Triggered by Fire
When I opened my eyes the sun hasn't even made its presence known over district 12. Darkness roamed outside the window. I wanted to sleep in today but my Mother insisted that we keep the bakery open today of all days. She wouldn't know, and if she did know how I felt she doesn't care. Never have, never will. My mother, people call her the witch. They try to conceal it behind my back but I hear and know it. I have always paid attention to little details in life, even if they are made to be hidden. I don't mind much though; my Father makes sure that our name isn't tarnished by the women he married. After lying in bed for what seemed like an hour I finally throw my legs over the side of the bed and my feet make contact with the cold floor.
I never wake my brothers they always get to sleep in. Russell is my eldest brother he's 20. My other brother is 17 his name is Anpan. Anpan and I are still in the reaping; Russell escaped it 2 years ago. Lucky him. The reaping's at Two O'clock but our bakery opens at Four AM for the early traders. Usually we almost never get any buyers before the reaping's but after we have hundreds trying to buy the best for the celebration that there child were spared. I go to my drawer and put on a simple white shirt and blue jeans. When I walk down stairs my father is already awake and pulling a fresh loaf of bread out of the oven. He doesn't see me so I slip to the other side of him to ice the cakes.
"Ah, Peeta. You're up early." He says simply as I start frosting a cake like I do every morning.
"Well Mother told me that we were open today so I decided to lend you a hand." I smile towards him. He returns the smile less heartily. I have to smile today or I will be driven insane about the upcoming events. We don't talk much while working, better concentrate then mess up or Mom wont handle it. Usually it's a beating for me and a strong screeching at for my brothers and father. I just tell myself it's only because I'm the youngest but who am I fooling. When I'm done putting a nice white base for the cake I start adding the detail with piping. I carefully move the icing filled tube in different designs on the white surface.
"Shit," my father curses, he rarely curses unless he burnt something or if he made the wrong type of bread. This almost never happens. "Peeta can you do me a favor and feed this to the pigs before your Mom wakes up. I burnt some bread." He burnt the bread, just like I have many times. Once on purpose. I put the tube down and take the bread diligently so I don't burn myself. When I open the door and walk outside the door I hear the bell jingle behind me. The air is crisp and cold. It feels clean, besides all the coal dust flying around. I'm glad in a way that I don't live in the seam; the dust is so thick there that almost everything is covered. The pig pen is around the back where the extra ovens are. When I reach the animals I rip a piece of bread and throw it over the fence, I can't help but glance at the apple tree. Force of habit, I guess. In the distance I hear our bakery bell ring.
"Customer?" I say silently to myself. No one ever comes before the reaping. I quickly finish ripping and throwing the bread over the fence for the pigs to see who it was. The bell jingles again and I quicken my pace. Right as I turn the corner I see who it is. Gale. He was tall, olive skinned, and muscular. Then again most of the seam men are, but I know it was him. No other man wakes this early on the reaping days. Except for Katniss Everdeen. Katniss is the only reason I look at the apple tree in the back, she is the only reason why I would ever burn bread on purpose, and she's the only person I am terrified to talk to. Gale is her best friend, maybe more. And I am extremely jealous over him. I have loved Katniss Everdeen since the first day of school where she sung and every bird stopped chirping outside, and when I stopped breathing. I was robbed that day, she took my heart. Then about 6 years later I heard her father was killed in a mine explosion, it hurt me that she hurt so much. Everything went downhill for her and her sister from there.
Katniss was 11 and she was buying food, trading, and basically being a Mother for her sister. I haven't seen Mrs. Everdeen in two months; everyone knew something was wrong. They were losing weight fast, eventually they stopped going to school. I would have thought they have starved until a rainy night my Mother caught her looking through our garbage bin. I went to shoo Katniss off before my mother caught her but I was too late. She stepped in front of me cursing up a storm I followed her outside to watch her yell at Katniss. While Mom was yelling I made eye contact with Katniss hollow gray ones. She looked even worse than ever, so small and skinny. She was going to die. I just knew it. I ran inside and went to work. I was going to bake some bread, then burn the bread slightly, just enough so we couldn't sell it but good enough to eat. Perfect. When my mother came back inside I presented the burnt bread to her.
"You worthless child!" She yelled at me and grabbed a wire sitting on the counter. I wasn't prepared for her to hit me. I barley had enough time to shut my eyelid before the metal string whipped along my face. I immediately dropped the bread and covered my eye and cheek trying to stop the pain from spreading. "Pick them up! Now!" She dropped the wire and it clattered on the floor. I kneeled down and picked them up. I opened the back door and walked out into the bone chilling rain. "Feed it to the pig, you stupid creature!" I wasn't even a child any more I was a stupid creature, "Why not? No one decent will buy burned bread!"
