Chapter 4: The Interviews
A/N so I was a bit sad that I didn't get that many reviews on the last chapter, but I didn't really like that chapter that much, so dw. This one is much better!
Katniss Everdeen POV
I am in a dark hallway with hanging gray lights that flick yellow light inconsistently. I walk down this hallway, not knowing where it leads, until I reach a heavy metal door. I swing it open without thinking and step inside the room. I realize I am in the room below where the tribute pods are. For some reason I step into the tube, and am transported up to a field.
A few pods next to me is Gale. I keep calling out to Gale, but nothing is coming out of my mouth. A gong sounds and I step off the pod, running closer to my best friend. He is running also, and then turns and saw me. Gale stops in his tracks, waves and opened his mouth to greet me when an axe lands in his back.
I wake up panting. My fingers are curled around the old wool blanket wrapped around me. I am sweating profoundly and am sitting up in my bed. I turn to see Prim in the pre-dawn light, sleeping peacefully. I know immediately that I will not fall asleep again. I decide to head quietly down the creaky stairs to my kitchen.
On the wooden stove, a kettle with water in it beckons me. I get wood from next to the stove and start up a fire. I look in the kitchen cupboards and find what I am searching for: a bowl filled with a mix of lemon zest, mint leaves, dried berries, and rosemary. When the kettle begins to boil, I get out a cup and fill it to the brim, adding a bit of the mix from the bowl. When it mixes, I sip the makeshift tea in gulps. Although it is May, predawn is still chilly, especially since I am in a light cotton shirtdress.
I make patties of flat bread from the tesserae grain and oil, and wait for it to be ready. When it is, I eat two, take one, and leave the rest for Prim and my mom. I figure since I cannot sleep it is a perfect opportunity to hunt. I slip into my hunting outfit, grab my father's leather jacket, grab my pouch, and head out the door.
As I walk to the fence I realize today is Saturday, the final day before the Games begin and the day of the interviews. I don't want to think of Gale, getting ready for the cameras, Gale, doing his interview, Gale, lying awake tonight, imagining what tomorrow will bring. No. I don't want to think of any of that. All I want to think of is what the woods will bring.
I am at the fence and am listening for the hum of electricity. Surprisingly, I do hear it. I wait next to the hole for what must be a half hour until the humming subsides. By now, dawn is beginning to break. Purple and pink and orange are dotting the horizon, promising a beautiful day. I slip under the fence after waiting a minute to be safe, and walk to the tree hollow where my bow and arrows are stored.
I arrive at my house when I think the sun is up high enough for it to be near school time. I have shot three squirrels but nothing else. Surely enough, Prim and my mother are running around the house, getting ready for the day. Prim has already milked lady and my mother will make the cheese later. I yell a quick hello at them and hop upstairs to change outfits for school.
"Mom, be sure to bring some cheese over to Hazelle," I call out. She replies with an of course, and I take Prim out to see the wedding cake.
"What do you think it's gonna look like Kantiss?" Prim asks excitedly as we walk from the Seam to town.
"Oh, I don't know… White maybe?" I say with a smile and Prim giggles. "Before I forget, we have to sell the squirrels to Mr. Mellark, okay?"
"Sure! The baker is so nice! And his sons are cute," Prim says with a small smile. Prim often sells cheese to Mr. Mellark, and he has always been very nice to her, but everyone loves Prim. But this is not the thought on my mind at the moment. She is way too young to think about boys. Way, way, way too young. I mean, I barely do! And I tell her this.
"I don't care if they're the cutest boys ever. You are a baby, and therefore way too young to think anyone's cute. And that's that," I say with conviction. We are now entering town, and heading behind the buildings, towards the back door of the bakery.
"Oh, lighten up Katniss! Besides, isn't one of them in your grade?" She asks suggestively. Peeta. How does Prim even know this? I decide I won't answer her.
The back door of the bakery is open as usual, and I knock on it. I secretly hope the baker's wife isn't in yet. I hate dealing with her. Instead of Mr. Mellark appearing, Peeta Mellark does. I am surprised, of course, and then panic when I remember I have never even spoken directly to the boy who saved my life. What am I supposed to say? I ease up when I remember Prim is next to me and she can surely relieve any awkward breaks the conversation has.
"Um, hi Peeta, is your dad around?" I ask, avoiding his eyes. I'm not very good at looking people in the eye when I talk to them, especially if I don't know them. It's one of my awkward habits.
"Actually, he and my mother are out getting baking supplies. Can I help you?" I notice immediately that he refers to his mom as his mother. People only do that when they have a hardened relationship with their parent. I would know. I look up at him and see that he is smiling, and there is genuine interest in his eyes.
