Okay, so I recently read The Hunger Games trilogy and this idea came into my head and refused to budge. It's set during the period between Catching Fire and into Mockingjay where Peeta is being held prisoner by the Capitol.
Summary - 'My name is Peeta Mellark. I am in love with Katniss Everdeen. I have to find her and protect her.' - The effects of the tracker jacker venom beginning to take over Peeta's mind. My interpretation of his torture during Mockingjay.
Disclaimer - I do not own the Hunger Games nor am I making any profit, etc!
Pain. Excruciating waves of agony shoot up my left arm where the stab of the syringe still stings under my skin. I can feel it, whatever it is they injected into me, soothing into my bloodstream, going straight to my head.
Disorientation. I immediately feel the pain subsiding and a fog sets over my mind. It's going to knock me out but I must fight it, I have fought it before and I must again. Why?
My name is Peeta Mellark. I am seventeen years old. My home is District 12. There is no District 12. I am in love with Katniss Everdeen. I have two older brothers, Lyrin and Krell. They are in District 12. There is no District 12. I am in love with Katniss Everdeen. I have to find her and protect her.
Yes, Katniss. Of course.
I can hear the footsteps retreating faintly but I know from memory that this cell is only two by two metres, if that. My eyes shoot open and yet another bought of pain surges from the back of my head, attempting to leave through my eyes. I can see that miles away, two walking clouds disappear behind the door to my cell and then darkness. Suddenly, my hands are on my face, rubbing against my eyes and I can almost feel liquid searing off the tender skin on the back of my worn hands. Tears or blood? It's hard to tell the difference anymore.
When did I last open my eyes?
Before they threw me in here, I think. And where am I?
My name is Peeta Mellark. I was in the seventy fourth Hunger Games and the Quarter Quell. I was captured by the Capitol. Katniss got away. I need to find her and protect her. But I am in a Capitol prison cell.
I curl up on the floor. A prison cell, of course. How could I have forgotten that? Perhaps I'll die soon, if I'm lucky. Johanna is nearly there, it seems. She must be in the next cell to me because her screams are fresh and loud as though she were curled up beside me. Straining my ears against the pounding in my head I can hear them going through Johanna's torture routine: the splash of icy water over her cowering body then seconds later, undoubtedly-
The sound of static fills the air in my cell, merging from wall to wall before being masked by distant screaming.
Then silence and darkness.
My eyes feel heavy and I know I am falling. Falling for whatever the medics stuck into my arm a minute ago. Or was it an hour? I have to fight it to get out of here, to get to Katniss. She needs me. She won't be able to sleep until she's in my arms. I lunge from the floor, desperate to get anywhere, anywhere closer to escape. My arms hold me back and I feel the warm metal of my shackles cutting the naked flesh on my wrists as I sink once more to the ground, my weak legs unable to hold me even in a crouch.
I can feel damp spreading over the once dry areas of my body as I lie motionless on my back. How long have I been here, drifting in and out of consciousness, no longer aware able to differentiate between reality and a hellish dream? The two are quite similar, I think.
I open my eyes, simply because I can. But it's not darkness that greats me, as it previous did, but instead small, striking yellow insects.
My blood turns to ice. Tracker jacker venom.
As though my revelation triggered the effects in my mind, the insects begin to buzz and they swarm down at me. I shake, throwing myself in every direction, feeling the metal digging further into my wrists and feeling the stings of pain whenever a hallucination attacks me. I can hear my screams, but I can't tell I'm even making a noise. The buzzing's getting louder.
I have to fight it, fight it.
My name is Peeta Mellark. I was in the seventy fourth Hunger Games and the Quarter Quell. I was captured by the Capitol. Katniss got away. I need to find her and protect her.
Where is she now? I remember a bird flew out of the sky and pulled Katniss into its belly before flying away. It was a mockingjay, I think. I watched it until it was out of sight. Then one came for me. It bought me here, to the Capitol. I had an interview with Caesar where I called for a ceasefire. Although why I did that, I'm not so sure. Katniss would be ashamed of me. But she'll forgive me, when I get out of here, away from these insects. It's only a matter of time before she comes for me like I'd come for her.
But it was all an act, an act. No.
My name is Peeta Mellark. I am seventeen years old. My home is District 12. There is no District 12. I am in love with Katniss Ever-
No, no that's all wrong. That's not right. What is right? Not this. Not this.
My name is Peeta Mellark. I am seventeen years old. My home is District 12. There is no District 12. District 12 was destroyed by Katniss Everdeen. She killed my family. My friends.
I am going to kill her.