A Tale of Two Cities
Chapter 1- Love at first sight
I sat impatiently, my hands tapping the oak table in front of me, when I saw it. On the huge flat screen above my head, a girl with long, auburn hair and a sky blue dress was running towards the stage. There had been rumours, but until now I hadn't actually believed it. A young volunteer from District 12 was now famous all through the Capitol. From DISTRICT 12! FAMOUS! Unbelievable. Their first volunteer. The girl on fire. Katniss Everdeen.
I saw her little sister getting pulled away from the Peacekeepers, tears pouring down her face. The man that carried her looked strong, a relative I think. The resemblance was good enough. He had the light grey eyes, the same athletic, hunter-like build as Katniss. At first glance, I thought they were siblings. But, looking carefully I could see slight change in build and actions that show other-wise. The shape of his nose, his strong arms and broad shoulders were different. Whereas Katniss was flittering towards the stage like a mockingjay, he was like an eagle, soaring through the crowd, a strong grip on his prey and a grim expression on his face.
The child's mother was now weeping, her heart-wrenching sobs only making the girl in her arms cry harder. I almost cried myself, watching the little girl (Primrose? Yeah, Primrose) being pulled into a woman's arms. She was gorgeous. Even whilst crying, her eyes shone like lapis lazuli. It was obvious that she had the heart of an angel. It was tragic that people like her are being abused in this excruciating manner. Why does Snow do this? Torture everyone in Panem for his own entertainment? It's disgusting. But unfortunately, nobody can speak their mind here. Snow rules over Panem like Hitler ruled Germany. In war.
"Mr Flickerman? We're ready for your commentary of the reapings," a voice said from behind the mahogany door as I jumped out of my skins. It's almost as if they know when somebody is defying him. I cringed pitifully at the thought of it. It's not unlikely. "I'm coming!" I exclaimed. Ah well. I once again, plastered the fake blue smile on my face and walked out the door.
Chapter 2-Friend in need
I felt warm, supportive arms wrap around me. Gale. God bless him. "She WILL get out Mrs Everdeen. I know she will." He reassured me. But no amount of reassurance could stop my body from shaking ferociously. "I know. It just scares me. I don't know who she'll be up against, or what will happen if she DOES return. She'll be haunted day and night with all the horrors she'll have witnessed! I don't want this for her! What if she ends up like Haymitch! I wish this wasn't happening."
"Me too…"
I felt a tear drop from his cheek. "Please don't cry Gale. Like you said, we shouldn't worry. God knows Katniss is strong enough. I just needed to get it off my chest," I whispered, "It's going to be fine. Everything is going to be just fine." But I could feel the boiling inferno of blood rush to my cheeks as the voice in my head chanted "Liar, liar." Nothing was going to be fine. Everything was going wrong. My dead husband. My little duck, scarred for life. My soon-to-be-dead daughter. And her friend in need. (Sorry this chapter is really short, but every time I tried adding more it just sounded wrong. Ah well, the next one is longer.)
Chapter 3- The flame's beginning
(3 days into the 74th Hunger games)
"Well it's been three days people. We are starting to run out on contestants! Just in case you've forgotten, here is a list of the remaining participants!
From District 1- Glimmer and Marvel
From District 2- Cato and Clove
From District 3- (Male)
From District 4- (female)
From District 5- (female)
From District 10- (male)
From District 11- Rue and Thresh
From District 12- Katniss and Peeta
So who have you placed YOUR bets on?" Claudius shouts into the microphone.
"Well, at the moment, I believe that Katniss Everdeen has the strongest hope, what with Peeta leading the careers' camp away from her! We never know, this might be the flame's beginning." I shout back, with a smile.
"We can't know yet Caesar. But YOU can!" Claudius says, now addressing the audience, "Remember to sponsor your favourite tributes aannnddd:"
"May the odds be ever in your favour!" I finish for him, grinning wildly as the director yells cut and my teal blue smile slowly fades away.
Finally! I just cannot stand this life of fear and 'hope'. I can't wait for this to end. Maybe then President Snow will let me go. Maybe I'll be able to settle down, make a new life, maybe even a family! I suddenly realise that I need to be back on set soon. "Pff," I sigh, whilst my avox reapplies my blue lipstick. "Thank you." I say, giving her one of my famous smiles. She nods and gracefully walks to the side of the room, waiting cautiously. Poor girl. Stolen from her home, her family killed, her friends tortured. And all the while she's forced to watch and then sent to the capitol to spend the rest of her life as a mute. I pity her. I pity them all. WE don't need slaves. Snow has made sure we've got enough in the Districts. If I had the chance, I'd set them all free. Give them a voice. Well, maybe one day my dreams will come true. Just maybe…
Chapter 4-"Star-crossed lovers"
I sit at the roaring fire desperately trying to ignore the screams that could very well be my daughter's. Prim is sitting by her bed, cuddling my baby's wooden bow that Gale brought us. At least we have a piece if her here with us. I turn my head back to Prim and see Buttercup nudging her, begging for attention.
I hear a young sob and my head shoots up. It's Rory, his short brown hair soaked from the run over here. Prim rushes to the door before I can get there and brings him in. "G-g-ale! He-he's c-crying! M-m-make i-it s-s-stop!" he wails as Prim puts a blanket around his shoulders and gently pulls him towards the fire. She calmly sits him down and hugs him, brushing back his hair and rubbing his shoulders. "Okay Rory, why is Gale upset?" she asks with a steadier voice than I could ever hold. Good god, she sounds just like Katniss! "He-h-he says h-he'll k-k-kill him! He-he's stealing h-her a-a-away from h-him!"
