Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Devil Training

Was stunned.That's how I felt when Haymitch told me the news in the hospital.I rushed down the steps to the headquarters, my brain was spinning rapidly, and when I opened the door, they were having a meeting to study the situation of the battle. "What do you mean, I can't go to the Capitol? I have to! I'm a mockingjay!" I said. Cohen was looking at the screen, and she didn't even look up. "As a Mockingjay, your goal of uniting the jurisdictions has been achieved. Don't worry—if all goes well, we'll fly you over when the Capitol surrenders." surrender?

"It's too late then! I'll miss all the fights. You need me - I'm your best shooter!" I yelled.I don't often brag about my archery skills, but what I say is close to the truth, "Isn't Gail going too?" "Gale practices every day as long as he doesn't have other jobs. We're pretty sure he's going to handle everything well in the field. How many times do you estimate you've been in practice?" Cohen said. Not once.The number of times is zero. "Yeah, sometimes I hunt too. And... I trained with Beet in Special Ordnance."

"That's different, Katniss. We all know you are smart, brave, and good at archery. But what we need is a soldier who fights in the field. First, you don't know how to carry out orders, and second, your physical condition is not suitable. said Boggs. "You didn't have a problem with me when I was in District 8 or District 2," I retorted. "You were not authorized to fight in those two districts," Plutarch said.He gave me a wink, indicating that I had exposed too much of the truth. Yes, taking part in the bombing of Sector 8 and the actions in Sector 2 were indeed sudden, reckless, and absolutely without permission.

"And you got hurt both times," Boggs reminded me.Suddenly, I saw me in his eyes.A seventeen-year-old yellow-haired girl, her rib injury has not healed, and she can't even breathe well.There is a lack of self-control, no discipline, and the body is recovering.She is not a soldier, but a human being who needs to be cared for. "But I still have to go," I said. "Why?" Cohen asked. That way I can go to Snow to settle my personal vendetta; and I can't stand Peeta's face dangling in front of my eyes all day while Gale is on the battlefield.These are the reasons why I can't say it.But I have other reasons for wanting to go to the Capitol. "Because of District 12, because they destroyed District 12."

The President thought about it for a moment, then looked at me again, "Well, you have three weeks. Not long, but you can start training. If the Combat Command Board deems you fit for combat, maybe your request will be reconsidered." .” Well, that's it.This is the best I can hope for.This should be my own fault.I don't stick to the schedule every day unless there are activities that work for me.Those activities didn't seem to be very good at the time. I was running on the playground with a gun on my back, but I had a lot of troubles in my heart.But now, I have to pay for my lack of discipline.

Back at the hospital, I found Johanna in the same situation as me, and she was also going crazy.I told her what Cohen had said, "Maybe you should go to practice too." "Okay, I'll train. I'll fly to the damned Capitol by myself, even if it kills the crew," Johanna said. "It's best not to say that in training. But I'm glad to be on your plane," I said. Johanna grinned.I felt a small but significant shift in our relationship.Maybe we should not call friends, allies should be a more appropriate word.Very well, I need allies. When we reported for practice at 7:30 the next morning, we got hit in the head.We were put in a group that had just started training, full of 14 or 15 year olds, which was a bit of a shame.But in actual training, they performed much better than us.Gale and others who were picked for combat all went to a higher level of training.We do stretches first - my injury hurts - followed by an hour or two of strength training - I'm in so much pain - then five miles run - I'm in so much pain.Even though Johanna kept humiliating me, I had to give up after running a mile.

"My ribs hurt," I explained to the coach.She was a quiet, middle-aged woman whom we all called York warrior, "with bruises on it." "Well, I'm telling you, Warrior Everdeen. Those injuries will take a month to heal on their own," she said. I shake my head. "I don't have a month." She looked me up and down, "Didn't the doctor treat you?" "Does it need treatment?" I asked, "They say the bruises will heal over time." "That's it, but the doctor can make you feel better sooner if you suggest it yourself. But I warn you, it's not a joke," she told me.

