Chapter 9: Juan Miguel
He wakes up screaming. He throws off his blanket, leaps out of the bed, and falls flat on his face.
"Come out!" he shouts in the dark. "Goddammit, come out!"
Taking a few seconds to come to, he fishes for the tequila under his bed. The good stuff, straight from City Square. He takes two healthy gulps then staches it back in its hiding place. The burn keeps his mind straight.
"Mami would kill you if she saw that."
Josefina pulls him off the floor and plops him down on the bed, making a fuss over his messy room. He reaches for the bottle. She slaps his hand. He pouts.
"Sixth time this week," she says through a yawn. "District Two chasing you, the chupacabras, District Twelve or your leg?"
His one knee is to his chin. "District Twelve."
She repeats the mantra for the umpteenth time. "What's done is done. You killed cause you had to, not cause you wanted to."
He smiles at her exasperation. She would never understand.
"I have a bad feeling about today."
Eyes look away.
"You feel it too, don't you?"
"Just nerves," she fiddles with her hair. Always was a bad liar. Subject changes. "The house is finally built. About time. Damn near ready for the Games."
"Don't remind me." Fingers toy with his bracelet. It's worn, had the thing since forever, but the color's still there. District tradition for fathers to give newborns. Pissed him off they wouldn't let it inside the arena. "Mami and Papi should've been back by last night. Wonder what's up?"
"No clue," she shrugs. "Probably Tío Carlos. You know he likes to talk."
Josefina hops off the bed. "I'll wake the girls. Get dressed. Your adoring crowd awaits you." She goes towards the door before turning her head sideways. "And don't you dare drink anymore tequila."
"Promise." Three shots are already down when the door closes. His head peeps out of the window. There are the usual beggars, the ones not even the monthly parcels can sate. But this morning there are more.
They know about the house.
Juan Miguel swears under his breath, careful not to let Josefina hear. Is nothing a secret in this damn district?
Grabbing his crutches (the Capitol finally gave him a pair), he fishes through the pile of clothes at the edge of his bed and pulls out the least smelliest ones. Shirt, pants, shoe, coin pouch. He stares at the awkward way his pant leg slumps down. It's still some getting used to not having his full leg. 'We did all we could do' the doctors told him. They said the same thing to Redwood.
A camera crew is already interviewing his sisters when he walks into the living room. Conversation stops once they notice him.
"There he is!" A brightly colored woman comes rushing over to him. A camera is shoved in his face.
"A quick chat, yes? Just three questions." Her smile scares him.
It was more of a command than a question. Fingers toss a signal to the cameraman.
"3...2...1...and we're live."
"Good morning Panem! Melpomene Fonda reporting for Mercury News Network. We are here live in District Ten with your latest Victor, Juan Miguel Ibarra!"
Applause shoots out of the camera.
"Now let's get right to it: it's Moving Day! On a scale of 1 to Oh My Snow, how excited are you Victor Ibarra?"
Microphone shoved in his face. He blinks twice before responding. "Very excited, yeah. I'm happy to be moving to the Victor's Village." Eyes squint to think of another lie. "Made my day! No, life!"
"I bet! Your twin sister was just asking what the hold up was. Such a spirited gal! A shame she couldn't fight with you in the Games."
One look from Josefina and his mouth closes shut.
Melpomene continues, oblivious to the exchange. "Now, victory cost you something that is quite hard to depart from. Are you doing well despite your handicapped state?"
He scrunches up his nose. "Let's get this straight Panem: I'm not handicapped. I'm just as awesome as I was before I won the Games. The chupacabras did a number on me, but I'll survive. Can't take me out yet."
"Chupacabras. How quaint!" Melpomene laughs with him. Juan Miguel laughs at her. "Your victory came quite a surprise to the nation, similar to last year. Friends with any of the Victors yet?"
"They hate me." He immediately regrets saying that. "I mean, we're all busy men, being all rich and stuff. Redwood is cool. We've talked a few times."
Melpomene perks up at the mention of Redwood. "Hmm...talked. Anything in particular, Victor Ibarra?"
Juan Miguel misses her tone. "Just stuff. Guy stuff. You said three questions lady."
