Disclaimer: I do not own Hunger Games. I also do not own the songs "Hanging Tree" and "Valley Song." All lyrics and rights to the songs are owned by the movie.
A Dead Man Calls Out
All he could see was visions of her. Visions of Katniss finding him in the field, screaming his name, sharing their first kiss, and sleeping together on the train. Her green eyes would dance in his dreams mocking him and tempting him.
"Peeta," she cried clutching her hand to his cheek.
His heart clenched at the memory. Katniss… where are you?
"Peeta," she cried again.
Why are we fighting Katniss?
"Peeta," the voice said again breaking him from his inner thoughts. Quickly Peeta was brought back to reality sharply. Looking around confused he remembered where he was with sickening sensation. Caesar Flickerman sat before him looking at him with concern.
Squinting into all the bright lights he took in President Snow's warning look. For months now he had been held prisoner against his will; him along with Annie Cresta and Johanna Mason. Up until this point he had actually been treated better than the girls. Every day he watched helpless as Annie and Johanna were tortured for information. Hours upon hours they would scream, and their anguished faces would haunt his dreams. Instead, he would be polished and groomed everyday and made to sit in front of a camera. Like Pinocchio he was but a puppet of President Snow.
Day after day like a robot he would recite what the President told him to. He knew what he must look like to the others, but for him it was survival. If he showed even for a moment that he was weak, and still cared about Katniss it would all be over.
"Peeta," Caesar tried again. "Are you okay Peeta? Should we take a break?"
"Yes let's give the boy a break," President Snow said in a sickening sweet tone his breath smelling of roses.
The cameras were shut off, and like a dog being led back to his cage he was handcuffed. He was just about to be led out of the room when Snow's voice stopped him. "Have you located them?"
"Yes," replied another. "We have discovered their base of operations. They went underground sir."
Snow smiled. "Clever," casting his eyes over to Peeta he locked eyes with Peeta's blue ones. "We have your song bird trapped boy. The Mockingjay will sing no more."
Peeta's blood ran cold. "No!" he screamed fighting against his restraints.
"Ah so he does still care about her after all," Snow drawled walking towards him. "What shall we do about this?"
"If you lay one hand on her," Peeta snarled in his face.
"Oh I won't be laying a hand on her that would be dirty work. However," he added smiling the smell of roses making Peeta nauseated. "My drones will though," he said laughing patting him hard on the cheek.
Again Peeta yelled, but this time he got the better of his captor. Elbowing the peace keeper hard in the ribs he then punched him in the helmet making the peace keeper sail back. Turning on Snow he went to pounce, but was quickly brought down by a dozen more peace keepers.
President Snow tsked standing over him. "You love her so much. They say love is the strongest human emotion that can never be….forgotten…. let's put this to the test shall we?"
That night Peeta was put through her first rounds of Tracker Jacker Venom. Being Hijacked was one of the worst things he had ever been through. Even though he was shown dozens of clips of Katniss he would laugh at the end of each one. "I'll never forget her," he would shout almost deliriously.
Snowed pounded his fist on the desk furiously. "Why won't he forget her?!"
"He seems to be holding onto one certain memory of her that is stronger than all the others," the Peace keeper said typing into a computer. "If we can find this certain memory we can take him over for good."
"What could it be?!" Snow roared pounding on the desk. Looking up at the young boy Peeta just continued to laugh almost manically.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
The next day Peeta sat in front of the cameras once more. This time, however, he was not well groomed and dressed in white. This time, he was beaten, bloodied, and rail thin. He could still feel where the needles had pierced him, and he could still vaguely feel the effect of the venom running through his veins.
It was almost like real life was in slow motion. Sitting in front of Caesar he tried just to stare at his blue hair to give him something to fixate on. He tried to ignore the side effects of the venom such as the illusions. He would see bugs crawling towards him that would disappear in an instant or see his hands turn to sludge.
"Are you ready Peeta?" Caesar asked again.
Nodding mutely he readied himself for the broadcast. Signs were held up for him to read off of. The lights felt hot against his already feverish skin, and the thick, wool, grey suit they gave him to wear added to his discomfort.
Swallowing he awaited his cue, and began to read the cards. "Tonight, we receive reports of derailed trains, of granaries on fire, and the savage attack on the Hydro Electric Dam in District 5. I'm begging for restraint and decency-"
His sentence was cut off by a loud buzzing sound. Suddenly, like in his dreams, Katniss' voice weaved through the static air. Just like when they were kids everyone went silent at her voice.
Are you, Are you, Coming to the tree….
They strung up a man, They say who murdered three….
"Katniss," his voice broke at her hearing her voice. Blinking he tried to decide whether or not it was an illusion.
Strange things did happen here, No stranger would it be….
