I watch as my brother skins the small grey rabbit, not even blinking as he carefully carves it's fur from the baby pink skin. Eventually I have to look away, feeling sick. How can he do this? How can my Mother do this?
Ugh.
It's totally barbaric, though it puts food on our whole family contributes to each meal, me and my Father make the bakery goods, my brother and Mother go hunting for the meat and herbs. So really I cannot complain when we our so fortunate with such fine food. All of it fresh and delicious. We have a big house, from which my parents where both given when they won The Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games, it became such a popular thing to talk in school it was to become it's own subject including the details about the revolution in which my parents helped to create. Or as they were known, the Star-Crossed lovers. Or more boldly, my Mother was named The Mockingjay. I recall from class that it was a bird that was never supposed to be made. Back in the early days of Panem in a dark era known as 'the Dark Days', where all 13 Districts rebelled against the city. They made various creatures to counteract their attacks, one of the mutations were a jabberjay. A bird that could memorise human melodies and conversations and report them back to the Capitol. Although the rebels soon figured this out and ended sending false information.
The jabberjays were released and eventually mated with mockingbirds which created an entirely new species – mockingjays. They could repeat human melodies and turn them into wondrous sounds, many times with my Mother we have seen them and she has sung with them. It was truly magical. They were supposed to be things that should of never been made or survived against the odds, like my mum and the sign of the whole thing her Mockingjay pin so it calling her the Mockingjay seemed to fit.
I have watched recaps of the interviews and Hunger Games of my parents, it shocks me how different they are now. Peeta Mellark was once a strong boy who did anything to save his love, took sword wounds, diverted tributes away…Everything in his power to save my Mother without hesitation. Now it seems he even struggles when he looks at her, deciding whether or not to hug her, or even say something nice. Often I see him clinging onto something, a somewhat wild look in his eyes as he battles with himself to stay in control. He briefly told me he was once hijacked by President Snow, distorted his memories. Nothing more than that, and to be honest I really don't want to know anymore.
''You don't have to look y'know.''
I am forced back into reality when Fin makes this comment, I scowl at him before raising my head making me look stuck-up my blue eyes narrowing towards him.
''Well I want to see how you prepare it…So I…I…''
''So you can learn how to do this? Ha! Loved to see that. Primue Mellark Everdeen, skinning a rabbit!''
He says a grin springing across his lips before I storm out the kitchen hardly wanting to fight with my brother today. I am about to step into the living room but stop at the door when I hear my parents speaking down the phone.
''…just leave. It's not our – Yes I know but those days are over.''
My Father then grabs the phone from my Mother obviously frustrated.
''Get someone else to stop them Plutarch, we're done. Done with it all. A little group of Snow loving rebels won't bring down the system. You're the vice President you deal with it!''
He says finally, before slamming it back onto the hook then stops when he sees me listening intently at the door. What was that all about? Snow loving Rebels, which I presume to be people who loved the way that Snow ran the country and now they want my parents to stop it. My Mother then turns her grey eyes gleaming with tears ready to fall down her cheek. Memories. I know this look. She is remember things, awful awful things. He then walks over to me and wraps his arms around me giving me a reassuring squeeze before kissing my hair lightly. He is about to say something when the phone rings again, sighing heavily my Mother gets the phone and just gasps.
''Gale…''