DANGEROUS WOMAN || THE HUNGER GAMES ²

2.

"ONCE UPON A DECEMBER..."

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Staring down at the blanket, I had no idea what my dream meant but I knew that they must have had some kind of importance. I couldn't make out their faces nor did they say their names, but they seemed rather strangely familiar to me as if I had known them at some point of my life. I had to. Holding onto the sides of my head, my eyes water up as the silence in the room seems so loud. Like it was screaming.

"Athena." The woman calls, but it all seems like background noise at this point.

Shutting my eyes, all I could focus on was everything that had happened in the last few days? Week? I didn't know how long it had been, since I 'died' and was plucked up from the arena. All I needed was that the sounds of my last moments in the arena, kept on ringing in my head like a fucked up reminder. They thought I was dead. They were so sure that I was dead.

"Finnick. Finnick, it's no use." Another voice adds, as I could faintly hear the sound of a scuffle.

I wish that I could open my eyes, but I couldn't no matter how hard I tried. Using what very little energy that I had left, I tried to say something but to my disappointment nothing came out. Not even a groan or a grumble, just silence. I wanted to scream out, 'I'm here! I'm alive!' But, I couldn't.

"Finnick! Finnick⎯hey⎯She's gone. She's gone." Another voice said, that sounded a lot like Johanna.

I should have forced myself to open my eyes. I should have been more careful. I should have stopped myself from falling into the water. I should have done something⎯anything because now I was in the Capitol. Alive for that matter, when everyone else was either dead or still trapped in the arena. I've always been so careful up until now. Why wasn't I careful before? I should have been safe.

"Athena? I can't help you if you don't answer me." She said, scolding me little I was a child.

"You called me your little warrior. She⎯only my Mom called me that. Why did you?" I ask, opening my eyes.

"I heard you mumbling it under your breath when you were unconscious. I assumed it had an important meaning to it. So I used it as a trigger word, to hopefully awaken you or get some type of reaction from you. And it worked perfectly as you can see." She explains, making my jaw clench.

Feeling my blood boil at her words, I look up from the blanket, glaring at the blonde woman. She was a bitch. Using my Mom like that. I hope she dies a long and bloody death. That she regrets every moment she was cruel to someone. Picking away at the dried blood under my nails, I pray to whoever is listening that they make my wish come true. That they make her pain.

"Fuck you. Fuck you, I thought for a split second I was safe, that I was gonna be okay. For you to use my Mom against me, fuck you. You should have let me die." I said, glaring at her with as much anger and disgust that I could muster.

"I could have and should have but, Snow still needs you. You're a valuable asset to the Capitol." She explains, her voice cold and flat of any and all emotions.

"As what? His fucking prostitute? His pawn in his fucked up games? As a reminder to the District's of what happens when you disobey him? Huh? What is SO FUCKING IMPORTANT ABOUT ME THAT NEEDS ME ALIVE?!" I said, my voice raising at each word until I was yelling at her.

I knew Snow wasn't gonna let his favorite pawn be wasted when it still has a heartbeat, but is that it? Is that why I'm still alive? Cause I'm still useful to Snow's games? Glaring at the woman, my hands shook from the anger I felt on the inside. I was so close to hitting her, but for now. I will wait.

"Calm down or else you'll be treated the same way we treat Johanna." She said, rolling her eyes at me.

"Wait, did you just say Johanna? Is she here? Did she win? Are the Games over already?" I ask, my thoughts going a thousand miles per hour.

'Is Johanna safe? Did Snow do the same with her? Keep her alive, when she was supposed to die? Were the Games over? How long was I out for? Was Finnick dead?' I thought.

"All that information is highly classified. Forget what I just said and be a good little girl and do as I say." She said, scribbling something down on her notepad.

"I will, if you answer one question. Just one." I said, lying through my teeth.

I knew that there was no way in fucking hell that I was gonna obey this bitch like a little dog. As long as I was trapped here with her I was gonna fight and scream, until I got some answers. I wasn't going to stop. I won't. Not until I saw them. Not until I knew that they were truly gone.

"It all depends on the question. Why? What do you want to know?" She asks, raising a pierced brow.

"I want to know everything that I missed when I was gone." I said, my voice stern but still raspy from the lack of speaking.

"I can't tell you that⎯at least not right now. Whenever I am cleared, I will play images and show you everything you miss while you were unconscious. Until then, no." She said, as if she had rehearsed this beforehand.

"Fine. Are the Games over?" I ask, holding back the urge to strangle her.

"I can't tell you that either." She said, rather boredly.

'Are you fucking kidding me?! What's next? She won't tell me what time it is?' I thought.

"Are the Games still going on?" I ask, a small part of me hoping that they were; but another part of me hoped that they weren't.

Shaking her to say no, I grew even more frustrated by the lack of information that I was getting. I surely would go insane from all these supposed 'secrets' and whispers. Quicker than being in the presence of Snow. I needed to know if they⎯if he was alive. I need to know if Finnick was alive. My heart said no, but my head said that it was possible.

"I want to know. No⎯I deserve to know! You can't keep me in the dark forever. Please⎯just⎯Please, I need to know what happened." I beg, getting more and more frustrated with her.

"Stop your blubbering. You will know in time everything that has happened and why it happened. Now the last question." She said, punching the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"Is⎯he⎯Is Finnick still alive?" I ask, holding on to the small amount of hope that I had in my heart.

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And I am done with the chapter! Stay safe out there guys!

I hope you all are doing okay emotionally and physically in quarantine! I love you all!

I hope that you are enjoying the book so far! A quick reminder to comment below about the story of what you think so far!

P.S. Want to know more about Athena's origins? Check out, 'FRAGILE GIRL'.