"Uh no not really. I guess I'll just stop around when your father gets back," I turn to leave, but Prim stops me.
"No Katniss! You were gonna sell him your squirrels, remember?" She then turns to Peeta and sticks out her hand. "I'm Primrose Everdeen, but you can call me Prim. I'm guessing you're Peeta?" She says politely and with perk. I wonder how she manages to be so, so… likeable.
Peeta is amused and wraps his hand around hers and shakes it. "I am!" He says cheerfully. He invites us inside the bakery, and I am about to decline the offer, but Prim walks right in. He goes over to the shelves holding the bread and asks what kind we want for the squirrels I have just handed him.
"Do you mind if we pick them up after school? So I don't have to run back home?" I ask, my voice trailing off. Peeta replies with a cheerful sure, and I wonder again how all of these people around me are so happy. It's not only confusing, it's weird.
"Can we see the wedding cake, pretty please Peeta?" Prim's eyes are wide and hopeful, and she hugs Peeta when he says yes. I mouth a sorry to him, but he laughs and even pats Prim's back. As he leads us to the cake, Peeta and Prim begin a conversation. I'm not sure what it's about, and I really could care less.
When we reach the display case in the front of the bakery, Prim lets out an 'ooh' and I even raise an eyebrow a little at the cake. It's magnificent, a towering six tier cake, with lace piping, sugar flowers, and vines draping down the cake. The flowers are an array of purples and blues, and the details they hold are amazing.
"Pretty cool, huh?" Prim lets out an appreciative sound. "Well it took me long enough," Peeta says with a chuckle. Now, I'm surprised. Peeta made this?
"You made this?" I ask incredulously. How someone, especially a teenage boy, can make this with their hands is beyond me.
"Yup," He says, sounding slightly embarrassed. He rubs his hand against the back of his neck. "Well, my brothers helped with the icing, but I did all of the flowers and vines and stuff. I usually do the cakes, unless my parents need me to bake bread or something," Peeta explains.
"That's so cool! I wish I could do something like that," Prim says sadly. Before Peeta can do something ridiculously kind, like offer to teach her how to make them, I excuse us on the pretense of being late to school.
"I can walk you guys there if you want," Peeta offers. I can feel his blue eyes watching mine, and almost feel nauseous as I inadvertently remember him throwing me the bread. Those same blue eyes bore into my bony, thread worn body five years ago.
"I think we're okay," I say carefully. "But we'll see you after school for the bread."
As Prim and I reach school, she speaks up. "Why didn't you let Peeta walk with us?"
"Because," I respond. Because that's the best answer I have. We walk up the steps silently and I kiss her on the head and go off to class. At lunch, I look up and meet Peeta's gaze. He is surrounded by his friends, all from town, and they appear to be laughing at something he said. Peeta smiles at me and waves me over, but obviously I don't move. He doesn't appear to be fazed by my obvious rejection of his invitation, but instead continues with his story. I walk into the school building and wander the halls until the bell rings. I begin to head back to class until I remember today we are learning about the relationship of coal and the rock cycle and decide I can miss next period.
When I walk down the steps of the school building, Prim is already waiting for me. We walk together town again and I realize I haven't thought of Gale since this morning. I smile a little before I stop to think if this is a good thing or not. We stalk around the backside of the buildings to kill time. When we reach the back of the bakery, Peeta is waiting for us. He leads us inside and both Prim and I are overwhelmed with the intoxicating aroma of baked goods.
"So, what looks good to you guys?" Peeta asks, another smile playing on his face.
I look around at the countless breads hanging in baskets on the wall before I find a kind that looks good. "Actually, I think the ones with the cheese do," I say, imagining what they'll taste like.
Tonight we go to the Hawthornes house instead. Theirs is almost similar to ours, but has a slightly smaller downstairs and an extra room upstairs. For dinner, we all sit around and eat tesserae bread with greens and a makeshift tea concoction. I ate all of the cheese rolls by the time I got home, only splitting one of the few with Prim. I am officially hooked.
We sit around the TV in the sitting area, and I take a spot on the floor next to Posy. She is curled up next to me and we are playing hand games. Hazelle turns the TV on early and we see a recap of the chariots and training scores. Soon enough, the interviews are on.
I barely pay attention to what the other tributes say in their three minutes, but I do notice a few things. The girl from District One, Glimmer, is annoyingly provocative and I think she looks ridiculous in her gold dress. The boy from Eleven is very brief, only answering yes or no to Caesar's questions and inquiries.
It's been a little over an hour when Madge appears on stage. She is wearing a stunning jeweled dress that again depicts her as the girl on fire. Caesar starts off with a few starter questions, and though Madge is quiet and fidgety, she is somewhat charming. She is able to pull off an air of mystery by giving a sly smile, or being vague on questions. She spins around in her dress for the crowd and they are enticed.
