Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games. The first paragraph is from the book so that's why it has quotation marks.
"The claw drops from the underside until it's directly overhead. The metal talons slide under me. I want to scream, run, smash my way out of it but I'm frozen, helpless to do anything but fervently hope I'll die before I reach the shadowy figures awaiting me above. The have not spared my life to crown me victor but to make my death as slow and public as possible."
My worst fears are confirmed when I see multiple hands waiting me. They don't hesitate to drag me across but I don't feel anything. A hand reaches out to me, I think to strike me, but it leaves me vulnerable. It slides my eyelids shut having me fend off their attacks in the dark.
My heart beat is louder than any words they shout. My mind loses it's thoughts. I only hope that Johanna Mason made a wound deep enough for me to bleed out instead but I black out.
I can feel. I feel as if Effie's nails were pinching my flesh. Effie! I look around the white room but there's no sign of her. I follow the streak of pain which comes from my left arm. Tubes. The Capitol wants me alive so they can kill me in a more brutal way. Yes, they'll fix me up only to damage me even more. I curse to Brutus and Enobaria for thinking I was dead. They should have stabbed me then and there. My right arm can flop around a bit but I push it to it's limit ripping the tubes off my left arm. The motion knocks me out.
I regain consciousness. Now I feel pinching on my wrists. They tied me down. I look around. The room has gotten bigger. I'm able to identify Johanna across from me. The Capitol wants to make her death public as well. I see she only has two different machines. I squirm around going as far my wrists would let and see I have six machines. Good, let her die first. I want her dead. No… just let me die first. Just let me die! I continue struggling to get up but once I slam myself back, darkness evades my eyes.
The next time I see the bright wall is when I fully wake up. Johanna is gone along with the tubes but are replaced with bandages. I don't see why they're wasting this on me. I'm soon going to be dead. I try pushing myself up and find myself able to. The restraints are gone. Gone… where is everyone else?
"Peeta…" I manage to say. I feel my eyes widen. He's going to, if he hasn't already, die. And this is all my fault because I couldn't protect him. Did he die from the explosion? Is he here in the Capitol? I decide to trick my mind.
"Yes. He's here in the Capitol." My breaths goes short and rapid. "I can't let them kill him. He's still alive. I can't let them have him. He's mine. I'll kill him. Then myself."
I let my feet touch the ground. That's when I realize only a thin nightgown is hugging my body. I need a weapon.
The metal door opens in front of me. The Capitol was viewing me all along. They were probably laughing at me too. This girl who had no fully proofed plan trying to escape. Now it's my time to curse at myself for being so dumb.
"Katniss." I look up and find my eyes staring at Atala, the training instructor. Did the Capitol run out of Peacekeepers to look over us? I give her a cold stare but it probably shows up dull.
"Would you follow me?" she asks. So Effie really is gone.
I don't reply. I continue giving her the same dull stare. She walks towards me. She repeats the question once again. This time my answer is, "No."
As soon as I said the two-lettered word, I felt an impact on the right side of my head followed my two men entering from where Atala came in. They each secured a hand under my shoulders and lead me out of the room.
I'm in some sort of semi-consciousness. I can't hear anything thoroughly. It sounds muffled. My vision is blurry. All I'm able to detect are doors, walls, white and gray. My feet scratch the floor beneath me which tells me that we're moving. Then after a minute or two, they stop.
I think of raising my head out straight but decide against it. I already lost everything. I'm pushed forward and I land on my knees. I look back and notice all three have vanished. I use to be strong. I use to be radiant. I use to hug Prim. I use to live in District Twelve. I use to hunt. I use to live. Now I've given up.
"I'm sure you have lots of questions. Go ahead. Ask." A voice calls out. I can't put my finger on it, yet locate where it comes from. I don't hesitate to take up the offer.
"Where's Peeta?" I try saying strongly but my voice betrays me.
"He's in District Thirteen of course," it answers.
District Thirteen. It exists. "And my family? Where are they?"
"In District Thirteen… but I strongly believe they're dead. They were obliterated in the District Twelve bombing. Along with others. The Mellark family. The Undersee family. The Hawthorne family and many others."
My words catch in my throat while tears form in my eyes. "Then where am I?" I ask even though I know the answer. I just need to know.
"Why you're in the Capitol, sweetheart." And at that moment, I knew one thing for sure. The voice did not belong to Haymitch. I'm wondering if he actually intended on using that nickname to make me snap. It worked.
"STOP!" I look up and find President Snow's snake like eyes. "You're lying," I gasp out.
"I thought we promised not to lie to each other." says the president.
I stare at the ground. This is too much. District Thirteen is alive. There is no District Twelve. I'm in the Capitol. My mom, Prim, oh sweet innocent Prim, Gale, Madge are dead. I hear a chuckle.
"You're very easy to crack Mrs. Everdeen. Oh excuse my manners. It's Mrs. Mellark. I must make a confession. Your family is possibly still alive."
"You're sick!" I yell at him.
"I'm honest. I did say I strongly believe."
This man. This cruel man. No, he can't manipulate words like Peeta can, but he can choose the words that hurt me the most. My weakness is obvious.
"Now Mrs. Mellark, I have a bigger problem. A bigger problem than those berries in your first arena, or the explosion from your recent games. See, the uprisings which we've talked about is getting out of hand. It's turned into something bigger. A whole rebellion. The one that you ignited."
"Then why don't you just kill me? An accident looks fine as of right now." There's a brief silence. "But you can't kill me," I say. This makes me attempt to stand up. "And you know it." Every word I say gives me courage, strength and power. "If you kill me, your precious Capitol will fall faster." I have now fully risen. Hands clenched in fists. I'm not afraid.
"I suppose you're right. But that is not the only reason why I'm keeping you alive. I have other plans for you," he says. Then he gets up from his seat, pushes the chair to make contact with the table and passes by me. Before he opens the door, he adds, "Tomorrow you have an interview with Ceasar Flickerman. I'll have a new prep team waiting for you early morning, since Cinna and the others have faced some… terrible accidents."
He exists the room. I stand there alone. My strength is now replaced with fear.
But there is still a chance that Peeta, Prim, Gale, Madge, my mother and even Haymitch are still alive. And if they are alive, I wouldn't mind dying to keep it that way.
I'm sorry this is so short but I wanted it to be a bit of a prologue. I have many ideas to keep this story going but it's all over the place. Please review. I want to know what you guys think.