So I've had this on uploaded into for like the longest time and never put this up... no idea why :o I'll be honest, I doubt I'll finish this... I'm not as into Hunger Games as I was before. Maybe if I re-read the books or maybe when the next book comes out, it'll inspire me. I have no idea. So I sincerely apologize! You have no idea how much I wanted to finish this, I had good shit in mind too 8c But I just 'fell out' of my obsession ^^; Sorry!

Btw I have no idea if I read over this or if I only did spell check. So sorry about that too in advance!

Disclaimer: All characters not made by me belong to their respected creator


I was lead down the hall and back onto the elevator. There were no handcuffs on me this time, just two peacekeepers gripping my arms as we went. They knew as well as I did that the shoes currently strapped to my feet would not allow for a very long chase, I'd probably fall face first within seconds, I've nearly done that already during the short walk. I just wasn't accustomed to heels anymore.

The last time I'd worn heels was 6 or 7 years ago to make a speech to the still healing Panem and that had been a real chore.

Every time I stumbled, the Peacekeepers would yank me up right roughly. By this point I've pretty much given up on walking and was being dragged along.

The Peacekeeper on my right smacked the button for the very top floor, 30. As we ascended I could feel my ears filling further with pressure but it was more of a nuisance than an actual pain.

I could feel the electricity in the air almost immediately, when the elevator doors flew open I was surprised to see that the floor had dark blue carpeting and dark red walled. This floor was full of life unlike the other 3 floors I'd seen. I hadn't seen a soul on any floor other than the people who were watching me, but now doors sat wide open while people ran from room to room hurriedly, preparing.

Preparing for what, was the question, but I'm sure I'll find out soon.

A woman in baggy dark purple pants and matching sweat shirt, was the first to spot me, she started the domino effect. The woman stopped mid-step, head whipping my way, eyes wide, and openly staring, her mouth agape. Almost every person in the hall stopped to stare. People who weren't in the hall, poked their heads out of open doors to stare. The silence that came so abruptly was deafening, only our foot steps could be heard.

It was probably one of the most uncomfortable moments of my life, which was really saying something.

Some glared, some looked utterly shocked, but most looked as if they hadn't expected me to show up. I had the feeling a few of them didn't even know I was actually still alive.

They made space for us to pass but they never stopped staring.

I was brought to a set of pure white double doors set at the very end of the wall. The sight of the doors gave me an ominous feeling as if some fire breathing dragon was behind that door, ready to burn me to a crisp the moment the doors opened.

The Peacekeepers did not pull out any sort of key as they would for the other doors. Instead, the Peacekeeper to my right reached out out and placed his thumb on what looked like a small glass dot embedded into the wall. A red light shot out and scanned over his finger, analyzing his finger print before giving a ding of a approval. The double doors slid sideways rather than upward.

The room itself was very plain in comparison to the fire breathing dragon I'd seen in my mind's eye. The room was dim but not to the point where you couldn't see, there was one area that was lit brightly by a spotlight, that's where I was to stand. They placed me directly under the lightly and I was eye to eye with a camera, in fact there were quite a few cameras all around me. I noted a tv directly beside the camera parallel to me, it was turned onto Panem national news, I watched Caesar's expressions as they changed on que to each report he was telling, his voice was muted but I needed something to do while I waited for further instructions.

I'm sure it seems like I should've been doing something constructive while I was seemingly free, no one keeping a particularly close eye on me at the moment, thinking of a plan to escape should've been on the top of the list of things that I should've been doing rather then staring blankly at the very purple host. I'm also sure that if my current situation was seen by others, they'd think they could've figured some way out, but no. I knew for a fact that any plan I put into action would be for naught. I have no clue where I am, how to get out, how to get back to Panem, how far away I was from Panem, I was wearing high heels and a not so flexible dress, cameras every where, and no way of contacting anyone for help. So, I didn't think. Just waited.

I knew my captor had entered the room almost immediately, I had no need or desire to look up. I could smell the all too familiar smell of roses...

The shiver that always accompanied the fear slid down my spine as I had expected it to. I just couldn't stand the smell of him, the sight of him, his voice... all of it made me remember things better left forgotten and brought fears of the future. But when I felt his hand touch my shoulder, and I knew it was his by the way the roses slid into my nostrils and suffocated me. His hand was surprisingly smooth, far smoother then my hunter's hands, but that didn't make it any less sickening to have it resting against my bare skin.