Halfway into the interview, Caesar begins to dig deeper. "Now Madge, a pretty girl like you must have someone waiting for you at home… someone special perhaps?" His eyebrow is raised and his smile is comforting.
Madge does a small laugh at herself before she answers. "Oh, no, I don't have much of anyone waiting for me at home," Her face in down as she says this, covering up a blush.
Caesar gives a good natured laugh. "Now I don't believe it for a minute. Do you folks?" The audience roars in agreement.
"Well there is someone, but he barely notices me." Madge says quietly. Her fingers are quietly tapping on the chair she is seated in. I am genuinely curious of who Madge is talking about. I try to recall a boy she mentioned often, or someone she would blush at, but I can't recall this boy in question.
"I'll tell you what Madge. You go out there and win this thing, and that boy will have no choice but to go out with you. Right?" Caesar laughs as the audience agrees.
"I suppose that would be true…" She pauses for a moment before continuing. "But see, he came here with me," the audience lets out a collective gasp. The camera pans to Gale, who is looking shocked as he could, with his eyebrows up and mouth slightly open.
The buzzer rings and it signals the end of her interview. I don't hear what Caesar has to say to Madge, nor do I care. I am angry. No, I am beyond angry. How dare she. Does she think she can use Gale as some ploy to get people to pity her? It disgusts me. Who does she thinks she is?
Posy pokes me in the arm. "Kat-ness," She says, her four year old voice struggling to pronounce my name correctly. "Are you's okays?" I muster a smile and nod. "Then why are you stabbing your knife into the wug?"
I look down and see my knuckles are white, and my fingers are wrapped tightly around the knife I was using for dinner. Posy is right, I have plunged the silverware into the woven rug that I am sitting on. "Sorry Pose, I didn't mean too," I look up and see Hazelle staring at me, and then divert my gaze immediately.
I stop thinking about Madge when Gale walks onto the stage. He looks dark, but handsome, in his tuxedo. I realize this is the first time I have ever seen Gale wear the thing. In Twelve, no one has need for them, not even for weddings. Maybe some townspeople have use for them on the day of their weddings, but the Seam definitely doesn't.
During the interview, Gale has taken a role as something short of a mute. He only nods or shakes his head to questions he sees as irrelevant. When Caesar asks about a romance with anyone, he shrugs and looks at Madge. Only when Caesar asks him about his family and life in Twelve does he elaborate.
"Well, my dad died in a mine explosion four years ago, I was only a kid then, but you have to grow up fast, you know? I had three younger siblings and a mother to take care of, so I did what work came my way. It was hard, but I had to do it. In fact, on one of those jobs, I met a pretty good friend of mine, so I guess it wasn't all bad," Gale stops for a second and gives a small half smile, one that I know is for me. These 'jobs' Gale is talking about is hunting, which he obviously couldn't talk about. I get a bit sentimental for a moment. I now wish I had listened to Gale and taken off on the day of the Reaping. It's too late for wishing now, I remind myself. Hazelle pats me on the back. I don't hear the rest of Gale's summarization of his life, but I do hear Caesar's next question.
"Now Gale," Caesar leans in closely. "I think we were all touched when you volunteered to save your brother at the Reaping, weren't we?" The audience murmurs in agreement. "Can you tell me what your brother, and your family said to you in the Justice Building, before saying goodbye?"
Gale looks a bit uncomfortable, and cocks his head to the side. "He told me not to be a moron and get killed by a career," The audience bursts into laughter. "And my little sister Posy, she's four, said that I had to kick the stupid people's butts. So I figure I don't have a choice now since I gave my word to a four year old." The Capitol audience bursts into another fit of laughter as the timer sounds.
"And so you will," Caesar shakes Gale's hand. "Gale Hawthorne, District Twelve!" The audience applauds as Gale heads off stage and Caesar begins to speak again.
"He did well Hazelle," My mother compliments. The kids chide in with a round of agreement.
Hazelle is smiling, and Prim, my mother and I stay awhile to chat. I don't want to go home because I know sleep will not find me tonight, as I'm sure it won't find Gale. This is because tomorrow, Gale is going into the Hunger Games.
Dun, dun dunn! So we have Madge liking Gale, Katniss jealous of Madge, Gale's feelings for anyone in question, and Peeta Mellark creeping his way into being with Katniss more. Can you keep up? ;)
****WILL WRITE FOR REVIEWS***
… seriously though guys, if I don't get at least a few reviews on this chapter, I'm gonna cry… Well not really, but really.