Though now she lived in the districts, she was capitol born. She knew all of his hardships and never looked at him any differently. She handled him with such gentleness, and kindness. She was a rare bird, His Nightingale. Just like he had been for h...
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"He's rabid," Lysistrata said softly.
Rabies had made a reappearance during the war. Back when doctors were needed in the field, and facilities and supply lines were compromised by the bombings, medical treatment had become sketchy for humans, like Coriolanus's mother, and almost nonexistent for the pampered Capitol pets. How it began remained a matter of debate, an infected coyote from the mountains? A nocturnal encounter with a bat? But the dogs spread it. Most of them were starving, abandoned casualties of the war themselves. From dog to dog, and then to people. The virulent strain developed with unprecedented speed, killing over a dozen Capitol citizens before a vaccination program brought it under control.
Coriolanus remembered posters being hung, warning people to the pay attention up any signs in animals and humans alike, adding just one more potential threat to his world. He thought of Jessup with his handkerchief pressed against his neck. "The rat bite?"
"Not a rat," said Lysistrata, shock and sadness on her face. "Rats almost never spread rabies. Probably one of those mangy raccoons."
"Juniper said he mentioned fur, so I just assumed..." He trailed off. Not that it mattered what had bitten Jessup; it was a death sentence any way you sliced it. He must have been infected about two weeks ago. "It was fast, wasn't it?"
"Very fast. Because he was bit in the neck. The quicker it gets to the brain, the quicker you die," Lysistrata explained. "And, of course, he's half-starved and weak."
If she said so, it was probably true. This was just the sort of thing he imagined the Vickers family discussing over dinner, in their calm, clinical manner.
"Poor Jessup," said Lysistrata. "Even his death has to be horrible."
The recognition of Jessup's illness put the audience on edge, setting off a wave of comments thick with fear and revulsion.
"Rabies! How did he get that?"
"Brought it from the districts, I'Il bet."
"Great, now he'll infect the whole city!"
All the students dropped back into their seats, not wanting to miss anything, dredging up childhood memories of the disease.
Coriolanus stayed silent in solidarity with Lysistrata, but his concern grew as Jessup zigzagged across the arena in Juniper's direction. No telling what was going on in his mind. Under normal circumstances, Coriolanus was certain he'd protect her, but he'd clearly lost his reason if she was running for her life.
The cameras tracked Juniper as she sprinted across the arena and began to scramble up the broken wall into the stands holding the main press box. Positioned midway in the arena, it occupied several rows and had somehow been spared in the bombing. She stopped a moment, panting, while she considered Jessup's erratic pursuit, then she made for the debris of a nearby concession stand. The area presented a sort of obstacle course that she traversed until she planted herself at the top of the mess.