If we met a midnight, In the hanging tree…
With shaking hands he realized it wasn't an illusion. It was really was her voice. "Katniss are you there?" he asked desperately staring beseechingly into the camera. When she didn't answer he blinked a couple of times. "Katniss?" his breathing became shallow. Staring around him bewilderedly he took in Snow's face giving him a warning look.
"Peeta, please continue," Caesar tried but his voice sounded far away. "You were telling us about these savage attempts."
Taking a deep breath he decided it was an illusion after all and tried again. "The attack on the dam was a callous and inhuman act of destruction-"
Are you, Are you, Coming to the tree….
Stopping short he gasped as her voice spilled into him. It was her. He would know her voice anywhere. It was the voice that he had fallen in love with after all. It was the memory that kept him going.
He didn't know if it was the venom but the memories came rushing back vividly. Of him sitting in music assembly and listening to the teacher talk. The teacher smiled and addressed the class, "Does anyone know the Valley Song?"
A hand shot up in the air, and he looked up to see a girl stand on her stool. He could tell she must be from the seam because of her dark hair and green eyes. She was dressed in a simple dress, and her dark hair was plaited down her back.
And suddenly her voice filled the room. Like a spell it wove in and out, and caused everyone to gape at the girl before them.
Deep in the meadow, Under the willow
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow.
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes,
And when again they open, the sun will rise.
He stared at her open mouthed, and with a chill he realized that all the birds outside had stopped their song to listen.
Here it's safe, Here it's warm,
Here the daises guard you from every harm.
Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true,
Here is the place where I love you.
He had heard rumors that her father had a great singing voice. That with one song, Katniss' mother had fallen deeply in love. Yes that was her name Katniss…
Deep in the meadow, Hidden far away,
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray.
Forget your woes and let you thoughts lay,
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away.
Her green eyes shone, and her face lit up. It was like she had her own inner fire that was bursting to get out. With each note his heart skipped a beat.
Here it's safe, Here it's warm,
Here the daises guard you from every harm.
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true,
Here is the place where I love you.
At the end of the song her green eyes met his blue ones. And in that one moment Peeta realized he was a goner.
His most precious memory. The memory of when he fell in love with The Girl on Fire. For she had always been on fire to him.
Where the dead man called out, For his love to flee….
Hearing her voice again he sat up straighter. He had to get through to her. He knew now that she was listening. It wasn't an illusion. He would know her voice anywhere. Ignoring everyone else in the room as well as his prompt cards he talked directly to her now. "Think about it," he said into the camera. Into the camera he poured every dark thought he had since we was a prisoner. "How will this end? What will be left? No one can survive this. No one is safe now. Not here in the capital… not in any of the districts," Stalling for a moment he glanced towards President Snow one last time before he desperately yelled into the camera, "They're coming Katniss. They're going to kill everyone in District 13 you'll be dead by morning!" he shouted but he was too late he was dragged away forcefully.
He was just about ready to be dragged back to his cell when Snow stopped them. "Wait. Take him to the lab."
"But sir, he's not ready for his second dose of hijack yet," a peace keeper tried to say, but quieted at Snow's look.
Walking up to Peeta he forcefully grabbed Peeta's chin forcing him to look up into his eyes. Smiling sinisterly he said, "I know what memory we need. It has to do with her singing."
Peeta's blood drained from his face. "No," he whispered.
"Every last memory of her will be gone," Snow sneered. "Only to be replaced by hatred."Peeta shook his head frantically. "What a fitting end," Snow sighed contently walking away. Looking over his shoulder he said, "Quieting your song bird by your own hands… how tragic."
"NOOOOOOO!" Peeta screamed being dragged away. "NOOOOOO!"
He tried to pull against the restraints as he was being tied down. Frantically he tried to pull away as the needle was inserted into his arm. The venom took a hold of him quickly. Putting the electrodes on his temples he heard them say, "Access all his memories of her singing."
His vision swam, and the world titled on its axis. In his mind he saw a little girl stand upon a stool, and turn towards him slowly. She held out her hand to him, and sang:
Here it's safe, Here it's warm,
Here the daises guard you from every harm.
"I've found it!" he heard them yell triumphantly from far away.
The girl turned red eyed, and instead of visions of her horrors were replaced. He screamed frantically trying to escape. But he couldn't escape.
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true.
Here is the place…
Where I love you…
Author's Note:
I must say I love this scene in Mockingjay Part One. I think Josh Hutcherson was fantastic. I've wanted to write this pretty much since the moment I watched this scene. Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers if you haven't read the books, but I always envisioned Peeta coming back to himself by Katniss singing to him. To me, it just seemed like a pivotal thing. It's what made him fall in love with her. I'm really hoping the movies will employ this but I don't know.
Also, I took some artistic liberty so if some things don't match up I apologize.
Well please do let me know what you think! Please Review!
-Kittyangel (Melanie)