I get the first set of nightmares before the Games even begin.
I find myself in a woodland area, with greens and browns surrounding me as I wander around, unsure what to do. It was damp, and the crunch under my feet was getting louder by the second. I look down and see a pair of boots, worn down with mud and grass covering them, and I see blood on my shirt and arms. I yelp in my head, but the dream me makes nothing of it.
I've been walking for a very long time- I feel it in the aches of my muscles. I finally reach a clearing, and stop to take a breath. My inner conscience is confused- why would I stand in the middle of an open field? These were the Hunger Games, weren't they?
I realized that I was in the Hunger Games the moment a cannon fired. Soon, another would fire as well. I started to hear noises all around me, and I turned to every direction, pointing a very meager weapon in my hand- a stick. As ridiculous as it sounded, it was a stick like any other- only a sharp end was covered in blood. My breathing hitched as I looked to my right and a blonde male came to my side, grinning with a sword. I turned to my left and saw a female with brown hair, twirling an axe in her hands. Behind me, a small, twelve year old (I guessed) girl emerged from the forest as well, carrying two long daggers on each hand. I look around them, trying to find an exit, trying to run, trying to hid- anything! But when I looked forward again, I saw a tall girl with dark skin and wild eyes inches from my face. She began to laugh.
I back away, but was encircled by these people, these kids, and I stared into the eyes of each one. I held onto my stick lamely, and took a swing at the girl with it. Ultimate failure.
She grabbed my arm roughly, twisting it and me. My measly stick fell to the ground, and my face was brought down as well. I forced to double over, when she grabbed me in a headlock. I struggled to breathe, kicking and thrashing, and they all laughed as they came the closest they could. The leader picked up her weapon, a knife, and everyone else followed. They were going to kill me, together.
Like a team.
I couldn't scream as the knife and swords and daggers cut me up on my body, because of the constriction of air making it sound more like a choke. The knife girl stabbed me in the side, holding it in there and laughing as I tried to let out the pain in voice. Suddenly, the pressure is release quickly, and I am dropped on the ground, gasping for air. I turn to the kids and see them with their wide eyes, starting to move back cautiously. I blink, not understanding, and I turn to see them.
Mutts.
They emerge from the forest, large and hairy, bearing their teeth. I don't know exactly what they are, and I really don't want to figure it out. Non-human like, they have talons and claws, with patchy fur and long tongues dancing out of their mouths. I see the team of kids behind me still backing away. The girl with the knife who choked her shouted at the group.
"Move. Now!"
The small girl spoke quietly, still watching the mutts make their way towards them. "But-but her?"
Immediately, I know they're talking about me. I'm frozen, on the ground, wheezing as blood oozes from my body, trying to stay up with my arms. The girl shakes her head.
"Forget her, and run!"
They break into a sprint, and try to run to the opposite side of the field to hide in the trees. That's when the mutts ascend, sprinting in an uncanny speed. I wince and close my eyes, expecting to be ripped to shreds in seconds, but am stopped short when I realize majority of the mutts ran off to catch the kids who made a break for it. I let out a small breath, but hold it when I see one mutt left.
It nears me slowly, and I back away with my hands and legs weakly. It makes no sudden moves to kill me, like it enjoys my struggle to run. He reaches me to a close proximity, and I see his gruesome facial features. I gasp.
The same stormy grey eyes with blue specks in the iris from District 12's reaping stared down at me, huffing its grotesque odor with his animal-like wheezing.
Lillianne, a male voice says in my head faintly. I ignore it as I realize who the mutt resembles.
"Alexander….Romulus?"
Lillianne.
He slashes my stomach.
Hey, Lillianne?
He cuts my throat.
Lillianne, get up.
He lunges for my face and rips it off completely.
The cannon goes off.
BOOM!
I hear the cannon when my eyes fly open. I gasp, sitting up and pant heavily as if I've never had a breath of air in my life. I instinctively move back, thrashing backwards to the wall behind my bed, sheets and pillows flying off my bed. As my vision clears, I see a boy with blonde hair standing at the foot of my bed, holding his hands up defensively.
"Woah, woah! Lill, calm down!" He yells, leaning back with a concerned face. I have no time for retaliation. Quickly, I look down at my stomach. Clean shirt, no cut. I touch my throat. Soft and a little sweaty. Finally, my hands wander to my face. Sweaty as well, but still intact. I look at my hands and see them clean. I sigh in relief.
"Uh…" Demetrius breaks into my check-up, "Are you alright?"
"Yes," I reply quickly and breathily, my eyes roaming around me. We're not in the forest, but a lit room. We were on a train. On a train the the Capitol. To compete in the Hunger Games. And Demetrius was in my room. Demetrius woke me up. Demetrius was real. I look back up at Demetrius, realizing that he saved me from dream death by annoyingly waking me up.
"Okay…?" He says uncertainly, stepping close to my bed. "Well, Cornelia said that you have to wake up now. We'll be in the Capitol in twenty minutes."
Nodding, I stand, picking up the sheets absently, and I feel my legs shaking. My knees buckle, and I am about to fall when I feel Demetrius catch me in his arms, like a trust exercise. Still half-asleep, I don't push him off as he gently repositions me and grabs my sheets from my shaky hand.
"Did you have a nightmare?" He asked, chuckling half-heartedly. I nod absently again, and finally words come.
"Thank you," I reply, barely an audible whisper. I raise the volume and look him in the eye. "Thank you, Demetrius."
"No problem," He says hesitantly, backing up to the door. "Uh-well, Cornelia just wanted me to tell you. So…er…get dressed or something." He reaches for the handle of the door, but stops. He turns his face to me.
"Did you dream about mutts?" He asked grimly. Taken aback by his correctness, I stutter my answer.
"Uh-y-yeah. Yes."
He looks down to consider my answer.
"H-how did you know?" I ask.
"You talk in your sleep," He grumbles. I blush and scratch my arm.
"Oh...well, yes. I saw them. In my dreams, I mean." I ramble until I force myself to stop. He nods thoughtfully, and then he looks at me with a solemn look.
"So did I. Only I didn't have an alarm clock to tell me it was fake."
He walks out the room before I even have a chance to ask for his dream. Suddenly, I wonder if Careers really do have great joy for these Games.
And I wonder if it's really just a dream to them.