The doors burst open and I immediately sat up. Peacekeepers trudged into the room and grabbed my arms. I tried to ask what was going on, but couldn't since I was an Avox. They dragged me out of my bedroom and one of the peacekeepers threw a club at my head, knocking me out.
My eyes opened slowly and I immediately knew something was wrong. My eyesight was blurry, my head throbbed, and I was in some sort of cage. I shook my head to clear my vision and looked around, and sure enough; I was in a cage. I looked to the right and saw an all too familiar face; Peeta. I tried to say his name, but all that came out was a weird moan. Peeta heard it, however, and turned to look at me. He immediately sat up and stared at me.
"Why are you here?" he asked. I shrugged; I had no idea. "I didn't hear them bring you in. Do you know how long you've been here?"
I shook my head. He looked at me with pain in his eyes. I saw blood run down his arms and wondered what on earth they'd done to him. I turned my head and saw Darius, who was still knocked out.
"I'm sorry," he whispered as I turned back to face him. "It's probably my fault you're here."
I reached into my pocket for my note pad, but found that it was gone. I stuck my hand in further and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. I pulled out my pen that had been in my other pocket. Obviously, whoever had searched me before I'd been taken here hadn't searched enough. Then again, I was an Avox; I shouldn't have had anything to hide. But I did.
I unfolded the piece of paper and read what had been last written on it. "It'll be good to have somebody to write to around here." Darius's words. I'd remembered the first time I'd seen him, with his red hair and smile despite all he'd been through. I turned the piece of paper over and started to write very small. I handed the piece of paper through the bars of the cage and to Peeta.
"It's okay," it read. "You really do love Katniss, don't you?"
He smiled and nodded, then passed the piece of paper back to me. I began writing small again, then handed the piece back to Peeta. I'd used almost the whole page up already.
"It's sweet," I wrote. "Peeta? I've got to tell you something. I'm not who you think I am. My name is Lavinia, but you also know me from District 12. My name is Melany."
Peeta stared down at the piece of paper and then looked back up at me.
"Melany," he repeated. "That sounds familiar."
I reached through the bars and he passed the piece of paper to me. I started to write down my next sentence. I only had room for a few more replies...
"You saved me," I wrote. "A peacekeeper almost shot me. My family worked at a bakery just like you."
Peeta stared down at the piece of paper and looked back up at me, realization in his eyes.
"Melany?" he breathed. "That's you?"
I nodded and smiled slightly. I knew I probably looked completely different with my red hair and tattoos, but there had to be at least a little bit of me still left.
"Wait," Peeta said, studying my face. "Oh my gosh. It is you. How'd you get here? Katniss told me about the time in the woods. She didn't know it was you, did you?"
I shook my head. Peeta handed me back my piece of paper. I could only write a few more sentences. I really didn't want to tell him; and I didn't think I had enough room on the paper to, anyway.
"You know what?" Peeta said, just as I was about to begin writing. "Don't tell me how it happened. You don't have to. I know it must be hard to talk about it..."
I smiled and nodded my head in thanks. I scribbled something down and handed the piece of paper to him.
"If you get out of here," I wrote. "Don't tell anybody my real name. Don't mention my real name at all. President Snow hates me, and if he finds out anybody talked with me then he'll surely punish you."
Peeta stared at me for a while but slowly nodded in agreement to never tell anybody my name.
I heard a door open and whipped my head around to stare into the eyes of multiple peacekeepers. They started to come toward my cage, and I quickly scribbled down three words just as they opened the door to my cage. I threw the piece of paper through the bars of the cage and at Peeta just as they grabbed me. I saw Peeta read the piece of paper and look up at me. I'd written the only comforting words I'd known: "It'll be okay."
The peacekeepers dragged me over to a strange machine and strapped me to it. I looked over at Darius and Peeta. Darius was just waking up, and Peeta was staring at me in horror. I was suddenly dowsed in water from head to toe. Both Darius and Peeta were staring at me in horror now. I smiled slightly at them just as the peacekeeper pulled the lever.
I felt something surge through my body and my eyes grew large. I saw my dad chasing Lance and Becky around the house. Elissa, Manda, and my mom laughed as he did so. That was my favorite memory. Everyone was happy and everybody was there.
Just as everything was fading to black, I did something I thought I'd never do; I laughed.