Chapter II:

Subterfuge

It is nearly impossible to sleep. When my eyes are closed, all I see is Myranna's bloody matter on the children it splattered on. When they are open, I see the Peacekeeper standing in the doorway. If I try to escape he will shoot me. He watches me when I get out of bed and wander around the room. When I go to the window, his finger is already on the trigger. I look through the glass at mountains and mountains surrounding us. There are no buildings. There are no neon lights waving in the night. There are no sounds. There is nothing but mountains.

I have only been here once before, when the Rebellion attacked the capitol and my grandfather insisted my mother and I hid here. Even then, I didn't know where we were. All I knew was that I had to ride a hovercraft to get here.

When I walk to the bathroom, I pass directly by the Peacekeeper who skewers me with a glare. I closed the door once I step in and he is gone. For now. I sit on the toilet seat lid and push my face into my hands and cry. This is only happening because those damned Rebels. They took over everything since the war. The Rebels are now Peacekeepers and government officials. And their Mockingjay is our President. Why couldn't they be satisfied with the peace my grandfather gave this world. His Games kept Panem safe. He was the only true leader.

A heavy knock at the bathroom door tells me I have been in here for too long. But I don't want to leave. I want to stay in here forever.

When I pull the door, the Peacekeeper stumbles forward a bit. I stare at him and he stares at me. I push past him and he snatches my arm. "Where are you going?" he asks.

I jerk away. "We are allowed out of our rooms," I remind him and tread out of the room. I trek along the long hallway and the many doors on either side and all I hear is crying. I reach the room I aim for and I turn the knob and push open the door, startling the Peacekeeper inside. He glares at me and I push past him.

Shane sits there, his face in his pillow. His sobs are so loud they can be heard down the hall. When he looks up, he throws a pillow at me and it flies over my shoulder. I glare over my shoulder at the Peacekeeper. "Do you mind?" I say.

He cuts his eyes and turns and exits the room. I know he's right outside the door, so I don't plan to escape.

"Are you okay?" I ask Shane.

"Get out of here!" he bellows.

"Why are you upset at me? This is all Katniss's doing."

He stares fire at me through his tears. "You don't get it."

"What's to get? Katniss Everdeen is power hungry. She didn't appreciate what my grandfather did for Panem and now she is trying to change it."

"No, Demetria!" he yells and stands up. He towers over me. I should be afraid of him, but I'm not. "Those Games were wrong! Nothing justifies making children fight to the death!"

A bitter laugh escapes my throat. "Are you serious? Everyone in the Capitol loves those Games. And if anything, they keep the Districts in line."

He scoffed and tears spill from his eyes. "Yeah, that's why they rebelled. Because they were 'kept in line'."

"They rebelled because they were ungrateful!" I spit.

"You are a little brat, Demetria. Sometimes, I think I'd like it better if I lived in the Districts because everyone in the Capitol are privileged, self-absorbed pieces of shit with no regard for human life. I can't believe I live somewhere where people watch children mutilate each other as entertainment."

I throw my hand against the wound on his shoulder and he cries out. "You want to live in the Districts? The people that did this," I hit him again. "to you. The people that shot you and are now putting you in the Games. Oh, how smart you sound, Shane!"

He shoves me and I struggle to not fall over. The Peacekeeper storms in with his hand on his gun and I look back at Shane and say, "You'll be the first person I look for in the Games," then leave.

# # #

When I wake up in the morning, I am led downstairs by the mouth-watering scent flowing through the house. I rub my eyes and bounce down the stairs where I find all the children from the bus sitting at the table, except this time there are no Peacekeepers around. Everyone glares at me and Shane averts his gaze as I take my seat. They silently eat their breakfast while exchanging occasional whispers. Some are to themselves, silently crying between bites.

Ryte Flickerman is the first to look me in the eye. He places his hand on mine and I instinctively snatch away. "I am so sorry about your friend, Demetria."

"Demi," I correct him. "And thank you."

Edea Trinket looks at me, then narrows her eyes on Shane. "What do you have to do with this?" she says.

Shane looks up from his breakfast with wide eyes. "What?"

"You're Plutarch Heavensbee's son. Plutarch was part of the Rebellion, so you being here is obviously some sort of trap."

"What? No, I—"

"Are you here to spy on us and then tell Katniss and the Rebels what we say? Then when the Games come about, you're set free?"

"I don't think Shane would do that," Ryte says.

"He's trying to fool us," Edea says, pushing her long silver hair aside. "He's playing dumb to get us to trust him."

"Shane was on that bus right along with everyone else here," I blurt. "This was all planned. We were all meant to be here."

"But he was the first one to look for the bus driver!" she screams, standing up and pointing at him. "He is probably in on this!"

"I'm not!"

I see Claudine Templesmith slide a knife under the table and I jump to my feet and smack it out of her hand right as she brings it out to stab Shane. I wrestle her to the ground and am immediately hauled into the air. I kick as Shane pulls me out of the room. When he sets me on my feet, I snap my open palm at him.

Ryte appears and places his hands on my face. "Sweetie, calm down, okay?" he says.

It isn't until then that I realize I am heaving breaths like an angry bull. Ryte inhales heavily and blows evenly and I mimic him exactly. "I'm fine," I say.

"Do not stoop to their level, okay?" he says.

"How are you so calm?" I say. "We've become tributes."

"Yes, and becoming violent isn't going to help that."

I close my eyes and when I open them, my head is clearer. I turn to Shane who is rubbing the red spot on his cheek. "You have nothing to do with this, right?"

He looks alarmed. "No, of course not."

"What happened yesterday?"

"I ran up the road to see if I could find anyone to help us. Then I found the driver's jacket."

"And that is all?"

"Yes!" he says. "I swear."

I look at Ryte, whose hand is placed cautiously on my shoulder, then back at Shane. "If you're lying, I will kill you myself."