Chapter 6

"Nothing is more real than the masks we make to show each other who we are."
― Christopher Barzak, The Love We Share Without Knowing

The Seam must be an awful place to live.

As my mother and I make our way to the Everdeen household with Madge and our father going home instead, I feel distinctly uncomfortable with the way some of the Seamfolk are looking at me, like it was somehow my fault for the Capitol deciding that they should live in poverty.

The others however looked much worse.

In my previous life, homelessness was a huge problem. On a walk to the market I would usually see about 5 different people on the streets.

They used to terrify me. Not because they were homeless, that was a scary and way too real prospect for myself, but because it was clear that they had given up. There was a blank look in their eyes whenever I dared to lock eyes with them.

It's the same look that these other Seamfolk give me right now.

My mother takes my hand and I realise that my discomfort must be showing outwardly. Damn this 5 year old body...

We stop and I assume we've reached the Everdeen household.

"Welcome to my home," Katniss mumbles, looking uncomfortable. I momentarily debate whether or not to glare at her before deciding to do the latter.

I mean, she was clearly the one that suggested to her parents I come around to her house, so I don't see why she's uncomfortable.

Our mothers laugh next to us and we both look at them somewhat confusedly. Maybe it wasn't Katniss after all that suggested this...

Were they still friends? I thought in the series they'd stopped being friends after Maysilee died. Although maybe due to my existence, did this change?

Not wanting to overthink this, I choose to ignore them and instead turn to Katniss with a smile plastered on my face.

"I like your house. It looks cozy."

It looked anything but. With its rotting wood and dirty windows, it looked like that spooky cabin in the woods that the murderer would live in horror movies. But I don't think my best friend would appreciate my thoughts ; I doubt any five year old would.

Her face lights up and she gives a small smile, obviously believing my lie.

"Welcome to our home!" Mr Everdeen greets and opens the door for us to walk in. With a smile my mother pulls me into their version of a living room. Which, quite frankly, is really depressing. There isn't a sofa, nor is there a carpet. There is literally a knackered television, if you could call it that, that was off and did not look like it would be on anytime soon.

It's moments like these that I remember how much more worse off this district is compared to my old world. My old family may have been poor, but we still had a sofa, we still had adequate housing. Something which this district seriously lacks, and that disgusts me.

I don't let on that I am disgusted however, lest the Everdeens assume that I'm upset with staying here. Instead, I pretend to be fascinated with and in awe of the house. Which gets harder and harder the more of the house I see. After the very short tour, my mother decides to leave.

She kisses me on the cheek and hastily leaves, making sure to remind Mrs Everdeen that they will be meeting up in the next week.

"Why did she leave so quickly?" Katniss asks next to me, and all I can do is shrug, pretending not to notice the picture on a shelf of three blond women, with two of them looking identical to each other.

Her parents seem to not notice, but when Mr Everdeen encourages us to go into the one bedroom of this house, I see Mrs Everdeen taking the picture down and putting it in a drawer.

So it turns out, Katniss Everdeen can be a normal kid. She had toys that she wanted us to play with, and she also wanted to do my hair. I let her of course, but after that she just seemed really confused as to what we should do next.

I was too if I'm honest.

It has been many years since I was last five years old, and I doubt that this household had any of the things that I would play with at that age. There was no make up, and it was clear from the way my parents reacted whenever I tore my dresses that clothes were precious and valued, moreso in the Seam. Which meant that we couldn't play dress up.

"Do you know tic-tac-toe?" I blurt out, half out of desperation to interrupt the silence and half out of curiosity.

Unsurprisingly she shook her head, and I smiled.

"Let me teach you,"

After we've played it a few times, she asks me if I know any other games, and I grin.

Dinner was surprising to say the least.

We were called to the kitchen hours after we had gone into the bedroom and by that time I was starving.

I made sure not to say that I was hungry, as after all, even if this family hadn't starved yet, I had still eaten far more food than Katniss ever had.

So I sat at the table, expecting a small plate of vegetables, or something that wouldn't suggest that they illegally hunted in the woods.

Of course that's not what they gave.

Instead, I got duck with katniss roots and gravy, probably the biggest indicator that they had some sort of illegal lifestyle.

I briefly wonder what Katniss said about me to get this sort of effort put into the food I eat, but my thoughts are interrupted by my stomach. Rumbling. Loudly.

