The Wrong Victor

Chapter seven: Katniss

Everyday is the same. Screaming, singing, screaming, singing, screaming, singing and videos. Whenever any other the others are screaming I sing. I sing the meadow song. I go away from the Capitol to a meadow with Rue, Prim, and Peeta. Just us four. No one else.

"Does she ever shut up?" I can hear the guards coming to get me. I just keep singing.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow." My voice is but a whisper knowing if I sing louder I'll be hurt more.

"Never. It's the same song in repeat too." Another man says as I think of being in a meadow with Rue and Prim and Peeta. We're all happy. Away from this place.

"A bed of grass, a small green pillow."

"Well let's just grab her. She has to get dolled up for the interview." My door opens and I curl into myself more I don't want to leave. I don't want to go. My chain around my ankle is taken off before I'm grabbed and pulled into a standing position.

"Good morning doll face. Ready for your debut? President Snow is very angry with your boyfriend."

"Lay down your head and close your sleepy eyes."

"Yeah yeah, we know your stupid song. Shut up already."

"And when again they open, the sun will rise." I continue singing as they drag me to the makeup area. I'm put in a loose fitting long sleeve grey dress. An intricate and heavy necklace is added to the high collar to hide the needle marks and to hold my chin up. My face is done up to look beautiful and my hair is combed and curled to perfection. I'm dragged to the interview chair and I just sit there.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow. A bed of grass, a small green pillow. Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes. When again they open, the sun will rise." I'm handed as rose and I don't pay attention to anything but the thorn in my finger and the horrible stench. "Here it's safe, and here it's warm. Here the daisies guard you from every harm. Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true. Here is the place where I love you." A tear falls down my cheek as a hand touches my knee. "I wish I could give this rose to you, Peeta."

"A sweet gesture for a man who has inspired such violence. You must love him very much to be able to forgive him. I don't think that I could." Caesar's voice rings in my ear. Peeta. "Unless of course, Katniss, that you think he is being forced into saying things that he doesn't even understand." I look up at him another tear falls down my face.

"Yeah, yeah, that's exactly what I think." I say swallowing hard and tapping the melody of the song against the stem of the rose. The one constant in my life. The song. "I think they're using him to whip up the rebels. I doubt he knows what's happening and what's really at stake.

"Now, Katniss I doubt the rebels will ever let him see this. But if they do. What would you say to him? To Peeta Mellark, the once charismatic and sweet Peeta Mellark. What would you say to him?" My eyes widen as I look at Caesar. My eyes burn with tears as I pray he's not watching this. I pray he doesn't see me like this. I pray he keeps me the way I was in his brain for I will surely die here. I don't want his last images of me to be like this. But I must do as told. I must say what they want me to.

"I would... I would tell him to think for himself." I say looking directly at the camera. Look away Peeta. Please. Don't watch this. "Don't be a fool Peeta." You're not being a fool. Keep fighting. Please. "I know you never wanted the rebellion. I know I'd dragged you into it. And you supported me and the rebels picked me. You never wanted this. You wanted children. You wanted to run the bakery when your parents retired. You wanted a family. Something I couldn't give you. What I did in the games were never intended to cause this. They were never intended to pull you in." I cry before I see Snow pointing at the monitor. "But Peeta I know the rebels are making you into something you're not. They're making you into something that can destroy us all. So if you have any power or any say in what they do or how they use you. Please. Please urge them to stop this war before it's too late. And ask yourself, can you trust the people you're working with?" Another tear floats down my cheek. Peeta please don't stop. Please. "Do you know what they really want? Peeta, don't be a piece in their game." How did they get that? How do they know he said that?

"Thank you Katniss Everdeen." The cameras shut off and I burst into sobs. This isn't fair. No!

I feel an arm grab me but I fight it. I fight it off clawing and screaming. I won't let them take me! I won't! I won't let them! No! More arms grab me throwing me to the floor before feet kick me multiple times. Then the world goes black as I see a shoe kick my face. And I fall into a dreamworld where I'm with Peeta and Prim and Rue and my mother and father. And Haymitch and Effie too.