"Please, I'm going back to the hospital," I said. The York warrior said nothing more.She wrote a note and told me to go straight back to the hospital.I hesitated for a moment, I really didn't want to miss training again. "I'll be back at practice in the afternoon," I promise.She just pouted. I lay flat on the hospital bed, with twenty-four needles stuck in my ribs. I gritted my teeth and persisted, wishing the doctor could give me more morphine.A morphine infusion line is always at my bedside, available when necessary.I haven't used it lately, but I'm keeping it for Johanna.Today, I had a blood test and it turned out that I was out of painkillers, and that the combination of two painkillers - morphine and another that gave me a fever in my ribs - had dangerous side effects.The doctor told me to endure it for two more days, and I said it was okay.

The nights in the ward were hard, sleep was impossible.I think I can even smell the meat burning in the ring around my ribs.Johanna struggles with withdrawal reactions after quitting the drug.When I apologized to her earlier for going off the morphine, she waved her hand off and said one day it would happen.But at three o'clock in the morning, all the fancy swearing in District 7 was raining down on me.But anyway, in the morning, she dragged me out of bed and went to practice. "I'm afraid not." I had to admit. "You can do it, we can do it. We're winners, remember? No matter how hard it was, we survived," she growled at me.She was sick and listless, her face was gray and blue, and her body shook like a leaf.I hurriedly got dressed.

We rely on the hard work of the winners to complete the morning training.When the rain poured down from the sky, I thought Johanna was going to die.Her face was ashen, as if she hadn't breathed. "It's just water, it won't kill us," I said.She gritted her teeth and stamped her feet in the mud.The rain soaked our clothes, and we struggled on the muddy ground of the playground.After I ran a mile, I had to give up again.I fought to keep my shirt off so that the icy rain would hit the burning skin of my side and take away its heat.Lunch was eaten out in the open, and I forced myself to swallow fish in water and stewed beets.Johanna threw up half of it.In the afternoon, we practiced assembling the guns.I was finally done, but Johanna's hands were shaking so badly that she couldn't put the gun parts together.As soon as York turned around, I helped her.Although the rain did not stop, we finally made some progress in the afternoon, and we started shooting practice.Finally it's time for the part I'm good at.I apply my archery skills to shooting.At the end of the training in the afternoon, my shooting score was the first in the group.