I blush as the others laugh.

"Why don't we eat then," Mr Everdeen suggests and ignoring my red face, I dig in to my meal.

It was delicious.

I had always really liked duck, so it felt nice to eat it again after 6 years. And I could tell the others were in agreement.

"That was delicious!" I exclaim upon finishing, and the adults smile at me warmly.

"I'm glad you like it Maeve," Mrs Everdeen says.

I beam at her.

"May I ask a question?" I ask when the adults have started to clear the table.

"Of course," Mr Everdeen answers.

"What animal was that?"

The two share a look before her father hesitantly says 'duck.'

I smile and nod, not letting on that I knew the only place you could get duck was the lake in the woods- not even the mayor could get that meat.

Instead I mention it to Katniss later on.

Her parents had decided to push a bed outside of the bedroom and into the living room, so we could be 'grown ups.' She of course was delighted, I however, silently prayed to whatever God existed in this universe, whether it be Zeus or Warg, that they wouldn't have sex.

Although, maybe tonight was the night that young Primrose Everdeen was conceived...

Wait a minute, wasn't Prim only 4 years younger than Katniss?!

"Where's your sister?" I ask her, hoping that I hadn't somehow caused Primrose Everdeen to cease to exist.

"She's with my grandparents," she replies and I nod.

"You've never mentioned grandparents before."

She hasn't mentioned a lot of things, but I don't think there was ever a real mention of her grandparents in the series. Either series.

"Yeah. My mom's parents. They don't like me."

But they like my sister was left unspoken. Of course they did. From what I remember of the series, Prim looked like a merchant and although she was technically Seam, I doubt the merchants saw her as a Seam Rat. She was probably an honorary townsperson in their eyes. Whereas Katniss, with her Seam looks and Merchant heritage, was most likely hated.

"I'm sorry," I say and then hug her.

She didn't expect this, but I feel her wrap her arms around me, so I know she doesn't mind.

"Why don't we tell each other stories?" I suggest, pulling away.

At her nod, I open my mouth. And promptly start to tell her about the story of Red Riding Hood.

About 5 fairytales in, she's fast asleep, and with a smile I stop telling my rendition of Frozen and close my eyes.

I never expected Katniss Everdeen to be a hugger.

But when I wake up in the morning, she's clinging to me like a lifeline.

I try to move subtly so as to not to wake her, but her eyes shoot open the moment I start to pull away.

"Morning," she says groggily, and I smile.

"Good morning Katniss."

We had no school that day as the Victory Tour was coming up soon. I tried not to think about it though. After all, the main characters I was meeting weren't the figures that I had read about yet. They weren't killers. Yet Gloss already was.

The more recognisable victors I see, the closer I will get to watching my friends enter these games. The closer I will get to having to enact the later stages of my plan. And it scares me.

As school is closed, so are the mines.

I guess a pro here is that due to the kids needing to be looked after when they are not in school, the occupations that one can get in twelve are also shut down. I mean it's terrible for business, but due to the fact that there are no other proper holidays, I'm sure the adults of the district are relieved whenever today comes.

We get called to breakfast about an hour after we have woken up, and this time, instead of it just being the two of us and her parents, a toddler is also there.

Primrose Everdeen was adorable.

I fight the urge to coo at her however, when I remember Katniss, who already knows that people prefer her sister to her, is right next to me.

We sit down and eat in silence, with no one really being sure what to say.

That is until Katniss blurts out:

"Can Maeve come to the Woods with us?"

I choke on the water I'm drinking.

Surely, even if she tended to not think things through until she reacted, Katniss would have realised that asking her parents if the mayor's daughter could go to a forbidden place in the district with her would be a terrible idea?

Her parents just stare at her in disbelief. I don't blame them.

Deciding to try and lessen whatever punishment she is going to get after I have left, I turn to them.

"Please?" I ask, trying to look as innocent as I possibly could, "I really want to see the ducks."

"What ducks?" Mr Everdeen asks, trying to keep his voice even.

"The ducks by the lake," I continue, hoping that I don't seem too gifted for my age, "I read in a book that ducks are always by lakes, and we had ducks yesterday, so there must be a lake in the woods."

"There is!" Katniss exclaims and the two of us grin at each other.

Now her parents are looking at the both of us in disbelief. They both open their mouths to say something, but a knock on the door interrupts them.

