Peeta's Story- The Hunger Games

Chapter 12

I toss and turn all night in the Training Center, thinking about that kiss. My bedroom is so comfortable, with plush down pillows, but I can't seem to settle down. I am thinking too much, but I can't help it. I put my hand up to my face, where it still tingles, and I imagine I can feel her lips brushing against my cheek again. 

I finally get out of bed, and shiver as the sudden coldness envelops me. As if sensing my discomfort, the sleeves of my shirt get longer and thicker until it becomes a sweater. Everything here is so advanced and I feel guilty as I think of my parents huddling around a fire to keep warm. I decide to take a shower to clear my head, and step into the bathroom, which is as big as my room back at home. 

There are buttons everywhere, buttons to control the temperature, buttons to control the scents, buttons for all your needs. I have fun messing around with them until I find a setting I like- the scent of warm apple pie in a lukewarm bubble bath.  

I climb in and relax, breathing in the smell that reminds me of home. My father loved to bake apple and pear pies during the winter and the bakery would always smell of them. When I was little, I used to always help him, kneading the dough into little strips and criss-crossing them on top of the filling my mother would make. As I grew older, Dad taught me how to frost cakes, and that became my specialty. He always told me that I was more artistic than he was, and during the holidays, I would help him decorate the cakes. 

The water is nice and warm, and I feel a little drowsy as I reminiscence. Slowly, my thoughts drift to Katniss. She is so hard to decipher and I wonder if she is using me. One moment, she seems to hate me, and the next, she is flirting with me. It doesn't matter though, because the moment I met her, I became infatuated. 

As I realize how sleepy I am, I climb out of the bathtub and press a button that dries my hair instantly. I slump to bed and fall asleep.

*

I am standing in an open arena, and the earth around me is barren as I look around while clutching a spear. The ground rumbles and a figure pops out of the earth. I swing my spear at it, and it squeals in a voice I'd recognize anywhere. 

Katniss is closer now, and I can see her glaring at me as she runs toward me. Her face is blood-streaked, and her hair is falling out of her braid. She looks like a beautiful savage, but she seems to be impatient with my staring. She takes my hand, and I feel her tug at it, already running back in the direction she came from. 

"Peeta, come!" she urges, tugging my hand even more insistently. 

For some reason, I seem to be rooted in place, and I can't move. I look to the ground and see why- I am tied to the ground by heavy ropes. 

She gets on her knees and begins frantically tugging at the them, but they are too strong to yield. She whistles a tune and a whirlwind of dust rises out of nowhere. When the dust finally clears, I see a flock of birds rush at me, and I duck my head in fear. 

The attack I was expecting never comes, and when I finally open my eyes, I see them pecking quickly at the ropes. The fibers snap one by one, excruciatingly slowly, and Katniss keeps looking her her shoulder jerkily. I wonder why she's acting so scared. 

Suddenly, the ground rumbles yet again, and cracks begin appearing. What seems to be a black cloud of dust appears on the horizon, and Katniss picks up rocks, throwing them at the cloud. I help her as best I can while the birds continue pecking at the ropes. Upon closer inspection, I realize that they are mockingjays. 

"Help! Haymitch! Help! Effie!" Katniss screams and begins cursing fluently under her breath. 

The cloud of dust comes closer and I see distinct outlines of people now. It seems like a whole mob of people are running towards us. There are so many that the ground seems to wobble. 

"Peeta! We have to leave now!" Katniss is crying and sounds hysterical. 

Out of nowhere, a helicopter appears in the sky, and Katniss says, "Thank God!", while running toward the ladder hanging out of it. Haymitch is on it, his face looking grim, and Katniss yells, "Peeta is stuck!" 

I see Haymitch shake his head sadly. "We have to leave him," he yells back at her, and my heart sinks. The army of people are still getting closer and it feels like I'm in the middle of an earthquake. 

Katniss yells, "No!" at him, and turns back to me, her nostrils flaring. Her hair is completely messed up now, but she doesn't seem to care. 

"Go, Katniss! Leave me." I say, but she shakes her head and comes stomping back, tugging at the ropes which still haven't unraveled.  

Haymitch comes running toward her and scoops her up, apologies written all over his eyes. I nod at him sadly as he runs away with Katniss in his arms, screaming and kicking. I turn my attention back to the rapidly approaching crowd.  

They are now so close that I can see their faces. I can't recognize any of them except the face in the middle. He has an evil grin plastered across his face, and his white hair is sticking up like straw- President Snow. 

"Hello, Peeta. We've never formally met, I believe. I'm President Snow." His eyes spell deceit and I look at his outstretched hand, disgusted. I spit at it, and his eyes flash. 

"Get him." he orders a young girl at his side.  

She comes up to me and looks me in the eye. "I'm sorry," she whispers, and I suddenly recognize her as one of the girls who screamed my name in the opening ceremony. 

She holds up a dagger and I realize what she is about to do. I close my eyes and wait for the blow to come.

*

"Up, up, you lazybutts! Time for dinner!" Effie's singsong voice pulls me out of my slumber and I rub my bleary eyes. I vaguely remember having a bad dream, but cannot remember what it was about. 

I slip on a comfortable shirt, and walk down to the dining room. No food is on the table yet, and I'm starving. Next to the table, a waiter is dressed in all white, and I turn to him. "When will dinner be served?" 

He looks at me sadly, and shakes his head. I don't know why he can't tell me until he tentatively smiles at me and points to his mouth. I suddenly realize that he has no tongue. He is an Avox.