Snow Lands on Top

Chapter 6

"Coryo! I'm over here" Lucy Gray shouts. He keeps wandering aimlessly deeper into the forest. Her shouts become muffled. "No Coryo I'm right here! You don't have to go deeper." Then he's gone, he disappeared.
Lucy Gray wakes up from a banging on her door. She pulls herself up to see Dr. Gaul standing in front of her cell door.
"Get up, we have a lot of work today" Dr. Gaul says sternly. Lucy Gray rolls her eyes. "What, another party you need me at?" she asked.
"No, today we go to the arena. You will perform in there and it will be broadcast to all the districts. Then we need to figure out what you will perform at the reaping ceremony. Like I said, lots of work. Coriolanus will be here soon to help with today's activities" she said. Coriolanus, she hadn't seen him since Friday. She hoped he had thought of some ways to get her out of here.
As her thoughts of him grew, some new people walked in. Two women, both wearing their high Capitol fashion. Lucy Gray was still in the gray jumpsuit from 13. The only possession she had at the moment. They walk in and smile kindly at her.
"Hi Lucy Gray, my name is Tigris. I'm going to be your stylist for the games. This is Portia, she will be cleaning you up" she said gently. Lucy Gray looked at them unsure. "I'm sure this is a lot for you sweetie but really, you need not worry around us. We are just here to take care of you" Portia says. Lucy Gray nods, like she really has a choice in all of this.
"Great, we will get you cleaned up first. Let you eat and then find the perfect dress for you" Tigris says excited. Lucy Gray is directed to follow Portia to a bathroom. Lucy Gray is showered off, and every inch of her body is polished with the finest soaps that she'd ever seen. "I don't think i've ever smelled so clean" she says trying to break the silence with Portia. Portia smiles, "it's the least the Capitol can do for you. I'm sure being here is a lot" she says kindly. Lucy Gray looks down, she cannot believe it. It's not just Coriolanus they've brainwashed, it's the entire city. Not a single person here understands the torture the Capitol inflicts everyday on the districts. Lucy Gray knew it was wrong to take this out on her, so she didn't. At least these people were attempting to be kind. "Lucy Gray, I am done. There is some clothes sitting out for you on your bed" she said.
Lucy Gray walks out of the bathroom and sees a simple shirt and long skirt laid out for her. She throws them on quickly, knowing that breakfast is next. She has been receiving 3 meals a day but she assumed it was only to fatten her up for the cameras. The Capitol didn't want people thinking she was not being taken care of during her stay. As she was walked out to a small cafeteria, she saw Coriolanus sitting at a table waiting for her. The peacekeepers walking with her lead her to the table. "You'll be given 30 minutes to eat and talk" one of the peacekeepers says.
Coriolanus looks her up and down. "You look clean" he said.
"I got showered this morning, by a woman" she said. He smiled at her, and handed her a plate of breakfast food. She had to give it to them, the Capitol was feeding her well. She hated that she would finish every bite of the food they presented but she had never tasted anything like it.
"So are you ready for today?" he asked. She looked at him confused. "Yeah I still know how to sing" she said. He rolled his eyes, of course she would give some smart ass answer.
"I meant having to perform there, in the arena. You think you can handle it? They told me that they want you to perform that song you sang at the end of the games last year. It won't be too much for you right?" he said concerned.
"Don't pretend like you care Coriolanus. The last thing I need is you pitying me. I can handle whatever the Capitol wants to throw at me. Have you started thinking about what we talked about after the party?" she asked. He looked around nervously. He didn't want anyone to overhear the conversation.
"I'm still working on it, I don't exactly know how to get you out but I'll find a way" he said quietly.
"Coriolanus Snow, if you do not hurry up, I will spill everything" she says threatening.
"I'll help you, but please, do not threaten me. You may think you have the power here Lucy Gray but, I could so easily have you killed. No one would bat an eye at the loss of you" he said. She looked fiercely into his eyes. Her once sweet Coryo was gone, there was no good left in him. He was only helping her to get her out of his life. "So you have a girlfriend now?" She asked changing the subject. He smirked at her, "I have a girl, she listens, she obeys, she's good" he says.
What a monster he had turned into.
"Let's focus on you though, you have to sing again, at the reaping. I am here to help you pick a song. I brought a list of all of the Capitols favorites" he said pulling a piece of paper out of his bag.
