Life in the Capital
How far will you go to save the one you love?
Chapter one
The Capital is not fully rich and fabulous as some may say. In fact, there is a lot of dirty dusty hidden shacks around the Capital that was safe, hidden for the people in the distracts that got away from the hunger games, and my family, or what was left of my family lives in one of these old shacks that we call home.
As soon as my father died, my mother mentally died with him, making me the strong one in our family to bring home the bread, and keep a strong face for Prim. Prim is my beautiful little sister, my life. She is the only one that keeps me from slitting my wrists at night, when the newscast comes on and Snow's snakelike eyes fill the screen. I hope he dies a slow and painful for what he has done to our country.
We lived back in district 12, poverty stricken, and full of diseases. After father died is when I decided to fucking leave. It wasn't so easy. Gale, my best friend, maybe one day my lover, saved us from that wretched place as he was none other than a mine worker that helped the 5 year production of a safe secret path to the Capital. I owe my life to him. I owe him more than that, but my heart doesn't allow it, not after what love did to my mother.
Now I am Katniss Everdeen, seventeen year old girl looking for food in the ruined backstreets of the Capital. It's raining; the thick smell of smoke coming from the industrial factories makes me sick. As I go to a nearby garbage shoot to puke in, I realized someone is talking from a distance.
"Hey little cat, you sure are ugly aren't you?" the voice chuckled, "but that's alright, even the ugly things need to eat too."
I listen to their conversation, sneaking closer to the voice as I near another corner and see the streets are packed with people. I make another turn, and I quickly hide as I see a boy who looks about the same age as me, give the cat a loaf of cheese bread. I plan a strategy that once the boy goes in, I'm jacking the cat's food. Why should the cat have it when a poor family is starving, nearly left dead for survival?
"Fucking cat…" I accidentally whisper, but it's too late, the boy looks up, "hey, is anyone there? Show yourself." I don't show him anything, as I start to turn around and run. I don't know who he is. He's from the Capital. A monster, cheering for death and not caring which families will suffer.
It's cold and slippery as I hear his footsteps following me. I've outran almost anything, this boy is no match for me. The only problem is that I don't know these parts of the Capital very well. It feels like a maze that I can't escape from. Is this how the hunger games arena feels like? But I hear him, how could I not hear him? He won't give up as his footsteps yearn for mine. I make two left corners and a right, and I'm cornered. I can't hide. Oh well, at least if I die, I died trying.
The boy catches up and he's panting, the rain drenching his clothes that were once dry. His apron clings to him, flour patterns everywhere. He's a baker.
"Why did you run?" I give him no answer. Instead, I keep looking for an escape. There's enough room on either side of him. If I run and duck, I can get away from him. "Wait!" he yells.
I don't see the big bulging gap in the cement that sends me falling. But I don't fall, instead, two strong arms grab a hold of me around my waist and I look into the most crystal clear blue eyes I've ever seen. His hair clings to his forehead, and with the street lamps I can tell it's a nice shade of blonde. I notice that he has specks of flour on his cheeks.
It almost feels as if I'm stricken by lightning. "Peeta." he says, staring into my eyes, like he's trying to find something deep inside of me. At this point the only thing he'll find is hunger.
"Katniss." He straightens me up, but doesn't let go of me. I'm too tired to push him away, and I won't admit that I like the heat that radiates from him.
"Why did you leave?" his eyebrow pops up, and I see a drop of rain swivel down to his face. I still don't answer. I can't trust him. He's from the Capital, I'm not known to be a foolish girl. "You're shivering. Let's get you inside at least. I won't push you to talk if you don't want to. But you'll be warm and safe with me."
I don't know why I followed. Was it desperation? Starvation? Or have I given up?
Peeta leads me back to the building that I was momentarily creeping on. The cat is already gone, but a few crumbs are left in its place.
"This was my dad's old shop before I became a real baker for the Capital." He explains, opening up the door for me. "All shipments of the stuff I order come here. I occasionally bake when I get hungry though." On the counter he has a loaf of cheese buns in a stack of a pyramid. My mouth waters at the smell.
Peeta's face frowns when he hears my stomach rumbling. "Take as many as you want." I take three and stuff two in my pocket "For my family" I explain, eating my bread wantonly. "Then take all of them, I can always make more"
I smile, for once, not a fake one. "Thank you Peeta. I must be going now. It's late, and my mother will be worried, if she even notices."
I turn around to leave, but he grabs my hand. "Will you come by tomorrow, maybe a little earlier?" He's hopeful, and I nod in reassurance. It's weird, but something tells me to trust him. Maybe his life at the Capital isn't so great either.
I come home to see my mother intoxicated on the couch. Her drug this week to knock her out is gas fumes. I take her upstairs into her own bed and cover her up. The only reason I do is because I don't want Prim to see this kind of shit.
.