My Voice, At First Rough And Breaking

We Sit In Silence Awhile Then I Blurt Out The Thing That's On Both Our Minds. "how Are We Going To Kill These People, Peeta?

Technically, I Am Unarmed. But No One Should Ever Underestimate The Harm That Fingernails Can Do. Especially If The Target Is Unprepared.

But It's Not Safe And I Can Feel Him Slipping Away, So I Just Get Out One More Sentence. "stay With Me." As The Tendrils Of Sleep Syrup Pull Me Down, I Hear Him Whisper A Word Back But I Don't Catch It.

They Can Fatten Me Up. They Can Give Me A Full Body Polish, Dress Me Up, And Make Me Beautiful Again. They Can Design Dream Weapons That Come To Life In My Hands, But They Will Never Again Brainwash Me Into The Necessity Of Using Them. I No Longer Feel Allegiance To These Monsters Called Human Beings, Despite Being One Myself.

You're Alive," I Whisper, Pressing My Palms Against My Cheeks, Feeling The Smile That's So Wide It Must Look Like A Grimace. Peeta's Alive.