Chapter 100

(This chapter takes place during Peeta’s rescue scene from the Capitol. It’s in Peeta’s point of view, and I’m somewhat going off the movie for this chapter.)

*The Hunger Games trilogy belongs to Suzanne Collins*

Peeta

Mutt. Killer. Vicious. Dangerous. Liar. Murderer. Mutt. Mutt. Mutt.

I use these words to describe Katniss Everdeen, the reason I am here. The reason I am injured, dying probably. It’s all her fault. I bet she’s sitting somewhere, feasting on delicious food, laughing at the thought of me here. It’s what she’s always wanted. She used me, manipulated me. She tried to kill me. The only explanation for her is The Capitol. They must have created her. All she is is a mutt. A muttation. A mistake, just like the monkeys and the dogs in the arena. Panem doesn’t see how she really is. They’re blinded by the thought of a rebellion. But if we fight each other, who will win? If the rebels are defeated, then what? We’d barely have enough survivors for just one District. Plus, the Games would be as brutal as ever.

I can see it now. Katniss Everdeen’s execution, in front of the entire country. I see President Snow’s smirk clearly in my mind. “Goodbye Miss. Everdeen.” I begin pulling on the restraints again. I know it’s no use. I’ve been trying for weeks, months, maybe even a year to get out. I have no idea how long I’ve been trapped in here, in this cold, dark room. Every night, the president decides who he thinks it would be best to torture. He switches off mostly between Johanna and me. I get the worst of it. I’ve heard murmurs within the walls of something called hijacking.

A few hours come and go, but there is no movement within the walls. I hear no screams tonight. That’s the first sign that I realize something is wrong. By now, Snow’s guards, but never the president himself, should be down here. I should hear yelling and crying, most likely coming from my own mouth. But still, there is nothing but silence in the air.

The next sign is the faint sound of popping. They’re too quiet to be gunshots. I’ve heard quite a few of those during my time here. Someone new dies almost every night. As the sounds slowly begin to get closer I hear a whimpering sound from cells near me. I know it isn’t Johanna. I know exactly what her screams and her cries sound like.

I know Finnick’s love, Annie, is here. They don’t pay much attention to her, if none at all. I assume she gets a slice of moldy bread and a few sips of water once and a while, just like the rest of us. But other than the lack of nourishment, she’s considered lucky. She had nothing to do with any of this. She’s just the crazy victor from District 4, who’s in love with Finnick. I’m not even sure if the Capitol knows that Finnick is her boyfriend. If they did, though, she’d be killed almost automatically. That once again brings me to the question: why haven’t I been killed yet? I did love Katniss. And before I came here, I never realized how cruel she really is. But still, shouldn’t I be dead? President Snow issued a warning saying that anyone who is friends with Katniss Everdeen will be killed. So, why not me? Johanna says I’m supposed to be used as a weapon, to lure Katniss in here. But none of it makes sense. Why would Katniss come get me out? She tried to kill me.

More popping. Doors opening and closing. Footsteps approaching. Maybe it’s Snow’s guards, finally coming to torture us here. A thought passes through my mind. What if they’re here to kill us? Maybe that’s why it took so long. I brace myself, trying to shy away, as if I could disappear into the walls.

I shut my eyes tight. I hate this part. For a long time, I wished I was dead. Why are they doing this? They must know I had no idea about the rebel’s plan in the arena. Why do they continue to beat me, electrocute me, starve me? And most important of all, why are they showing me these clips of Katniss and I together. Every night, they come in here, play the footage and shoot me in the neck with a syringe. Then, I’m whisked into a shiny nightmare-land, where I can’t figure out what’s real and what’s fake. I know some things are hallucinations, like when spiders filled the room on one of my first days here.

I have no idea what they’re doing to Johanna. At first, I thought it was the same form of torture. This hijacking thing that the guards whisper remarks about. But I’ve listened to her, and it sounds nothing like mine. Besides, what do they have to show her on the screen? She told me that there’s no one left in her life that she loves. There’s no one for the Capitol to prove horrible. They could show Katniss, but Johanna and Katniss barely had any contact with each other throughout the whole Quarter Quell.

