A/N: Another two chapters in a day?


For the first time, I feel hungry. I'm being whisked away from the studio, and as I am, I'm becoming aware of the emptiness knawing at my stomach. It feels like it's trying to eat itself out of pure desperation. I don't bother letting the Peacekeepers either side of me know about my pain. They wouldn't care; in fact, I think they might even try and make my journey back to my cell longer. For what seems like the millionth time today alone, I'm unfocused. So unfocused that I don't even notice that we're heading the wrong direction. I'm only made aware when my stomach groans so loudly, one of the Peacekeepers elbows me and I look up from my feet.

My insides twist horribly as I recognise the door of the torture room. I don't think it's actually called that, but I've been restrained in there so often now that the title seems appropriate.

"I thought I was going back to my cell," I say, as the Peacekeepers drag my stiff body through the door.

"You thought wrong, didn't you, blondie?"

"Stop calling me that." honestly, I don't care what they call me. I just felt like I had to say something else, no matter how weak or futile.

The Peacekeepers laugh as they strap me into the chair facing the television. Adi doesn't come in. I don't think he has any need to watch me when they're doing... whatever it is that they're doing with the television. I expect an injection, but instead, I watch as they insert a thin tube into my arm.

"What's that?"

"The injections are playing hell with your arm. It looks like we've set a truck on mosquitos on you," says the Peacekeeper hooking the tube up to the machine next to the chair. He adopts an odd, grossly exaggerated voice, "We wouldn't want you losing your looks, would we? Those interviews with Flickerman are crucial to the rebels' downfall."

Are they? I didn't realise I had such an impact. I may mean something to Katniss and my family, but the other rebels? I thought I'd have come across as a traitor by now. Especially after the Capitol made me call a ceasefire. I don't even remember doing it. They say I did it after I came back from the Quell, but before I first woke up in that awful white room. My memories are so jumbled, but they showed me the footage, so I know they're not lying.

"You're very kind," I wince as they turn on the machine, and I feel liquid slowly make its way into my system. This time it isn't pinkish. It's more of a brown colour, and it looks repulsive. I'm guessing that as well as my usual drug, it contains some vital minerals and vitamins - the ones I've lost while starving myself.

They turn on the television and back up, to man the machine behind the chair, in case I'm in need of another electric shock.

This time it's a clip of Katniss, but it's too recent. It can't be from the arena. It must be a propo. The rebels do have her. She's standing in front of some flaming wreckage; my heavy heart tells me that it's a district. She looks set, and determined, and it frightens me.

"I want to tell the rebels that I am alive," she's saying. "That I'm right here in District Eight. Where I have just bombed a hospital full of unarmed men, women and children. There will be no survivors."

Then the screen is engulfed in flames and bold, dark letters appear in front of them.

IF WE BURN, YOU BURN WITH US.

Then, the television turns off, and the Peacekeepers don't move. They just keep pumping that stuff into my veins. I can feel it probing at my thoughts. But I don't pay any attention. What I've just seen can't be true. It can't be true. No, Katniss wouldn't ever do a thing like that. It crosses my mind for a moment that what she said could just be the Capitol's video editing, but I dismiss it. The propo seemed too real, to terrifying.

Eventually, Adi walks in. "So, you saw the propo?"

I find my voice shaky, and high with terror. "I... I did."

"And?"

"I can't... it can't be true... I refu-" I swallow. I don't want to say it. They'll hurt me, but nevertheless I try again. "I... I refu- I refuse," there, the words are out. "I refuse to believe it."

No sooner are the words out of my mouth, am I electrocuted. But this one is much more painful than all my others, and I'm screaming off the top of my lungs for it to stop. After an agonisingly long few seconds, I'm relieved of my pain, and I go completely limp. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, and the drugs sneaking through my mind.

"How can it not be true?" I hear Adi say. I dearly want to answer, but no words come. I just lie there, my teary eyes closed and my breathing shallow. "You heard her, didn't you? She told you herself. She bombed a hospital full of innocent people," Adi chuckles. "And you don't even believe us when we show you the evidence!" he leans closer to me, and through my blurred vision I can only make out the bright green on his ears. "She's got you wrapped around her little finger, boy. Sort out what's real, and think for yourself."

Those are the last words I hear, before I give in to the combination of hunger and sudden exhaustion and black out.


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Disclaimer: Still don't own The Hunger Games.