Mockingjay: The New Story

Chapter Three

Katniss's POV

*

Yet another day in torture. Johanna and I wobble back to our cells, the air cold and crisp although it was still mid summer outside, warm breezes and hot, damp air. Our teeth chatter, especially Johanna's. Her fear is water, and they use it against her majorly, making me watch. They continue to torture her while they do the same to me. My torture is much worse than Johanna's, she admitted later.

"The Girl on Fire must receive the punishment approachable enough for her." Snow said, commanding the Keepers to lock my wrists to two poles standing a few feet from each other. My arms lay limp in the air, my legs free from chains. They hadn't travelled us as deep down as last time, so we were closer to the others in their cells. "Get the fire."

Johanna stopped screaming for a second, hearing Snow's commands. I cried out, telling him no. Johanna was confused, for I only knew what they were going to do again, I wished I didn't. They didn't cover my eyes to make me blind like last time, they wanted me to see the pain I was being put into again. They didn't gag me, for they wanted to hear my cries of agony. They didn't chain my arms or legs to let me stay in one spot, they allowed me to try and run free just to laugh in my face while they tortured me. They watched as I fell to my knees, in pain, saddened and frightened by what I played against Snow was now being played on me.

The Peacekeepers let Johanna into her cell, pushing her, she tumbled to the opposite wall, shivering. They had to hold me up to get to my cell, they unlocked the door, but didn't throw me in. One grabbed my hair, yanking me back. I did not have the energy to fight back.

"Let the little girl on fire have learned her lesson, and if not, we'll take the boy instead. Got it?" He whispered in my ear. I nodded, continuing to shake while I leaned on the mans chest for support. They threw me in, leaving without a look back. Peeta was there in a second to catch me before I fell to the floor in defeat. I let out a cry, screaming my lungs out. I heard the laughter of the Peacekeepers as they ascended the stairs. Peeta laid me down on the bed, having no clue as to how to help me in my predicament. I was bleeding from all over, I was in pain. No matter where he laid a finger on, I screamed or yelped or squeaked or crying out in agony for I had bruise or wound there. My whole body was drained of energy, draining slowly from blood as well.

The worse of it wasn't the pain after, it was the feeling of your flesh burning under your eyes. They started with me cheek, I pulled myself as far back as I possibly could, but my arms were yanked forward as the chains were too short to go any further. One Peacekeeper yanked my hair back, like they had just done before throwing me into my cell, and laughed in my ear as the other one drew the mechanism closer to my cheek. The flame was colorful, throwing blues and yellows and oranges around the air as the man pushed the button to let the flame grow into the air. At first, my cheek felt cold, the sensation running across my face. I clenched my jaw, feeling the cold turn to a freezing burn, if that made sense. I finally gave up and turned my head to blow out the flame. The man holding the machine stepped back while blood ran down my neck. The man then turned the thing on again, aiming for my left thigh, the exact spot I was burned in the first Games from the thrown fireballs. I clenched my jaw tighter, biting my cheek until blood flowed on my tongue. The man almost pressed the flame to my thigh. My screaming brought more laughter to them, Snow was emotionless as he stood in the middle of the room, ignoring Johanna's cries for help and pleads. He only focused on me, what my reactions were to having my weapons of choice being used against me. I cried in agony once more, falling to my knees while my arms held me in place. The man stopped blowing the flame on my thigh, where now blood oozed from the burnt skin. Black was formed around the spot the flame licked, more like bit, and it ached all over. I continued to yell and scream and cry while the man took his sweet time to run the flame over my left arm until he lowered the machine to my arm in one spot to burn into.