Cold as Ice - Prologue
"You never get off this train."
The last words spoken to the two of us, now standing in the Justice building of District 1, about to face the mob who hates us for saving ourselves.
The victory tour may have only just begun, but life was never the same once we won the 74th Annual Hunger Games.
"President Snow." I say, doing a polite nod to the man I'm shaking hands with.
"Mr Hawthorne." He says curtly in reply.
"President Snow." I hear Peeta say to my right.
"Mr Mellark." is the reply, the tone unchanged.
We're finally leaving the capitol. The games finished just over a week ago, and since then it's been interview after interview, highlight reels and shaking hands with people.
Haymitch and Effie stand to the left of the two of us. Effie's face is one of a child trying to suppress immense excitement, and failing spectacularly. Haymitch just stands there, expression blank.
District Twelve is the same as it has ever been, but still looks tatty compared to the opulence of the Capitol. Snow stands there, at the Justice building looking ever so out of place in his white suit. Peacekeepers are everywhere, and everything is very much silent.
Taking this as a cue, Peeta and I turn simultaneously and face the crowd. I can see my family, my friends and, and Katniss. I avoid eye contact with her, and Peeta and I join hands and hold them to the sky. The silence breaks as cheers flood the courtyard, partly due to pride of our district winning, partly due to the year of gifts and extra food the Capitol with bring in I guess.
A cough from Effie telling us to return to the justice building. In there, Snow doesn't pay me or Peeta a look as he moves towards the door leading to the train station. He stops just before it, turning to us.
"I'll see you both very soon. I need to speak with you of certain matters." He says,
Without waiting for a response or confirmation, he strides through the door, his foray of followers walking after him, looking disgusted at the quality of the surroundings, leaving myself, Peeta, Haymitch and Effie in the room.
"What did he mean, certain matters?" Peeta asks.
"Not here" I whisper as I nudge him.
"Nobody else is here. Effie already knows." he says.
"Snow has ears everywhere." I whisper again. "Haymitch, what now?"
"Now... Victory tour. You have a few days here, before you have to go tour all the districts, meet fellow victors and become the epitome of Capitol generosity, so nothing major." Haymitch says rolling his eyes.
I chuckle, detecting the sarcasm in his tone.
"Well I'm going home. I haven't seen my brothers in a long time."
"Victor's Village house C is yours. Peeta yours is house B." Effie says, "That's where your families are now. Winning certifies an upgrade in class for all relatives."
Nodding to Effie, I go to leave through a side door. I don't want to have to face the crowds; the journey back left me too exhausted to deal with many people at once. Peeta follows and we move through the streets unnoticed by most. Peeta takes my hand as we walk through the streets, and shuffles closer to me as we approach the gates.
It's snowed recently, and I can see our breath as we walk under the metal arch into the ghost town that is the Victor's village. All of the houses but three are unoccupied, one of them mine and one of them Peeta's. The other's is Haymitch's, which without the servant hired by the Capitol would've been a wreck by this time.
I draw Peeta in and kiss him before turning to walk up the steps to house C. The door is unlocked, and the warmth of the house hits me as I walk through the door to the yells of my family welcoming me home.
Peeta Mellark:
The house is empty. My parents must be at the bakery. They've always been dedicated, and I guess my sudden fortune must not matter to them, so long as they can continue the day job. Still, I make myself comfortable. With a mug of tea in my hand, I sit. It feels like I'm back in the Capitol, or a more rustic version.
My mind begins to drift back to the events of the games, but before anything comes to surface there's a knock at the door.
"Gale." I say, letting him in.
"Hey."
"Short family visit." I say.
"Yeah, I think they got that I didn't want to be swamped. So they told me to go adjust for a few hours."
"Makes sense. My parents must still be at the bakery. If they are working normal hours they'll be back soon. I want to introduce you."
Gale's face tenses at the prospect.
"You don't have too." I say, disappointment growing.
"No. I will, but I want a mug of tea first."
Now both of us sit on the soft sofa.
"Where do they get the tea from do you think?" I ask.
"Well, since whatever happened that broke the original state union, way back when, all tea has to be imported I think."
"Where from?"
"One of the other New world states. Euros or Saris perhaps."
"Old Europe and Asia?"
"Yeah, they're still doing their thing. I did some reading at the capitol. There's more history for them than for us available."
"Kati was from Euros, originally anyway. New Budapest she told me."
"Maybe that's where she went. Home." Gale says, contemplating.
"Doesn't explain the panic of the Capitol though does it? One girl escaping the games."
"She defied them and broke out, and then threatened them. Panem is locked tight, so nobody knows what goes on here. I doubt the other Unions know that each year twenty three kids are killed off for entertainment."
"You think she came to secure information?"
"It's possible. She could fight better than any of us, and she was well enough to climb out the wreckage of part of the arena."
"So that's why Snow is so pissed, and at us because I certainly seemed like an accomplice."
I've finished my tea and I hear the door open. Mum and Dad.
Footsteps, but only one set. One person.
"Hello boys." A curt voice says.
Gale Hawthorne:
Snow is speaking to Peeta privately now. How he got away from his followers and off a train that left hours ago I don't know, but I'm scared.
Peeta emerges from the door of the study. Snow walks past him, and without looking, leaves the house.
"Peeta what did he say?"
"Gratitude. People think I'm in on the plan. From nowhere the unedited footage of Kati leaked and people are starting to think I was in on it with her. Snow says, he says I can't show anything more than gratitude and keep talking about her to a minimum. If I don't," he pauses, "bad things will happen."
The days home flew. Peeta's finally calm, but he's terrified.
"Onto the train."
"Where do we stop?" I ask the conductor.
"District one, then upwards to 11, then through the rest of the districts until you reach the Capitol."
I walk into the cabin and see Haymitch sitting down with a glass of whiskey. Without looking at me, he begins to speak.
"You never get off this train."