When we got back to the hospital, Johanna said to me as soon as I walked through the door: "This can't go on anymore, we can't live in the hospital anymore, everyone treats us as patients." It's not a problem for me, I can go back and live with my family, but Johanna doesn't have a room assigned.When she asked to be discharged from the hospital, the doctor refused to allow her to live alone, even though she went to the hospital every day to talk to the attending doctor.I wanted to suggest that the doctor could assign patients on morphine two by two to a room, but this only made the doctor think her condition was unstable. "She won't live alone, I will share a room with her." I announced.The doctor disagreed at first, but Haymitch spoke for us, so at bedtime we stayed in the room opposite Mom and Prim, who promised the doctor would keep an eye on us. I took a shower and Johanna wiped herself with a damp cloth, then Johanna decided to look around the room.When she opened the drawer that contained some of my personal belongings, she quickly closed it. "I'm sorry," she said. I don't think Johanna has anything in her drawer except a few government-issued items, and she has nothing in the world that could be called truly her own. "It's okay, you can watch it if you want." Johanna opened my little keepsake pendant and looked at the picture of Gail, Prim, and Mom.Then she opened the silver parachute again, took out the cannula inside, and slipped it over her little finger. "I'm thirsty just seeing this." Then she saw the pearl Peeta gave me. "This is……" "Yeah, still stayed." I didn't want to mention Peeta.One of the great things about training is that I can't think about Peeta. "Haymitch says he's better," she said. "Maybe, but he's changed," I said. "You've changed, I've changed, Finnick, Haymitch, and Beetle have all changed, let alone Annie Cress. The arena sucks for us all, don't you think? You still feel like you Is that the little girl who volunteered to compete for her sister?" she asked me. "No." I replied. "My doctor was right, the past can never go back. So we have to live." She put my belongings back carefully and climbed onto the bed opposite me, just in time Lights out time, "Aren't you afraid that I'll kill you tonight?" "No, like I wouldn't kill you," I replied.Then we laughed.Both of us were physically exhausted.It would be a miracle if I could get out of bed tomorrow morning.But we really got up.By the end of the week, my rib injury was fully healed and Johanna was able to assemble the gun without assistance. At the end of the day's practice, the York Warriors gave us a nod of approval, "Great job, Warriors." After we passed, Johanna murmured, "Easier than that to win the Hunger Games," but her face lit up. When we went to the restaurant for dinner, we were in a good mood.Gail was there waiting for us.I am even more delighted that the restaurant serves a hearty goulash today. "The food just arrived this morning," Gracie Say said to me. "It's real beef, from District Ten, not your dingo meat." "Then I don't remember you saying not to eat." Gail sneered. We sat down with Delly, Finnick, and Annie.Finnick's marriage changed dramatically.The original him—the depraved figure I met before the Age of Thrones, the Capitol-obsessed man, the mysterious ally in the arena, the broken-hearted young man who kept helping me Man - has turned into a refreshed lad.For the first time, Finnick reveals his unassuming, gentle and easy-going personality.Whether walking or eating, he always held Annie's hand and never let go.I don't think he ever intended to let go.Anne was completely immersed in happiness.Although sometimes she will be in a trance and wander into another world, but a few words from Finnick can bring her back to us. Delly, the girl I've known since I was a child but didn't pay much attention to her, has grown up in my opinion too.Someone told her everything Peeta said to me the night of the wedding, but she didn't spread it.Haymitch said that every time Peeta went crazy and said bad things about me, she always stood by me and defended me.She blames Peeta for giving him the wrong idea all because of the Capitol's torture.She influenced him more than anyone, after all he knew her well.Although she praised me too much, I should still be grateful to her.Frankly speaking, I really need a little beautification. I was hungry, and the stew was so good—beef, potatoes, kale, onions, in a rich broth—that I had to force myself to eat slowly.Throughout the restaurant, you can feel the magic of a well-rounded meal.As a result, people become kinder, more humorous, and more optimistic. It can regulate people's hearts better than medicine, and remind people that life is not a mistake.So I'm going to eat slowly and join in the conversation.I dipped the bread into the broth and chewed it slowly while listening to Finnick tell an amusing story about a turtle swimming around with his hat on.I laughed and ate without noticing that he was already standing there, across the table behind the empty seat next to Johanna, looking at me.When I saw him, bread crumbs caught in my throat, and I coughed. "Peeta! Nice to see you out...you can walk around," Delly said. Two large guards stood behind him.Because of the short chain between his hands, he held the tray awkwardly, trying to keep his balance on both hands. "What's that pretty bracelet?" Johanna asked. "I'm not trustworthy yet. I can't even sit here without their permission," Peeta said, turning his head to signify