Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I do not own Mockingjay.

Ch. 4

One step, one more, I'm almost to the door, it's not like they would let me fall. Last night was hard, a brutal beating by a man that could have won the Hunger Games one-hundred times with out even a bruise on his body. It was a long beating too. They had given me some type of serum that made it so I could not be knocked unconscious. I had a theory that it would keep your brain going even if you were dead.

I felt dead last night.

When he had finished and left me bleeding on the floor two others guards had came in. I wonder how they train them to not feel remorse. Or maybe they're born with it. Since the day they are born they are told to root for children to kill other children. It is hardwired into their bones to be heartless.

The two guards hadn't been gentle as they picked me up off the ground and thrown me on to the metal table that I slept on each night. They had also pulled the restraints tighter. I knew it would be a long night. Especially since I knew I would not be able to fall asleep.

That's when I had smelt him, after the guards had left and I had been lying there for a while. Above my blood there was the smell of even more, and with that more blood came roses. I kept my eyes closed because his face would be even more torture. I didn't need any more torture.

"It didn't work. Well at least we don't think so. They are constantly trying to disrupt our airwaves. I think they would've have stopped if your words had helped. Don't you think?" I didn't say anything because something had clicked in my brain, and honestly I don't think I had the strength just then.

I suddenly had remembered what had been bugging me all day whenever Katniss was mentioned. It comes to me in a flash; her face tired and dirty screaming to the rebels to fight on with a war scene behind her. They had wanted me to forget, but something in my broken and messed up brain had remembered.

"People need to see those videos." I had spit out some kind of strength coming into me from out of nowhere. I felt as if I had spit in his face. And though I could not see it, I imagined the old snake had taken a step back.

"But Peeta, don't you get it, we will win. We always win." He sounded so sure in his words, but if he wanted me to stop this war so bad how could he be so sure?

"Really? You sound nervous. If the Rebels don't back down, you're dead. You know it too." This time I knew he took a step back because I heard it against the cold stone floor. It's funny how a powerful and intimidating man would feel fear from the words of a broken and bleeding boy. The fear didn't show in his voice.

"Peeta, I'm only trying to stop the deaths of millions. If it's war they want, it's war we'll give them." And then he left with out giving me any time to answer back to it.

I was surprised when I woke up the next morning that they took me to the weekly time with the others. It was only Johanna this week, but it was someone I could tell about the video of Katniss. I didn't care if they punished me for telling her, it's not as if they would kill me. They needed me for leverage against Katniss and a face for the public. They could hurt me, but in the end I would still be alive.

"Why do you think Annie's not here?" Johanna asks once I'm thrown in the room and the door is closed behind me. There is only one light in here, way off in the corner from a candle we can't move. It's enough to see each other's faces. "That for the interview?" She asks emotionless. I don't answer her first question because neither of us knows the answer and honestly we probably don't want to.

"That's what they told me, but it's not a legitimate reason." I say. None of this was, but nothing in the Capitol was ever done for legitimate reasons. "It's not important anyways." I pause before I continue. I was okay with being tortured this afternoon if I could tell someone about the video I saw.

"Did they tell you where the others were?" I ask. This is probably the most we've talked during this time since the first week, when we were still mostly here.

"Thirteen. I know. I knew things." She says, but doesn't explain and I don't ask. The reason why we were here, why the others were in Thirteen didn't really matter to me anymore. I just know that we are here and they are there and it was a plan. I didn't need to know anymore.

"They're attacking the airwaves and showing these videos of Katniss or Finnick talking to the rebels and telling them to fight." Johanna looks confused, but it might just be from being tired. Either way I decide to expand on it and tell her the rest of my story. "I saw one. It was Katniss screaming to the rebels and telling them to fight because the Capitol doesn't care. They cut it off before I could see the whole thing, but I know that they are fighting."

"Why are you telling me this? I know. I know that they are fighting. Why else would we be tortured?" She says. I knew, we all knew, but it just seemed important to tell her about this. There was another reason; in some way it put logic behind my torturing. Some sort of barbaric logic, but logic.

"Because this isn't all for nothing." I say. My voice sounds devoid of hope, but maybe if one were to listen real hard they could find it in there.

Because there is hope, even here, in dark dungeon like cells where I feel like dying.

I hope you liked it! I know I said I would get back on my normal schedule, but I'm sorry if I don't get another update in until Friday. You very might well get one tomorrow, but there are no promises! Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! ~boywithbreadlover