Tortured but Together (A Hunger Games Fanfiction) [UNDER EDITING]

Chapter Thirty-Six

A/N: Usual PSA that the Hunger Games characters belong to Suzanne Collins and not to me. I'd like to give a huge thank you to my readers for leaving such sweet comments, it really means a lot to me and I'm super glad to hear that people are enjoying my writing!! And now, chapter 36!

(Katniss POV)
I wake up back in the quarter quell arena. Sparks crackle above me, and I can see the hole that I made in the top of the domed force field. Staring up at the hole, I wonder why they forgot about me, why they left me here.

The next thing I notice is the pain, and the burning. Forcing myself into a sitting position, I take a look at my body, assessing the damage. What I see nearly makes me vomit; the sparks have basically burned my wetsuit into my skin; when I try to take off the sleeves, I end up screaming in pain as I'm ripping off skin as well.

Forcing my brain into survival mode, I make myself come up with a plan. I'll need to keep track of the time, and hope that whichever wedge I move to isn't the active one. Keep moving, find water to drink, hunt things to eat.

Deciding that the cornucopia is my best bet, I get up slowly and start making my way in that direction. Hopefully there'll be a bow and arrows there, if there are then that'll be one positive thing to help with my survival.

Once I make my way there, I can instantly tell there's something wrong. Peacekeepers force me to my knees, and I see President Snow walk out of the shadows towards me. "Ah, Miss Everdeen. What a pleasure to see you. I'm glad to be the one to tell you the exciting news. District 12 is gone, and now you will be too."

My mind races, district 12 gone? My mother? My sister? Gale and his family? Peeta's family? The bakery? Madge? All of it...gone?

"You were supposed to be a cannon shot and a picture in the sky Miss Everdeen, that was how this was supposed to go. But now, when you die, nobody will mourn you, and I'll leave you here so your body can rot. It's what a traitor like you deserves." He pulls out a pistol and aims it at my head. "Goodbye Miss Everdeen; it seems the odds were not in your favor after all..."

I scream at the top of my lungs, how am I still alive? I thought President Snow killed me. Someone puts their hand on my arm, but I'm so panicked that I run away from them; it'll just be someone coming to finish the job.

My legs carry me until I find a corner to hide in, and I curl up as small as I can. Please don't let them find me, please don't let them hurt me, I silently beg. Tears stream down my face and my heart pounds in my chest, a person could probably hear it from five miles away at least. Trying to calm down doesn't do any good though; every time I try to take a deep breath, I hear President Snow's voice in my ear, telling me that district 12 is gone. My home is gone.

Someone puts a hand on my knee and when I try to struggle, they don't let me go. Eventually, a voice breaks through the panicked fog that my mind is in. "Katniss, it's alright. We're not in the games anymore, we're safe." I know that voice, it's familiar, but for some reason I can't seem to put a name to it. "Kat, it's me, it's Peeta. Try to take some breaths please, nobody is coming to hurt you."

Peeta. That's right. My boy with the bread. He's safe, he protected me in the games, he loves me and I love him. We promised we wouldn't leave each other, we got engaged. I'm not in danger here.

I wrap my arms around him tightly, "It felt so real Peeta, it all felt so real..." I say quietly, my voice trembling.

"I know Katniss, I know. But you're safe now; that dream wasn't real but what's happening right now is. I promise. I'm real, what's happening now is real."

I nod, starting to calm down. It was just a nightmare, it wasn't real, it didn't happen. Someone else walks into the room, and I'm confused who it is at first, before I remember that Annie Cresta is staying here with us too.

"I heard the screams...I scream like that sometimes too. The difference is that they don't go away when I wake up..."

Turning to face Annie, I can see the heartbroken look on her face. That's right...I have Peeta here to help remind me what's real and what isn't. Meanwhile, Finnick is all the way in district 13.

Before I can say anything to try and comfort her, there's a sharp knock at the door. Peeta hugs me tightly and then gets up to answer it; out of the three of us he is the most presentable one.

Annie sits down on the floor next to me. "You two are so brave...I don't think I could have done what you did. The berries, the electrified arrow...you two set something in motion, something that can't be stopped."

I wait, hoping she'll elaborate, but she doesn't. "Miss Cresta, I'm here for your daily psych evaluation."

She nods slowly, already seeming so much more exhausted than she did just a few minutes ago.

"Where would you like to sit to do your evaluation?"

"Right here is fine...I don't mind if Katniss stays. She understands what it's like too..." Annie nervously twists her hair, refusing to meet the doctor's eyes.

"Alright then. That's a bit unusual but I suppose it will do. Although, I will have to insist that you not interrupt, Miss Everdeen."
I nod, not trusting my voice at the moment.

"Ok then. Miss Cresta, how have you been mentally, in terms of your thoughts and emotions? Have you had any self destructive impulses?"

She shakes her head slowly. "No, not lately. Being away from the machines helps...they don't threaten me here like they did back there. The machines always bring pain...they always make things hurt."

"The machines aren't here to hurt you Miss Cresta, I promise. But we can talk about that another day. What have your thoughts been on lately?"

This woman makes me angry, I can tell by the way that Annie frantically darts her eyes around the room that she doesn't want to share. Still, I'm not sure what to do to help her; whatever I do might end up making the situation worse. So I just sit there.

"I miss Finnick. He and I should be together, somewhere far away from this place. Somewhere we can be safe from all the things that keep coming to hurt us..."

"Miss Cresta, there is nowhere better than Panem. There is nothing out there to find, like it or not, this is where you're safest."

She goes silent, most likely trying to come up with a good response. "How am I safe here if I'm trapped? How am I safe here if I'm just another test subject for you? I'm not safe here, I'm not. I want to go home!"

Home. I can understand that, I wish I could go home too. Scooting up next to Annie, I wrap her in a gentle hug. She doesn't say anything, but after a minute she does hug me back.

"Miss Cresta, I'm afraid that's not possible. The districts aren't safe right now, you're better off here."

Now she meets the doctor's gaze, and I can see the anger shining in her eyes. "All you do is tell me what I can't do, where I can't go, what I can't have! Why are you so determined to keep taking things from me, what did I ever do to you?"

"Miss Cresta..."

I don't let the doctor finish. "You should go now. You're not helping anything," I say coldly.

"Miss Everdeen, I believe I made it clear that..."

"You did. And now I'm making myself clear. Unless you have any actual comfort to provide, then you can leave. Preferably now."

"Miss Everdeen, this is very unprofessional. This isn't about you, not everything is. In fact..."

This time, it's Annie who interrupts. "I agree with Katniss. You...you should leave now. I don't...I don't want to talk to you. You...you can't help me, I need...I need to talk to Finnick." Her voice is shaky as she says that, but she doesn't break her gaze.

Sighing, the doctor writes something down on her clipboard and then walks out. "K..Katniss...are they...are they going to hurt me now," she asks.

I shake my head. "I won't let them hurt you Annie...I'll keep you safe from all the lab coats and machines; I won't let them take you back there."

She offers me a tentative smile, "Thank you Katniss...you...you truly are a good friend."