Mrs Everdeen goes to answer it while her husband continues to stare at us.

That is until Prim starts to crawl on the table and he has to lift her up.

My parents enter the kitchen and are almost immediately taken to another room. Probably to discuss what had just happened. I turn to my friend.

"Want me to finish telling you about Frozen?"

She nods and I continue.

"What's wrong Lily?" Marceline asks her old friend once the two couples and the toddler had gone into the bedroom. Being from the town, her and her husband had to force themselves to not outwardly show their horror at the Everdeens' house.

If they realised, the Everdeens did not show it.

"Your daughter wants to go into the woods," Henri Everdeen says, and Marceline pales.

Everyday, it seems her daughter becomes more and more like Maysilee...

"Absolutely not." Marcus says immediately.

"I wasn't planning on taking her."

Henri sounds vaguely offended, and she couldn't blame him. After all, the two men didn't know each other, and try as they might, the typical distrust between Townsfolk and Seamfolk were bound to cloud their thoughts.

"She's very smart for her age," Lily states and they all look at her, "like Katniss," she adds, seemingly as an afterthought.

"We know," Marceline sighs. It was clear as day that Maeve was gifted the moment she learned to talk. She'd skipped the babbling stage and instead had started to talk in full sentences. She'd finished every book they had in the house by the time she was 4. It was unnerving but she still loved her daughter.

Her daughter was a genius. And that's why she knows that if Maeve wanted to go to the woods, then it's not just mere curiosity that's guiding this want.

It's boredom.

She can't go to the woods though. Not yet. Maeve would not turn out like Maysilee, if Marceline had anything to do about it.

Maybe when she's older she can go to the Woods, but for now, they would need to find something that would occupy her time.

They could talk to Ryan, but Maeve didn't seem to like the bakery. Besides, something just felt off about Clara...

Most of the merchants would just use her wonderful daughter for societal gain. They could make demands from the Undersees, ranging from better trade deals to even marriage. And when the twins were born, she and her husband had decided to not go through with any marriage contracts until the girls were of age and could decide for themselves. No one wanted another Everdeen situation, no matter how much she respected her old friends choice.

She thinks of her daughter. Her sweet, intelligent child who already protects her sister and the youngest Mellark. Who already tries to help them out anyway she can. Maybe she just really likes helping out people...

"I have an idea," she says suddenly, catching the others' attention.

At their expectant gazes, she explains with a smile.

Hopefully Maeve will be satisfied. She has to.

They come back in just as I've finished telling Katniss the story of Jack and Jill. It's depressing that they don't really have fairytales here, only folk songs. Maybe, if I survive the war I can publish all the stories I know and then kids won't be stuck with only hearing the Meadow song.

Of course, that's dependent on whether I still remember my old world.

The way this world is going, I will have gone through a lot by the time I'm 18, let alone 30. Will I even survive?

We look at our parents expectantly and they smile.

"You can't go to the Woods," my father states and I feign sadness. It was obvious that they would say that.

"But, you can help me out," Mrs Everdeen says and I don't have to feign my confusion.

She goes on to explain that she needs help in helping out the people of the Seam who can't afford the apothecary and that due to my intelligence, she would appreciate my help.

"I learnt this from a young age," she said soothingly, probably mistaking my confusion for fear, "and I believe that you would be a huge help to me and the citizens of the Seam. What do you say?"

Well it would pass the time...

I nod, forcing myself to grin. Katniss smiles too, no doubt happy that I will be spending more time around.

I look at my parents and while they're smiling, my mother looks more relieved than anything else. What could she possibly be relieved about?

"I think it's time we leave now," my father states, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I leave the Everdeens happier than I thought I would be, and it doesn't occur to me until I'm almost home that I didn't stop to think about what Madge would think about my new occupation.

Oh well, what's done is done.

Phase 1

Don't give up on the Boy with the Bread- COMPLETE

Somehow become friends with Katniss Everdeen- COMPLETE

Another part of Phase 1 has been completed! Before anyone asks, I would like to clarify why Katniss asks for Maeve to go to the woods with her father and her. Well, she's 5.

Katniss herself states that she struggled to keep her mouth shut as a child and I do feel like a 5 year old her would, if she had a person she was really close to, ask this. After all, it means that the friend doesn't have to leave so soon, and she could show her favourite place in the district to someone who hadn't seen it. That's why I included it.