Prologue
Mrs. Everdeen had not wanted to hire "day laborers" after her husband's death. It seemed to confirm that she was incapable of caring for her two little girls. More than that, something about the kindly middle-aged black woman and the young grandson she brought along left her uneasy. What's more, the Okiniwis (that was their name) hailed from District 11 – and most people did not travel between districts in Panem.
But the one thing that kept her from terminating the contract was the way the boy, Thresh, played with her older daughter Katniss. The two small children – one black, one white – were inseparable for the two years they spent together.
It was perhaps for this reason alone that in the end, Mrs. Everdeen was sad to see the grandmother and grandson duo go.
After all, it wasn't as though Prim, her youngest, was big enough yet to be a suitable playmate for her sister.