Chapter 4: The Picnic Supper
By that same evening, the news of Katniss's "sin" had spread throughout the District. Mrs. Mellark seemed almost smug at her supposed vindication as she discussed it with the other Elder wives at the picnic supper.
"I always knew that girl was trouble!" Not everyone seemed so keen to jump on the bandwagon, however.
"Katniss always seems so nice though," Mrs. Undersee pointed out.
"Don't let that fool you, sistern. It's just the devil's way!" Mrs. Mellark insisted.
Just then, the Elders arrived.
"Ain't the preacher coming tonight?" asked one man of them.
"He's a-praying and a-fasting. Preaching starts tonight," Mellark replied.
"What's he say 'bout the Everdeen gal?" asked another man.
"The same as what we said," assured Undersee. "She's gotta make a public confession, in front of the church she goes."
"And down in the district, too, maybe - she's a scheming one, she is. Young men ain't safe with her around. She's an instrument of the devil," added Flickerman.
"The preacher's at Brother Mellark's house now, a-praying that her soul might be saved. That she'll turn from her sinful and shameful ways and be washed in the cleansing stream!" Gleaton extolled.
"She's a powerful one, that Katniss Everdeen," Mellark raged. "My son she's lured away. With all the things that he's be teached from her, now she's gonna have to pay!" He made to strike his terrified son to vent his anger, but his wife stopped him. For just then, Katniss herself appeared, carrying a wrapped dish.
"Howdy," she greeted. "I'm sorry to be late, but Haymitch came home from hunting awful late and I just couldn't get away no sooner."
Silence from everyone else. They all even turned away so as not to look at her. Katniss looked confused, but continued, undaunted.
"I brought a dish of field peas. I picked and shelled 'em this evening, and cooked them just a bit ago."
Still no response. Now disturbed, Katniss continued, albeit more awkwardly.
"I'll just lay them down over here, if that's alright. I hope you enjoy 'em."
Mrs. Mellark sent an ordering glare over to her husband, who cleared his throat.
"Katniss!" he bellowed. "You ain't welcome here."
Katniss looked up, surprised, to find all her neighbors stepping menacingly towards her. She pushed through, finding a way to escape as she choked out an emotional "Excuse me!"
Having driven the heathen away, the District 12 citizens went about their business. One of the women, perhaps forgetting which dish had been Katniss's, made her way over to the field peas to begin serving. Mrs. Mellark shot her a snarl as the woman picked up a spoonful.
"I wouldn't touch them peas of hers!" she spat.
The peas dropped back into the dish with a PLOP!
A/N: Fun Fact - "I wouldn't touch them peas of hers" is one of the most famous lines in all of opera.