Ch 1

Katniss POV

It's a quiet night tonight. Usually here in Manhattan the night is just as loud as it is in the day time. I've only heard a few cars pass by my house. But then again on the news they said a small tropical storm is on it's way. It's nothing to worry about. We live in a spacious 2 storey, 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom house on the outskirts of Manhattan. Our backyard literally backs onto the beach.

I watch as my little duck sleeps silently. She's only 12. She'll turn 13 in a few months. Her birthday this September 18th. My 17th birthday isn't until December 5th though. It's only June 26h.

You could say that our family is quite well off. Dad owns a big mining company called Seam Bay Mining. Whilst mum doesn't have to work because of how much money dad makes, she still likes to keep busy. Mum works as a paramedic for the American Ambulance Service.

I start to drift off as the window lets out an unhealthy creak. This noise is soon followed by the rumbling noises of thunder. Prim starts to stir, so I shake her awake and pull her to my chest because I know how much thunder scares her.

Now that she is alert and is registering what is going on around her she starts gripping onto my shirt like it's a lifeline. The walls start shaking and shuddering. I look through the door into the kitchen to see some plates and glasses falling from their shelf.

I see dad stand up off of the couch in the family and he yells for us to go into the dining room and huddle under the table. I scoop a shaking Prim up in my arms and dash for the table.

In a shaky voice Prim asks "What about mum and dad?"

"Dad's getting mum, don't worry. We'll be fine." I sound like I'm reassuring myself more than Prim. It's started hailing outside and the winds are getting stronger. I lay my little duck down on the floor under the table as I hear dad's footsteps trampling down the hall with a distraught mum trailing behind him.

"KATNISS!" Prim shrieks. "My leg's STUCK!" Prim finishes in a hysterical voice. I look down and see that her leg has been wedged between a fallen over antique bookcase and the floor.

"KATNISS MOVE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE!" Dad yells over the sounds of precious items and family heirlooms crashing all around us.

"I'M TRYING! PRIMS LEG IS STUCK!" I panic.

I try to pry the bookcase off of her leg but I can't lift it's weight. It weighs at least tonne! I stick my back leg under the bookcase to try and alleviate the pressure that's most likely crushing poor Primmy's leg.

The walls feel as if they are caving in on us, so I flip over and shield Prim's tiny body with my own so my back is exposed to the slowly caving ceiling.

Just then the ceiling gives way and crashes on top of the table causing it to collapse. The floor beneath Prim's leg buckles with the weight of everything leaning on it, as she pulls her leg free. I think the table hits the back of my head as the world becomes fuzzy and I feel dreamy like I want to sleep. I'm still above Prim as I hear muffled cries that sound like mum and dad.

I can see something red drip from my head and onto the floor. I laugh because it looks like food dye that mum uses for when she makes red velvet cakes. I smile a dopey smile before I collapse on top of Prim and the haziness takes over my vision as I drift out of conciousness.

…

I feel like I'm underwater trying desperately to drift to the surface, but every time I get close it looks like I'm another 50 meters below where I was.

After what feels like an eternity underwater I finally come to and start registering sounds. I hear a beeping noise that won't go away no matter how much I will it to. I squint to open my eyes. Even then they still won't open. It's only then that I realise just how much pain I'm in.

My back feels like an inferno was lit there with it still raging on. My muscles are all rigid like I haven't used them for weeks. Which considering that all me bones and joints feel as still as boards, I probably haven't.

The fiery agony on my back doesn't seem to disappear or lessen. The most movement I can manage is to move my pinky finger about a millimetre.

I try to open my eyes again now that I'm more aware of my surroundings and surprisingly manage to squint through my eyelashes.

A harsh, stark white ceiling blinds me. Which is weird because my room has a forest green celing.

Everything comes back to me in a painful wave of memories. The hurricane. Prim's leg. And the table collapsing.

PRIM! That's all that my mind can conjure up at the moment. Shit! The table and my unconcious weight must have crushed her!

With my eyes now wide open and alert I scream for a nurse; which merely sounds like a whisper. Now that my voice is up to shit, I have to find a way to find her and see if she's okay.

I attempt to stand up and get off the bed without screaming out in agony. I swear my back is on fire! I manage to get into a sitting position with only a few small muffles cries and grunts. I full some stupid wire off my finger and it makes the repetitive beeping turn into one continuous beep.

A throng of about 7 nurses come rushing into the room with panicked looks on their faces. Their face turns to a shocked expression as they notice me sitting up and trying to walk. You'd think I was dyeing!

One of the nurses takes a tentative step toward me with a tear in her eye. "My name is Sae" she looks to be in about her mid 60s "Ill be your nurse whilst you recover" Sae says in a gentle and motherly tone

Her voice turns more serious as she speaks "What on earth are you trying to do? Don't move. Let us help you lie back down and then we'll talk about what happened. Okay?" She scolds.

Sae walks over to me and as she tries to touch my shoulder I flinch. "Prim" I rasp in a barely audible voice.

"Who's Prim dear?" Sae asks. By now all of the other nurses have left and gone back to what they were doing.

"My sister" I croak back. My voice. No more like EVERYTHING is in a shit tonne of pain.

"We'll see if she's here after we get you sitting down okay?" I realise that she isn't going to cause any harm to me and if I cooperate she'll find Prim for me. I merely manage a nod in my state. But never-the-less Sae see's it.

After a world of pain, tortured screams and muffled sobs; I am finally back, lying down on the bed.

"Before I take you to see Prim I need to tell you a few things." She cautiously says. "You've been in a coma for 6 and a half weeks." I take in a sharp intake of breath. SIX WEEKS! What if Prim's dead!? What about mum and dad!? So much shit can happen in SIX WEEKS!

Sae notices how distressed I am and talks again. "Don't worry about anything. Relax for the moment and let me explain everything. You suffered major lacerations and 3rd degree burns to your back and 2nd degree burns to your legs and arms. You fractured your neck but that healed whilst in your coma."

I take in a deep breath and labour my breathing. I'm starting to feel light headed. Never-the-less she continues speaking. "My close friend works for the police and he told me that your house had caught fire during the storm and remains suspicious. He believes it was deliberate but everyone else thinks that there was a gas leek and something was cooking on the stove." She informs me.

"Prim" I croak again.

"Okay. I'll go check the reception and see if she's been here or is here." With that she walks off.

I just hope my little duck is okay.