Prison Break: Book 2 (Hunger Games fanfic)

Chapter 1

Author's Note: Book 2 of the trilogy! Who's excited? If you're excited and happy for the arrival of Prison Break, leave a comment or vote! Dedicated to Amanda_Lily. Thanks for your awesomeness!

The roaring crowds, the flashing lights, the cheering hands, all of these things blur together and send a wave of nausea hurling at me. A click signals the doors have widened open, and I'm standing in front of my district. I am home.

I search the crowd with their flailing arms, the people I know so well. The men I see walking down Creede every morning. The woman and children I see on their front porches, spraying the layer of grime off of them using a hose. The miserable citizens of 11 stand in front of me. I've never seen them this happy before. But they don't know. Nobody has told them yet. 

I finally land my eyes on Mom and Dad. They give a slight smile, but I can easily see the pained expression etched on their face. By seventeen years of living with them, I know them like the back of my hand. The Capitol has informed them without a doubt. 

 Every little detail reminds me of the Hunger Games, or the Capitol. The wave of people surrounding me turns into Capitol citizens in my mind, wearing their ridiculous outfits and wigs. The smell of freshly baked bread singes my nose. Even the cobblestone makes me dizzy. I still can see Cody's body falling limply to the floor with a thud. 

I look around at the town square. Just less than three weeks ago, twenty four tributes stood around this square, prepared to kill without thought. Knives, spears, arrows were thrown. Everybody determined, but the blood still spilled on the ground, stinking the whole arena with the putrid odor of blood. Only one is still alive. And it's me. Zac Brennon. 

Carly steps beside me, a hint of a smile on her face. She reaches out to touch my hand, but I recoil at her touch. She frowns, but I still read the same expression. I haven't smiled once since I found out my sister is still in the arena. The Capitol has kept her hostage. I don't even know if she's still alive. 

As we step out of the train, Jannie waves me a sad goodbye. A tear finds its way down her cheeks, and she runs off to her room, head in her hands. I already said my goodbyes to Rhett. But it won't be long before I see him again. 

The crowd roars and makes an aisle for Carly and I to walk down. I stare at their cheering faces. I'll never see anybody, or anything, the same way again. I will always imagine the stores boarded up and destroyed, like they were in the arena. I will always see a giant Cornucopia in town square. And I don't think I'll even be able to look at home again, because of all the blood that spilled in there. Because of the nightmares I'll have. Because of Crystal's death. She's alive, I try telling myself. But she's as good as gone. Saving her is beyond my capability. 

Carly escorts me to the stage. This was her, once. Years ago, it was her that walked onto this stage and answered the questions from District 11. But now it's me. It should be Crystal, but the Capitol has her. 

I clumsily sit down in the lone chair that has been propped on the stage. I look into their happy faces. Some of them wear a mask of confusion. They've obviously noticed that Crystal is not with me. And it's up to me to tell them. 

I clear my throat and grab the microphone. The murmur dies down. Their body language urges me to start speaking. I don't know where to begin. Finally, I try speaking, but my throat is dry and scratchy. Nothing more than a hiss comes out of my throat. I shake my head and try again. But my voice is gone. Most likely because I haven't used it since Rhett told me what the Capitol has done. 

I look into the eyes of thousands. Nearly the entire district is here. Not because they are forced to come, like the reaping. But because this kind of event happens once in a lifetime. It's a rarity that District 11 has a victor. And when they do, the entire district goes up in excitement. I sit here like a moron for several moments, collecting myself. The last time I was up here, Crystal was with me, at the reaping. That was the last time Crystal would ever see District 11 again. The thought of Crystal nearly drives me insane. It's not only Crystal that has deceased. With her went a chunk of my heart, the part of me where I store everything I love. Every happy moment went there, but with Crystal being held hostage, my heart is dead. Mom nods at me from the crowd, and I take a deep breath. I must do this.