And then all I could feel was a strong hand yanking me back with such force that I rolled backwards quite a ways. I wasn't sure I could make it back, but I couldn't let my mom couldn't become an Avox.

Unsure of how to pop my hip back in place, I gave it a hard shove inwards and started running back to my mom.

The same hand that grabbed me before yanked me down, hard. The person shoved their hand over my mouth just as I let out a scream.

The person kept me down as I saw my mother being lifted into the sky and torn apart from me forever. When the whirring was no longer perceptible to the human ear. The person let me go. I flipped around to see who my capturer was, expecting to see Jacob.

Instead I looked straight into the eyes of Gale. His eyes were large and were a subtle grey. He let out a small grunt.

"Don't pull a stunt like that ever again. You put us all in danger." he said gruffly. "Let's move, people!"

Astounded, I started to protest, but he cut me off.

"Listen. When I'm leading you to your safety, you go by my rules. Understood?"

"Understood." I say quietly.

"Good. Prince Charming over there found you some crutches."

I swallow. Was it really that obvious that I liked Jacob? He was irresistible, though. I walk over there, preparing for a comforting hug, but instead I get two sticks shoved in my face.

"Use these. I can't carry you anymore. Sorry." he said with genuine sympathy.

As we hike towards 13, I can feel all eyes on me. Apparently, no one else felt bad that the Capitol abducted those people.

By midnight we had arrived at District 13. As bad of condition we were in, Gale insisted we couldn't spend the night in the wilderness.

An elevator brought us down, down, down, until I thought one more foot and we'd be swimming in groundwater.

The elevator doors opened and once again, I was blinded by the whiteness.

The fire licks at your face, your arms, but you can't do anything. You're stuck in the middle of the sun, alone, waiting to die, but it'll never happen.

The sun burns your face, your eyes. It clogs your nose and mouth; you can't breathe. Your muscles shrivel up inside; you can't move.

Daylight fills the room; terror fills your heart. A figure looms above you. The fire vanishes but the pain stays. Everything goes black.

I open my eyes to find myself staring at a white ceiling. A nurse is tending my burns, elevating my head. I look around. People are crowded around my bed but the nurse tells them to go back to their beds. Jacob is on my right; the wide-eyed girl that approached me while I was on Jacob's back is on my left.

A girl enters the infirmary. She looks maybe 20 and is basically a supermodel. Jacob's eyes light up and he limps over to her and gives her a giant smooch. She embraces him and kisses him. The nurse leads Jacob back to his bed and the girl follows. Turning towards me, Jacob says,

"Izzy, this is Lanie, my girlfriend." Lanie gives a picture-perfect smirk and slyly says,

"Hi Izzy. How do you know my Jakey?" I swallow and mumble

"He saved me."

"Jake! You're a hero! You saved this girl's life!" The girl gives Jacob another steamy kiss. I can't bear to watch. I grab the trashcan beside me and throw up.

The wide-eyed girl puts her hand out.

"I'm Tazer."