I am proud of this chapter, I hope you enjoy!
Sherry Calderon POV:
I dangled my arm through the open window of the bakery, feeling around for a small bread roll. I grunted and pressed myself against the wall and stood on my tiptoes. I continued to feel around until my dirty hand landed on something small and warm. I smiled to myself, grasping it and pulling it out of the window and towards myself.
I let out a sigh of relief as I lowered myself down from my toes and placed the bread roll in my coat pocket. I placed my hand inside, letting the heat warm up my cold, numb hand. I turned to walk away when a woman walked out of the bakery door and threw a frying pan at me. I side stepped, dodging it and scowled at her.
"Get out of here your brat, go steal from someone else!" she screeched, grabbing another pan. Not wanting to overstay my welcome and risk being arrested by the peacekeepers, I turned and ran away from sight and down a small, wet alleyway. My breath quickened and I started to feel tears well up in my eye. It wasn't my fault I had to steal, if my mother didn't drink away all of my wages, I would never have to bother the old woman. She had angered me though and that was something I couldn't forgive.
I sat down, nibbling on my prize while it was still warm and waiting for the woman to vanish and let her guard down once more. When I was sure it was safe, I snuck around the corner until I was near a pen in front of the shop that held her pigs. I knelt down and shuffled towards the gate so I wouldn't be spotted and pulled the freezing metal that made up the bolt and pulled it away from the lock. The pigs became louder as I turned and ran back towards the alleyway, the gate swinging open behind me.
I watched as the pigs hesitated for a few moments before making a break for it. The loud chorus alerted the baker as she ran after them, begging them to come back. The only pig that stayed was one who had young piglets. I turned away from view and started to laugh. I wasn't a mean person and although I would never admit it, I hope she got all of her pigs back and safe. I just learned over the years to look out for number one. I had watched my parents break up, my mother drink our money and her life away and my own brother, someone I looked up to, hung before my very eyes. People called him "The Faceless Butcher" but to me, he was just Luther. The worst thing was, no one could even look me in the eye after what he had done. Yes, he killed thirteen people and deserved what he was dealt but, I didn't understand why people blamed me. We were related but it didn't mean I was a killer.
Tristan Cathflow POV:
"Fucking move, you scum!" The Peacekeeper holding my chains snapped as he yanked on them, making my stumble. My foot twisted from under me and I fell to the ground, sending dust into the cold air. A few of my fellow inmates, ranging from twelve to eighteen, looked down at me and scoffed. Most of them were doing time for petty crimes such as theft, some even went as far as to be rapists but to them, I was scum. To my District, I had committed the worst crime anyone could think of. I killed my family.
I crept through my house a few months ago, slitting each one of their throats and sat them at the dinner table before going to the local bar for a drink. At least, that's what they told me I did. In reality, I didn't even go home that night. After working a long shift, I decided to crash in a train carriage at work before heading home in the morning. I expected to walk through my front door to my mother cooking my family breakfast, my father getting ready for work, my brother and sister bickering and little Francis sat in his high chair, awaiting his food. Instead I opened the door, only to be met with the stench of dried blood and my families mangled bodies. I rushed to get a Peacekeeper but they arrested me on the spot. The whole District agreed that I had done it, no one even bothered to listen to my side of the story. I even started to think it might have been my fault all along. However, I knew if I was there, I would have been dead with them. Sometimes I thought it might have been for the best.
The crowd of children turned and glared at me as I trailed behind my Peacekeeper escort. Some stuck their tongues out at me and some shouted that they hoped it was me. Henri, a convicted rapist, arrested after sexually assaulting thirteen children under fourteen, seemed happy and proud. He was due to be hung in a few days but that was better than the Games, we all knew it. Better to die quickly and keep it under wraps then have your crimes screamed to the world and die and slow and painful death from thirst or hunger. I wasn't so lucky. I knew for a fact Henri had voted for me, I was the only citizen worse than him, his only chance of not being chosen. I wondered how many votes I had all together. One thing was for sure, it was between Henri and I.
The chosen female, I was expecting. Everyone blamed her for her brother's crimes. He was dead and humans needed something to blame, she was fair Game. I had to admit, I voted for her myself it was better than waiting for the day Peacekeepers would accidentally shoot her just to satisfy public needs. She didn't look very happy with my decision. Next was the boys.
As our escort read out the name, both me and Henri tensed up, it was a chance at freedom but it was unlikely that they would allow someone like us to win.
"Tristan Cathflow!" she called and the District broke into smiles, all giving a sigh of relief. One boy even thanked The Capitol.
"Hard luck there, bud," Henri said with a wink before pushing me forward and towards the end of the line. They kept me in handcuffs the whole time on stage, letting everyone know how deadly I was. Or how deadly they thought I was. They wouldn't even let me shake Shelly's hand.