"Who?! Who is Gale angry at?! Please, Rory, tell me!" Prim's voice becomes more urgent as her eyes widen in fear.
"Th-the P-Peeta b-boy! H-he's t-t-trying to s-s-steal C-catnip fro-from G-Gale!" Rory stutters, sobbing wildly into Prim's dress.
"Don't worry Rory, if you want we can go see Gale. Maybe we can calm him down! This star-crossed lovers thing? I highly doubt it's true. Katniss loves Gale remember?"
"R-really?" Rory asks, drying his eyes.
"Of course!" Prim replies, silently signalling for me to stop gaping and nod. "I tell you what, why don't we go get him? I'm sure if we just explain, then he'll get better."
"O-ok. B-but he isn't at home!"
"Where is he then?"
"I don't know. I-I think he went to see Catnip's friend."
"Who?"
"That girl, the pretty one-I think she's the mayor's d-d-daughter."
"Oh," Prim sighs, as her face suddenly drops.
"Prim? What's wrong? Who is it?" Rory asks, as he clearly starts to worry.
Then all of a sudden, the sky seems to grow dark, as if the next words to be spoken will change the course of the Earth itself. As my brow knits together with fear, Prim slowly moves to face me and then I hear it. The one word that will pull Katniss' world apart. The one word that instantly changed everything.
Madge.
Chapter 5- Prim: The little star
"So ladies and Gents, do you want to meet our new guest?" Caesar yelled on the TV screen above our heads. The crowd let out a scream of appreciation. A man came up to the doorway. "Miss Primrose Everdeen, you're up." Prim walked up to the door, "I'm fine momma, it's only an interview."
"I'll be there in a little while sweetheart. Just remember, we need to do everything we can to help Katniss!" I whisper pulling her close.
"I know momma."
Prim's POV
The audience is huge. Why? Why do this? Why torture so many people? I put on my cutest smile and sit down on a huge blue chair, my yellow dress sparkling. "So Primrose, or can I call you Prim?" Mr Flickerman asks politely, his blue smile a little bit scary.
"Of course Mr Flickerman!" I reply.
"So then Prim, how are you doing? It must be really hard with your sister in this year's hunger games."
"It is sir," I say, my smile fading as I start to feel sick," I want my sister back. It's really hard without her."
"Aww, poor Prim, I bet it's terrible." He says sympathetically, looking at the crowd," So the reaping. That was really touching! How did you feel when your sister volunteered for you?"
"Well, to be honest sir, it was REALLY scary! I got called out and then everything went quiet. I could feel everybody watching me. Somebody shoved me out of the crowd and I felt like crying. I knew I was going to die. You have no idea how scary that is sir. Then as I was walking up to the stage, I heard Katniss. I didn't know what to do. It was either die or let Katniss die. But I know she won't," I say, ending on a high note, "Katniss is going to win."
"And how do you know that Prim?" Caesar asks his smile quivering, as if he was scared of the answer. But why?
"Because Mr Flickerman. You and your 'Capitol' may not realise it, but Katniss is a fighter. She WILL win, because she CAN. Our daddy taught her how." I finish.
"Well that's good then isn't it?" Mr Flickerman replies with a grin, "Let's hope you're right. But there is one question that has been playing on my mind. Who was the boy that took you from the Peacekeepers? I bet he and Katniss are REALLY close." Caesar said as a bead a sweat rolls down the side of his face. He wipes it away with a silken handkerchief.
"You mean Gale? Yes sir, he and Katniss are very close. We're cousins you know." I feel the crowd watching us in anticipation, trying to figure out what Caesar's reaction will be.
"Oh really? Well, just between you and me, there was rumour that Gale was he boyfriend!"
"I can see why they said that sir, but it isn't true. It would be incest!" I reply. " And just between you and me sir," I say moving closer to him, "you won't fool me so easily." I whisper.
"I'm sorry? He asks, a prolonged look of confusion on his pale face.
"I said you won't fool me so easily. You want to ask me all sorts of 'innocent' questions to make me trust you, so that I will let something 'slip'. But I have nothing to hide sir. Gale is NOT Katniss' boyfriend, because if he was, he would've volunteered instead of Peeta, to keep her safe instead of looking after me and momma. I am sorry Mr Flickerman, but I am not that naïve sir." I hear the audience gasp and then everything goes silent…
Chapter 6-Bad attitude
Primrose stormed back to her seat as Mrs Everdeen raged on the stage in a tight black dress. Wow. She looked amazing. "Mrs Everdeen, everybody!" I yelled to the crowd of excited citizens.
"How DARE you treat my daughter like that?!" she screamed at me. "What gives you the RIGHT, to question her about our family?! If you wanted to know, you should've asked ME! NOT HER! She is a CHILD! It is bad enough that your people have DESTROYED our lives among the thousands of others, but to question someone who knows NO BETTER than to snap and throw a tantrum, JUST SO YOU CAN MAKE US LOOK BAD!? That's low Mr Flickerman. Even for YOU!" she spat as I took a nervous glance at the audience. They seemed as unsure as me. "Prim! Let's go. I have no more business here. None of us do." She says as she grabs her daughter's hand and they leave the stage.
"Well, somebody has an attitude problem!" someone yelled from the crowd.
"No. I think it's a mother thing." I spoke softly to the audience. Then everything went black…