Katniss's POV:
As I watch the lid of the coffin slide into place, I take a deep breath and swallow back my fear. This is too much like the underground, like the mines back in District 12. But being in this coffin, even for just a little while, made my heart race and my breathing grow shallow until I thought I was going to be sick. The fear I felt during the Hunger Games was nothing like this. This was the worst feeling imaginable. My hands gradually went numb, then my feet, and then my face, with a tingling sensation like I was being poked with a hundred tiny needles. Why were they taking so long? I couldn't hear anything through the metal walls of the coffin, no matter how hard I strained my ears. What if something had gone wrong? Had we been betrayed? After what felt like hours, I felt the coffin being set down. After a while, the train started to move. Despite feeling stiff and afraid, my eyes drifted closed and I feel into an uneasy sleep.
"Katniss? Are you okay?" Peeta's voice whispered. I opened my eyes to the darkening sky, the lights on the ceiling of the train glowing softly.
"I'm fine, Peeta. How long has it been?" I inquired.
"About three hours." Peeta replied, helping me sit up.
"Oh. Next time, wake me right away, alright?" I said.
"Yeah, sure. I'm sorry I didn't." Peeta replied.
"It's alright, Peeta. You couldn't have known." I answered, and carefully climbed out of the coffin. I didn't anticipate the paralyzing fear I felt when I was put in the coffin and the lid was shut. I wondered if that's how my father felt, going down into the mine day after day. I climbed out of the coffin, relishing being able to stand up again.
"Peeta…what do you think will happen when we get back?" I whispered.
"I don't know, Katniss. But I promise, I won't let you out of my sight." Peeta replied.
"The Capital won't find out, right, Peeta?" I inquired.
"They won't, Katniss." Peeta said.