I wake up, tangled in my blankets. I can feel the sweat on my body as I try and release the pressure of the blankets from around my torso. My breathing is ragged, and I try and steady it as I play this game that my doctor suggested for me to organise my thoughts.
My name is Peeta Mellark. I am 17 years old. I have been in The Hunger Games twice. The girl I love has been taken by the Capitol. She could be dead, maybe it's better if she is dead.
The last thought has terrified me for the past 2 months as I live here, underground District 13. My dreams, no wait, nightmares, have been plagued by the thought of Katniss Everdeen, the only girl I have ever loved, being tortured or maybe even killed by the forces of the Capitol. I wake to find that my nightmares may be a reality.
I check my watch to find that it is already 6am, and the sun is should be starting to rise. Good, I think, today is the day I present my plan for the rebel forces to try to rescue Katniss.
After showering, I change into my regulation District 13 clothing. Everyone wears the same white shirt, tucked into black pants with a black belt and shoes. I hate it. But the rebels in District 13 have been nice enough; welcoming we District 12 refugees and giving us food and shelter. Not only is the clothing regulated, but the food is too. We are only given a specified amount that is calculated from our age, height and weight. It's not so hard for me to get used to; I'm used to going hungry.
Gale Hawthorne, Katniss' best friend is ahead of me in the line. Things haven't exactly been easy between the two of us since he declared his love for her before the Quarter Quell, and I declared mine before our first outing to The Hunger Games. The only thing we have in common is our determination to bring Katniss back to District 13.
"Turnips again, huh?" I say to his back, causing him to turn around. Gale gives me a slight smile and moves forward where a ladle full of turnips are sloshed into his bowl.
"Looks like it. I'm not complaining though, it looks better than that concoction they served us yesterday".
Gale and I take our seats on the table designated for the District 12 refugees. Gale sits next to his little sister Posy, who giggles are he pokes her in her stomach.
"Better eat all that up, Posy, or you'll never be as beautiful as me!"
Posy giggles and replies, "I don't want to look like you when I grow up, I want to look like Katniss!"
It feels like I have been hit in the stomach. Gale looks up wordlessly at me and says, "Yes Posy, she is beautiful, just like you", and starts to eat his turnips. I stare at mine; they look more tasteless that before. Little comments like that increase the pain that has been in my chest for the past two months. I never knew I could miss a person like this.
Our table finishes breakfast without another word, and Gale and I check our schedules to see that we are both needed in Command. Gale and I usually spend most of our time down there anyway, so it's no surprise that we are needed again today.
Gale doesn't know of my plan today, but I'm sure he will agree with it; he wants Katniss here with us as much as I do.
President Coin sits us all down and starts with her normal analysis of the position of the rebels in the eleven other districts. Apart from District 2, the rebels are making good progress in overturning the Capitol forces that control them. When she turns the discussion over to the rest of us, I jump in first with my proposition.
"We need to rescue Katniss".