Brokenness (Everlark)

All to Familiar: Chapter 1

Screams began filling the empty silence in my bedroom. They were distant and subtle but all to familiar. The 25 yards between us wasn't enough to keep us from each other's terror. No words can describe how badly I wanted to save her. She was my everything, my always. But now she's just a distant memory, slowly fading like the sound of her screams.

"Help me please!" I heard through the thin walls of my house.

Her words made my heart wrench. Her tone alone made a lump form in my throat and tears form in my eyes. I want her, need her desperately. My beautiful mocking jay, now broken. This is the 10th time this month, the sound of her screams woke me up. I just want to run to her, tell her she's safe. But this time it was different, the sound of her screams ended quickly, being replaced with sobs. This would always happen after she had a nightmare, and I would rub little circles on her back to calm her until she fell asleep on my chest. I longed for her touch, her soft lips that fit perfectly in mine. I couldn't go a day without thinking about Katniss. A memory of her came up in everything, the color green, the primroses outside my door, the hot chocolate I drank for breakfast. She was everywhere but in my arms.

My thoughts were interrupted by the silence that had now settled over my bedroom.

Did she really calm that quickly?

But she was screaming so loud?

Maybe I should go check on her?

Maybe Haymitch is there?

There was a loud boom that rushed into my ears as I sat pondering what was wrong. It made my ears ring and I recognized it immediately. A gun shot. I pushed the blankets off me frantically, not even thinking about putting on clothes. I rushed through my house and across the 25 yards that separated me from Katniss. Her door was locked when I reached it. I backed up and ran towards it putting my shoulder first. It broke it easily, allowing me to continue to run to Katniss. Her house was eerily quiet as I walked in.

"Katniss!" I yelled rushing up the stairs to her bedroom. I stumbled a little on my way up, my prosthetic leg not able to keep up with my pace.

"Katniss!" I screamed again, running into her bedroom.

My mockingjay was on the floor, a bullet wound in her shoulder with blood pooling out of it. Fresh tears of anger and sorrow appeared on my cheeks.

"Leave me to die." She whispered as the tears ran down her cheeks.

"But you said always." I whispered bending down to take her in my arms. She pulled away at my touch.

"I'm sorry." She said to me as her eyes looked with mine before they closed.

"Katniss!" I yelled shaking her trying to wake her.
"Katniss please you promised!" I said sobbing into her.

I laid my head on her chest to find her heart still beating faintly. I ripped off the shirt I was wearing it and pressed it to her shoulder to try and stop the blood. I noticed a note sitting on her bed, grabbed it and threw it in my pocket. I took her in my arms gently and began to carry her out of her house and over to Haymitch's. I inspected her as I ran. She was so thin since the last time I saw her, everyone of her ribs noticeable. Her long brown hair was matted down and looked like she hadn't showered in days. Her eyes were swollen and her skin was as pale as snow. My thoughts stop when I started to lose my footing under my prosthetic, but I kept moving until I made my way to Haymitch's house. I banged fiercely on the door in hopes to wake him up even if he was in a drunken slumber. I heard slow heavy footsteps approach the door. He opened it carefully with a knife in hand scared of what he might see.

"Oh shit." He whispered under his breath at the sight of Katniss.

"Hurry up Haymitch!" I yelled pushing past him into his house.
"Can you call someone from the Capital?" I ask yelling at him slightly.

"Yes I'll be right back." He said hurrying away into his kitchen.

I sat down on the couch with Katniss, not wanting to move her to much. I stroked her cheek and the tears began to fall. My beautiful girl was so broken she tried to kill herself. I should have gone to her sooner, I should have been there sooner. How did she get to this?

"There sending a hovercraft." Haymitch said interrupting me from my thoughts and taking a seat next to me.
"How did we let this happen?" He asks me with tears in his eyes.

"I have no idea." I replied stroking Katniss's hair.

"I'll get you a new shirt." Haymitch said.

The hovercraft arrived in about five minutes. Haymitch and I boarded with Katniss. They put her on a stretcher but I wouldn't let go of her hand. The hovercraft started off toward the Capital. Nurses and doctors worked furiously to get Katniss hooked up to machines. One person used a pump to supply her air, the other stuck needles in her arms. By the looks on their faces and how frantically they were working, I knew they were losing her. The hovercraft ride seemed like ages, I never let go of Katniss's hand. We landed quickly and they began to get her out of the plane and into the hospital.

"I'm sorry sir you have to let go." They said trying to pull my hand from Katniss's. I fought them and held her hand tighter.
"You have to let go!" They yelled at me, I felt the anger bubbling up in my chest.

Haymitch ripped my hand from Katniss's, pulling me back so they could get her into the hospital. But she needed me, she needed someone with her. I fought Haymitch as he held me back, kicking and screaming but he wouldn't let go. I realized that fighting him was hopeless. I didn't even realize I was crying until Haymitch pulled me into a hug. I sobbed heavily into Haymitch's shoulder terrified that I could lose the love of my life today.