New roomate - locked to Bob Fraser

[primeverdeen]

Prim woke when the alarm on her padd woke her. Time to feed Buttercup and Lady. Then she could go to sleep again. She might have nightmares when she slept, but at least in the nightmares.... Katniss is there. At least she's not alone.

But when she woke up...

She got up and fed the animals, refilling their water bowls. She was about to go to back to bed, then she saw the notice on her padd, waiting for her.

A new roommate. She went to Katniss' side of the quarters. Touched Katniss' bed. No trace of her warmth left.

And then... then someone else will come... and use her bed?

She sank to the floor, tears running down her face. Someone else is taking Katniss' place. But...

....

... does that mean that... she really.... isn't coming back?

When her new roommate came in, he'd find her sitting on the floor beside the bed that's made and neat, sobbing into her hands.

Comments

[primeverdeen]

"Why would you want to help me? You don't know me...."

Or... did he know Katniss?

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"No, I don't know you," he agreed. "But my mother taught me I should always help others. And so I do."

[primeverdeen]

"M...my mother... also tries to help people...."

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

He nodded. "Mothers are good for that, I found," he said.

[primeverdeen]

"Yeah. I guess so..."

This was just... weird.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

He nodded again. Weird was better than terror any day.

[primeverdeen]

"S.....s....so.... now what....?"

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"It's up to you," he shrugged. "Now what?" he asked.

[primeverdeen]

"W...why are you in my room?" she asked. She knew she was getting a new roommate, she had no clue who.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"I was assigned here," he said. "I can change that, though, if you like."

[primeverdeen]

"Assig..... This room? Y...you're the one taking Katniss' bed?" she asked, her eyes widening, her skin paling again.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

He looked at the bed in question. "I can certainly make my own," he replied, which was true. He didn't ask who Katniss is.

[primeverdeen]

"I...I meant... you're the one... they sent to take her place..." she whispered.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"I'm not going to replace anyone, miss," he replied. "I've been assigned here, though, yes."

[primeverdeen]

"Then...then she's really not coming back?" she whispered, tears welling again.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"I don't know, miss," he replied. "Somehow, I don't think they know much. After all, it's this Q that's behind this, isn't it."

[primeverdeen]

She gave a small nod. "I... thought he was doing it... to save us..." she whispered.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"I don't think he's just doing it to amuse himself," he said. "There's definitely more to it."

[primeverdeen]

She nodded. "That's what I thought," she said softly, "that she was like what Fatima called a hero." Yes, she said the word as if it were a new one by her.

"Katniss..." her voice caught on the name, "she said that... they she saw me die. That Finnick was dead and I was dead but... But Q brought us here. He went back and got us, saved us. I thought that meant that everyone here had been brought here so they wouldn't die... and then... and then he took her away!" Anger and tears there.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

He listened to her as she vented and explained. Then he took a moment to think.

"I'm dead, miss," he confessed. He put his hand through a table. "I was shot and killed by a man who was hired to kill me by a policeman who I thought was my friend."

So he understood her distrust of policeman.

"I don't know what happened to her," he didn't use Katniss' name, because he wasn't sure she would have felt he'd earned the right. "But I watched over my son when I died and now this Q brought me here."

[primeverdeen]

"Yo....you're... dead?" she asked, stuck on that part. She heard the rest she just... couldn't process it at the moment. "How could you be dead... if you're here?"

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"I don't know, really," he admitted before shrugging. "Nothing much I can do about it."

[primeverdeen]

"Does... does that mean that... that Katniss is alive... if she's not here?" Sh was so confused.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"I don't know what it means, miss," he said, honestly. "But I know you can't assume you know what goes on after death."

[primeverdeen]

"But... but you do?"