Disclaimer: We don't own The Hunger Games
Written by thggirl and burritoyum
My ears roar to life the second the arrow pierces the small chink in the forcefield.
"Katniss!" I hear his voice shout, the desperation laced in his words is not lost on me.
My head whips around frantically. "Peeta! Peeta, I'm here!" I yell out into the thick shrubbery. How am I supposed to find him in all of this?
"Peeta!" I call out again, waiting for his response, needing to hear his voice.
At this point I have to find him I know now that no one else in this arena is to be trusted
. He must survive not I, they can't find him before I.
Because he's my boy with the bread, the only one I can rely on with my life, my thoughts, my actions. He's the better person, a one of a kind. I need to find him. I have to find him.
His cries seem to cease, no longer can I hear them. My chest tightens in fear.
"Peeta?" I cry out, my heart beating erratically in my ears.
Still no response. I watch as bright lights rain down, seemingly alien in this place of smoke and debris
Suddenly, a large object appears from the lighted top of the arena. Instead of fighting I fall from my wobbly knees into the ground. I'm useless at this point I have done what I could to save Peeta, it was enough, I can only hope so.
Slowly, faint slivers of light are casted onto the object as it descends, maybe I'm not thinking straight but it's there undoubtedly, in my eyes anyways. Maybe it's another piece of debris, but if it was it wouldn't float down, no, that must be something else.
Or maybe I'm already dead.
The silhouette appears to get closer and closer, and a single claw lowers itself, picking me up. My pounding head taps lightly on its metal talons, making my head explode with pain. My eyes flutter closed, and a feeling of weightlessness takes over me.
The stale air lies thickly around me in a heavy sheet, I can already tell this before opening my eyes. As I do they feel so oppressive in weight that even opening them and looking at my surroundings is impossible. Somehow I do though, very slowly. Then I almost wish I hadn't. It's all so dark, the small mouse-sized room, I already feel like I'm going to throw up.
Cold metal diggs painfully into my wrists, constricting them from movement.
I'm awake for what seems like hours, listening to maddening silence. My mind bounces around at a rapid pace, what happened to Peeta, he must not be here, he was far from I. If that is the case - which I dearly hope it is - then I know I have done what I had to do and kept the deal. There's a click that echoes off the hard metal bars and cold gray walls that surround me. It effectively draws me from my thoughts, seemingly deafening in comparison to the stillness of the atmosphere that feels like I've been waiting for eternity in.
Two large men appear, dressed in white suits. My foggy mind does not register the identities of such people, only their hard-set faces and the cruel gleam that shines within their eyes.
All so suddenly, they fling my cell's door open and barge forwards, nearing me in fast, furious, strides. My breath hitches in my throat and my body stiffens. I analyze them as I would an animal in the woods, they are obviously reserved and controlled but what may lie under that hard mask of theirs? Without awaiting my consent, they wordlessly produce keys from their pockets and within seconds, unchain me. Roughly, I'm pulled from the concrete ground and forced up on to my weak legs as they rush me forwards and out the bars that they entered in. I'm led by the unknown faces through a pure white corridor. I don't dare fight or ask questions. I need to stay alive as long as possible, but right now even that seems impossible.
One glances down at me, his pale face and strong jaw set in anger. These guards must be Capitolites to the bone. As we make our way further through the enigmatic hallways, I try to block out the screams that are produced from behind the numerous doors that we pass by. Questions rise to my mind. What if I know one of them? Peeta can't be here...Could he? If the Capitol was the only one to capture tributes... I can only hope he died. Only in a place like this could death be so ever forgiving. Could they have gotten Prim?' tears spring to my eyes at the thought. What about Finnick? Gale?
Oh no. No, no, no, no. They- they couldn't be here. They're back in District Twelve, safe and sound, I tell myself, but even I cannot convince myself so easily.
After an excessive amount of minutes that I loose track of we stop at a door. I'm grasped tightly on my shoulders, like they're restraining me. It is man to my left who knocks on the wooden door with a golden knob. Even footfalls are heard on the other side of the door, my heart pounds in my ears with anticipation. However, I don't wait long for the person in the room to be revealed. The door opens and President Snow appears.
My suspicions of my location are coonfiremed. I'm in the Capitol.
A false smile curls on Snows puffy lips. "Oh Ms. Everdeen such a pleasant surprise! " He says his voice faking delight.
"Come in," he encourages as he walks back in the wholly white room, his hands folded. The guards usher me in behind him. Against the blank white walls and tile floors is a black chair with leather straps.
I'm pushed further in. The door slams behind me, the sound of a deadbolt locking ricochets around the nearly empty room. The guards' hands violently grip me by the shoulders and spin me around before pushing me into the chair. I don't struggle. Not yet at least. Their pale hands latch the straps around my wrists tightly, so tightly the leather digs into my skin, near the point of pain. At this moment I'm glad I've been through so much, the past has enabled me to endure this, being in a room filled with my enemies. If I could have done it again I would, sacrificing myself for Peeta was a grand choice. Maybe my debt to him will no longer hang over my head like a thick black cloud.
Before me Snow paces back and forth, his hands folded behind his back. At the only entrance, the single door, the two peacekeepers stand on each side.
"Now we agreed not to lie to each other, if I recall correctly," The president announces his hands moving forward wistfully.
Instead of implying a snide remark, I keep my mouth clamped shut, my teeth dig into my lip.
"We can do this easy, or things can be changed depending on how you act today, it's all really your choice Miss Everdeen."
I scowl at him, he laughs. With the flick of his hand a guard strides across the room and stands behind my chair. His shadow looms over me.
"Now Miss Everdeen, what is the rebels strategy?"
What is he talking about, I'm clueless.
He claps his hands twice, a hand connects with my cheek. My head reels from the hit and my cheek burns.
"Miss Everdeen, I'm going to try this once more, what is the rebels strategy? "
"I don't know!" I scream indignantly, but my words are honest.
He sighs and rubs his face with his hand. "Alright it looks like she needs to go through a round before we try again," he says, addressing the two Peacekeepers before turning to me. "You know, this could have been so much easier had you complied," he tells me, though I know that the disappointment in his voice isn't real. He can't wait for what's going to happen next, excitement shines in his snake-like eyes.
He turns his back and opens the door with a key from his pocket before leaving the room with a thud of the door behind him. Minutes later I'm unstrapped and forced by the Peacekeepers to follow his trail.