Chapter 12: Shout of Rebellion
"Hey." Cressida opened her eyes. Sunlight was streaming in through the window. Glancing at the clock next to her bed, she was surprised to find that it was 10am. She rolled over and smiled at Pollux standing in the doorway.
"Hey yourself." Cressida said. She sat up and patted the bed indicating for him to sit down if he wanted. Pollux flopped down next to her. "Is Castor up?"
"Nope." Pollux said. He lay back on the pillows and put his hands behind his head. Cressida curled up around him. He smiled at her as they snuggled.
"Does he know -" Cressida began to ask before Pollux nodded.
"Dad's not pleased. Mom's sort of preoccupied with Wires, but she didn't think it was a good idea either." Pollux sighed.
"I won't lie that I'm worried about you." Cressida admitted rubbing Pollux's back with one of her hands. "But I also won't lie that I agree completely with you." She gasped a bit as she was pulled into a hug.
"You really mean that?" Pollux asked stunned. Cressida grinned and kissed him full on the lips. Pollux returned her kiss eagerly. "I guess you really do." Pollux said grinning, his whole face a bright crimson. "We have to get up or else Castor's going to never let me live down -"
"POLLUX!" Castor yelled in the doorway. "Mom and Dad will throw you to the mutts if they knew you were making out the whole ni-" Castor grunted as he dodged a pillow before another one hit him in the face.
"He's only been in here a few minutes, Castor." Cressida said through her giggles even though she was blushing just as badly.
"Well, good thing I showed up." Castor said gruffly. "C'mon guys, Mom finished breakfast fifteen minutes ago!"
"BREAKFAST!" Pollux cheered before dashing down the hall after Castor. Cressida giggled before heading down to the dining room. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith were there as well as Wiress. They chatted about the weather and the store schedule as they passed around breakfast rolls made from a District 3 recipe. They ate their rolls with jelly accompanied by fresh fruit. "These are really good, mom." Pollux commented.
"Oh, thank Wiress. It's her recipe." Mrs. Smith said.
"Thanks, Wiress." Cressida and the twins said smiling at their guest. She gave them a small smile back.
"Now boys, I'm going shopping this evening, so write what you need on the board on the fridge, ok?" Mrs. Smith asked. The twins nodded.
"School starts at 11:30?" Mr. Smith asked as he collected their plates and took them to the sink. The three teens nodded. "Well," He paused choosing his words carefully. "You all just - bear with your classmates and teachers for the next few weeks until things get back on schedule." He paused. "I know you all hate this time of year, but it's only for a few weeks at most." He went around and hugged each of the teens including Cressida. He gave Pollux and extra hug. "Ok kids, off you go. Stay out of trouble."
"Aw, you mean, don't be ourselves?" Pollux quipped. His parents chuckled.
"You know what we mean, son." His mom said gently. "Come here." She wrapped him in a hug. "I love you no matter how big of a headache you give people, Pollux Michel Smith."
"Love you too, Mom." Pollux said. He hugged his dad. "Love you too, Dad."
"Love you, son." Mr. Smith said. Castor hugged his parents also and Cressida thanked them again for their hospitality before they all trooped off to school.
They checked in with the Peacekeeprs at the door. Mr. Vainer asked Cressida how her stomach was feeling. She assured him she was fine and thanked him for asking. "I'm so glad you're ok! I'd hate to miss the first day, wouldn't you?" Marianne asked as they took their usual seats in the auditorium.
"Yeah." Cressida said. She reached out and grasped Pollux's hand. The other students were laughing and chattering happily as they waited for the Games to begin. The TV station was showing recaps from the opening ceremonies and interviews with the tributes as the commentators chatted with each other about who they thought would win. Therefore, it was easy for Cressida, Castor, and Pollux to talk among themselves without the fear of being overheard.
"I hope Volts and Wire's kids make it through today." Castor said quietly. "Mom was just going to keep Wires busy. They'll probably bake enough rolls to feed all of Panem."
"Well, more for us." Pollux said cheerfully. "But yeah - Mom's good at thinking up stuff like that."
"Tom would like some rolls for work probably." Cressida said grinning. "I don't think he's ever tasted your mom's cooking." Suddenly everyone in the auditorium was shushing their classmates as the Seal of Panem flashed across the projector screen set up on stage. They stood and sang the national anthem before the cameras shot to an areal view of 12 tributes standing around the large cornucopia in this year's arena. Cressida felt Pollux's hand twitching in hers. She ran her thumb over the back of his hand and squeezed it.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Claudius Templesmith's voice boomed over the sound-system. "Let the Sixty-Fourth Hunger Games Begin!"
