Hi everyone! As this is the first chapter to my new story, please leave a nice review on how you like it and leave ideas and suggestions!
Disclaimer: I take no credit for the story of The Hunger Games.
Chapter 1
I stand in the one place that I had always gone to in need of freedom for as long as I could remember. At the time of the games, this forest would make me feel like the Capitol could not control me, like I could go wherever I want, do whatever I want when I felt like it. Here, I can just forget the world, the stress of it all. The people who were causing me worry would be gone from my mind. It makes me feel like the only living souls on the earth are the animals and I.
Pieces of my dark hair fly free from my braid and blow across my face in the cool wind. My favourite weather-cool but not cold. I am glancing around the lush, green forest. Somehow today the shadows casting down from the trees are oddly dark and peculiar. Without giving that idea much thought, I pull out an arrow from my pack and am about to set it with the bow when I catch a glimpse of movement out of the corner of my eye. A dear! I think. Hurriedly I run to the exact spot I saw the movement. Once I reach the tree that I thought I saw a flicker of a dear move behind, I stop dead in my tracks and gape at the unbelievable sight before my eyes.
Prim. I can't believe it. There she is, standing before me with a tiny smile on her pale lips. She looks as healthy as ever. Before I can help it, I let out a small shriek and take a step back.
"Katniss," she says, her voice as soothing as a beautiful harp,"please do not be frightened. It is me, Prim."
I just stare in complete shock and confusion. "Who are you?" I say. "Prim is-" I choke on the word, "-dead."
"Oh Katniss," she smiles, "There is life after death. Life even better than the life you have now. It is glorious, please-would you consider joining me?"
Something about her cute white dress, her pretty little face and confident expression makes me strangely intrigued. "W-where-wha-?" I stammer. It's all I can do.
"Father is there too!" She seems delighted. "Please Katniss, you won't be disappointed,"
"Bu-but Peeta..." I start, and then am slowly sucked toward Prim like a vortex. All my thoughts and worries about joining Prim in afterlife are gone. Only good, happy thoughts about it are in my mind. It might not be so bad...
I stagger toward her, and she smiles am angelic grin and it turns to a devilish smirk. Her features warp and twist until I see before me the head of an outraged demon mutt. I gasp and try to pull away, but I am forced towards her. "No!" I yell. "Stop-" and my mind breaks off.
I open my eyes to Peeta shaking my shoulder and speaking my name with concern. I gasp and stare up at him. Even in the dim light of our room, I can see his eyes huge and blue with worry. My heart is beating rapidly and my mind is whirling with fear. My hair is plastered to my face and neck with sweat.
Peeta lets out a small sigh of relief. "Katniss! Are you all right? You were screaming and thrashing out and-"
"Yes," I say, although my voice is as rough as ever. "Another nightmare...this time about Prim." I turn to directly face him, then I let my face fall against his chest with a sigh. I am starting to calm down more.
After a moment I whisper, "Peeta, what's happening to me?" Almost every night I have been having dreams that have something to do with my bad memories. The games, the reaping, even the death of Rue... but now Prim. Prim. It felt sickeningly real.
His voice is soft now. "Katniss, you don't need to worry. Nightmares happen to all of us. You'll be okay-I will make sure of it." He says as he strokes my wavy hair. His words are so soothing and reassuring. I will myself to believe that these dreams will not drive me to insanity. I feel his light breath tickle the back of my neck. Peeta. Always there to comfort me. Always showing his love. Always protective and selfless.
"Peeta, can you tell me a story? A happy one," I ask, sleepily.
He says, "A story? Hmm, let me think. Oh-I got one! Once there lived a-..."
Before I hear anymore of Peeta's story, I am already drifting into sleep with my head leaning on him and his arms gently around me.