So here it is, as promised! An update! You might see another one later! Enjoy!
Jarrod's POV
I have a brother? What? They never told me! And what's worse, I was an ACCIDENT! I wouldn't be here if my mom wasn't lucky enough to be found in the forest by Da- I mean, Jon. I can't even call him Dad anymore. It's too much. This is what I get for listening in on people's conversations! How could he? It's so ridiculous! All this time, it's been a lie! All this time, he's kept one of the most important things I could ever know a secret! It makes me sick, knowing that he... that THEY knew so much and never told me! Sixteen years I spent fooling myself into thinking that Jon was in love with only my moth- Clarisse, when in reality he was MARRIED to another woman! I run, as fast as I can, through the back door and down the street. I keep running, letting my feet go where they please as my mind turns this news over and over. I find myself on the very edge of the district. One more step is all it takes for me to be in danger. Not many know, but there is an energy field that surrounds all of thirteen. It's not like the ones that electrocute you or throw things back. It's one of those that lets anyone out but only specific people in. There's a list of all the names and genetic fingerprints of every person in the district, and the field recognizes them and lets them in. Anyone else is held back, and it's not fun. Weapons, unless disabled, are not let in either. Ammunition is hard to get into the district. It is let in through a special sort of invisible door. Few people know the key code to it, and all have sworn and oath of secrecy. I'm one of those people.
I find myself outside the district, under an old weeping willow by a lake in the forest. It's a calming spot, rarely anyone goes there. No one really knows where it is. Well, except for me. I come here sometimes, just to think. I find it peaceful. I lean back against the tree trunk and close my eyes, trying to wipe everything from my mind, if only for a moment. I have almost succeeded, when I suddenly hear a crack. A breaking twig. Someone has found me. I am frightened now. If someone has found me, then they are either a crazy person from District Thirteen who needed peace and stumbled upon my little haven, or someone from the Capitol. If the first, I shall hope to survive. If the second, I am a dead man. The leaves on the tree rustle. I see feet below the low-hanging ropes of foliage. They are slowly pulled apart, and a woman is standing there. A very familiar woman, in fact.
"Meri?" I whisper, surprised. Of all people, she was the last person I expected to see.
"Jarrod! You're not supposed to be here!" she says angrily.
"Well why not?" I ask incredulously.
"Because this is where I go, not you! You should be at home, keeping Katniss from finding where I am! How did you know where I would be? Nobody, not even Naomi, know where I go to be alone!" she is glaring daggers at me now. I don't know how to answer that. Ever since I came here, it was my spot. No one ever found it. And now she just waltzes up and claims that she owns it?
"You're welcome to join me, but I refuse to leave. Just as long as you are quiet," I add.
"Fine," she sighs, sitting at the opposite side of the trunk. Finally, peace at last. Yet now I can't help but wonder why on earth she would be out here, running from that little girl – what was her name? Oh, Ava – and seemingly on the verge of tears. It's so unlike her. I've known her for awhile. Actually, I knew her quite more than I should have, but then it all changed. And now, here we sit, both distressed and uncomfortable. Oh well. I guess that's life, after all.
KPOV
I run around the district, searching for my mother and Prim. I haven't seen them since before my name was drawn for the 75th Hunger Games. I want to see them, to know they're safe, but I can't find them. Was Gale lying? He said that he got them out! He abandoned his family to get them out! Poor Mrs. Hawthorne, abandoned by her own son... I shake the thought from my head, not ready to think about depressing family issues. If I can't handle my issues, how can I handle his AND mine? Plus, I have to deal with the rebellion and Peeta's rescue, along with Cinna's and – I suddenly realize – Johanna. I make a mental note to tell Meri about adding her into the plan later. I just can't keep up with it all right now. I feel myself being slowly torn apart. It's... disconcerting. I'm confused and stressed. All I know now is that I need to set things straight that I can fix now, rather than later. And I know that, now, I have a plan.
So it's way too short but that means the next update will be extra long when I get back! This one is almost a sort of... filler, I guess you could say. So please review so I can come back to a bunch of nice, happy readers that want to read more!