"I'm not singing any Capitol song. I already chose my song for the reaping" she said raising her chin. He looked at her lost.
"No Lucy Gray, you must pick from this list. They sent me here because they thought you would cooperate better if it was me giving you options" he said bluntly.
"Well they were wrong. I don't have to do as you say Coriolanus. I am singing 'The Hanging Tree' and that's that" she said. He shook his head no. "Lucy Gray you cannot sing that song here. The Capitol would be outraged. I promised Dr. Gaul you would sing a song showing support of the Capitol. If you don't, I could lose my job. Please pick a song from the list" he said pleading. She knew that the song would cause a stir, she wanted all of Panem to hear it as a battle cry. Right after the reaping too, it would create riots, people would know she's a prisoner of the Capitol.
"What will they do? Kill me? That's just another way to escape Panem for me" she said. Coriolanus looked at her disappointed. She grabbed the list of songs and ripped it up. "You can never do things the easy way" he said. He got up from the table and stormed out of the room. She smirked, another battle won by Lucy Gray in the Great War of past lovers.
Tigris walked in after he left. "God only knows what you could've said to make him so angry" she says with a smile. Lucy Gray smiles back at her. "I don't mind putting him in his place" Lucy Gray says with a raised eyebrow. Tigris smirks and nods, she motions for Lucy Gray to follow her out. As Lucy Gray walked with Tigris back to her bedroom, Tigris kept staring at her.
"Sorry, I don't mean to make you uncomfortable. I can just understand why Coriolanus is mad that you're back" she said. Does she know him personally? Does she know the love that once was between them?
"Coriolanus is my cousin. He used to tell me all about your time together during the games last year. He also mentioned your time together in 12" she said smiling. Lucy Gray nodded.
"So he sent you here?" She said knowingly.
"Oh no, I am not working for Dr. Gaul. I mean I got this job because of Coriolanus but he didn't send me here in hopes of finding anything. I wanted to do it, I found your games really inspiring last year. You were quite a powerhouse, you shook the Capitol" Tigris says admiring.
As they got back into the room, Lucy Gray saw a multitude of dresses for her to select.
"You made all of these?" Lucy Gray asked Tigris.
"Yeah, these are for you. I was asked to make 10 dresses for you to wear over the course of the next few days. I think this is the best one for the performance today" Tigris says pulling a dress off the rack. It was a beautiful light pink dress with flowers adorning the bottom. "The flowers at the bottom are native to 12. Primrose and Katniss, I believe they are called" Tigris says. Lucy Gray nods, "Yeah, it's beautiful" she says breathlessly. She gets herself into the dress and looks at herself in the mirror.
"How my twisted cousin ever pulled such a beauty is beyond me" Tigris says behind her. Lucy Gray smiles.
"He wasn't twisted when I met him. He was good" Lucy Gray said defending him.
"It's still there, it's fading everyday though. He still has a soft spot for you Lucy Gray" Tigris says cleaning up the room. Lucy Gray shook her head no.
"I think you're wrong. He said he wished I was dead" Lucy Gray says with a shudder.
"He's just saying that as a cover. You were his first love. Oh and don't think that Livia means anything to him. He just wanted a pretty rich girl on his arm to distract himself from losing you" she said. Lucy Gray gave a small laugh to that. Was that the truth? He was just being tough to cover his true feelings? It wouldn't surprise her, but didn't he know that he could open up to her. She must admit that even after everything he's done, she still does miss him. She would take him back, if he were to realize the mistakes he made and apologize for them. She wouldn't want the Coriolanus Snow that has charmed the Capitol elite. She would take her Coryo back, the sweet boy that protected her in the games and brought her food and ice in 12.
A hard knock on the door startled her. Dr. Gaul with two peacekeepers walked in.
"It's time to go to the arena" she said. The two peacekeepers walked in and grabbed Lucy Gray. They walked her out to a car and started the quick drive to the new arena.
As they approached the tall building. It looked similar but more reenforced than last year. Peacekeepers lined the outside of the building. No one was breaking in or out of that place this year. As they walked in, Lucy Gray noticed they removed all of the seating that once was there. It's now different structures. Some tall beams that you could climb. The underground tunnels now had stairs that would take you down into them. The arena had many places to hide now as well. This was sure to make the games last longer. Directly in the middle was a large structure, full of weapons.
"Do you like what I've done with the place?" Dr. Gaul asked. Lucy Gray looked at her scared. "I wish my games would've been in here. I would've felt safer knowing there were more places to hide" she said truthfully.
