Chapter 4: Parade of Women
The first few days at Cray's mansion were among the saddest of Katniss Mellark's young life. A prisoner in this man's home, she busied herself by housekeeping around the place, trying to keep it neat. Cray neither told her to do this or tried to stop her, so she simply continued. She had nothing better to do.
On other aspects of her life, however, Cray was brutally harsh. He forbade Katniss from contacting anyone in the greater district or Panem - not even her precious little sister. Katniss had to trust that some of her loyal friends in the Hob, like Greasy Sae and Ripper, would look after the youngest Everdeen daughter.
The nights were the hardest. Katniss's despair over the loss of her sister, and of her husband, made it hard for her to sleep at night. Not to mention the strange moaning noises that came from Cray's private chambers on the other side of the mansion.
During one particularly unbearable night, Katniss left her room to get a drink of water. As she passed by the off-limits western wing of the mansion, where Cray's rooms were, she saw a group of women emerging into the hall. They were scantily dressed, and were moving slowly, as if sore. The women froze when they saw Katniss.
"Who are you?" Katniss inquired, although the clues she had observed provided an easy answer. Prostitutes. Had to be.
"Cray's girls," one of them answered, a blonde with blue eyes that reminded Katniss of her husband's. She stuck out her hand. "I'm Madge Undersee. And this here is Delly Cartwright and Johanna Mason," gesturing to the ginger and brunette, respectively, on either side of her.
"Katniss Mellark." The young huntress shook hands with each of them in turn. Madge's eyes widened at the name.
"Oh! The baker's wife. And you saved your sister at the posts not long ago."
"Yes, Madge! Don't you remember? She's the housekeeper Cray keeps talking about," Delly half-scolded.
Katniss blinked. "Why would Cray be talking about me?"
"Oh, just passing on information. One of the things we get for the pleasure of his company," Johanna waved off.
Pleasure of his company…. that has to be a sick joke, Katniss thought. She shifted from foot to foot. "So…. you guys going home for the night?"
"This is home," Madge informed her. Katniss stared. These girls were prisoners too. "Well…. kind of. We share a small cabin on the edge of the mansion's grounds. Cray wants us close so he can keep seeing us because, well… he's trying to reverse a curse." She said this without a hint of irony.
"Like, magic? That kind of curse?" Katniss asked, and a chuckle escaped her. None of the girls joined in. Despite her non-seriousness, Katniss moved on. "I'm sorry. It's just so hard to find anything to smile about these days. I've lost my sister, my husband. My dreams…. everything."
Madge smiled sympathetically. "Cheer up, child. It'll turn out all right in the end. You'll see. Oh! Listen to me! Chattering on when there is bedtime a-waiting! Delly, Johanna!"
The women scampered off to return to their quarters, leaving Katniss alone to ponder. Having all those girls at his beck-and-call? He must be lonely. I wonder what Cray is like in bed?…..
Katniss mentally slapped herself, suddenly disgusted. Where had that come from? Shaking her thoughts clear, she returned to her room without ever getting that cup of water.