It wasn't long after the others had left for the night and she was spread out on her stomach, an incredibly loose shirt pulled on on the healing salve that her door burst open and blinding light was jerking her awake along with the noise. It was instinct for her to try and push herself up, but her arms shook and a splitting pain tore through her back. She collapsed forward, a whimpered cry falling past her lips, and she tried to shuffle herself away instead, certain that she was only hurting herself pointlessly instead.

Gloved hands yanked her from the bed and she screamed at the motion, curses leaving her before she had thought it through. Kicking her legs out at the people who tried to grab them, pulling her into the hall and as she looked over her shoulder, spotting Johanna and Peeta in a similar position with a trembling Annie being shoved along.

Something primal and angry burst in her chest, smothering her pain enough for her to fight harder - her bare heel smashing into the viser of a peacekeeper grabbing at her and she snarled with white teeth and lips pulled back. She hit them as best she could, the sound of her whimpered name making her heart beat echo in her ears and before she knew what had happened I needle had been pushed into her neck.

She didn't like the way they looked at her, thousands of eyes of thousands of people with this brilliant, wonderful fascination as they marvelled with all this stupid, unknowing admiration.

Not one of these people could understand what it was like to have this ever constant warmth on her hands that were now stained red no matter how hard she scrubbed and scrubbed at her skin or no matter how completely raw they became. She was haunted with it, the sight of her fingers wrapped so painfully tight around that rock and the ruined ruined boy that had been beneath her.

Still she smiled at them and ducked her head when they called her name to hide each grimace and flinch from prying eyes.

Terra couldn't understand what made her so interesting to all these people when she was here as a mentor for the District 10 girl, only a year since her own Games and the same age as the one that she had followed silently off the train. They continued to scream for her though and Azolla game her a push forward, encouraging her to take the spotlight, and she grabbed hold of her first tribute, Bulla, by the hand and pulled her along hoping to parade her around in her place. If they could love her more, could see her more and she might have a chance to survive. District 10 had always been so underestimated, especially since they were currently one of the leading districts in number of Victorsb even if only by sheer luck.

Bulla, someone she had known growing up, an old friend before her world had ended, was good enough to survive this and she would do all she could to help her.

They were ushered into a building and the tributes were guided away. Lux moved ahead before they were shepherded and she followed after his with clumsy steps, unsure and nervous of how she should act and what she should do.

The series of long hallways lead them to a large, glaringly white waiting room with fancy sofas and a spread set out. There were screens high up toward the ceiling displaying the Capitol insignia and Terra suddenly realised that this is where they were intended to wait until they were set to meet with the Tributes after the parade.

Her stomach dropped, head dizzy, and she wanted to run far, far away because she knew there was blood on her hands despite nobody else being able to see it.

Maybe it was the way she felt partially broken, and so isolated and alone. She got home and was abandoned by her people, disowned by her family, and had only had the privilege of social conversation 6 months ago when she had gone on tour and every horrible moment away from home afterwards. She couldn't find companionship with the other Victors of her District, not when they were raised on the same ideals and belief systems, not when she knew that Marium had lost her own tribute and Terra couldn't remember properly if she had been at fault for that. She couldn't burden them with the pressure of her conscience when she knew they all must feel the heavier weight of their own.

She watched as Lux went about his way, speaking to the mentors from the other districts amicably as he went and stood off to the side silently, trying to burn herself into the wall, or at least remain silent until she could leave.

It had been a horrible idea to have had her come all this way, but Terra had no choice in the matter, her participation mandatory by the demands of President Snow. He had provided her family with an extra portion of food, at least, as they refused anything her winnings awarded and she was forced to watch as they continued to struggle to feed themselves at times.

"You shouldn't think so hard."

She jumped, fist clenching and she spun around ready to swing, but stopped at the sight of Finnick's easy smile.

"What?"

"Her thoughts are broadcasted all over your face. You shouldn't think so much. It's not good for anyone," he piped and her mouth fell open slightly in astonishment.

"Not good for you, maybe. You don't seem to have the mental capacity of more than one thought. Your two brain cells must be very lonely up there," Terra snarked, facing away from him with her nose upturned.

She could hear him laugh, a hearty, genuine sound and she looked back over her shoulder at her, buns making her head heavier as she moves. They had dressed up her hair with decorative pieces, something to show how well off she was now as the most recent Victor of the Games.

"Clever. You should come sit with me until it's time to go. They have these wonderful fishcakes that you have to try," Finnick exclaimed with a boyish, dimpled smil, tugging her along by the wrist behind him, not once touching her trembling hands.

Terra stumbled behind him, breath caught in her throat. "Okay."

She woke with a gasp cold and in the dark. Her back throbbed, as did her head, and her limbs felt heavy and weighed down. She moved slowly and a jangling sounded like metal against metal being dragged against a floor, and she froze with a stilled breath. Fingers prodded at the floor, reaching out as far as she could until she felt the her arms yank behind her, stuck by the chains.

