|| Start Again
The first thing he could feel was how difficult it was to breathe. He took several shallow breathes as he began to stir and immediately regretted the decision when he realized how bright it was as he opened his eyes. Where was he? Was this what death felt like? His limbs felt as though they were hundreds of pounds as he tried to move but stopped when he felt a gentle tugging against his skin. Squinting, he attempted to open his eyes once more and when he did, he could only see blurred shapes against the light before his eyes adjusted and focused on the scene around him.
It was a simple room. Everything from the walls to the tiles on the floor to the sheets was a pearly white. The only things he could see that weren't were the bundles of wires leading out from under and around his blankets. What had happened, and why was he here? He tried to remember anything he could but his mind was currently drawing a blank as he sighed and leaned back against his pillow. Obviously it had been something bad if he was in this much pain. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to see the condition of his body under the blankets. How long had he been here? Days, weeks, months? And where were the people that had done this to him? Surely someone must have been ar- He felt lightheaded as he was hauled into the large droning hovercraft, surrounded by several medics who wore masks so the only visible parts of them were their narrowed eyes as they hurried to get ahold of him. They had done it. They'd won. Everything would be good now. He just had to hold on and then it was off to Two. His arms and legs stung from the bites and scratches from those damn mutts and he could feel something warm drip down from his forehead and over his face. The masked medics were talking much too quickly for him to understand but it didn't matter; all he had to do was let them work and he'd be fine. As he tried to remain conscious, the last few words he heard were spoken with such urgency and anger that it caught his attention. "Shit, he's awake! Someone give him more anesthesia this second!" they hissed. He was about to tell them no, it's alright, he was fine, but before he could form the words, he felt himself being pulled into darkness.
He gasped as the memories flooded back and he winced in pain, his lungs aching as he tried to reach for something, anything. He had won the Games. He and Clove were the last two remaining tributes and were promised they could go home if they survived to the end. He remembered the mutts and the pair from Twelve. He remembered the feel of Twelve's body fall limp as he snapped his neck and the blood spilling out of the other one's throat. But what happened after they were taken into the hovercraft? Where was Clove? She should be here with him, right? He heard one of the monitors beside him begin to beep incessantly and when he heard the door handle click open, he couldn't resist as the darkness began to flood his vision once more before he could even see who had entered the room.