his guards. "Of course he can sit here, we are old friends." Johanna said, patting the seat next to her.The guard nodded before Peeta sat down. "Peeta and I were in cells next to each other in the Capitol. We're familiar with each other's yelling." Annie, who was sitting on the other side of Johanna, quickly covered her ears, blocking the outside world from her world.Finnick gives Johanna an angry look while hugging Annie. "What? My attending doctor said I don't need to think carefully about what I think, it's part of my treatment." Johanna shot back at Finnick. The lively atmosphere between the few of us just now is gone.Finnick whispers softly to Annie until she takes her hand away from her ear.Then there was a long silence, and everyone pretended to be immersed in eating. "Annie," Delly said happily, "did you know that Peeta decorated your wedding cake? They own a bakery back home and he does all the icing." Annie carefully looked past Johanna, "Thank you, Peeta. It's so beautiful." "I'm honored, Annie," Peeta said.Even though Peeta's words weren't directed at me, I detected a familiar softness in his voice that I thought I'd never hear again. "If you want to spare some time for a walk, let's go now," Finnick said to Annie.He stacked two dinner plates, held the plate in one hand, and held Anne tightly with the other. "Nice to meet you, Peeta." "Be nice to her, Finnick. Or I'll take her away from you." It was supposed to be a joke, but his tone was so cold that it tainted the joke.In his words, he clearly distrusted Finnick, looked at Annie differently, and dismissed me, as if I didn't exist at all. "Oh, Peeta." Finnick said casually, "Don't make me regret saving you." He gave me a concerned look, and then led Annie away. When they were gone, Delly said to Peeta reproachfully, "He did save your life, Peeta, more than once." "It's for her." He glanced at me, "For the cause of resistance, not for me, I don't owe him anything." I shouldn't have been fooled by him, but I couldn't help saying, "Maybe, Mags is dead and you're alive. That must mean something." "Yeah, a lot of things say what it's not supposed to say, Katniss. There are things in my memory that I don't understand myself, and I don't think the Capitol has even changed those memories, like, Lots of stuff that happened on the train," he said. He has something to say.Many things that happened on the train meant a lot to him, and the things themselves—his arm kept me from going mad on those nights of terror—were no longer important, what was important was that Everything is a lie, everything is to use him. Peeta picked up the spoon and pointed in Gail and me, "So, are you two now a public couple, or are you still playing celebrity lovers?" "It's the same thing," Johanna said. Peeta's hand twitches, he clenches his fist, then opens it in a strange way.Was he trying to restrain himself from choking me again?I felt that Gail beside me had tensed his muscles, ready to meet unexpected mutations at any time.But Gail just said: "If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it." "Believe in what?" Peeta asked. "You." Gail replied. "Be more specific, me what?" Peeta said. "They turned you into an evil mutant," Johanna said. Gail finished his milk. "Are you finished?" he asked me.I stand up and Gale and I pass the tray over.The old man at the door stopped me when he saw that I was still holding the leftover bread in my hand.Maybe he saw the expression on my face, maybe he thought that I didn't mean to hide the bread at all, and he didn't make things difficult for me.He told me to pop the bread into my mouth quickly and let me go.Gail and I didn't speak again, and when we got to my room, he said, "I didn't expect this." "I told you he hated me," I said. "But the way he hates you, it's so... familiar. I used to feel that way," he said. "When I saw you kiss him on TV, I just thought it was unfair. He I can't feel it myself." When I got to my room door, I said, "Maybe he saw the real me. I have to go to bed." Gail grabbed my arm, "Is that what you're thinking now?" I shrugged helplessly, "Katniss, I'm your old friend, please believe me, he doesn't see the real you ’” With that, he kissed me on the cheek and left. I sat on the bed, trying to concentrate on memorizing the military strategy in the book, but my mind kept thinking about what happened between Peeta and the train.About twenty minutes later, Johanna came back, and she collapsed on the head of my bed. "You missed the best part. Delly got mad at Peeta and thought he shouldn't have done that to you. She was making a lot of noise, like a rat being stabbed by a fork. Everyone in the diner was watching Woolen cloth." "What about Peeta?" I asked. "He argued with himself as if he were two people. The guards had to pull him away. Luckily, no one noticed that I ate his stew." Johanna rubbed her distended stomach with her hands.I look at the dirt under her fingernails.I wonder, don't people in District 7 take a bath? We spent hours testing each other on military terms.I went to check on Mom and Prim, then went back to my room, took a shower, lay on the bed, and asked in the darkness, "Johanna, did you really hear him?" "The yelling was only part of what I heard. It sounded like a chirping bird in the arena imitating it, but it was real. He'd go on and on for an hour or so. Tick, tick." "Tick, tick." I said softly. Rose.mutant wolf.tribute.Dolphins made of icing sugar.friend.mockingjay.stylist.I. At night my dreams are filled with shouting.