The 150th Annual Hunger Games

Victorious? (Part Two)

"When can I leave here?" I ask, but she just walks over to the door and leaves. I sigh and frown, staring blankly at the ground. I expect to hear the familiar click of the lock when the nurse closes the door, but I don't hear a thing.

I look up and my eyes widen when I see the door opened slightly. I slowly climb out of the bed, holding a hand over my stomach. I don't know why I want to leave my room so badly. I think it might be because I just want to do something to keep my mind occupied. Besides, what else is there to do?

It's not like I'd get in trouble, right? I'm the Victor, I should be able to do what I want. I hate to sound like that, but it's true. The worst that will happen is they'll bring me back to my room. They're not going to kill the winner of the Hunger Games for leaving her hospital room. I'm going to come back anyways.

I walk over to the door, but stop when I realize they can still see me through the camera. If they see me leave, they'll probably just try to stop me.

I go back to my bed and grab a chocolate pudding off the tray, walking over to the camera in the corner.

I dip my finger in the dark pudding and reach up to smear it all over the camera-lens. I toss the pudding away when I'm finished and head back over to the door. I turn the knob and step out into the cool, sterile hallway.

White, fluorescent lights line the ceiling. Not a soul is in sight.

Leaving the door open, I start exploring the empty hallway, passing door after door. Suddenly, I hear voices from behind one of the doors and I instinctively duck into another room, shutting the door behind me, just as the two voices enter the hallway.

"I think he gave me a black eye this time!" a man's voice grumbles, "I wonder what's next?"

"Probably nothing," a woman's voice responds. I recognize her voice as one of the doctors that comes to check on me every so often, "I had security go in and cuff him down. Maybe he'll calm down soon."

"It's been two flipping weeks!" the man  complains.

"Well, give it time," the voices get cut off when I hear another door shut down the hall. They must've gone inside,

Curiously, I step back out into the hallway, frowning as I approach the door they came from.

I need to know who they were talking about that's in there. Who else would be here at this time? I thought this particular hospital was built specifically for the tributes, you know, because it's in the Tribute Hotel.

I twist the knob, wondering if I should just return to my room. What if some dangerous criminal is in there? That one doctor was complaining about a black eye he got in here. What if I get one too? Then again, what've I got to loose?

I hear another knob turning on a door down the hall and I make my decision. I quickly open the door and throw myself inside, closing it behind me. I clutch my stomach when I stretched my muscles to get in here fast enough. I kneel on the ground behind the door in case they saw me.

"J-Janice?" a familiar voice drifts through the room. I frown, thinking it must've just been my imagination. But when I look up, I gasp.

"It can't be..." I whisper, staring in shock at Harper laying on a bed right in front of my eyes. He's staring at me with an equal amount of surprise if not more.

I slowly stand up, tears flooding out of my eyes as I run over to throw my arms around him. I squeeze tighter than ever, maybe too tight, but I don't let go. I've never missed someone so much in my life. I can't even start to explain how I feel right now. It's a strange mixture of confusion, disbelief, relief, and sheer joy.