The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes || One-shots

Trapped In A Moment

Prompt: Write a complete story that takes place in a single, confined setting

Snow hurried into the main hallway, his papers nearly flying out of his hands, as he questioned the grip of his shoes on the tiled floor. "Hold it!" He yelled as he seen the back of a girl with dark brown hair enter the elevator.

He reached the elevator, hunched over holding his papers to his chest. He tried to catch his breath in between his thank you. He finally stood up straight, heaving a large breath and exhaling it. He demanded, "Press 8 for me," leaning on the support rail.

Snow's icy blue eyes met the captivating gaze of a girl with warm brown eyes and a mischievous grin, sending a jolt of curiosity through him. They were the only two in the elevator, and Snow started to imagine the possibilities of the situation.

"Awful demanding, aren't you?" She teased, pressing number 8 anyway. "Something important?" She smelled of earth and rain, and she looked like a girl Snow could have on his arm for the rest of his life.

Snows face relaxed, and opened his mouth to say something smart, when the elevator gave a sudden shake and stopped moving. He looked at the girl with a skeptical air, muttering, "That's never happened before." Panic filled his features as he realized the elevator was stuck. "Oh no," he moaned, "We can't be stuck!"

The brunette stared at him, and then looked at the walls. The walls were a gray clinical colour, the elevator not much bigger than a standard bathroom, directly to her left was a large mirror. She gave a deep breath before answering, "Looks like it."

Snow was in a state of panic. He paced each corner of the elevator, mumbling "No, no, no." He knew he had an important meeting to attend. "This can't be stuck!" He was throwing a tantrum like a toddler.

Snow glimpsed the girl's gaze upon him, detecting a hint of defiance. He stopped to take a deep breath, brushing his curls back and straightening his blazer to seem a little more put together. He put the sheets of paper on to the silver translucent floor, in a tidy bundle.

He cleared his throat and put on his best calm voice, he would not let anybody think he is a savage or that he was capable of behaving as one. "I'm sorry, where are my manners? I'm Cornelius Snow..." He puffed out his chest a little as he declares his name. The name Snow was a very important name to those in the capitol, it held with it fear.

"Well, Snow," she mocked his strange accent. "I'm Lucy Gray Baird." She stuck a hand out for him to shake. Snow took her soft, cold hand into his rough, warm one and brought it to his lips. He was nothing if not a gentleman.

Lucy Gray ripped her hand from his in a panic. Startled and slightly confused by the interaction. "I know the name Snow," She said to him, looking at him expectantly, "Snow's the reason my families dead."

Cornelius looked at her with confusion, he hadn't killed anybody. He laughed a little, "Must be another Snow out there." He brushed it off, going back to the door of the elevator, "You think we can pry this open?"

Lucy Gray stared at him with a deep dislike in her eyes, "You created the Hunger Games as we know it. Didn't you? That was you right?" Snow was paying attention to the door, trying to jam his fingers into it.

"Huh?" He said, clearly distracted from the conversation. "Oh, yes, yes that was me. Can you give me a hand here?"

Snow could feel Lucy Gray's eyes in the back of his head, boring into his soul. He waited for a response, and when none came he stopped trying to open the door. He turned and face the girl, "I didn't kill your family, I did what I was told to do. We all do what we are told to do, its just..." He paused, thinking of the right word to continue with, he finally settled on one. "Easier."

Lucy Gray let out an obnoxious laugh, "Yeah, easier, of course! Death of innocents for an easy life." She paced a little, before deciding she didn't want to look at him. She slid down the wall of the elevator, head in her hands and he knees bunched to her chest.

An unfamiliar sensation stirred within Snow, a mixture of unease and curiosity. It lacked the intensity of empathy or guilt, yet it lingered, tugging at the edges of his consciousness. He looked at the door longingly, flicking his eyes on the paper and finally deciding to join Lucy Gray.

He stood on the opposite side of the elevator, facing her. He looked at her for a few seconds, to judge whether she was being entirely genuine or not. He decided on not, but she was beautiful and he had nothing else to do seeing as his immediate plans were put on hold.

He slid down the wall, looking directly at her. "Look, it's different in the Capitol, things were bad during the war. It's the only way we can keep control."

Lucy scoffed in disbelief. "It's still bad in the districts. Public floggings, hangings, executions, people are starving out there. Children are dying. Life as we know it has changed permanently. Mothers and daughters being split up, fathers and sons being executed side by side, you are not controlling us, Snow, you are cornering us." There was venom in the words she spat at him, he could feel it.

The anger radiated from her, and for once he was lost for words. Was she claiming that riots were going to happen? Was this a threat?

Snow went to speak, to belittle her. Put her down. He raised his head at her, looking at her from his eyelashes, his face contorting. How dare she say that this was his fault? How dare she put this blame on him. He had only done what was asked of him, what was expected of him. He had done his duty to the Capitol, to his home, to his family.

Before the argument could evolve, they heard a noise from the door that dissipated all tension. "Hello? Hello you guys okay in there?" A deep voice yelled from the other side.

Lucy Gray jumped up and ran towards the elevator door. "Hey! Yeah! Get me out of here!" The doors were forced open with a crowbar, and in 5 minutes Lucy Gray had left the confined space and left, without saying a word to Snow.