survivor - peter mellarkxoc

ii..

74th hunger games

It's been 2 years since I won the 72nd annual hunger games, 2 years since I murdered 9 tributes and careers, 2 years since it all happened. And somehow it hasn't gotten the slightest bit easier, I still jolt from the nightmares, I still see my victims blood on my hands and my face, I can feel it drowning me. A constant reminder of the pain I caused, the murders I committed.

'The youngest victor' they called me. 13 years old and I had won, but at what cost?

It's nothing but pure evil and anybody who does so much as watch the games are equally as bad. I was nothing more than a child, I still am.

I'm from District 10, the district of livestock, my father used to own a farm and I'd help catch the animals and skin them to be eaten or sold, hence the name 'Skinner'. Luckily for me in the games, I used it to my advantage, killing my opponents as if they were animals, that's all I saw them as in the arena, if I viewed them as what they were, human beings, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself. It only helped in the games, in the present times I remember every single thing I did, everybody I killed and how I killed them. It haunts me.

Being 'desirable' in the Capitol wasn't in my favours either, having no control over my body, not being able to say no, a word so simple yet so destructive. I remember saying it once to President Snow.

It was 7 months after my game and I had recently turned 14, President Snow paid me a 'special' visit, first time in months. He told me how the Capitol thought I was theirs, how I was appealing. I didn't understand at first but as Snow began to mention clients, I caught on to his sick and twisted mind, my face scrunching in pure disgust.

"No! Hell no!" I yelled, taking President Snow back. Without another word, I stormed out of the office, not even batting an eye.

This was by far the biggest mistake of my life, when I returned home I had learned that my father was killed by one of his farm animals, skinned and mauled alive. I knew Snow had done this to prove that he owned me, my body, the entirety of Panem. The animals on my fathers farm wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone their owner.

After that I never disobeyed him, anytime there would be an unsupervised visit, I knew what it meant, I've blocked out many memories from those endless nights of pure suffering and pain, but something half decent did come out of it. I was able to meet a new friend, a previous victor, someone who was the youngest victor before me.

His name was Finnick Odair, we were both at the victor party and Snow introduced us actually, we spoke for the rest of the party and I had heard a few rumours about him, so I decided to ask him about them. I probably shouldn't have, but I was a curious child.

After he confirmed my suspicions, he noticed I was all too familiar with what he was saying, I would even finish a few of his sentences. What they would do, say, give in return.

He then realised that I wasn't asking for his experiences, but to see if they were similar to mine. I remember him hugging me, telling me that he's so sorry and he wishes he could help me, even crying in my arms, I cried too. It was the first time I had ever spoken about it. Nobody understood me better than him, we both went through the same horrific events, and it brought us closer.

I push the thoughts out of my mind, focusing on the large screen in front of me, Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen. Star crossed lovers they called them, I didn't believe this for a split second, anyone could see that this was nothing but an act.

They were holding berries in their hand, something called 'nightlock'. It would have killed them both in under a minute. I fixed my posture, eager to see the outcome of this, surely they wouldn't let the both of them die. But something about Peeta was so alluring to me, maybe it was his innocence, or his puppy dog eyes, or his handsome face.

"Together?" Peeta's voice was barely above a whisper, cuts and bruised scattered across his hands.

"Together." Katniss confirmed, "3.."

"2.." Peeta brought his hand up to her braid, observing her one last time.

"1.." She finished, bringing the berries up to her lips.

Suddenly, a loud voice I recognised to be Seneca Crane yelled, "Wait! Wait, stop! Ladies and gentlemen, the winners of the 74th annual hunger games." He announced, shocking the entirety of the Panem. "Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark." He sighed.

2 winners? It couldn't be, no way Snow approved of that. I watched as Katniss flung her arms over Peeta, embracing him.

For the first time in 74 years, there were 2 winners in one game, a deep feeling of paranoia creeped into me, sending shivers throughout my entire body.

I was happy for Katniss and Peeta but a certain feeling loomed over me, the feeling that this was just the beginning.

x

first chapter was a little filler, expect more next!