The footsteps are even closer now. I know they’re coming for us. There’s just a straight hallway that leads from here to a medical room, and then to a screening room, where I had my interviews with Caesar. There’s no where else the people would be going.

“Are they in there?” I hear a voice, so quiet it could be a whisper. I can hardly make out what they’re saying. There’s more popping noises at the doorway to this prison. “Get ready.”

I shut my eyes, preparing myself for the terrors to come. Maybe they will kill us. Why else would someone say get ready? Maybe they’ll come in here and shoot us all at once. I doubt they’d make it public. There would be too many already angry citizens. It would just make everything worse. They might send our dead and decaying bodies back to the rebels, in some sort of way to show them what they can do. Four dead victors; Annie, Johanna, Enobaria, and me.

I can suddenly make out some sort of gas, seeping through the bars in the front of my cell. ‘A less bloody death.’ I think. I lean my head against the wall. These are my last moments, alone, terrified, but at the same time, ready for death. I’m done.

And right as those thoughts run through my head, the world escapes from my grasp.

 

***

 

I hear yelling, and there are hurried footsteps scattered around me. I hear panicked voices, but I can’t make out what they’re saying. It takes so much of my power to somehow open my eyes, only to find my surroundings blurred and confusing.”Don’t touch me!” It’s a woman’s voice I hear first. Instantly, I know exactly who it is. Johanna. She’s here too, probably just as confused. But where exactly is here? Are we still in the Capitol? Did they just knock us out to kill us?

“He’s awake.” The voices around me are becoming clearer now. I hear orders for different medicines I can’t even pronounce, soothing words to someone nearby, and more shouting. So much shouting. My eyes become more adjusted and I can see the ceiling above me. This place is bright, and filled with lights. It’s such a huge change to seeing black darkness constantly.

“Peeta, can you sit up, please?” I see a light-haired woman above me. I have no idea who she is, or what she wants, but I follow orders anyway, afraid of any punishment I might get for not doing so. “Thank you.”

“Where am I?” I hardly recognize my own voice. I haven’t spoken in so long. I haven’t seen people in so long, besides the Capitol workers when they brought in the screen.

“You’re safe now. Not in the Capitol,” she says, checking something on a high-tech looking machine that my arm is hooked up to through a thin white wire.

“Where?” I ask again.

“District 13.”

“District 13 is gone,” I say.

“No, it’s not. Look, we have to explain a lot to you, but first, you need to rest. You’re on medication right now, which should help. You’ll get a meal later.”

I ignore her words and stare at my feet, which are covered with warm white socks. You’re safe now. How could I be safe? Will I ever really be safe?

I glance up again. That’s when I see her, and the words I described her as come back to me. Mutt. Killer. Vicious. Dangerous. Liar. Murderer. Mutt. Mutt. Mutt. She’s there, walking towards me. Katniss Everdeen. My mind immediately tells me to run, to go somewhere safe. But I can’t hide from her, not if I’m being forced to stay here. I have to kill her. I have to kill her before she kills me or my family.

I stand and rip the cord from my wrist. She’s only about a foot from me now. I lunge at her, and my hands lock around her throat.

Mutt. Killer. Vicious. Dangerous. Liar. Murderer. Mutt. Mutt. Mutt.

*************************************************************

Wow, that was such a huge and new experience for me to write that. I have literally never typed that fast.

 

Anyways, this is the 100TH CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I can’t believe I’ve come this far. It literally feels like I was just writing Chapter 50. I only started writing this less than a year ago and now I’m here in this wonderful place, with wonderful people reading and commenting on my book.

And of course, this chapter is being uploaded during the holidays. I can’t think of a better time than 2 days after Thanksgiving (for those of you who celebrate it).

And in spite of Thanksgiving, I just want to say how incredibly thankful I am for each and every one of you beautiful, wonderful, amazing people who continue reading this. You’ve stuck by me this entire time, and I just can’t explain how thankful I am to be writing this right now, for all of you to read.

I hope you all have a fantastic and safe holiday with your families (no matter what it is that you celebrate). Once again, I love all of you so much <3

Thanks a ton!

-booklover2019