I sloshed my way to the pen not making eye contact with Katniss fearing she would see my welt. When I heard the back door slam shut I quickly looked behind me then tossed the two loafs of bread to Katniss. Then quickly walked to the back door. I went and found my father before my mother could beat me anymore. That was the closest I have ever gotten with the girl. I doubt she even remembers the encounter.
When I made it back to the bakery my mom and brothers were awake. We made bread and cake until noon then I washed up and got dressed for the reaping. I put a nice collared shirt on with a blue tie. Reaping clothes I call them, we have to look nice to basically get sold to the capital. That's what the Hunger Games are a matter of 23 dead and 1 alive. The worse thing is this is the 74th Hunger Games, over 1000 kids have died just so the capitol can prove there point. No rebellion. We get it but no they want up to make sure we keep getting it, each year, for everyone to watch. This year my name is going to be in the bowl merely 5 times out of 1000 names, while the seam children fill the bowl by 3/4th. They need oil and wheat I think, they get supplied for a whole year for each person in the family if they put their name in more than the required amount.
I finally arrived at the ceremony spot around 1:00 PM to sign in. Then I stood where the 16 year olds stand and waited for the area to fill. I saw Katniss file into her spot in the 16 zone and I felt better. She looked beautiful; her hair was braided on top of her head and she was wearing an elegant blue dress. Effie Trinket made her announcements, and then our Mayor made the speech he gave every year. About the Hunger Games and capitol, I never really paid any attention because I am too nervous to even concentrate.
"Ladies first!" Effic Trinkent said in her stupid and ridiculous capitol voice. It bothers me greatly. Not Katniss, please not Katniss. I think to myself and clutch my sweaty hands into a ball from the anticipation of the moment. Effie took the paper out and unfolded it she read out "Primrose Everdeen!" Oh, no. Yes it isn't Katniss, but it's her 12 year old younger sister. My dad calls her the sweetheart of the seam. She's so young I couldn't even fathom how she would survive. Then it all happened in a rush.
"Prim!" A broken cry comes out of the 16s zone. No Katniss. "Prim!" Katniss voice yells again, I watch as she rushes past me. Katniss don't! No Katniss! I yell inside my brain hoping she would hear me, though it was futile. She swopped Prim behind her back in one swift movement then she says it. "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" I squeeze my eyes shut trying to block out what just happened. When I opened them again a deep pain was aching in my chest and unveiling its self to ever cell in my body. An icy chill went down my spine as her sister screeched her name in hysterics.
Gale went behind and grabbed Prim; it looked like Katniss was getting upset. She stepped on the stage and approached the pick capitol women. "What's your name?" She asked too happily. What is wrong with this woman? Katniss just basically sacrificed herself for her sister and she is acting like it was the best thing imaginable.
"Katniss Everdeen." She speaks strongly with no waver of her voice. Then without knowing I put my three middle fingers to my lip and hold it out to her, soon every one follows me. It was beautiful act but Haymitch, as drunk as he was, wobbles up on stage and says something to Katniss no one can understands then skydives off the stage knocking himself out. The peace keepers brought out a stretcher and took him away.
"What an exciting day!" Effie says still too happily. "But more excitement to come! It's time to choose our boy tribute!" Way too happy. Before I can even recognize what she said she dips her hand into the bowl full of paper and pull a folded rectangle paper out. My stomach plummets realizing what she just did, I clutch my fist even tighter. "Peeta Mellark!" Numb. Nothing. I can't feel anything. What just happened? I think. My face turned cold and I became clammy. Everything was silent until Clover Hilt hit me to make me move to the peacekeeper on the end of the aisle. My legs moved without permission to the man. Before I knew it I was taking steps on the stage. "Our 74th Hunger Games tributes!" I can now feel the grim feeling of no return, this is real. I turn to Katniss and stare into to her eyes. We shake hands and I squeeze hers trying to give her reassurance I didn't have. Because I knew I wouldn't make it as long as she was there, she will win while I will fall.
A/N: Hey guys hoped you liked it! I might not continue this but if I do this will be a fun, time passing story for me. The type I write when I feel like it. Let me know if you think this is worth continueing! Happy holidays! Make sure you check out my other stories! Reviews!
~Wolly