The short dialogue in which we will start the story: "Do you want to know who else won't be there?"..."No" I say. "I want to be surprised."
Eventually we land in District 12, in the Victor's village, my home. The only place untouched by the bombings and destruction of 12. Half of the houses have lights in the windows, including Haymitch's and mine. Not Peeta's. I'm not as torn as you would think considering I already knew my mother wasn't coming home and Peeta didn't come home with us on the flight back, but I'm still pretty depressed.
When I get to my house, I see that someone has started a fire for me. I go sit in the big cozy chair in front of the fireplace- well at least it used to be cozy. I am no longer aware of the luxuries in life. However, I do feel like there is still something to live for, I'm just not sure what it is yet. As I start to think about what the possibilities might be and why I'm not reaching for the chef's knife in the kitchen, I drift off to sleep.
It is a horrible sleep though. Full of nightmares and horrible gory deaths, things I've watched happen in the recent past. I dream of a shovel beating down on me, and with each strike, I sink further into the ground. I'm begging the shovel to stop but it doesn't. What's weird about this, besides the dream itself, is that the shovel makes the sound of scraping something, maybe wood? Not hitting a human. I decide that I can't take this anymore and use all of my willpower to overpower my subconscious. I wake with a start and realize the sound is coming from outside. I walk as fast as I can - being I'm extremely weak because of the morphling withdrawal and the lack of food I have eaten - and head for the door. As I pass the kitchen I see Greasy Sae cooking eggs and toast. As I pass I make a double-take without stopping, but I do notice a glimpse of a faltered smile, and keep going for the door. When I get outside I stop and listen for the source. It's coming from the side of the house. When I get there I stop short, but show no emotion on my face, for I'm not sure I have any left anyways.
"You're back," I say.
"Yeah... well they finally decided to let me leave the Capitol," says Peeta.
He looks well, handsome really compared to what I've seen throughout the last couple of months in his poor condition. He has burn scars like me, but to my surprise, the tortured look he had in his eyes for so long is cleared and I can perfectly see his clear blue irises. I remember why I came here in the first place.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"I went to the woods this morning and dug these up. For her. I thought we could plant them along he side of the house," says Peeta.
I see what he's planting are roses, primroses. The flower my sister was named for.
"Thank you," I say.
But I want to say something more. That 'thank you' didn't exactly present enough gratitude. I just...don't know what. Regardless, this act of kindness and Peeta's presence lift something up inside of me. I quickly turn away and bolt to the front door. I hear in the distance his
"You're welcom- Hey? Where'd ya go?."
But I have no time to go and respond. I need to take care of what I have put off for months. After having not bathed, changed clothing, or left the house since I arrived from the Capitol, except for 30 seconds ago, I jump in the shower. I thoroughly clean myself, go to my room and open the window, and find clean clothes to wear. I run downstairs and gulp down the breakfast Greasy Sae has prepared for me. I wonder if she's here because she's on the government payroll or if she's just being neighborly. When I'm done eating I ask her if she knows where any of my personal belongings are, if they are here at all. She tells me to check the study. I sprint up the stairs, fall on the way up, and make it to the study. The new found inspiration raising my spirits even higher. The first thing I see is my father's hunting coat, my game bag, and the two bows given to me and Gale by Beetee. Gale. My spirits drop a little. I haven't seen him since I shot coin. I wonder where he is, what he's doing, what's going on. Pushing the thought out of my mind, for now, I hold the bow in my hand and feel it start to purr. I walk in to my room with the game bag strapped around me, hunting coat on, and bow in hand. Instinctively I raise the bow, place an ordinary arrow from my quiver in it, aim straight at the white rose Snow sent to me so long ago, and shoot it out the window.
I know there wasn't much of a difference in this first chapter, but I promise, there will be more scenes added in the following chapter. Each gradually adding and getting more intense. Please Review and Subscribe!
