PEARL BAZIN WAS DRAGGED ONTO THE TRAIN BY PEACEKEEPERS. Every part of her was restrained by them, and her cries were useless.
She had finally returned to District 4, expecting a life of peace after her victory. After celebrating her nineteenth birthday, she was taken from her own home by Peacekeepers.
She cried and begged for them to let her go, but there were two many of them. Pearl was able to attack a few of them, but she was easily disarmed.
They told her that she was being sent to the Capitol. Pearl did not want to be there ever again. She didn't even want to step foot near Coriolanus Snow.
The train ride was quiet and dreadful. She didn't have any company aside from the Peacekeepers guarding the door.
Pearl tried to close her eyes and imagine she was back home, but nothing was working. The train finally came to a stop and this time when she opened her eyes it was a bit more peaceful.
There wasn't a giant crowd waiting outside of the train. No one must know she is coming. Pearl stood up as the Peacekeepers grabbed her arms again. She fought the entire way.
"Where are you taking me?" Pearl demanded as she was taken off the train.
"To Snow."
Pearl felt a breakdown coming on, and she looked around. The floor she was on in the Capitol differed from her floor as a tribute greatly. It was way more elegant. Of course Snow gave himself more luxury.
Suddenly, the men stopped in front of a large looking office room. One of them opened the doors, and she was brought into it.
The room was large and elegant. There was a long office table made out of pure gold. There was a throne looking chair behind it, which she assumed was Snow's.
One of the Peacekeepers grabbed another decently sized chair and pulled it up in front of the desk. Pearl assumed it was for her based off the way they were looking at her.
She slowly walked towards the chair before glaring at the Peacekeeper beside it. Pearl ran towards him, knocking him to the ground. It felt like she was in that arena again as blood poured out of his nose.
Before Pearl could lay another hand on the man, other Peacekeepers grabbed her. She was forced onto the chair as they tied her wrists together with rope.
"What are you doing?!" Pearl yelled as she realized her hands were tied to the desk.
"That's what Snow said to do if you didn't behave..."
The Peacekeepers left the room and the door slammed shut. Pearl was left questioning what just happened.
She was locked in President Snow's office in the Capitol. Pearl once believed becoming a victor would grant her more freedom, but instead it just make her a prized Capitol possession.
She tried to free herself from the rope, but unfortunately the Peacekeepers had gone a good job at restraining her.
As she tugged some more, Pearl heard the large gold doors open from behind her. It was difficult to turn around, nor did she want to look. Footsteps made their way to the chair Pearl was sitting in.
Pearl felt her hair be twisted around someone's fingers. She tried not to look, and she tried to ignore the sensation rushing through her body. The hand moved down to the rope her hands were tied together with.
Pearl refused to make eye contact with the monster behind her. She knew exactly who it was and was afraid of what he wanted.
Suddenly, there was a tug on the rope as she was forced to look to her left side. President Snow looked at her, a smirk tugging at his kissable lips.
"What do you want?" Pearl whispered.
"I told you I wasn't done with you, Pearl."
His voice was deep and seductive. She never imagined coming face to face with the man she hated most, let alone with him holding her in place.
There was that scent again...
The strong smell of crimson roses became stronger with every step closer Snow took. "You aren't my biggest admirer, are you?"
Pearl could name a million reasons why she hated him. She wouldn't be surprised if majority of Panem agreed with her. Even Tigris, his own cousin, secretly despises him.
"I don't think anyone is. You're a manipulative and dictating murder," Pearl sneered.
Pearl felt the wind almost be knocked out of her as Snow yanked on the ropes, bringing her extremely close to his face.
"I advise you watch your tounge around me, Ms. Bazin." Snow could feel her fear and it just made him more satisfied. "As president of Panem, I have unlimited power over you. You should be grateful that I'm even keeping you alive."
Pearl couldn't escape his eyes. They kept her frozen and shivering. Why wasn't President Snow killing her?
She remembered Tigris's words. He liked her, and he wanted to teach her a lesson...
"What else can you take from me, Mr. President?" she asked in a mocking tone.
Now there was a full smirk on Snow's face. "There is a lot I can take from you..."
Pearl felt her heartbeat get faster every second. "I suppose we're both murderers. You killed some of those tributes and watched others die. Don't you remember how Apollo and Opal said your name as they bled out?"
"Stop," Pearl begged.
"And how you stabbed that girl at the beginning of the games right through the chest with no mercy. You left her little brother alone in her district."
"Stop!"
Snow's fingertips caressed her jawline. "We're not too different," he whispered.
"I'm nothing like you. You're a monster."
Snow suddenly stood up tall. "Guards."