He grinned brightly at me as if I were an old friend of his, I didn't look directly at him but I could see him from the corner of my eye, he gave my shoulder what looked like a reassuring squeeze but was actually a tight grip that made me grit my teeth in pain. He continued smiling even though there was no one he needed to pretend for "Well miss, how did you like the little video we played last week, I've been meaning to ask but you know busy busy busy" he said, grin still plastered on his face. He didn't even wait for an answer "well you know, it went quite well really. Most of Panem has been utterly baffled and confused by what your 'demise.' Been complete chaos over there." he said, expression showing sympathy, all fake of course.

"Did you find my decoy handsome? I was hoping to find someone a bit more good looking, but just in case we are found, why waste the good looks?" he said with a smirk that made my skin crawl, I wanted to tell him how much of a coward he was for not even being willing to show his face to the rebels, at least Snow didn't hide behind some puppet while he pulled the strings in the background.

"I suppose it doesn't really matter to you, now does it. Onward and forward I always say. Now, we will be going live in just a few moments and all you will have to do is stand there and read from a speech I have here." he said pulling out a 2 pieces of paper, he went to hand them to me then stopped midway "You can... read, can't you?" he asked, raising a brow. The comment actually stung quite a bit, my response was to openly scowl at him. He chuckled and handed the pages to me.

I didn't look down to memorize the words on the sheets of paper when my captor finally left me. I was now staring at my shoes, running my eyes over each detail, but not really registering what I was looking at.

Finally a man that wasn't manning a camera but appeared to be in charge started counting down, I watched Caesar's face as he opened his mouth to move on to something new to talk about but his screen was cut off. They didn't cut immediately to me, instead they showed another video that had probably been edited a few days before. The orange haired decoy appeared in a flash of flames, his fear inducing grin taking up quite a bit of the screen. He opened his mouth and began to speak.

"Citizens of Panem, it is a pleasure to see you all again. I've been hearing that our little video has caused quite the panic in your fair country. Mourning for your dear sweet mockingjay. But I do think I have some news that might just wipe that frown right off your face!" he exclaimed, grin never leaving him. I wondered if his face was just stuck like that or maybe even surgically made to stay in a permanent grin.

A shock ran through me when I saw my own surprised face on the screen, looking very much alive and even healthy in comparison to what I'd looked like before, skinny and dying. I looked for some sort of guidance, someone to tell me what I'm suppose to do next. Ironically, I was looking for the very man that sickened me, for help. I realized the cameraman directly in front of me was pointing at the script, telling me what to do next.

An involuntary "oh" slipped from me. I looked down and began to read what they had written for me to say.

"Dear people of Panem, It might come as a surprise to you all to know I am in fact, alive and well."

I almost started talking in my mock Capital accent because of the cheesy way this was written.

"The people here have taken good care of me and Peeta as well."

I almost laughed.

"They have given us food and shelter and have kept me alive all this time.
Your government is not to be trusted, they will not protect you as I have been protected or taken care of as I have been taken care of here."

I began to hesitate, wishing skimmed over this ahead of time.

"You must know that the rebellion was a mistake that must be punished, for all the innocents that died at the hands of your leaders.
But soon you will find out just how unreliable they are.
Until I am found they will-"

My voice died in my throat as I read over the last of the sentence, I looked up at the camera and at the corner of my eye I could see the horror written all over my face. Eyes wide and mouth opening and closing, unsure of what to do.

The camera man angrily gestured at the paper for me to continue. I forced myself to look back down at my paper, I opened my mouth but an odd croaking noise came out instead of words.

I swallowed and tried regaining my nerve.

"Until I am found, t...they will take 1 c...child between the ages of 8 and 18 every 3 days t...that I am not found..."

I could feel an icy chill, freezing my veins. This was the reason he had wanted to have a stand in. His plan was for them to try to find me and once they did, they would have no idea who the real master mind was.

I stared down at the last words unable to get them out and before I realized what I was doing I was screaming into the camera for everyone to run and hide their kids, but mid yell the butt of a gun rammed into my gut. I gagged and bent over, gripping my stomach, I nearly dropped to my knees but the Peacekeeper that had hit me grabbed me by the shoulders and straightened me up. I looked up into the camera, panted heavily and trying to ignored the pain in my stomach.

"Finish it" the Peacekeeper growled into my ear, I noticed from the corner of my eye that the camera man purposely moved the camera so that the Peacekeeper's head was not seen. "Say the line" the man said threateningly.

I looked directly into the camera, gaze locked with everyone in Panem.

"May the odds be ever in your favor."

