The Beginning (Hunger Games Fanfic 1) (Completed)

~17~ An Intense Conversation with the President

"Hello, Deserey."

My eyes became wide and I pushed myself against the back of the bed. He raised his eyebrows in surprise. I breathed deeply and held my breath.

"What is it?" he asked.

I reached for something beneath me. I instantly felt a note. I felt the words scrawled on the paper. I knew it was from Joven.

In District Eleven, we had learned Braile. It was a type of language that those who couldn't see would use to read. It was like words.

That was what Joven had done. I felt where the dots were with the pencil. It was dusty. I managed to make out that it said, "I believe in you."

Gripping the note, my body tensed. President Snow looked at me. "How could you possibly know?" he asked in a voice so low nobody could hear him. At least he thought. I was a pretty good listener.

He watched my body. He grabbed my wrist and I clenched my hands into fists. "Don't worry," he said. "I won't hurt you, my little Rebel."

"I wouldn't count on it," I mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You know, I could easily make you an avox."

"And replace the one you killed?"

He stared at me daggers. Then he tightened his grip on my wrist. He was angry. I glared at him back.

 "President Snow, I don't understand why you're upset. I just tell the truth."

"And the truth gets you in trouble sometimes. And you must learn the hard way, I guess."

"Why must I? Are you worried that your precious citizens will turn on you if they learn the truth?"

"They would never turn on me," he said. "I gave them the show."

"No, all you did was force children to kill each other. That is not a show. And you make avoxes, which is wrong on so many levels."

"You had no reason, did you? For killing her," I continued.

"She was defying the Capitol."

"How was she? Running away from your unfair treatment?"

"She was bad."

"You attacked her country!"

"How could you possibly know that?"

"She told me."

"She's an avox!"

"She may be, but she still has words to use. Its called pencil and paper."

"So she wrote that to you?"

"Not quite."

"Then how do you know?"

"Because I do."

"Tell me!" he yelled at me. His grip was hurting my wrist, but I kept still.

"No," I said simply.

He let go of my wrist and slapped me across the face. I barely flinched. I saw it coming. I glared at him again, and said one last word. "Leave."

He did as I asked of him, or commanded. I laid back in my bed and let my eyes rest. Only seconds later, I heard someone enter.

I opened my eyes as a hand slipped into mine. I felt lips lightly kiss it and I turned my head to look at Joven. He smiled at me.

"Hello," he said. 

"Hi," I replied. 

"I saw Snow. Are you okay?"

"I thought you'd have heard." He smiled guiltily. "Thought so."

He chuckled a little bit. I smiled lightly. The wound in my back hurt lightly as I laughed a little with him.

"I think by this afternoon they'll let you out. For the Ending Show," he said hopefully. 

"Oh yes, because the Ending Show is so great. I wonder what story they'll tell this time. How I failed at making a point?"

He pursed his lips. "You don't need to make a statement. You're one on your own."

"You only say that because you love me."

"Guilty as charged."

I giggled a little bit. He smiled. Then I became serious. "Do you know of a country called...Canada?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No," he answered. 

"Do you remember that Avox that I wrote to?"

"Yeah," he said, unsure of what this was leading to.

"She used to live there. When she was a baby, it was bombed, and they were all either put into Districts or turned into Avoxes. For no reason."

"How do you know this?" he asked me.

"It may have been a dream, but I may have known it all along."

"Well then what do we do?"

I was hesitant at first. Then I knew the answer. "We have to go."

He looked at me as if I was crazy for a moment. But then he shook his head. "I can't. You have to."

My eyes became wide. "No," I whispered. "You have to come too!"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because this is your duty. I'll be okay. I promise." He kissed me lightly on my forhead then exited.I pursed my lips.

I undid my needles and the beeping stopped. I slid off of the bed and slipped into normal clothes. Taking a deep breath, I burst through the door.

So be it.