Burn: A Hunger Games Spinoff

Chapter 3

President Snow's green, snake eyes glower down at me sinisterly. "Hello, Katniss," he says in a sickeningly sweet voice. I don't bother to answer and shove the tray away, fighting against the food threatening to come back up. "At least I won't have to stand anymore injections." I think. "Come," says Snow. "I have a surprise." I remember when my father used to say that. My hatred deepens even more. My father, who's not here anymore because of the Capitol. Because of Snow.
I don't budge, and he calls me again. I still don't move, and stare blankly at the stone floor. "Your family has been stripped of many things because of you," says Snow. "Not that we had much," I mutter. "Well, you wouldn't want them to lose the little they have left, would you?"asks Snow. I lift my head and glare at him, "What would that be, huh?" Snow steps closer and crouches in front of me. He beckons me closer. When I don't move, he grabs my head and forces it closer.
He whispers, "Their lives."
I reel back. "No!" I cry. "You wouldn't! You wouldn't! You can't!" Snow snatches my hand and pulls me up. I'm still screaming at him. "Monster! Let me go!" He forces me out, and I go with him because of the threat, but I still fight. I try furiously to pry his fingers off my wrist. We pass Johanna's cell. She looks small and weak, so different from the girl I saw in the arena. Her eyes are wide and fearful, her hair is unkempt, and her clothes are ragged.. I see her push it down and glare at Snow, but her eyes still show the torment.
As we pass her I'm quiet. I don't mean to force her through more screams. I know first-handedly how wretched it is to hear the screams of others, knowing the Capitol is hurting them.
I keep my eyes glued to the floor. "I am Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire, and the Capitol will never be able to make me their toy." I think, willing it to be true, because to be honest, I'm not sure they haven't already. We pass several cells and final exit the dungeons, and suddenly, I'm in Snow's mansion.
I don't know what to expect, until he leads me into an empty, white room. Empty, except for a TV and some shackles in front of it. "No," I whisper. "Not again." My hands begin to quiver and my breath quickens. "Take me back," I plead. "Please!" But Snow would never provide the mercy. "Why here?" I ask, my eyes darting around. "I only have one tape of it for now, and frankly," he leans in. "I don't trust you with it."
I ball my hands into fists to stop them from shaking. He forces me over to the shackles and binds me.
It's a clip I have no memory of, and I think it's been filmed recently, because Peeta's all alone in a destroyed District 12. He's wandering around, and I see him go into his family's bakery, which has now been reduced to ashes. He doesn't find anything worthwhile and leaves. He goes to his own house in 12's Victor's Village. Again, he leaves empty handed. Then, he goes to my house. The one in Victory's Village. He scours around. I realize there are several things missing. Gale. Only he would've known what to save.
It's sad to watch, and I'm almost relieved when it ends. Until an unfamiliar woman approaches me with an injection, and before I can object, it's been driven into my arm. I scream in agony.
I'm not injected with the usual sleep shot afterwards, and I can feel Snow's smug face looking down on me.
I feel the thoughts leaking into my brain. "He's there for me. To find me. To destroy me and my family!" I think.
I shudder, relieved to have it end. To be able to go back to my tiny, uncomfortable, but at least familiar, cell, but I'm not released. Another tape is played instead, followed by a dose of venom, again, and again, and again. Over and over. Repeatedly.
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I both loathe and fear Peeta. Though I don't stand with the Capitol, it doesn't mean I stand with him, either, even if he stands with the rebels.
My arm throbs painfully, and I'm sure it's going to make my heart come to an abrupt end, but it never does. I'm forced to go on with it.
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After too long in the Capitol, I've been taken to 1 or 2 more interviews. In each one, though I don't voice any hatred for the rebels, I voice resentment and hate for Peeta.
I have gone through several more rounds of tapes and venom, but I'm no longer very convinced it's the venom that's responsible for my memories.
My experience in the Capitol, despite my obvious hate for Peeta, hasn't grown any better. I still receive little to no food, I'm stuck in the same clothes, and given a dose of venom regularly after a tape of Peeta. I know Johanna's hasn't improved either. She's never taken out of her cell at all, her clothes must be soggy and cold after all the soaking and shocks she's received, and she doesn't give an ounce of information on the rebels.
I still hear her constant screams, and I'm sure she hears mine. We don't communicate, but we have a bond. A sort of connection. I know it from the rare occasions I'm let out of my cell.
I hear shuffling and footsteps, and two cells clink open. I raise my head and see 2 guards in front, with 2 people, being escorted into 2 separate cells. I instantly recognize these people.
It's the Avox I saw in the woods and Darius.