I watched the screen switch from my bent over form and intense eyes to the once again stunned Caesar. I seemed to have an involuntary knack at breaking that purple man's composure.

Caesar wasn't the as he'd been when my 'death' video had come out, he was a bit more frazzled then normal but still able to speak. He put a hand to his ear, listening to a voice no one else could hear, he looked up into the camera looking very concerned "I have just gotten word that people are going into a panic. People scrambling to bar themselves into their homes and people being trampled. We were able to get word from Haymitch Abernathy, the head of Peeta Mellark -and apparently- Katniss Everdeen's search party" he said and turned in his chair to look at the screen behind him. The camera zoomed in until Haymitch's face took up the screen.

Haymitch was like Peeta and I, not having changed much over the past 8 years, but the alcohol abuse over the years did show in slightly haggard look. He looked even more exhausted then normal. I never thought I'd feel such a great amount of relief to rush through me at the sight of the infuriating man's face. I almost smiled at the sight of a familiar face, but the pain in my stomach prevented anything other than a grimace.

Haymitch spoke into a small mic that was being held out to him, I couldn't quite place where he was at but I guess that didn't really matter in the first place. "Our search party is working hard to find Katniss and Peeta. We haven't stopped even after the video had been shown last week. We urge people not to panic. We are already setting up shelters where families can stay for protection and 'round the clock security for those who stay in their own homes." he said in a mature way that he could only show in front of a camera. Haymitch looked right into the camera, right into my eyes. "I'm coming for you sweetheart" he said with a smirk that I knew was for me. I actually felt a smile tug at my lips at the sound of the hated nickname.

I felt a firm whack to the back of the head and I was unable to see the rest of the broadcast, everything went black.

My first thoughts as I began to regain consciousness was of my make up crew, oddly enough.

I'm sure they were upset to see their hard work being shown for such a short amount of time. Even I couldn't help feeling just a little annoyed that I went through all that pain only to be on camera for a few seconds.

I'm beginning to wonder if all the drugs and abuse have actually started giving me brain damage... My thoughts regarding the situation, even I knew, were not normal.

I felt a throbbing pain in my head which just added to my fear of brain damage. The first thing I noted before opening my eyes was the fact that I was sitting in a chair with my hands tied behind it and my ankles strapped to the legs of the chair.

My eyes began to open slowly, my eyes caught sight of blue and I involuntarily let out a light airy laugh. They left me in my dress. I'm sure the make-up crew was going bananas over the dress most likely getting ruined pretty soon. Whom ever was in the room with me had apparently heard me and walked over to me. Roses.

A hand was placed under my chin and tilted my head up to look into my captor's eyes, I didn't look away now, only stared dully back. "Well, good to have our little sleepy head awake now" he said smiling in a sincere way. He released my chin and stepped back, my eyes finally took in the scene. A low hanging light hung over me, giving the room an errie look. I saw a blonde woman who must've been beautiful, but her beauty seemed scarred with age and a kind of tiredness that could never be cured with simple sleep. Her head was bowed, knuckles white as she gripped bundles of the fabric that made up the skirt of her expensive looking white dress. I stared at her silently, knowing my gaze was making her uncomfortable.

My captor took no notice and began to speak once again. "now where are my manners! You've been her for a week and I still haven't introduced myself! Well, this here-" he placed his hands on the woman's thin shoulders "-is my wife Akila. Means beautiful you know" he said rather proudly. "And I, my dear, am Robert Snow."

I barely even heard what this man was talking about, I tucked their names somewhere in a file in my mind, but I wasn't particularly surprised about him being Snow's son. He'd basically been shoving it in my face the entire time I've been here. I was watching his wife, blocking out his planned out speech for me. Maybe I should have listened, he seemed like one of those "tell my whole plan in a melodramatic speech" kind of a guy. But I didn't listen. His wife... she didn't seem "stable."

I openly stared her down and began tapping my foot slowly, counting to 5 in my head before letting my foot smack the ground once again. It was light but it echoed in an uncomfortable way. I shortened the count to 4... then 3... 2... 1. I don't know what made me do it.

She finally snapped. Her head shot up, teeth bared and hair fluffing in a way that made her look like a hissing cat. She stormed right up to me and punched me square in the face as hard as she could, causing my head to whip to the side, I could taste blood. I cut the inside of my cheek with my teeth I concluded and spit the blood out onto the concrete floor. Who knew such a small woman could pack such a punch.

