"What do you remember from the arena Raven" the ends of his fingernails ached as he scratched at his neck slightly. He could feel the thick collar around his throat, he never did like suits but Snow insisted on it. The boy looked unrecognizable, almost like a lost soul as he looked weakly at the camera.

"I remember almost drowning, and I thought for sure I was gonna die at that moment. I mean one more second under that water and I would've been gone". He dug his nails into his flesh, it brought him a sense of comfort as he forced a weak smile.

"I ran a lot towards the end and then the entire arena was falling, I'm not sure what happened but I just remember being thrown back because of it, I passed out, and I can still hear it all falling".

"Well Raven don't you remember, Katniss was the reason the arena fell apart, her act against the capitol is the reason everything fell apart".

Katniss sat weakly on the cafeteria table.... Finnick sat beside her, the man picking at his food as she watched the massive television in front of them. "Do you think they're making him say that stuff?" She looked at the screen with an intense look.

"They're being tortured, what do you think?" Finnick grumbled slightly as he stabbed his fork into his food. Katniss tilted her head slightly as she observed the screen. "Why would they put him on? Snow doesn't gain anything from this, just more hatred from the districts, everyone just thinks they're cowards... but they would be doing the same thing if they were there". Finnick scoffed "Ravens, a tough son of a bitch, he'd rip out of his own damn teeth if it meant Snow was finally going to die. But seeing him like that is almost... well, it just means even he can break, I mean he doesn't even look alive".

"We're going to save them all, we just need more time" Katniss lost her appetite, the screen had turned off minutes ago and she still hated it. The waiting was the worst part of it all, these people were fighting for her and now they were suffering because of it.

"They don't have any more time, you saw what Raven looked like, what Peeta looked like. They're not gonna last much longer if they keep going through whatever is happening. Raven would make sure they get out, whatever it takes. It's clear they're doing this on purpose to punish us, they know we're watching".

—

    "Whatever it takes... that's bullshit" Raven sat weakly against the wall as he looked across at Peeta. Although they were in separate cells they still called one another cell mates. Raven didn't take any offense to the boy's words as he scratched at his neck. "They make you do an interview too?" Peeta nodded, and despite the dark corridor Raven still saw it.

Annie and Johanna were sound asleep, something rare these days. Raven and Peeta were restless, both of the boys scared and aching as they sat in silence. They spoke when they could but for the most part they enjoyed the silence. Due to their interviews today they were granted a pardon for the day.

The peacekeepers were all gone, but Raven knew they were outside those doors waiting. They could talk without being smacked thankfully, which meant Raven could try to think straight for once. "How many days do you think it's been" he lost count ages ago, but he knew it was long.

"A few months at best" had it truly been that long? Raven felt almost nauseous thinking about it. "How did we get stuck here man" he whispered as he leaned more into the wall. "I was supposed to die in that arena, we all were. Yet we're stuck here and we can't get the fuck out, and for what? For some stupid girl".

He could hear Peetas slight scoff "that's just Snow talking, they're inside your head". Raven rolled his eyes as he picked at his fingernails "who gives a fuck about some bitch with a bow and arrow. She's not the one stuck in this shit hole being tortured! There's nothing justifiable about this Peeta!".

Raven smacked himself, because he would've never belittle someone so badly before. Let alone a woman who had helped him have a sense of hope. Maybe Snow truly was deep inside his skull, the person that spoke wasn't him at all. It terrified him almost as he looked down at his hands with defeat.

"Maybe I deserve to die, because they're gonna make me forget who I am. Who we are, and it's all for some stupid game. I hope it all burns and we burn with it". Raven stopped talking after that, he let himself lay down on the cold ground as he heard Peetas sigh.

"We'll get out, even if it doesn't happen alive" Raven felt his heart ache at the boy's words. Would he truly die in this place? For the sake of some freedom he would never truly gain. Perhaps death was his ticket out, anything's better than a world full of hate.

He laughed to himself slightly as the lights turned on "I hope you're right, god I hope they put a bullet inside my fucking head". He didn't fight when his cell door was opened, the two peacekeepers grabbed hold of him. He had learned the hard way that talking wasn't any good with these guys.

His sense of humor faded away after two many damn hits to the head. One little word and they'd make sure your lips were swollen shut for a solid day. He would've laughed at them or screamed to really piss them off. Yet nothing came out, just silence as he was dragged down the corridor into the room.

He flinched when water was smacked into his face, he could feel it run down his chest as he was shoved up a flight of stairs. His eyes burned at the sudden burst of sunlight that hit his flesh, it was rare these days seeing what the world looked like. He laughed as he was dragged into the dressing room.

He wasn't even phased by the outfit they forced him to wear. This was like clockwork, every so often he'd be dragged up those stairs. Thrown into a pretty suit and then he held at gunpoint as he lied to the world. Raven grumbled in annoyance as he was shoved into the soft sofa, the man across from him was a smudge of ink inside his head. One he'd erase if he could.

"We're rolling in five seconds people" Raven flinched when a makeup brush was rubbed under his eyes. He moved back slightly, he didn't flinch this time when the guns were pointed at him. He had gotten used to not being afraid anymore, he was almost numb.

The cameras all clicked on and he could feel himself sinking deeper into the sofa as he let his hand rest against his thigh. Was he gonna go through this again? Be stuck for another night when he could get out.

Katniss was depressed, the never ending wait for answers was annoying. She was being ignored and she kept watching these people fight for her. Raven looked even worse than the last time she saw him on that television screen. Normally they would use Peeta to taunt her right after Raven, but she felt shitty regardless of who was on the screen.

She didn't even eat her food as Finnick sighed beside her, he was over it already. Watching his friend change before his eyes, whoever this man was, it wasn't Raven. This was a complete stranger he was watching and that thought alone made him sick.

"Today we are greeted by Raven again, where he will help us truly learn from his past mistakes". Raven burst into laughter, his eyes almost darkening with such intensity as he glared at the interviewer. "Past mistakes! God you people never fucking learn!" Raven learned back into the sofa.

"What do you mean by that Raven? Surely the people of the districts would like to learn how to avoid war, I mean you've experienced the games. See what they can do for everyone". Raven scoffed "you want my opinion, I say fuck the games and this stupid system. Burn it all to the ground, it's all bullshit! Who cares if we go to war, with Snow as president it's gonna happen, the guys a prick. You're even worse, sitting here and interviewing us, like you even care what we say! Like any of your fuckers care!".

Raven kicked the table angrily, the leg snapped off at the impact and he grabbed it so fast he nearly got whiplash. He could feel the splinters digging into his flesh as he smacked it into the interviewer's head. The blood soaked into his cheeks as he screamed out, he hit again and he let out a heavy breath.

He could feel the gun pushing itself into the side of his head, he laughed "come on! do it". The cameras all clicked off and he screamed when the gun didn't go off, the world was spinning and he couldn't stop it.

—
authors notes: me since it's been a year since I've updated this book. (Oops)

In conclusion I return with this basic ass chapter, I don't remember the direction it was going at all. This was half written from a good year ago so I winged it. I promise the next chapter won't be this shitty and boring, we get our first brief reunion next chapter. When that chapter will be out (it's a mystery). Just know that I'm doing my best to complete this act. Bye! It's totally not 5am!!!