Silence [The Hunger Games]

Chapter Fifty

 I awoke with my face still pressed against the glass of the window and my throat raw from crying. The half-moon hung in the midnight sky, and I heard the hooting of an owl from outside. I swore I could hear a half scream, but I tried to convince myself it was my imagination. I was sick of hearing screams. But this time, I could ignore them. Couldn’t I?

 Someone knocked on the door. With my Father in bed, I wrapped a dressing gown around myself and went downstairs. I thought it might be Eddie, begging for my forgiveness, so when I answered it, I was prepared to yell at him. But it wasn’t, it was Drew.

 “Pandora’s having a fit of some sort,” he said, panting “You should come. Now.”

 I was immediately alert following Drew quickly into his house. Pandora lay spread on a clean white sheet, thrashing and kicking at invisible demons. Sweat soaked her face and hair and clung to her nightdress. The fear she felt reflected in her crystal eyes and her mouth was wide in a silent scream. The remains of her severed tongue made me retch, her only imperfection. I threw myself on top of her trying to pin her down.

 “What the hell are you doing?” he exclaimed, a strangled yelp coming from Pandora’s throat.

 “Trying to keep her still!”

 “You should be calming her down, not restraining her. What did you do when it was me?”

 “That was different! I’m not going to throw water at her, she’ll go into shock! How do you suggest I calm her down?”

 “I don’t know! I’m normally in her position. Tell her a story or stroke her hair or-”

 “You do it! Go on, I’ll hold her down.”

 “Do what?”

 “Anything!” I wailed in despair. Drew sighed and knelt beside the bed.

 “OK, Pandora,” he said, his voice soft and soothing. It surprised me a little as I watched him stroke her hair calmly “I don’t know if this will help at all. But I want you to try and relax.”

 He cleared his throat, and took in a deep breath. And then something bizarre happened. He began to sing.

I wonder, did you reserve

That special smile for me?

It’s sometimes hard to tell

You’re such a mystery

 

And you hold me in your arms

But something isn’t right

It feels like you’re slipping away

And don’t want to hold on tight

 

Why is it that my fairy tale

Never goes as planned?

And whenever I’m with you

I don’t know where I stand?

 Pandora had stopped thrashing, her breathing heavy as she began to calm down. With a reassuring smile, Drew stroked her soaked hair. Her eyes fluttered to a close and a few minutes later, she was asleep. I was still in shock, staring at Drew.

 “You never told me you could sing,” I whispered. His voice had been so different to the way he spoke. Soft and gentle rather than his usual gruff barks. An undertone of love in the words he sang, though I doubted he related to the song in any way. He shrugged, almost shyly.

 “It’s not something I do often,” he mumbled.

 “Drew…” I said. “I need you to help me with something.”

 “Anything,” Drew said immediately. I took his hands in mine, with a sigh.

 “I have a plan. I need to do something to avenge Logan and my mother. And anyone else affected by the Games. I need you to do one thing for me.”

 “What is it? Just tell me, Raven.”

 “Sing.”