Catching Fire (My Version)

It's been six months since the seventy-fourth hunger games ended and in just a matter of months, the build up to the third quarter quell- otherwise known as the seventy-fifth hunger games- would begin.

Peeta had not even begun to forget the horrors that became as a result of his time in the arena, he believed that he and Katniss would leave together, as victors, but that could not be, for the fatalities that were placed upon her being had taken effect and without a single word, the capitol had claimed her and taken her off to some place that Peeta could not bare to think about.

Peeta's personality had changed so much since then, he hardly ate and everytime he walked past the woods, he would think of her, though she never told him, he knew that that would have been her favourite place, especially since she was excellent with a bow, no one could be that good without any training.
Haymitch had also changed in a way, he was never drunk and always polite.

The problem with Haymitch was, unfortuenately, he always told the truth, henceforth why Peeta was always upset.
"Haymitch," asked Peeta in a quite a shy way, Peeta was never normally shy, but without Katniss, he felt speechless and as though he had lost the will to live.
"Yes Peeta," answered Haymitch, he too sounded upset and as though something had gotten to him, "Do you... think she felt it?" Haymitch stared at him in a horrified way,
"What sort of a question is that?! I don't mean to upset you or anything but ofcourse she felt it, but she was able to go knowing that you loved her like she loved you,"
"She didn't love me, I know it was all an act for the games, to keep us both from getting killed off by the capitol," Haymitch immediately rose from his chair and raised his hand to Peeta before slapping him, "Silly boy! That was no act! She told me time and time again that she loved you, but she thought telling you would only make it harder in the arena, after all you were meant to kill one another!"
"It was hard as it was! I mean look at us! She's gone and I'm alone again, she was the only person who ever really understood me properly," Haymitch sighed and put both hands on each of Peeta's firm shoulders, "I know she did, but you have to understand she's not coming back, you have to try and forget about everything that happened and move on,"
In one fell swipe of his hands, Peeta removed those cold, lifeless hands from his person and screamed, "But I don't want to forget! and even if I did how can I?! Prim is old enough to go into the arena, what if she's picked for the quarter quell, and I have to mentor her?! Do you know how hard that'd be for me?!"
"I do understand how hard that would be, no one ever knew but I had a brother who, three years after my victory, I had to mentor him and you know the worst thing about it? I was a drunk then and so I didn't take it seriously at all, the advice I should've given him, I didn't, he was killed brutally by a career, much like Cato, he was beaten and then his neck snapped after they hung him from a tree, I had to sit and watch that...and even now I cannot take that back, the guilt I had then is stronger now than it ever was, I gave you and Katniss the right advice and look at you now, you're alive, but he... he is not!" on that note, Haymitch left, presumably to get some form of alcohol, and at this point no one could blame him for it.

Peeta became so upset that he cried himself to sleep but even then nothing could keep the nightmares from coming back again and again, he visualised Katniss lying in a coffin somewhere, covered in white petals and President snow hovering over her dead body laughing, he knew that he had no choice but to avenge her death and he knew that he could do it, with the help of Plutarch heavensbee and his ideas to overthrow the capitol, but how he would do it, he knew not.

A few months later, the quarter quell was dawning over the whole of Panem and in just three days, the names of the tributes would be drawn and announced.
However, Peeta could finally feel relief as the news that only victors would enter the arena was released.
Knowing this, it was clear that either Peeta or Haymitch would be going back in to face the horrors once again, but who would be going in with them?
Surely it wouldn't be Katniss, she was no longer there, but when the names were announced, it was Peeta who was going back in but no other name was drawn.

"Haymitch, who do you think will go in with me?" He shook his head unknowingly,
"Honestly, I have no clue, they could put another tribute from a different district in there with you, which would then explain why their name was not drawn."
"I guess that would make sense," but he still couldn't help but wonder why he was going back in, he'd done nothing to anger the capitol unless they knew of his and Plutarchs plans to overthrow them.

Once again, he was escorted to the train that he would stay on for only a day, this would take him straight to the capitol and closer to what could potentially be his death, but he did not care the slightest bit, for he believed that dying in the arena would allow him to see Katniss once again.
"Peeta, I'm so sorry you have to endure this again," said a high-pitched voice from behind him, "Effie!" he shouted with a hint of joy, "I never thought I'd see you again, I thought they might have assigned someone else to district twelve,"
"Why would they do that, I was promoted to gamemaker assistant, I'm not allowed to tell you anything about the arena, but I'm still allowed to give you advice and encouraging words," though there was nothing encouraging about her words or her voice for that matter, Peeta was rather joyed to see her.

That was the last time they spoke on the train, to be honest it was the last time anyone spoke, after all it was anything but nice to see eachother again, to be in the same positions they were in last year.

(To be continued)