I just looked up at her, not showing any sign of pain. I felt a chuckle slip from my throat before I could stop it. This absolutely infuriated her. She balled up her fists and stomped her foot in a childish way and yelled "what is so god damn funny!"

I looked at her, small smile still on my face "I'm imagining what my make up teem look like right now to know their hard work has gone to waste" I explained a small laugh still in my voice. I noticed Robert giving me an odd look and heard him mutter "brain damage maybe" to his wife and I nearly busted out laughing from the way the man had so easily read my mind.

I received another rough blow to the face, once again spitting out blood.I looked up at her, smile completely wiped from my face now. She looked mad, In more than one sense of the word. She roughly kicked my chair over, eliciting a cry of pain from me. The chair fell back roughly, causing all of my weight to land directly onto my arms and my already bruised and possibly cracked or broken ribs began to throb painfully. I got the distinct feeling that something would broken by the end of this "session."

Before I even had the time to mentally prepare myself for the pain that was to ensue, the tip of a shoe roughly kicked me in the side, causing the chair and I to land on our left sides. I grunted in pain. I then felt the very same foot land a blow directly into my chest and all the wind in my lungs left me. I gagged lightly and coughed, trying to regain what I had lost. I took in deep wheezing breathes and peeked through hazy eyes up at my abuser, she looked down at me hatefully and snapped her fingers.

I could feel the blood drain from my face as they dragged in a cart.

A cart filled with different torture devices, nothing too spectacular. Knives and I think I saw a whip but it was enough to send me into a spasm. Kicking and thrashing away like a trapped animal. She took a knife into her hand and I eventually ran out of energy and just laid there, panting and wide eyed with terror. It begins.

Was I there 5 minutes, 50, 2 hours? I couldn't tell, time seemed to go slower than it ever has and somewhere in my mind I think I wondered if time had actually slowed and even something about aliens crossed my mind. I tried to force the pain away, I really did. Tried to blank my mind and hope it would stop eventually and that she wouldn't kill me.

If I really believed she was planning to kill me, I would've come up with an escape plan. But I didn't. I could tell they wanted to me alive still, plus I don't think this woman had quite the stomach for it, no matter how much she hated me.

The pain was bad, yes. But once it was over, I knew I was lucky that I hadn't actually lost any appendages. She had the tools for it, that was for sure. Again though, I don't think they wanted her to go that far and she wouldn't have the stomach for something so gruesome either. That doesn't mean she didn't cut where she could.

She gave me an experimental paper cut on my arm which made me grit my teeth, I thought she was going to be sick at first. This was most likely the first time she'd ever drew any blood from another human being, or any living thing for that matter, on purpose. She soon got over that.

I had different random cuts on my arms and legs and she'd carved something into my face that I couldn't see but I knew was in a specific shape because of the time spent in making the lines straight. None of the wounds were deep enough for me to bleed out any time soon, I was more worried about what couldn't be seen. Ribs that could be puncturing organs or the toes of a foot that might have hit my kidneys just a little too hard.

There were tears leaking from my eyes that stung the wound of my left cheek and my blue dress was turning an odd purple color as the red mixed with the blue dye. My torturer stood over me, panting and a little green in the face. The blonde stood over me, knife clutched in hand as if to make another strike. I closed my eyes tightly thinking this would be the winning blow, that she'd just ignore orders and give me one last stab to the heart. Its true what they say about your life flashing before you eyes, I think I've relived my life far more than a normal person should.

I flinched when I heard a clatter, but no strike came. I peeked through my lids and stared at a knife laying only a foot away from me and Akila on her knees just a few inches away. She was shaking and sobbing. It really didn't suit her. If it wasn't for the fact that I'd just been tortured by said woman, I'd probably feel bad for her. But I didn't. That didn't mean I wasn't curious about her reasons for the tears. Maybe she finally realized what she was doing was wrong or maybe she was just shocked by what she had done. Probably the latter.

Foot steps were approaching me and I just realized that two peacekeepers had been in the room the entire time. They undid my binds, grabbed me under the arms -none too gently-, and dragged me away. I bit my bottom lip tightly, hoping the new pain would distract me from the rest of the pain currently wracking my body. I was placed up in a sitting position against a wall and felt the needle enter my arm. Only this time I welcomed the blackness.

The last thing I heard as I fell into my dreamless sleep was Akila screaming one name.

Natallia.


As I said, I'm so sorry. Hope you enjoyed anyway and I didn't totally waste your time. I had ideas, I really did, but the passion just seeped away so for now those ideas will just stay in a file in my noodle. :C