Note: This takes place in Mockingjay, when Peeta is captured by the capitol. The story will end when he is rescued, and you all know how it goes from there :)
Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games.
Everyone fears death. That's the point of those games, isn't it? To terrify the districts so they don't rebel again. Unless you've experienced what I've been through, you would fear death as well. It's different for me. Death would be a relief from the pain. Death would end the nightmares that plague me even when I'm awake. Death would be an escape, allowing me to never have to see anyone I love in pain again. Death would stop all the confusion that is messing with my brain. You see, there are far worse things than taking your final breath. For me, death would be a gift.
Gifts
Unfortunately for me, my host isn't too fond of giving gifts. No, he won't grant me an escape. I am a pawn. A piece in his game. The one thing I swore I would never let myself become.
The last thing I remember was Katniss screaming my name, the sky exploding above me, and a hovercraft picking me up as the world went dark.
When I had woken up, I was laying on a cold, metal table. I tried push myself into a sitting position, but my arms and legs were bound to the table. "Katniss?" I yelled. As I struggled, an intense pain built up in my wrists and ankles. I lifted my neck so I could see why I felt something digging into my skin. That's when I noticed. The bindings weren't made of leather or fabric. They were made of barbed wire, and each time I struggled, the wire became tighter, digging deeper into my skin. I looked around the room. White walls, white ceiling, white floor. A door was on the wall in front of me with a single window. I rested my neck back down. There was nothing I could do except wait.
Hours went by, and I drifted in and out of a light sleep. My stomach growled every now and then, but I pushed the ebbing feeling of hunger to the back of my mind. I knew that Snow would want to keep me alive, and keeping me alive meant giving me food. I knew I would be fed, but only just enough. With this fact in mind, I knew I would not starve to death, and I was able to push my hunger aside. For now.
I heard a noise coming from the hallway outside my room. The door slammed upon, causing me to jump, which in turn caused the restraints to wrap even tighter around my wrists and ankles, piercing my skin. I grimaced as a voice spoke, and without lifting my head I knew its owner.
"Mr. Mellark. Before I begin, I think we should make one thing clear. Lying will not help you in any way. I have had this same discussion with Ms. Everdeen before. We will not lie to each other. Do you understand?"
"Go to hell," I sputtered out. I'm not normally one for such language, but this is a special circumstance.
"Now, now, Mr. Mellark, I have come here simply to talk. All I want is information. If you give me information, I will give you some in return. I imagine there must be thousands of questions running through that head of yours. We both want answers."
It's true; I had many questions. Most of them involving Katniss. Was she ok? Where was she? What happened? I desperately needed to know that she was ok, and the only way was to go along with Snow's game. He has a thing for games.
I lifted up my head so I could see him better. He stood before me in a black suit, with a white rose in his chest pocket. His white hair, whatever was left of it, was slicked back. I looked him in the eye. "Alright, ask your damn questions. But first, tell me what happened."
"Mr. Mellark," he began, "as you may have guessed, the force field around the arena was destroyed from the inside by none other than Katniss Everdeen. A hovercraft then arrived in the arena, from District 13." He must have seen my confusion, because he added, "Yes, 13. Underground, but very much in existence. Now, can you tell me who was involved in the planning of this escape?"
"No."
"It would be in your best interest to not lie to me, Peeta." Snow snapped his fingers, and sound blared into the room. I couldn't make out what it was at first, but then I realized what I was hearing. Screaming. Katniss screaming. Katniss.
"What are you doing to her!" I shouted, struggling against the restraints.
"Well, you haven't quite answered my question. Answer mine, and I shall answer yours."
"I can't tell you who was involved in the escape because I don't know! I had no idea, and neither did Katniss! Let her go, kill me if you want! Just let her go!"
Snow started to chuckle. "Why, Mr. Mellark, I would never kill you, or Ms. Everdeen. At least not unless it was public. But not now. You are of far too much value for me to kill."
The screaming began again, and tears started to roll down my face. "You don't have her! You're lying to me, these screams aren't real! They're from mutts, like in the arena! Not real!"
"I believe we agreed not to lie to each other, Mr. Mellark. However, I do believe you when you say that you had no knowledge of the escape. That's it for now, Mr. Mellark." He walked out the door without looking back, Katniss' screaming still blasting through the room.
My mind was racing. Did he really have Katniss? He couldn't, right? I would know if she were really here. The screaming became too much for me to handle. I couldn't bear hearing her in pain, and the screams were of pure agony. Still in my restraints, I burst into tears. I didn't even try to hold back the sobs that escaped my throat, or the darkness that quickly overtook me.