Johanna Mason, trapped in the Capitol

Chapter 2

In the morning I go over to the wall where Peeta's cell is. "Peeta." I whisper. "Yeah  Johanna." He answers. We both pause. "Are you alright?" I ask, even though it was a stupid question. "Yeah....." He says with a sigh. "Like you said...Katniss will come for us....." I say trying to lift his spirits. "Katniss!" He yells. "She doesn't care about you or me or the rest of PANEM! She only cares for herself! She is a monster!" I was shocked. Only yesterday it was Peeta who told me it was going to be alright. That Katniss would rescue us. "Peeta? What are you talking about?" I am too confused. " I hate Katniss! I hate her! Don't you ever mention her name to me again!" He yells. Did he snap? What would make him hate her so much overnight? Then I realize something. Snow. The only person who could get someone to think terribly of someone they love. They tortured him, in an unthinkable, terrible way. They took away the one thing that mattered to him. Katniss. They manipulated his thoughts about her. I didn't say anything. What could I say? 'Hey Peeta, yeah, Snow tortured you into thinking that Katniss Everdeen, the girl you are madly in love with, is a monster.' Yeah, that wouldn't go over well. Not with Snow, and not with Peeta.  

I sit in silence for the rest of the day. I don't know what to do. I cannot talk to Peeta, clearly he isn't himself. Peeta, the one guy in the whole world I thought no one could change, I guess I was wrong. I know that Katniss really does love him. She may not know it, but I do. The way they sat together on the beach and just held one another....yeah that was love. I know that feeling, the one that you get when nothing in the world could ever be more perfect. At one point in my life...I was in love, but President Snow killed him. Nothing new, he kills everyone. He takes anyone or anything that anybody has ever loved or held dear and he ruins it.

My fingers still ache from the acid. They don't try to heal me here...of course not...I am a prisoner. The skin is basically falling off. I wince as the tears from my eyes fall on the blisters. Be strong. Be strong. I repeat that over and over again. I have almost lost hope in this cell. The 'real' Peeta once told me to have hope. That someone will come and rescue us. I don't know about any rescuing here. I am almost to the point of giving up...  All the sudden I hear  a "creeeeeek" and  my cell door opens. I squeeze my eyes together. Don't torture me more...please...."Johanna Mason. The President requests your presence in his office." says a Peacekeeper. "And what if I refuse to go?" I snap. He clears his throat. I don't want to be beat anymore so I stand up. He walks straight behind me all the way to the elevators. I look around to see that he is the only guard with me. This may be my chance to escape! The only thing that is going through my head is that I have to get out, no matter what. If I can get away before we enter the elevator, I can ride it all the way to...to where? I have no idea how to get out of this place, there aren't any maps on the wall that have a little red dot that says "You're here."! I'd be as lost as a mouse in a maze...and what about Peeta? I couldn't leave him and the other tributes behind...I wouldn't be able to live with myself. It doesn't help that I am practically falling apart either. The elevator dings and the doors open. I stay with the Peacekeeper, might as well see what the good old President has to say now.

I watch the Peacekeeper hit the top floor button labeled "PS" I think it stands for "President Snow." This reminds me of the elevator ride I took with Peeta, Katniss and Haymitch when I was trying to come across as tough by stripping in front of them. I can't help but smile a little. You should have seen the look on Katniss's face, I thought she was going to explode! The elevator stops and I can't help but hold on to the wall a little, my fingers burn against the cold elevator wall. My balance has been off since the torturing began, which is another reason I can't escape. I am weak. The Peacekeeper pulls my arm and takes me out in the hall. "No blindfold?" I ask, "What am I going to have tea with the President?" I need them to think that I am strong, but I don't think that it is working. The Peacekeeper stays quite, which makes me more nervous than I already am. I can feel my heart rate speed up as he walks me farther down the hall. I start to slow down a bit and he squeezes my arm tighter. I wince, but he doesn't seem to care.