"A massacre, that's what it was, a massacre without any dignity at all!" Peeta was railing, slamming a hand on the crystal table. Paylor was watching him intently but Plutarch had his head bowed. Katniss had her eyes flying from one person to another.
Peeta had absolutely wanted to talk to the president after a sleepless night of nightmares; Katniss had had no choice but to accompany him along with Haymitch.
"Peeta..." tried to say Plutarch but the boy didn't let him speak.
"I don't want to hear any bullshit about revenge from the Districts or anything else!" he shouted "It's not those kids who enslaved us, it's not those kids who tortured me and millions of other people, it's not those kids who are your enemies! Not them, not half of Capitol City!
He stopped panting. But at this point it was Katniss who was speechless.
"You're justifying Capitol City?!" she exclaimed, making him turn in her direction.
"Come on, Katniss, don't you understand? It's not fair to blame a few sadistic psychopaths on a whole town!" Peeta retorted "Think about Effie or Cinna or Portia!
"They are exceptions!
"These are people who have had the chance to change! Think of the stories Finnick told on TV during the war. Those horrors are matched by victims in CAPITOL CITY!
He turned back to Plutarch.
"You know it better than us!" he said "Why don't you defend your fellow citizens?
It was Paylor who spoke.
"Although your goodness is admirable, the moral innocence of the inhabitants of Capitol City is not a matter for the Hunger Games. They were asked of us and we performed them, period".
But Peeta didn't seem at all pleased with that answer. He didn't dignify anyone with a greeting and marched off.
"I'll try to talk to him" said Haymitch, who had remained silent until then.
"While you're at it, have a chat with Beeete too" Plutarch wiped his forehead. Then he looked at Katniss. The girl shrugged her shoulders.
"What can I do about it? His goodness does not allow him to understand"
\\\\\
Helios was home. He could hear the sounds of Capitol from his bedroom window. He could smell the delicious dishes his father prepared. He could hear Artemis playing with his dolls.
"Helios" a calm voice called to him.
"Mom?" he thought.
"Helios" called the voice again.
"HELIOS!
The little boy woke up. Lyod sighed.
"Fuck, you idiot, you gave me a stroke" he exclaimed helping his friend up.
Helios touched his forehead.
"What happened?
"One of those things gave you a shoulder bump. You're lucky, kid" replied Lyod "I thought it would kill you, but you only hit your head.
"Okay," Helios murmured. He stretched his limbs.
"I put our stuff in the backpacks while you were unconscious. Then you started shaking and I got scared" continued the ally.
"You could have left" said Helios, without being angry. In reality he was astonished.
Lyod burst out laughing.
"Yes? Did you think I would do that? Well, dear, you were wrong, fortunately for you.
The other let out a giggle, too. Then a pop made them both jump. They looked around circumspectly. Lyod already had one hand on the handle of the dagger.
"Let's hide" whispered the smaller boy. The ally nodded.
\\\\\
Jendy was losing too much blood. The bandage wasn't working. But she'd tightened it, dammit, why wasn't she stopping the flow of that damn wound? Lyssa was frustrated and terrified, but she continued to support her barely conscious friend as she limped through the woods.
"Damn monsters. Damn Hunger Games!"
She had never seen anyone die. Horrifying cosmetic surgeries? By the billions. Slimy old men molesting children? Daily spectacle. But life slipping away from a human being? Only on TV, and she wasn't too keen on checking off the live experience on the list.
"Lyssa ..." mumbled her friend "Lys... Lyssa"
"Shh" her ally replied with a trembling voice "Stop trying so hard. Everything will be fine.
"Lyssa, stop it" Jendy's voice was firmer "It's not... it's not good for either of us"
"Shut up, Jendy, don't even think it.
"Lyssa, please...
"Enough!
"We are both going to die...
"I SAID STOP!" shouted Lyssa making her ally sit down and taking her shoulders "You're not going to die, you hear? I'M NOT GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!
She had never cursed. She had never been so angry. But she wasn't in a normal situation. She burst into tears. Who cared about the sponsors or the audience, she just wanted Jendy not to leave her. Her friend smiled sweetly.
"Lyssa" she said "I don't want you to die because of me. Leave me here. Win these Hunger Games for me too.
Lyssa shook her head. Then someone attacked them. Lyssa reacted instinctively by grabbing Jendy's tiny knife, just when Helios pounced on her.
"What...?" exclaimed the little boy, remaining with the dagger suspended in the air. Lyod also came out of the trees and looked at Jendy.
"Please... do it quickly" said Lyssa- Please... save Jendy"
"Are you stupid?
Helios got up and held out his hand. Lyssa took it hesitantly. She saw Lyod examining Jendy's wound.
"Did you think I would kill you?" asked Helios laughing. Effie's niece looked at him shocked but said nothing.
"Can you do something for her?" asked Lyod instead. The boy nodded.
"I wouldn't have studied medicine otherwise" he answered "But I need a safer place.
He gave Jendy a new bandage and put her on his shoulders.
"Well, then..." said Helios all cheerful "The allies are four".
Lyssa looked at him again.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Fuck the rules of the Hunger Games" answered the other one "We are friends, aren't we?
At that moment a parachute glided at their feet. Helios bent down to pick it up. Opening the box, he revealed a parchment note with a sentence written on it:
At the bottom of the valley, there is something useful for all your problems, P.
"Are we going to the valley then?" asked Lyod. Lyssa smiled.
"Let's go to the valley"