The doors opened again, but this time men who appeared to be Peacekeepers stood there. "Take her to the room I designed."
Pearl looked up at Snow in horror as the Peacekeepers came toward her. "What room?"
Snow wasn't responding. He was just smirking as she began to be dragged away. "Snow! What room?"
He still didn't respond. The president faded out of view as she was dragged backwards through the hallways. Pearl wasn't able to escape the Capitol's torture even after the games were over.
The room she was thrown into was extremely small. The walls and floor were a plain white color. It was just a room of blankness. The door was locked, and Pearl was just left in this empty room.
A small piece of the ceiling opened up. Pearl looked at it puzzled. She was calming down until she saw a bunch of black birds flood out of the hole.
She wasn't sure what they were or why they were being sent here. The birds flew around, and she swatted them away from her head. Pearl did not like being swarmed with these creatures.
Everything became weirder when they began to speak.
"Pearl!" Apollo's voice echoed.
Pearl tried to cover her ears as she held back her tears. Why was the bird talking in Apollo's voice? How was that even possible? She never wanted to have to hear his pleads for help again.
"Apollo," she mouthed in horror.
The darned birds kept repeating Apollo's pleads and Pearl was growing tired and stressed. What she heard next ticked her off more.
"Goodbye, Pearl."
It was Opal's voice as she said goodbye to her for the last time. Pearl didn't deserve Opal, and Opal didn't deserve death.
The same pattern repeated. The birds kept talking in Opal's voice.
"Pearl!"
"Pearl!"
One voice belonged to her mother and one voice belonged to Marie. How had the Capitol gotten those recordings? Was her family in danger while she was locked in her?
Pearl was being tortured. Her ears felt like they were going to bleed and her neck was laced with sweat. Pearl began to bang on the door and fell onto her knees.
"Let me out!"
The birds took turns repeating everyone's painful words. Pearl felt her world spin and her sanity become in question.
She banged on the door again. "President, please. Please!"
Pearl looked down, her vision blinded by tears. The door suddenly opened, propelling Pearl forward on her knees. She slowly looked up to see Snow standing above her.
Pearl was on her knees in front of the president. She felt embarrassed and weak. She never allowed someone to have dominance over her like this. It wasn't something Pearl wanted at all.
"Now this is a sight I like to see," Snow said in a low voice. His finger held her chin up. "Get up."
Pearl silently obeyed. Snow towered over her. He grabbed her wrist and she walked through the blank Capitol hallways. Everyone stared.
A district girl was being dragged around the Capitol by the president himself. How could someone not stare?
They returned to his office, Pearl's anger growing every second. She was promised peace after her victory.
"I won your stupid games. Now let me live," Pearl spat.
"I'm afraid you're still a part of my game."
Snow's touch haunted her again. She hated it. His fingers traced her jawline, as if he was observing her every feature.
"You're so delicate, and so vulnerable. Now tell me, what did my cousin tell you about me?"
Pearl remembered all of the warnings Tigris gave her about Snow. She warned Pearl that exactly this would happen. Of course she wouldn't tell Snow that. She didn't want to put Tigris's life at risk.
"Tigris? Nothing."
His grip became firmer as she felt her face suffocate under his hands. "I know you're lying."
Pearl was currently sitting in the same chair that she was before, and Snow stood in front of her. Her hands weren't tied, so an idea brewed in Pearl's mind.
She suddenly got up and yanked herself out of his grasp. She made a run for the door. Unfortunately, Snow was a lot quicker as she expected.
He grabbed her wrist and she was spun around to face him. In the arena, Pearl felt powerful. She felt like she could take on anyone and easily rip out their throwing she really wanted to.
Here in the Capitol, she felt like a toy that could easily be tossed around by President Snow. He was right about one thing; he has unlimited power over her.
"You know, I once knew a girl like you from the districts. She never knew how to listen."
Pearl looked him up and down. Her eyes fell to her wrist, which was still trapped. "You sent the rose and the suit. Why?"
"I don't owe you an explanation, Miss Bazin. Guards."
The same Peacekeepers from before came storming into the room, grabbing Pearl by the arms again. Why was Snow doing all of this? What was the purpose of bringing her here?
He had to of brought her all the way from District 4 to the Capitol for a reason. His touch felt so chilling, yet so right.
Snow had tortured her with his personally designed room, but he had also spent his time admiring her and stroking his hand along her skin.
Pearl wanted to call it creepy, but in a way it wasn't. Snow was attractive, and he knew how to use it to his advantage. Pearl would never let his looks blind what he's done to her and the people of Panem.
Once she was sent back to District 4, would she be safe? Was that all of the torture Snow had to offer? Pearl hoped that she would never have to see his face again.