A songbirds soulmate- hunger games catching fire/mockingjay fanfic

chapter 10

The air is hot; the dust surrounding me makes it hard to breathe.  

Drip. 

But not from the leak. 

Drip. 

From the flesh falling of Lavinia's face. Her body melts slowly and the stench of human flesh floats freshly in the air. 

Two cell doors open and I and Darius are hauled out to the center of the room. We are thrown down under Lavinia's corpse; her warm skin dripping onto our heads. I shudder and I'm slapped on the back of the head. Looking around I find it's a female peacekeeper wearing a helmet, the same one who ordered for the waves rushing through Lavinia's body to be increased. 

"Look at it." The mysterious peacekeeper barks. The fact she says 'IT' disgusts me further. I stand my ground for as long as possible until I feel heavy breathing on the back of my neck and the edge of a blade brush down my week spine. Darius and I look right into the Avox girl's eyes which look lifeless yet still wide open. Her head, or what's left of it flops downwards right in front of me. Its appearance and smell makes me vomit on the floor repeatedly. After a few minutes we are pulled away from the body and it's trailed out the room. A peacekeeper tugs off Darius' shoe and with his clamp like device, rips off three of his toes. He squawks again and we're both dropped back in our cells. The woman strides over and removes her helmet. She's surprisingly pleasing to the eye, nothing compared to Katniss obviously. She's still the most beautiful thing I've ever set eyes on. 

"Someone will be back shortly for you." She instructs with next-to-no emotion gaping through.  

"Why?" I ask feebly while trying to remove the flesh in my greasy hair. She just taps her nose and exits to the elevator. I let out a large sigh and curl on the floor to yet again sleep.  

Hours later my slumber is disturbed. 

"Yo...you...you dd...don have much ff...f...fat on ya now." Avel stutters. I ignore him. "Not that...that ya were before!" He adds sharply. 

"Well if I wasn't what was the point in bringing it up!" I shout. 

"He's only trying to make convocation." Enobaria points out with an equal temper. She lies on her bed, still only having use of her arms. 

"Yeah, I dislike him as much as you do but there was no need to be ratty." Mentions a week yet wide awake Johanna. 

"Oh, shut up you two." I huff getting to my feet. My bare torso hits a quick chill and I'm forced to put my blazer over my naked chest. 

Annie places her head into her knees and blows noises off the tips of her lips. 

"Will you stop it!" I bark, turning to Annie who clambers as far away she can from me in a 6x6 foot cell. "God, why am I locked up with a bunch of lunatics!" I squeeze my head as far our as I can through the bars at the front of my cell.  

"I shouldn't be here! Do I look crazy to you?" 

Admittedly I do but all parts of my body counter act with one another and all I seem to be thinking about is blood and pudding. Pudding? Yes pudding. 

"Why are you thinking of pudding Peeta?" I ask myself aloud. "I don't know Peeta maybe you're hungry! Well I haven't eaten in a while, say I'll take extra gravy on that turkey!" I argue with myself. 

"Peeta..." Johanna try's to interrupt in a soothing tone. 

"Are you itchy?" I ask around. "Because I'm really itchy." I begin scratching myself uncontrollably. In my heart I know I'm going completely crazy but my brain thinks otherwise. My head twitches from side to side and a circle my cage with rapid speed. 

Suddenly I'm ground to a halt as a bucket of ice cold water it thrown over my head. Immediately I gather the liquid in my mouth before looking up. 

"Finished yet?" Acanthus asks before me. I nod vigorously with my mouth full and I'm pulled out my cell into the elevator. 

Once we have ascended the doors open and I'm nearly blinded by the morning light. The air feels so clean compared to down below and I gag out the dust from inside my lungs. Once again I'm thrown into the back of a van with my hands behind my back and we drive away from the underground prison. 

*

We arrive at the Training center where I'm hauled straight into make-up and wardroom. Different oils and creams are used to try hide my scars but they don't really help, in fact my wounds are beginning to sting more now. The people who dress me are armatures, nothing like Portia. They all stay quiet and don't even introduce themselves. Possible orders from President Snow. I'm dressed in a basic plum shirt, white trousers and a matching white waistcoat. Portia's style was more sophisticated and classy; this is just tack. The bandage is removed from my head and is replaced with ridiculous amounts of make-up which I immediately wipe off. My hair is spiked up and I'm shoved quickly out the room without them re-applying the junk to my face. 

Caesar's intro music plays hastily and after I'm thrust onto the stage. I gather my bearings and stammer into sight of the cameras. I'm greeted with an awkward mix of applause and silence. Nervously I make my way to the chair opposite Caesar and look right into his eyes.  

"Hi, Peeta." 

"Hi." 

"How are you feeling." 

"OK, I guess." 

There is a long pause and I rub my hands down my legs to pass time.  

"So Peeta. What do you think of the rumours?" 

"Rumours?" 

"The rumours that Katniss Everdeen is shooing a propo." 

"Oh." I say secretly not knowing that she was since I've been locked up in a cage since the arena blew up. "Well, their using her obviously." I flaunt. Because it's true, they are. In the back of my mind I feel a little voice but before I allow myself to listen, I push it aside. "I doubt she even knows what's going on in this war. The rebels are just using her to get more alliances." 

Caesar pauses for a moment, probably trying to make sense of my answer. 

"Is there anything you would like to say to her?" He asks. I never thought I would have this opportunity, to say something to her, unmonitored, unrehearsed. 

"Yes. There is." I begin. Looking right into the center of the camera. The voice in my mind now becomes clear. 

"You don't know them so how can you possibly know they can't be trusted." The thing Johanna said to me yesterday, the thing I have been trying to avoid. And I still do. 

"Don't be a fool Katniss. They're just using you to whip up the rebels. Do you really trust them? If you don't know what's going on," I take a deep breath. "Find out." Then the red light goes off and the show is over.