A songbirds soulmate- hunger games catching fire/mockingjay fanfic

chapter 18

"You ready to go?" Acnathus asks me as I fasten the final button on my turquoise shirt. I role a deep plumb blazer onto my shoulders and step out of the bathroom, my matching trousers trailing slightly on the floor behind me.

"I suppose. Can't I have something to eat first, those chocolate truffles I saw on the way in looked delicious." I say with no enthusiasm what-so-ever.

Acanthus clenches his fists and relaxes them again. He just shakes his head in response and grips hold of my arm.

I still have no idea what to say up there. Of course I know what these people want me to say, they want me to tell the rebels to stand down. Another fruitless effort. But now I know better, President Snow doesn't really want them to stand down. Not really, he just wants to distract them. Yes distract them while his forces send a bomb hurtling down on their heads. I must warn them! The question still remains though; how do I do it without losing my own head?

I push the thought to a far back in my mind, I will decide when I'm there. It's not what I'm best at, acting on the spot, when I announced that I loved Katniss in front of the whole of Panem I needed Haymich's guidance. But what other choice do I have? The only time I have been able to act on the spot well was when I didn't even know it was happening! I thought for sure that Katniss really loved me, turns out that was all for the games. Is all of it still? I question myself about this more and more these days. Does Katniss really love me? If somehow by a crazy miracle we both survive all of this, would she be happy to see me again? Or is all of this pointless because she doesn't love me back?

I don't care what the answer is, I love her and if the last thing I do is perhaps give her a good chance of living I will take it.

Acanthus leads me towards the stage I visited earlier, it's now fully draped in curtains revealing the Capitol crest. Above them ropes and wires are tucked tightly into the rafters above my head. A metal podium stands royally in the centre of the stage and next to in, a curious seat standing tall above the podium on its back are two sharp pincers, I have a feeling this interview is not going to be a comfortable one.

A hiss tingles my skin; his voice shallow and cold crawls up the back of my neck and into my ears slowly.

"Nice to see you again Peeta."

"I don't quite think I can say the same thing." I dare to respond. I turn slowly and look deep into President Snow's eyes which look so dark they could suck away the light from the sun.

He just chuckles lightly in response. "You know, when I first met you I believed you to be the innocent one. I thought I would never have to worry about you. She was always the real problem." He whispers as he steps closer towards me. I accidentally swallow, he knows I'm frightened.

"I'm not afraid of you" I lie.

"Oh, perhaps not but do you know what you should be afraid of?" He points to the tall chair with the painful looking pincers attached to it. "That is your seat for this evening. I can feel the cogs in your head turning. Your planning something Mellark, and that little device will ensure nothing...slips out."

He pulls something from this trouser pocket, too sharply for me to see. Suddenly he jams it into my side sending sparks of electricity inside me. I have spasms of pain and I jolt my head back and screech before I fall to the floor.

I'm not unconscious so I am aware of what happens around me, I just can't feel any of it. I see myself lifted from the ground and carried up a few steps towards the chair; I hear the clips place into my shoulder blades but all I feel is numbness. My head flops lazily to one side and I flutter my eyelids. All this pain, for what? Is Dictatorship really the answer? Should the Districts suffer from poverty, famine and pain like this every single day just to support a bunch of air-headed pigs? No! Lifting my head I observe President Snow as he takes his place by the podium, the cameras in front of me are turned of and the 'On Air' sign above me glows a deep red. I know what I must say.