Her breathing became rushed and nervous, fearful, when she found the same problem with her legs. She was forced away from walls, away from being able to reach for anything, and she felt tears burning in her eyes and ragged sobs beginning to build in her chest.

"Hello?" She yelled, voice coming out choked and rattled. "Is anybody there?"

She felt at her wrist and was instantly filled with dread at the thick, metal bands, shackles, that she found there, holding her. All were the same, all were too small to wiggle her hands, and all were made as though for big animals that were made to work fields or pull heavy equipment. Terra had handled a few before the Games, had helped her neighbours and her family fit a few troubling animals with them a couple of times enough to know that there was no use in trying to break them on her own.

"What is this?" She calls again, pushing herself up to stand with the little room she was allowed. "What is this?!"

She didn't receive much other than the abrupt turning on of lights above them, quick and startling that she fell back with a gasp.

She was trapped on all sides by thick metal bars, the chains leading down into the floor and Terra felt like an animal being confined and caged.

Outside was blurred glass with a small walkway between and on either side more cages. The one on her left was empty, but the right had a small little ball of a person tucked away as far back as they could with a shocking amount of red hair. It made her heart stutter and Terra moved as close as she could.

"Annie? Annie! Annie, are you alright? Can you hear me?" She calls, pleading. "Annie, please answer me. Annie, please!"

There was a small twitch, a slow, exhausting, drawn out bit of movement that came slowly until Annie was looking up at her with red-rimmed swollen eyes and a tear stained, blotchy face. Her heart broke at the sight, a terrible feeling of guilt seizing her, and Terra wanted nothing more than to scoop her friend up and hold her close - protect her.

"Terra?" Her name was quivered and heavy.

"I'm here! I'm right here, Annie."

The girl crawled across the floor desperately amd reached for the bars, curling herself as close as she could and reaching out a hand, barely able to reach Terra's outstretched arm. Annie grasped at what she could, only able to keep a hold of her finger tips for a few seconds at a time.

"Don't panic. It's okay. You'll be fine," she tried to assure her, but felt the words coming out empty and flat. "Nothing will happen to you."

"Why are you locked in chains? Why are we in here?" Her words were whimpered and soft.

"I don't know. I don't know, but I promise to find out, alright? I just know that nothing will hurt you, okay?" Terra reassures, trying her best to instill some comfort into the redhead.

"I don't understand why you keep saying that."

She sighs heavily and closes her eyes tight, her certainty of her own survival was waivering dangerously, but she knew that Snow was a man of his word and wouldn't lay a hamd on Annie as long as she was still aroud to keep up her end of the deal.

"I made a deal with Snow," she admits. "He'll leave you alone as long as I do what he wants."

"Why? Why would you ever do that?" Annie demands, and it was one of the rare few moments that Terra had eber seen her angry that she didn't know what to do. "You dummy! I can take care of myself!"

"I know! I know! I just worry, Annie. You had nothing to do with any of this it wouldn't be fair to punish you for it!"

"I knew what was going on, sunflower," Annie says softly. "I could have handled it."

"I was worried." She doesn't mention how she was worried of her saying the wrong thing or how weak her mind became at times.

Annie sighs. "Oh Terra, what have you done?"

Theres a commotion at the end of the hall, a slamming of doors and heaby footsteps, and two peacekeepers come doen the hall dragging an unconscious Johanna behind them, throwing her down harshly in the cell next to Terra's. Both she and Annie try calling her name, pleading with her to answer.

Her own door opened instead and one of them came in. She crawled backwards, the chains holding her in place and he grabbed her quickly b harshly enough for her to hiss at him and snap her teeth. He withdrew a key and unlocked her without a care of her lashing out - the gun strained on her was enough to keep her still.

Annie called after her as she was dragged away, but she didn't fight this time knowing that she would be leaving Annie behind at their mercy.

Dropped onto a polished white floor with high ceilings and odd rising levels, Terra noticed that they had been held captive in the training center. All the weapons had been remove and the floors and walls had changed, but the balcony remained as did the rising levels that held differen machines with running wires.

"Miss Combe, how wonderful it is to see you again."

She looked up at a projection of Snow on the wall and her jaw clenched. "Sir."

"It had come to my attention a while ago that your kind are very dangerous. I had sought out to destroy them, but my plan has failed," Snow ranted. "I am to correct my mistake with a new approach. Training the Victors to be as I wish will be of much more use to me than you will dead."

She stared up at him in confusion as he simply continued to smile.

Guards came in to hold her down, pushing her onto all fours and she cried out in protest, jerking and wriggling around as best she could.

A man in a distinguished uniform passed from in front of her with a metal rod in hand, and she roared her protests mixed with pleas and disgust.

Terra screamed when a burning cattle prod branded the back of her thigh with the Capitol insignia.

°°°

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Unedited

2019-02-17