Escapism // Coriolanus Snow

Chapter IV:

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I had been running nonstop, too afraid to look back. Surely, if anyone had seen me, I'd have been dead within seconds. Already at the hanging tree, my mother watching in pure satisfaction.

The rain from yesterday had left the forest floor muddy and slippery, I had a fresh wound on my arm, my hair full of leaves, and my dress torn from getting it stuck on every other branch. I was neither physically or mentally in ideal condition.

It felt like I had been running for eternity, but it had only been like fifteen minutes. Not far ahead of me was a brown cabin, hidden in the tall trees, acquainted with a lake beside it.

The door of the cabin was jammed, I struggled to push it open as I wasn't strong but rather skinny. I found the nearest rock and started smashing the door knob, hoping it would do something.

All I needed was shelter, I didn't want to be out alone in the cold. To my relief the door creaked open. I threw the rock on the ground and slowly stepped in.

Dust and cobwebs filled the room, but it was nothing I wasn't already used to. I walked over to the window that overlooked a beautiful lake, beside it a wooden canoe.

I turned towards the small wooden table in the corner of the room and took a seat. It was quiet and peaceful. But the quietness frightened me, I wasn't used to it.

My siblings weren't fighting or laughing, I wasn't cleaning up all their messes, my mother wasn't reading aloud. I found peace in that chaos my entire life and I wasn't ready to give it all up. For a second I wanted to go back, but realization hit as hard as a bullet to the heart. I might never be able to go back.

There was still an hour before the sun would set. I decided to lie down on the bed even though it looked extremely uncomfortable, it wasn't terrible.

I had fallen asleep and woken up in complete darkness. The sunset was over as of who knows how long ago. My heart started thumping in my throat.

Coriolanus's words echoed in my mind, "Meet me at sunset."

I got up and opened the door to the cabin, "Coriolanus!" I shouted. Tears started falling from my eyes as I backed up into the darkness of the cabin. The cold breeze brushing in, making the hairs on my arm stand up.

I sat on the edge of the bed and cupped my face with my sore hands. Suddenly, through the open door of the cabin, I heard a small crunch of a branch in the woods.

My heart started pounding. I was told in middle school that this town had wolves. Maybe one had come to kill me, probably sent by the capitol.

I backed up on the bed till my back was met with the rough wall and brought my knees to my chest, praying this wasn't the end. I shut my eyes and hid my face from any danger, when suddenly the door creaked open, "Amelia?" A deep voice called out to me.

I opened my eyes to see Coriolanus Snow standing in the doorway with a candle in hand, "Sorry, I should have woken you up but-"

I immediately jumped up from the bed and hugged him, cutting off his sentence, "I thought you left me here." I breathed.

He was speechless, holding a candle in one hand, he halfway hugged me back, "I wouldn't do that. And the train leaves in an hour anyway." He stated.

I backed away from him, "I was scared to death." I admitted, a slight smile forming from his response.

From the light of the candle, I swear I saw him smile as well. "We have to get going. It's a long walk through the forest to the train station."

He grabbed his bag full of all of his necessities, which I failed to notice was beside the door of the cabin, while I watched, realizing I was leaving my entire life behind.