A look to her cameraman. "Hahaha! Good memory! Now, enough with the dilly-dally. Let's get to our new home!"
They gather themselves out of the home and leave. Josefina clamps on to his side.
"How much tequila did you have!" she mumbles in his ear.
He kisses his sister on the cheek. "Not enough."
"The less talking, the better Juan."
He rolls his eyes. "Same for you. Hello my people!"
Screams are heard as the man of the hour appears. The crowd is enormous now, the whole village packed outside the small yard. People push, shove, shout for Juan Miguel's attention. Peacekeepers are the only thing holding them back.
"Salvador! Salvador!"
'Just a few micis Salvador! Please!'
'My daughter is ill Salvador! Save her!'
'Salvador! Salvador! Salvador!'
In one quick motion, Juan Miguel loosens his coin pouch and throws the entire thing into the crowds. Madness erupts.
"Go, go, go!" he yells at the others, giggling with the youth of a foolish child.
Josefina grabs both sisters and makes for it. Melpomene queues in the camera mid-run.
"That's right folks; our Victor just threw an entire sack of micis into the crowd! So generous!"
They leap inside the wide carriage. Josefina tells the younger girls to cover their ears.
"What. The. Hell. Juan!" she screams between punches. "That was your entire month's pay!"
Hands swat her away. "They will give me more. You nag too much."
Melpomene has her camera locked on the quarreling pair, ignoring the incessant bangings on the windows even as the car swerves off.
She smiles her creepy smile again. "Sibling rivalry?"
"A misunderstanding," they say in unison, not taking their glare off each other.
The drive is long and noisy. Juan Miguel slumps in his car, staring out the tinted windows as the scenery flies by. That feeling from earlier, that feeling of doom just won't let go. With each turn of the wheel, it gets bigger, stronger. His sisters, one saddled in his lap, asks what's wrong. Melpomene offers a drink. He downs the fizzy juice, handing the empty glass to a raging Josefina.
"Where are my parents!" he demands to Melpomene.
She casts an eye from her mirror. They're on commercial break. "I just arrived to the district thirty minutes ago, my dear. I'm sure they will appear soon. Probably waiting for you all at your new home!"
With a snap of her fingers, it's showtime again.
The carriage comes to a stop. Outside, men are installing the metal 'Victor's Village' post. Several townsfolk are gathered up here too, high in the desert mountains above the district.
Juan Miguel is out first, his youngest clinging to his good leg. He peers out at the unknown area around him. These parts were hiding spots used as sneak attacks against Loyalists troops. Been off-limits ever since. Odd they would choose here to build.
The people spread to create a path for their Victor. There is a suffocating mix of fear and smug defiance within the crowd situated on this forbidden land. Eyes look on in both wonder and sorrow. 'Salvador', some whisper. 'Salvador'.
The hop (more like stumble with the alcohol in him) to the sole house is unnerving. Everything is quiet. The crowds, his sisters. Even Melpomene. All eyes are on him as he makes his way to his final reward for winning the Games. It's the reaping all over again. The memory does nothing to ease his mind.
Something deep inside him wants to flee when Melpomene hands him the elaborate skeleton key. He pastes on a smile as the camera zooms in closer as he opens the door.
A howl runs through the air. Josefina passes out on the front porch. His younger sisters are pushed away from the doorway and into the crowds. Melpomene shrieks, cutting the live footage to a halt.
Juan Miguel hops inside. In the middle of the immaculate marble hallway lies the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Ibarra. Flies swarm the corpses, the stench causing the two Capitolites to gag.
Juan Miguel stands perfectly still, staring at a golden statue of Amandus Snow hovering above them as he speaks. "Did you know about this?"
"Are you mad? You think I would show this on live television?!" Melpomene snaps, wiping globs of vomit from her lips.
Looking down, he notices a small piece a paper folded neatly on top the bodies. The Victor of the Ninth Hunger Games reads the pretty note dipped in blood, sobering up the moment he's finished.
Welcome to the family. - Tarpeia
Thank you to all my readers! Y'all keep me going. Chapters 10 and 11 are complete, so expect those two soon. As always, leave a review once you're done. Concrit or a simple hello. Anything works. :)
