Prim scream at the top of her lungs.

"Something's wrong," Mrs. Everdeen says, fumbling around behind me.

Katniss starts approaching my side, but Michael and Jacob hold her back. "No! He's my husband! Get off me!"

"Leave her alone," I croak out.

They let her go and she runs to my side, taking my shaky hand in hers.

I throw up even more blood and scream in agony. "Make it stop."

"Mom, you're killing him!" Katniss says, squeezing my hand tightly.

I'm bathed in morphling and my eyes start drooping.

"Prim, pass me the syringe," Mrs. Everdeen orders and I feel a needle in the back of my neck.

My vision goes blurry and soon black.

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"He's waking up."

I open my eyes and see my wife clinging to my brothers' hands, probably hoping that I haven't died from blood loss.

I open my mouth to speak, but Mrs. Everdeen shakes her head. "Your throat is swollen from an apparent attempted murder. You obviously survived. They cut up your throat pretty bad. For the time being, you can't speak."

I nod and rest my forehead back against the table.

"You must have many questions, so I'll answer one right now: it was the new Head that tried to kill you. He reached his knife into your throat and scraped it up before tying you to the post and whipping you," Mrs. Everdeen says.

That sounds quite psychotic if you ask me.

Katniss drops to her knees, still clinging to my brothers' hands.

I shake my head, as if to say not to start it. Not here. Especially not now.

"Will he be okay by the Games?" she asks.

"Should be. His voice should be a little scratchy by then, but nothing of real concern," her mother assures her.

My wife sighs in relief and gets back up, letting go of my brothers' hands. "I'm so happy."

Dad kisses her forehead and I can't help but to smile at what my family has become—not only my original one, but also my growing one, that includes my beautiful wife and our daughter who is on the way.

I couldn't be prouder of them all. Just because of the arena, some good things have happened.

I smile as I fall back to sleep.

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There's a present from me to you. ☺️

Anyone watching the AMA's?

I'm watching for Star Wars bc I'm also a Jedi cuz yay. 👍

"Good luck. You're gonna need it." -Han Solo Return of the Jedi

BYEEEEEEEEEE