"Aw - DANG!" Castor groaned. "Three's out."
"Both of them?" Cressida asked.
"Volt's tribute is." Castor muttered. Pollux was fiddling with his homemade device.
"I think she got a pack!" Cressida said.
"Oh my gosh - four is really hot this year!" Marianne squealed tugging on Cressida's sleeve and pointing to the screen where the male tribute from District Four was flexing his muscles before throwing a spear at another tribute.
"C'mon, girl, you can do it." Cressida muttered as the girl looked around and started running away from the bloodbath. Suddenly the male tribute from District One caught up to her. In one swift motion, he put her in a head-lock and twisted her neck. Cressida cringed as she heard the sickening snap of her neck. "No - oh no -"
"Why were you rooting for Three?" Marianne asked puzzled. Cressida put her head in her hands and started crying. "Cressida?"
"It's - you - you just wouldn't understand, Marianne." Cressida sobbed. All she could think about was Wiress crying in the Smith's house. Suddenly she realized that Pollux had let go of her hand.
"Pollux?" She asked worriedly.
"I love you, Cress." He whispered. "Love you, big bro." he whispered to Castor before throwing his TV interference device as hard as he could toward the front of the room. It bounced off the screen and clattered to the floor. Suddenly the lights in the auditorium flickered and the TV screen was filled with static before going blank. Everyone started yelling and shouting. Pollux ran to the front of the room.
"STOP! EVERYONE! JUST STOP!" He yelled.
"Pollux Smith, what do you think you're doing?" Mr. Vainer asked. Cressida saw Miss Maribelle talking with two Peacekeeprs standing near the door. She saw the three adults slowly coming down the hall.
"DON'T YOU GET IT?" Pollux asked. "These kids are DYING! They're our age! And we just sit around watching them die! Because it's FUN!"
"Pollux, I understand you're upset." Mr. Vainer called.
"You don't understand at all, Mr. Vainer! All you care about is powdering your face for the next party!" Pollux shot back.
"Guys! I'm serious! Don't you get it that we watch kids die?" Pollux asked. He looked around the auditorium. Cressida looked around. Everyone was staring at him shocked.
"C'mon, man! Get off the stage! We probably missed the bloodbath already!" Someone in the seventeen year old students' section called.
"That's my POINT!" Pollux yelled. Four Peacekeepers began climbing the stage to the steps. "You don't care that these kids die! You don't care that the mentors in the districts watch their kids die year after year! All you care about is being entertained!"
"Mr. Pollux Smith, I'm giving you exactly one chance to renounce what you have just said and only receive suspension for the rest of the semester." The principal said. "You can renounce what you said or let the Peacekeepers deal with you."
"I'll renounce what I said only when I die!" Pollux snapped. Cressida screamed as the four Peacekeepers descended on Pollux and began beating him. Castor tried to hold Cressida back from running up to the stage. She broke away.
"POLLUX! NO!" Cressida cried before she was hit by something that felt like a cross between running into an electric fence and being hit on the shoulder by a bat. She fell to the floor crying.
"Sit up, girl! Did you know what he was doing? Did you?" a Peacekeeper growled at her.
"No - No - he's my friend - I didn't - know - I just want him to be left alone!" Cressida sobbed. She looked at the stage. Pollux was being dragged off by the four Peacekeepers that had ran to the stage.
"She's my sister!" Cressida gasped as Tom came down the aisle. "Let her go!" Tom flashed his government-issue ID.
"And I bet this -" The Peacekeeper yanked Castor to his feet. "Is our dear troublemaker's brother!"
"I - I'm sorry sir - I didn't know my brother was going to do that." Castor stammered. The Peacekeeper slapped him backhandedly across the face.
"Get them out of my sight, Wilson!" The Peacekeeper snapped at Tom.
"C'mon." Tom said gruffly. They left the auditorium. Cressida felt the back of her shirt grow wet and wondered if she was bleeding from somewhere on her shoulder. Tom didn't say anything. He pointed to the bench outside the main office and the two sat down. "I'm going back to the office." He said. "Officer Jones will take you both from here." Cressida gulped. She looked at Castor who was visibly pale. Tears streamed down her face. She knew Pollux needed to say what he did, but she wondered if he had paid with his words with his life.