"I want you to sing that song from the end of your games. I want you to stand in the middle of the arena up on that structure. You'll have the Capitol flag flying behind you during it all. It will be beautiful" Dr. Gaul says smiling. As Lucy Gray approaches the structure she starts getting memories of her time here. The snakes were set off right here. Her life flashing before her eyes as she saw them all slithering towards her. She wished Coriolanus was here. He would know what to say, or at least give her a sad look to let her know that he understood what she was thinking. As if he heard what she was thinking, Coriolanus runs into the arena and stand next to Dr. Gaul.
"I'm sorry I'm late. Class went over schedule" he said apologizing to her.
"That's okay Mr. Snow. You did not miss the performance" she said looking back at Lucy Gray.
Lucy Gray looked over at Coriolanus, hoping to get that pity look he was giving her at breakfast. Instead she got a stern look, and a little nod telling her it's time to perform. Every time he has a chance to make her feel something for him again, he gives her nothing. She feels a pain deep in her and begins belting her song. As she finishes she realizes that some tears have escaped her eyes. As she comes back to her setting, she looks back over at Coriolanus. He is staring at her proud, like this was all his doing.
"Wonderful, Lucy! Now I hope Coriolanus and you came to a decision for your song at the reaping?" Dr. Gaul asks her. Coriolanus looked back and forth between Lucy Gray and Gaul. He gave Lucy Gray a small head shake, warning her to not tell her. Lucy Gray raised her chin at him, she would sing her choice, he could not stop her.
"Lucy Gray is defying the Capitol. She wishes to sing a battle song. I tried my best to convince her otherwise but she is being stubborn" Coriolanus says before Lucy Gray could speak. Lucy Gray looks at him shocked. Did he just tattle on her to his boss?
"I see, well, I tried to be nice" Dr. Gaul says. Coriolanus straightens his posture expecting some kind of praise from his boss after what he said.
"Coriolanus, you are free to go. Do not come into work tomorrow. I'm giving you a day off" she says. He looks surprised, he never got a day off.
"Thank you, Dr. Gaul" he said with a smile. He took one last look at Lucy Gray and walked out.
The peacekeepers grabbed Lucy Gray as they walked her out of the arena.
When they got back to the headquarters the peacekeepers started to take her down the hallway where her room was.
"Not so fast, I need Lucy to come with me" Dr. Gaul says. They turn around and follow the orders from her. Lucy Gray had never been in this part of the building. They enter a large room with different animals in jars. Lucy Gray decided it best to look at the floor as she thought she would be sick from the rest of her surroundings.
"Take her to the back room" Dr. Gaul says menacing. Lucy Gray felt scared, more scared than ever. What was the back room? As they pushed her into the room suddenly it all became clear. With all the test animals in their cages, Lucy Gray knew she was about to be experimented on. The peacekeepers sat Lucy Gray in a chair and strapped her down.
"Please let me go! I'll sing a Capitol song! I promise, I don't want to hurt anyone. Please, help me!" She screams to the peacekeepers. They keep their heads down and walk out of the room. Lucy Gray starts crying, she wished she was dead. She wished Coriolanus would have killed her back in 12. It would be better than this torture. Dr. Gaul walks into the room with gloves on holding a glass jar.
"Please don't hurt me! I promise I'll sing whatever you want me to" she says through her tears.
"Yes, you will sing what I want you to. You'll do anything I want you to after a little treatment" she said. Once Dr. Gaul was closer, she realized that in the jar was a wasp. A large wasp, but instead of the yellow and black color that typically accompanied it, it was gold; completely gold. Dr. Gaul grabbed a pair of tweezers and grabbed the bug from the jar. Lucy Gray tried to squirm away from it as far as possible. Dr. Gaul placed the bug up against her skin around the base of her neck. Lucy Gray shook with fear waiting for the sting to happen. Then suddenly, like a shock wave through her body it hit. She immediately screamed out in pain. More tears streamed down her face, ruining the perfect makeup she once had. Dr. Gaul takes the wasp and has it sting her a second time on the other side of her neck. Lucy Gray cries out again. This time it didn't hurt as much. She saw the world get blurry. Was this it, was this death finally coming to get her?
"You will sing Gem of Panem" Dr. Gaul says holding Lucy Gray's head up to look at her.
"I'll sing Gem of Panem" Lucy Gray says back.