The Hunger Games Catching Fire
Peeta's point of view
Chapter 1
Nightmares. The same ones, the same place, the same feeling, but their all different in their own way. The dreaded arena is only the past in a physical manner, but in present, it is there as clear as crystal. They appear in every dream I have, in every nightmare I breathe, in every closed eyelid I see the arena, my blood swelling out my wound, the trees that are infested in the woods. It scares me in every way possible. The worst thing about it is that it never stops. It never ended out of the arena. It's my past, present and my future, and it always will be.
Last night it was mutts. The same ones in the arena that ripped Cato to pieces, even with his strong body armour on. They were covered in a smooth layer of thick fur, with sharp claws that could easily rip a human to pieces in a matter of seconds and killer teeth, made to chew on human bones and rip the flesh out of your skin; they were as sharp as knives. They were chasing me through the woods. I dashed in and out of the trees, but I was too slow to outrun them. They had an unfair advantage, they had four strong legs and I had two weak ones. But the capitol cares for no one. No one but themselves. I try to use my knife that was hidden in my pockets, but my hands were weak and like jelly. I screamed for Katniss, but she didn't reply. I ran a little further until I reached the lake Katniss found me once, I started to breath heavy and my heart raced.
I looked into the eyes of Glimmer. She snarled at me in a low, rough tone that gave me Goosebumps. Her blonde coat unmistakably her, and those green eyes. I look right into them. Her green emerald eyes were soft, really, but her blonde coat made me feel somewhat scared, and those pure white teeth gleamed in the midday sun. Then I look at a small with a ruby red coat and sharp amber eyes. "Foxface.", I think. She spits at me in hatred and snarls in a low, croaky tone that made my blood run cold. Then I looked at a mutt with a woven straw collar with the word 11 written on it and nothing else. Rue. She was the smallest of all of them, her fangs a murky cream colour and her dark glossy fur glistened in the sun and her brown hazel eyes stared straight at me.
Foxface leapt up in the air, and then pounced straight towards me. I watched her as she soared through the air, showing her pointy teeth, her amber eyes hidden behind her chin. Just when her fangs were about to wedge into my chest, I woke up.
Thick, hot sweat formed on my brow, and I felt the sheets I had been sleeping on. They were warm and damp by my sweat, like every other night. I shacked even though the dream wasn't real. I sat up, looking at what time it was. The clock read, 7:00am. I wiped the sweat of my brow and stood up. I straightened my sheets and walked into the bathroom.
I look at myself in the mirror. I look a state. My hair looks greasy; my face is red from the fear of being attacked by mutts in my nightmare. I sigh. The prep team will have their work cut out for making me into a handsome victor again. The prep teams will be here by noon, followed by reporters, camera crews, and even Effie Trinket, mine and Katniss's old escort. Effie will be meeting Katniss first, then shortly after me. I feel sorry for Katniss though. She's the one that really suffers from all the acting. My mother calls me a born actor, and really I am. I can act everything through, including mine and Katniss's fake relationship, (love). She hates the waxing, makeup, and tight outfits more than I do, and worst of all, she doesn't like being the centre of attention and speaking to the camera's, so mainly I do the speaking, and she does the fake hugging and kisses.
But, really in the arena, I thought her affections for me were all true, but clearly I was too blind to see. She loves Gale more than anyone, and I can't do anything about it, but act like we are affectionate to one another and wish her the best future for her, if she has a good one. I run some cold water in the sink and slash some on my face. Its icy cold, but it did its work, now I am fully awake, I can run a warm bath and be ready for when my prep team comes. I apply a small amount of gel into my greasy hair and add some sop onto my smooth skin. I get out of the bath, and dry myself with a sheep skin towel. The soft wool is comforting, and to me homely feeling. I dry my hair with a towel, and then I carefully comb it. I'm trying to make my prep teams life a bit easier, but knowing them I will have proberly not put in enough hair gel, or not put on body butter of waxed my legs at all.
I get in a simple checked shirt and a pair of jeans. I walk over to the window, straight at Katniss's house. I wished we had a future together, but fate has yet not given me hope that it will happen, but all I can do is just hope that one day, fate may bring us together. But until that day, we're just two victors that won the hunger games on the same year, and we are acting to be star crossed lovers.
I walk out of my bedroom and jog down the stairs to see my strict mother on the leather coach. She still hates me, even though we have a better house, a better life. She still curses me every day that I was born, and why couldn't I have been better at making bread and making a perfect cake. That all I did was ice a few buns. She stares at me with her tired eyes. "Go ice some cookies, then take em' to Katniss's house. She'll give you a few coins for em'!" She says in a croaky voice. I walk into the kitchen to see two dozen cookies laid out neatly on the workplace. I pick up the icing tools and begin to ice them. I give each of them a white background, with different coloured flowers on top. They're a simple design, but very effective. I get a small box out of the cupboard and carefully put the cookies in them. Then I got a blood red ribbon then tied it around the box, to insure that they wouldn't fall out.
Even though we have this house, my father and my mother still run the bakery, but she mainly cooks a few cookies a week for Katniss or Haymitch, but this week, she said she would only bake them for Katniss, as she saved me puny life for no reason, but it was unwise to not thank her, even fro something she didn't want.
I carefully picked up the box and carried it into the hall, walking past my mother, ignoring her moans. I put on my leather boots and slip on my sheep wool jacket, and walk out the door, carrying the box. I decide to skip Haymitch's house, as Katniss will proberly sort him out. I get to Katniss's house and my fingers are numb, I can't feel my hands. I slowly knock on the door, and wait in silence. The door slowly opens and Prim's face becomes clear. She smiles at me. I look at her soft hair; she has braided it like what Katniss does to her hair.
"Hello Peeta, can we help you at all?" she asks politely. Then I hear footsteps behind Prim, and then I see that Katniss's mother has come to see what's happening. "What is it, Prim?" she asks. Prim explained that I had come for something and I hadn't said what yet. "So Peeta, Katniss is out at the moment taking in some fresh air before the camera's come, If that is what you've come for." Katniss's mother told me. "I just came to deliver these cookies." I say. But really, I wanted to see Katniss. She'd been locked in her house most of the time, so I never really saw her. It was sad, more than annoying as I think she's been trying to ignore me more than anything, but that might not be true, I'm not sure. "Oh, thank you Peeta!" she says, smiling. She digs into her trouser pocket and reviles three coins. "Here." She smiles, as she reaches for the box. I pass the box to her, and smile, "Thank you." I hold the coins in my hand, while she exams the cookies. "They're beautifully decorated, did you do them?" she asks me. "Yes, my mother bakes them though, I do the decorating, and well I will see you then." I finish. "Yes, bye Peeta!" She exclaims, as she shuts the door.
I walk to my house, and then hand the money over to my mother, who just moans and shoves it in her pocket. I rush up to my room, and then look out the window. I can't believe what I'm seeing. President Snow and Peacekeepers are going into Katniss's house. Sharp stabs of worry for Katniss, injects into my body like an injection. Then minutes later, I see her. Katniss Everdeen entering a house full of peacekeepers and a president. With nothing to comfort her. No one but enemies.