THE MAN IN THE HANGING TREE | Gale Hawthorne

THIRTY - Blood Sweat and Tears

YOUR POINT OF VIEW

I scream again as the current rushes through my nerves. I've lost count how many times, but it still hurts just the same. It feels like my whole body is pulsing with burning white flames.

My limbs begin to seize, and only then does the jolt of electricity stop, with the command of an icy voice.

I can't give him information if I'm dead.

"I will ask again, Miss Undersee." Snow's voice is commanding, "Where are the others? What are they planning?" He stands far enough away from me, guarded by two peacekeepers. In the safety of his faithful minions.

I'm strapped to an electric chair, a third guard has a gun pointed to my head incase I try to make a run for it or something. A fourth controls my pain and suffering, all demons under the control of the mortal form of Satan. 

I cough, tasting something metallic in my mouth. Blood. My cheeks are wet with tears, but not from fear-- from pain.

I just hope that the others are alright, that Gale is alright. Who cares if he hurts me, but how dare he hurt to ones I love.

When I don't speak, he nods to the fourth guard. The jolt of electricity seems even worse this time, even stronger. I shake uncontrollably in the seat.

"What are the rebels planning Miss Undersee!?" He shouts this time, as the electric current dies.

I laugh manically, spitting some of the blood pooling in my mouth in his general direction. "Go to Hell!" I slur.

The guard with the gun lunges to shoot, but Snow raises a hand to stop him. "Once more." Snow says, wiping a spot of blood I managed to spit on his blemish free face.

The pain is so strong, I shriek in agony, sweat soaking my clammy skin, soaking into my tortured soul. My limbs thrash against their bonds, then freeze when the electric current dies.

"Miss Undersee, if you cooperate your pain will disappear." Snows voice is as silky as a snake luring in its prey. "You can have unimaginable riches, you could live in the best penthouse in the Capital, I can even assure the safety of that boy you love, but only if you tell me what their next move is."

The offer was tempting-- living in the Capital with Gale in our own penthouse with loads of money-- but I wasn't a materialistic sort of person. And I knew that Snow's silky words were all lies. He would kill Gale the next time he saw him, just to get back at me.

I would die within these walls before I ever told him anything. But even in great pain, I managed to get my last word in.

I grin madly, which only infuriates Snow more. "My last name is actually Abernathy for your information, you bastard."

I notice a glimmer of surprise in Snows eye, before two of the guards drag me from the room. For even Snow couldn't imagine getting tricked by one of his precious victors.

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The two guards throw me in my barred cell, as I continue to thrash in their hold. There's nothing in the cell, it's just a concrete floored room, that they toss me on unceremoniously before scampering off to do more of Snow's bidding..

"Yeah, that's right!" I shout after them, trying to stand on my wobbling feet. "Run you cowards!"

There's a chuckle at this from the cell beside me, and a face shows itself through the bars.

Joanna Mason, victor from District Seven. Snow managed to grab her and a couple others when the arena collapsed, before the rebels got them.

"They got you good, Abernathy." She chuckles, a mad look in her eyes. "You look like shit."

I grin, before collapsing against the bars. "I can't be half as bad as you." They had Joanna's head shaved for the extreme torture they were putting her through. She currently has blood dripping out of her nose, and the bags under her eyes make it look like she hasn't slept in years.

Joanna just laughs. "True, just wait until they bring you to the special room, where all your fears come true."

I had only heard Joanna talking about that room, it was supposed to simulate all your worst fears. I shuddered at the thought. I knew what would come to life n there, and I was terrified of even the thought.

Joanna Mason and I had become sort of friends in this hell hole, we had cells right beside each other so while we both weren't being tortured, we talked through the bars that separated us. We could hardly sleep here, so there was a lot of talking.

I introduced myself to her as (Y/n) Abernathy, the first time I had used my real father's last name to another. She asked me if I was related to Haymitch Abernathy. I told her yeah, that's my dad-- Apparently she and dad were good friends, and she decided I must be alright then.

On the other side of Joanna's cell is another victor, Annie Cresta from Four. She wasn't in the recent games, but Snow's men still snatched her out of her district.

Annie had gone mad in her games, and this place was just making it worse for her, Snow seemed to have no use for her. But Joanna told me one night, that he took her because one of the other tributes, Finnick Odair, was in love with her.

And Snow liked to destroy the things we loved.

I could only imagine Gale where I was instead, and Snow torturing him while I went mad in District Thirteen with the others. I can only imagine if Snow were to take one of the only things I love.

I'm glad I'm the one stuck here.

Suddenly the guards March down our hall again, this time carrying a limp and battered Peeta-- Yes, that's right. Snow got Peeta too.

The guards toss him in his cell, the one on the other side of mine, and then leave again, probably to go torture someone else, or feast on the hearts of children. Either or, it was hard to tell with peacekeepers.

As soon as they are out of sight though, I rush over to the bars separating Peeta and I, reaching through to shake the boy just within reach.

"Peeta." I shake him, praying for movment. "Peeta, are you alright?"

He stirred finally, much to my relief, shaking in his spot on the ground.

It took me a moment to realize he was sobbing. 

He rolled over to face me, clutching my hands. "We're going to die here, then he's going to kill them too."

He seemed to think his words to be true, and for a fleeting second so did I. Snow is going to kill us, then all of the people we love. He's already gotten mine and Peeta's families, now all he needs to get is Katniss and Gale, and my dad whom he just found out was my dad.

"No." I shake my head, jostling a headache to life. But I was determined that my fears would never come to life. "I won't have that, beside Katniss, Gale, Haymitch, they have help. Lots of help. The rebellion will succeed this time. Snow will fall."

Snow will die, I'll make sure of it myself.

"Snow will make sure he wins." Peeta insists. His eyes, the only sliver of the sky I've seen in a week, start to flutter close from exhaustion. "He always does."

"Not this time, Peet." I whisper as the boy's eyes close at last, for a brief restless sleep. "Not this time."

The Capital will fall at the hands of the rebellion, and so will President Snow-- even if I have to kill him myself.

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