When I was 5, I had the unfortunate experience of being stung by a tracker jacker. Ever since I have been afraid that even the smallest of spiders will bring back the horrible images. The things I saw still haunt me and cause me to wake up screaming some nights, even after over 10 years of experiencing them. Since then I had seen and done more that I wish I hadn't. Having no choice, I fell to the ground and soon the venom was upon me.
Tall, dirty buildings stretched above me on the empty street corner. A hand was propelling me forward. "Hurry, we need to get home! Can't you walk any faster." a familiar voice tells me.
It was my sister, Rosemary, the classic beauty. We had been running an errand for my mother that kept us out later than usual. It's a completely different world in 2 after dark.
"Well what do we have here?" a mocking sound came from the shadows. We quickened our pace, Rosemary was practically dragging me behind her. Out of the night, a hand reaches out and grabs my sister, pinning her to the wall of the nearest building. I looked in her eyes that were full of fear. She nodded to a nearby trash can and I jumped behind it.
The hand's owner appeared from the shadows. He was rather short but made up for it in width. The peacekeeper uniform looked like it could just barely cover his body and his grimy hand looked out of place on my sister's neck.
Reaching in the ligning of my dress, I pulled out my knife. Poised and ready for attack, I froze when I heard another voice.
" What you got there?" a voice called, more shrill than the first. Another peacekeeper sauntered over. He was the complete opposite of his co-worker with his thin waist and lanky arms.
"Just another street rat. Ain't she a cutie though." the short one replied. My sister struggled against their grip as I coward behind the cold tin trash can. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the attack on my sister but her crys penetrated the darkness. The blade of my knife was digging into my hand and on impulse, I threw it.
Realizing what I did, I peered out of my hiding place. The knife lay in the head of the taller peacekeeper. The short one bent over him trying to figure out what happened. He barley had time to think over what had happened before I was on his back, stabbing him repeatedly with my knife. Once I was sure both of them were dead I turned to Rosemary. She hadn't moved since the peacekeepers released her and her head was bleeding badly. Feeling her pulse, I knew she was dead and they had killed her. I cried for what felt like ages until a hand touched my back. Turning around, I saw my sisters face. It's pigment had shifted to green and worms scurried out of her skull where her eyes were suppose to be. She smiled revealing a toothless grin and hundreds of gnats flew out of her mouth. Freight entered my body and I turned to run. Daring to look over my shoulder, I saw the peacekeepers not far behind, their bodies in worse condition then my sister's.
Running and running, I finally reached a building and burst threw the doors, not caring what was on the other side. The bright light of the hospital temporarily blinded me. A nurse looked at me and pointed to a small room at the end of the hallway. I walked down the hallway and entered the small room at the end of it to find my father laying in a bed. His eyes were closed.
I forward and layed my head on his chest, the images of Rosemary still fresh in my mind. After a few minutes I feel his hands wrap around me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a flea jump up on the clean white linens of the bed. I stand straight up and the moment I break from my father's arms, his eyeslids burst open and bugs begin to crawl out of his eyesockets. Screaming, I sprinted down the hallway and threw the hospital doors.
Only when I'm certain that no one has followed me, I sink to the floor and catch my breath. The walls of the room resemble the training center so much that I feel like I'm back home. Suddenly over come with exhaustion, I close my eyes.
A small tickle on my nose jolt back to consciousnesses. I am met face to face with a tiny spider, no bigger than a pin top. Swatting at it, I stand up only to have thousands of spiders join their tiny companion in front of my face. I sink back to the floor and begin to crawl to keep from getting stuck in their webs.
When I reach the other side of the training center, an Argon sized spider appears. Its pincers threatening to eat me alive. The giant spider's minions are just behind me so I have no choice but to run directly under the enormous spider and reach the double doors on the other side.
With all my speed, I sprint under the giant arachnid and threw the doors only to wish I hadn't. Suddenly, I'm falling. Bellow, a giant sea of brightly colored worms and caterpillars swims and moves. I hit thesurface. Bugs crawl all over me as I try to stay afloat.
In the distance, I see a small island with a figure I immediately recognize as Cato. "Cato! Help me!" I call over and over again, trying my best to reach the tiny island. And still the bugs scurry.
Finally reaching the small piece of land, I run up behind Cato and throw my arms around him and bury my face into his shirt. His scent reminding me of home. Feeling his arms wrap around me makes me finally feel safe, like I could escape this hell I've been thrown into. When I look into his face, all secure feelings are replaced with terror. His scarred face lacked eyes and I was quick to let go.
His skin begins to melt off and millions of tracker jackers replace it. I turn to run but I get less than 5 feet before I can't move anymore and fall to the ground. The tracker jackers keep stinging and I am gobbled up in the tide of worms. Wiggling and scurrying all over my body, it isn't long before they cover up my eyes and I am plunged into darkness. The cover of bugs breaks every once in a while and I soon prefer the cover of darkness better.
Every tribute that has died in the past 74 hunger games are there shoveling insects on me and laughing. I scream for them to stop but the bugs fill my lungs and I can't breathe. I begin to feel myself fad back into darkness.
I bolt straight up and look over at Cato, who stares back with a questioning look. I blink a few times before I am sure It is the real thing. The venom had done it's work but the images would still stay with me forever.