Hijacked

Chapter 1

It’s odd how things you think are deadly can really be quite marvellous. Like, spears and knifes can be weapons, or they can be tools for getting food. A handful of black-blue berries can mean instant death, or they can be the key to your survival. A hovercraft can be transport to a death arena, or it can be your ticket out of there.

So that’s why, when I see a hovercraft descend over the other side of the Quarter Quell arena, and figures being rescued, I shout Finnick.

“Hey Finnick!” I call loudly “Did you see that?”

Silence.

“Finnick?” I turn around but I can’t see him.

“Finnick Odair?” I shout, batting a large green leaf out of my way.

And then I hear a familiar whirring roar. Leaves and dust blow upwards around me, and I cough. I’m being rescued. We’re all being rescued! They’ve picked up Johanna and Katniss, and probably Finnick. That’s why he isn’t replying to me.

I clutch the hovercraft ladder the second it comes down. It freezes me in place, and I like that sensation. I was half-dead last time it happened; when Katniss and I won the 74th Games. It’s nice being frozen. You feel weightless, as if you could float. So it’s kind of sad when I’m unfrozen. A hand reaches out to help me into the hovercraft. I take it gratefully and step in.

“Thank you.” I say, smiling and look up at the person who helped me.

I stumble back, gasping for breath when I see who it is.

“President Snow.”

I press my back against the wall, attempting to put as much distance between Snow and myself as I can without falling right out of the hovercraft.

“Don’t worry, Peeta.” Snow says. “I won’t hurt you.”

I swallow hard.

“Where’s Katniss? Where are the other Victors?” I ask

Snow gives a laugh as cold as his name. “Oh, they’re going on quite a different journey to you.”

My blood runs cold and I feel goose-bumps prickle on my arms.

“What do you mean?” I ask

“You’re coming with me for a little visit to the Capitol.”

“I don’t think I want to.” I say, protesting as politely as I can

“Oh, I’m not asking you.” Snow laughs darkly. “Now, we’ve brought you a friend or two.”

He disappears around the corner and comes back with a peacekeeper. I hear shrieking before I see who’s there. Snow has his hand on a girl’s wrist, but she is silent and making no noise or attempt to escape. Conversely, the peacekeeper is struggling hard to hold onto his own prisoner. Johanna Mason.

“Johanna!” I exclaim

“Peeta!” She calls back.

Her hands are secured behind her back, but she is making good use of her other limbs. Her legs kick out, often connecting with the peacekeepers legs as she struggles. The peacekeeper grabs her by the waist and drags her over as she kicks out and screams. She drives her shoulder back into his chest and he drops her with a thud.

She shakes free from his grasp and runs over to me.

“Peeta!” she yells and I throw an arm around her shoulder.

Then a sound next to me makes me turn. The girl Snow is holding tight makes an indignant, scared yelp and I turn to her.

“Annie Cresta.” I say, remembering the videos of the reapings that Katniss and I watched on the train.

Thinking of Katniss was a mistake. A sharp pain in my chest makes me flinch as I feel her arms around me, late at night. Curled up to me, crying out, as she fights the nightmares that came thick and fast. Her eyes as they suddenly flew open, wide with terror, locked on my face in the dark. Her smile in the roof-top garden. The shock on her face as her wedding dress went up in flames, along with any hope that we could be together, forever, for real.

Sometimes it feels like I should hate her for doing this; for lying. But I know I can’t, because she has to lie. Other times I just simply wish she didn’t have to lie. She could just love me. Simple. But you can’t make people love you.

Annie looks around, confused. Her eyes are glassy and she resembles someone in a trance.

“Where’s Finn?” she asks me.

“Search me.” I reply

She frowns.

“No thank you. I’m looking for Finnick.”

And even now, with fear and confusion threatening to drown me, that makes me smile.