A songbirds soulmate- hunger games catching fire/mockingjay fanfic

chapter 3

"Once we find you a more suited method for negotiating."

These words replay in my head. I can feel in my gut that he is meaning not physically painful methods but mentally painful. Yes mentally.

I trace the scar on my chest with my finger. I think I would rather endure the pain of the electric rod instead of what other sick idea they have in mind. I'm sat on my cement bed. I have been for hours; I don't know the time or even what day it is. All I know is I have been sat here. Hours.

"Mellark!" I hear General Acanthus ball. I feel obliged to stand so I do. He enters with no helmet and no electric rod, sweat dripping from his brow. I let him catch his breath. It's the least I can do.

"Ha!" I accidentally laugh aloud. He looks at me un-amused before retaining a soldier like position.

"It's time for interrogation." He commands. I can see he is having a rough time. Perhaps President Snow was not so happy about how little progress he has made.

"I need to pee." I flaunt. This attitude is probably going to make everything worse but to be honest things can't get much crapper. At least Katniss is safe, I think.

Without saying a word he leaves the room returning seconds later with a bucket. He throws it at the floor.

"Here."

I don't need to go; I have not drunk for a while so I'm dehydrated. But I will save it for later, I will be here a while I should think. When Acanthus realises I'm not going to go to the toilet the steps forward and grabs my arm forcefully and pulls me towards the door.

"Where are we going!" I command as I squeeze his arm trying to get him to loosen his grip.

"Like I said; we are trying different methods." He murmurs not flinching at all as I punch repeatedly at his arm.

My strength is next to non-so he easily pulls me out the door. The light makes me flinch, it is so bright compared to the dim light that barely glows in my cell.

The whole corridor looks similar to the medical centre on the hovercrafts. Piercing snow white and clean, not a speck of dirt in sight. The passage is narrow and only fits single file lines. Acanthus walks swiftly behind. He places cuffs on my hands and holds my shoulders to guide me down the hall as he wishes. The corridor is filled with doors identical to my own and I know other prisoners are in them. When we reach the end of the hall the Peacekeeper removes his right-hand glove and places it against what seems to be a key pad next to the door. The door accepts his hand print and buzzes to indicate it is now unlocked.

The door is just about the shut when I hear screaming again.

"Johanna!" I yell. Then another set on screaming starts followed by several more. It's awful to hear and it makes me weep and yelp.

"Your monsters!" I hiss to Acanthus but he does not seem to be listening. I don't even think he is paying attention to the cry's and shrieks that fade away as we leave the cell block into another corridor.

This one's larger and many people walk up and down at once. Mostly Peacekeepers but some others as well. Some of them look like Game Makers and others look more like doctors although I don't get the impression they're here to treat my bruising.

We walk into a large room plastered with windows. I can't see out but I can tell people are looking at me, watching my every move. All that's in the room is a black plastic chair which I'm shoved on, a white table in front of me and a projector facing towards the only blank wall in the room. A man places a tray on my table and removes my hand cuffs. The tray contains a bowl of water and a small loaf of bread. I look up at him baffled, then back to my plate. It can't be poisoned surly, how are they meant to interrogate me if I'm dead; maybe it's got some sort of truth liquid. I shake the idea away. Even if it has been tampered with food is still food and I'm starving! I eat hastily and gulp down the water, I let it settle. I don't feel any different, just like I thought its normal food.

Ten Peacekeepers stand around the room; the same ones who I saw before and new ones too. I'm definitely not going anywhere. Acanthus stands beside me, eyes glued to the blank wall. Another peacekeeper switches on the projector and the tape begins.

It's me in the arena. I see the others too. The lightning strikes. Katniss and Johanna are running away, it flicks to me ditching Beetee and Finnick. Me shouting Katniss' names and her mine. I see Brutus kill Chaff, I kill Brutus. Enobaria is running, Finnick is running, Johanna attacks Katniss. Wait! No, not attacking she is removing her tracking device. Katniss is lying on the floor, so am I. I shout her name; no answer. Katniss shoots the force field and then follows the massive explosion.

What happens next baffles me. Hundreds of soldiers run into the arena, not Peacekeepers these are different. They grab Beetee, Finnick and Katniss. She's safe! They saved her. The hovercraft comes down and picks up me, Johnna and Enobaria. Then the screen goes blank.

"Any comments?" Acanthus presses.

I sit silently. Sarcasm obviously is not helping me so I guess I won't say anything. In truth I have no Idea what to say anyway; why did they not save us? They just left us there to be captured.

The bald Peacekeeper grips the back of my neck and smashes my head against the table.

"Don't you see? They left you! They don't care about you, no one does." He barks at me while still holding my head to the table. I stay silent.

"You might as well tell us Mellark it's all over for you anyway." One of the other Peacekeepers announces. Again I stay silent.

"Play the recording." Acanthus sighs as if he is almost fed up with me not co-operating.

What happens next kills me inside. It's her. It's her voice, she's screaming in pain. Katniss.

It's the same thing they did in the arena, Katniss heard her sister, Prim screaming. I know it's not real but my head and my heart are counteracting, it's like they're fighting with one another. Finally my head wins and I fall from my seat and curl into a ball on the floor. I rock myself back and forth. As if that would comfort me.