Summary:

What if Katniss and Gale had left district 12 the day of the reaping? What if they escaped? Katniss never realised her fate was fixed. 'I had been found. I had lost. It was over. I was going to die. Katniss Everdeen. That was my name, my identity. Now it would be forgotten like ashes on the wind...'

Disclaimer:

Unfortunately I do not own Hunger Games, I wish I did but that is a dream never to come true.

Author Note:

I hope you like this story, it is my first Hunger Games fanfiction which I thought I wouls share. One thing which has amused me greatly is that Microsoft Word keeps on trying to change the word Katniss to Catnip.

Enjoy

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~Over and Out~

I woke up groggy and disorientated, I didn't know where I was. The room slowly came into focus around me, the walls were a deep purple, a small chest of drawers rested opposite the bed and to my left was a narrow window which ran the length of the room. As I became more aware of what was happening I realised with a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach that I was on a train. I could feel the vibrations through the bed. I pushed myself out of bed and towards the window. The world outside looked like nothing I had ever seen before, it was a blur of colours. I realised I was no longer wearing my hunting outfit but wore a simple white cotton top and trousers. I quickly stumbled over to the drawers and pulled them open.

I rifled through the draws for something warmer to wear, my hands came across a woolen jumper which I eagrly pulled over my head. I also found a pair of jeans which I traded for the white cotton trousers. A pair of army boots were tucked neatly beside the drawers and I quickly pulled them on and laced them up.

I gingerly pushed open my room door and found myself in a corridor with more windows lining the one wall. Over the rattling of the carriages I could hear muffle voices coming from the end of the carriage. I silently walked towards the voices.

A woman was sat at a greatly adorned table, her hair towered above her head in a lilac tower. I recognised her as Effie Trinket, she was from the Capitol. A drunken man was slumped low in his seat, a glass of scotch resting in his hands. Haymitch.

His eyes flickered to me and then down at his glass. "You're in one piece."

I glanced round the room. "What's going on?"

"Don't you know?" Effie almost sounded patronizing.

"No, I-" and then it hit me. I had been captured by the Peacekeepers. I had been careless.

"Well," Haymitch slurred slapping his empty glass onto the table. "Your name was called at the reaping, when you didn't come forward they sent out a search party. You were found twenty kilometers from the border."

He paused and glared at me. "Do you not remember that?"

"Of course I do!" I shouted angrily.

"It wasn't a good idea." Haymitch grinned sarcastically.

"It was a good publicity stunt. President Coriolanus Snow thought it would be a good idea to tell the viewers that you were too ill to attend the reaping and that you were found at home." Effie said sourly. "We don't want a rebellion on our hands."

I stared at them berwildered. I had heard how the Capitol could just change the truth with the flick of a wrist. A sudden thought hit me, did they have Prim and Gale? Did they escape? I felt sick.

I opened my mouth to ask about them but stopped myself before I could dig myself a hole. The door behind me opened and a boy walked in. He was Peeta Mellark. He was the bakers son.

He smiled. "Peeta Mellark." he held his hand.

I shook it. "Katniss Everdeen."

"I believe we've met before." he said.

I nodded remembering the time he had thrown me the loaf of bread. "I think you're right."

He walked round the table and sat down. I pulled the seat closest to me and sat down. I could feel the others eyes boring into me, wanting me to ask the one question which was sitting in the back of my mind.

"Why wasn't I taken by the Peacekeepers? Had my tongue cut out?" I finally asked.

Effie shrugged her shoulders and daintily picked at a bowl of salad.

Haymitch sat up in his chair. "They thought it best if you endured the horrors, make you think twice about rebelling. If you're still alive that is."

I could feel Peeta's eyes on me, but when I looked up he quickly glanced down at his plate.

The train slowed down and cheering voices filled the air. We had reached the Capitol, I spared a glance at the window and saw coloured hair and sparkly faces.

"Show time!" Effie clapped her hands eagerly.

I felt my stomach drop through the floor and my hands began to shake. I had heard the horrors of The Hunger Games, now I was about to experience them.