7: The Twist
Katniss POV
Being back in District 12 after the victory party feels good. Idly, I fiddle with the ring around my finger. I'm going to get married to Gale. The proposal itself didn't feel good, it felt horribly fake, but that moment that we spent together after it was almost perfect. I'm not sure what the wedding will be like. Part of me thinks that it will be happy, after all, marrying your true love is supposed to be every girl's dream. My dreams are more along the lines of survival and winning in a rebellion, but the fact remains that a wedding should feel good. Another part knows that it will be overly extravagant and fake and that I will resent the fact that our marriage will probably be in front of half the Capitol.
I have bigger problems to think about right now though. If I am to believe one of the game makers who visited District 1, the twist for the Quarter Quell will be announced soon, maybe even today. This will be my first year of mentoring and I doubt that Haymitch will be much help. He might have brought me and Gale back alive, but we came up with most of the ploys to get sponsor money ourselves. Also, I doubt that he pays that much attention to his tributes normally. After all, he has been mentoring for probably around twenty years now and we are the only tributes that he has brought back alive.
Perhaps some of the mentors from other Districts may be able to help me. I should be able to establish decent relationships with the District 5 victors and maybe the District 4 victors. Thinking about it, I should have looked into the other victors more. I know nearly nothing about any victor other than their names and if I was alive, the games that they won. I don't even know how Haymitch won his games, or even which games he won. I may have been caught up in other matters, but it was still irresponsible of me to ignore the fact that I will be mentoring in a few months time. In Games that will almost certainly be worse than usual.
I wonder what the twist might be. In the first Quarter Quell they had Districts vote in their tributes. It must have been a horrible feeling, knowing that your District chose you to die. Unless you were a career of course- they would probably be proud of the fact that they were picked to go to the Games. The second Quarter Quell, I know had double the amount of tributes reaped. This year, maybe they'll have something about the age of the tributes chosen, or maybe the tributes will be brother and sister or something sick like that. There are an endless number of possibilities for the Capitol to choose from. It seems a bit pointless to try and figure it out now- I will find it out in a few days time.
My thoughts drift over to Melanie. She is still recovering from her whipping a few weeks ago, but she is doing well. According to my mother, who goes over to see her everyday, she will definitely live and there shouldn't be any long-term effects of the whipping. It will scar, of course, but Melanie said that she wouldn't mind having a few scars last time I went to see her. Unfortunately, the electric fence is still running and whippings still go on. Not as often as they did before I intervened and not as many lashes, but they still happen. This hasn't affected much. Hunters still find ways to get under and over the fence, and we stick by each other, so the news spread quickly. Romulus Thread's attempts to turn this District into a poorer version of District 2 aren't going to succeed any time soon.
All in all, not much has actually changed since Romulus Thread came. People have to be more careful when committing crimes, but people still do hunt in the forests or rant about the Capitol or buy illegally hunted game. Whatever is happening in other Districts or in the Capitol, I am glad that District 12 is staying fairly constant. There are times in the woods with Gale, or at home with Prim and Peeta when I can forget that I was ever in the Hunger Games, forget the rebellion and just enjoy life with my family and friends. When the Quarter Quell happens, all of that will be thrown out of the window and I will be forced to witness the new arena, new tributes and likely more deaths.
Thinking about the rebellion brings me back to District 8. What Gale said about how he didn't want anybody to die. Then that feeling of helplessness as we were rushed back into the train and hearing that gunshot. Seeing the man collapse on the stage with blood pooling around his head, and the District 8 rebels being attacked by the peacekeepers. The panic and determination of the people being squashed by the Capitol. I shudder at the memory. I wonder what is happening in District 8 now. Hardly any news is shown about other Districts, so I guess I have no way to find out. Maybe the rebellion is still going on, and nobody from any other District would know about it. The thought both disturbs me and strengthens my determination. Divide and conquer. That was how the Capitol kept rebellions from happening and squashed them in the early days of Panem. Seventy years on and they are still doing the same thing.
But the only people who can communicate with people from other Districts are victors, tributes and possibly peacekeepers. Gale and I might have provided the spark for a rebellion, but it will be impossible to carry one out without proper communication. Maybe Haymitch has contacts among the other victors, maybe he could find out. Every house in Victors Village has a phone, so if he has their numbers it would be easy enough to call them. Haymitch doesn't strike me as the type to network with the other victors though, and I will be seeing them in a few months anyway. Not under ideal circumstances, and the mentor room in the Capitol is probably being watched on camera, but still.
I am shaken out of my thoughts as Peeta and Prim enter the room. Prim is holding Peeta's hand- that's been happening a lot recently and is walking with a bounce in her step. Prim doesn't seem that shaken by the events in District 8, I think. I would have expected that she would be, judging by the fact that she can't even hunt. Then again, she watches people bleeding and sometimes dying often as part of being a healer. Perhaps that desensitised her to sights like that, or maybe she just isn't showing that she was affected by it. Prim may only be thirteen, but she is mature for her age. Most girls her age would break down having a sister in the Hunger Games, but she kept calm and carried on helping people with mum. I've never noticed it before, but thinking about it now, Prim has always coped well. When dad died, she didn't fall into depression like mum did, she helped me forage for food around the District.
"Hello Katniss," Peeta says. "I brought over some more bread." He gestures to his other hand with his eyes. There are a few small loaves of bread there and a box of what is probably some sort a baked good for Prim. I wish he wouldn't keep doing this- it makes me feel uncomfortable. It would be much better if he would let me pay for my own bread- I have the money- and give what he gives me to the poorer families in Twelve that can't afford bread. How many girls in Twelve are there, I wonder, that didn't have someone like Peeta to throw them bread after their fathers were killed in mine accidents. Probably more of those than ones that were given food, even leftovers, by richer families.
It makes Prim happy though, and I doubt that Peeta's mother would let him take free bread to anybody else. He probably got in trouble for throwing me the burnt bread that would have been thrown in the bin a few years ago. I hate a lot of people, but Peeta's mother comes near the top of my list. After President Snow, Cato, Clove and about half of the Capitol, that is. She is just so shallow and selfish and I am ninety percent sure that she beats Peeta. "Thanks," I mutter to him. "So how's your life been?" I ask Peeta to make conversation. I am trusting him with Prim and he is apparently in love with me, so I should learn a but more about his life and his most likely minor problems.
Peeta's eyes widen slightly, and he starts of stumbling over his words. "Good-ish, I guess. I haven't really been affected much by Romulus Thread, I come from the merchant side of town." I nod, the merchant side has been unaffected by the law enforcement as they generally have enough money that they don't need to break the law. "Dad's been missing your squirrels," he says. "None of the other hunters can get such a clean shot." I'm surprised that he eats them himself. Most people in the merchant side of town turn up their noses at game like squirrels, because they've never been hungry enough to venture out into the woods. Probably a good thing, I can't imagine people like Peeta ever being good at hunting.
"I'll probably start hunting again soon," I tell him. "It was only for a few weeks because of Melanie and then the victory tour. I might even go out later tonight. I'm surprised that he eats them himself- aren't most of your area against eating game like squirrels. I've heard some of them say that it's disgusting before." Not all of the merchant kids are like this- Madge isn't, and she's the daughter of the mayor. But enough are that it gives merchant kids a bad name among people from the Seam.
"Yeah, he's always liked them," Peeta says. "They do taste quite good, it's just hard to forget the fact that you're eating a squirrel at first though. You wouldn't think it, but squirrel meat sandwiches actually taste great. So what do you think will happen at the Quarter Quell? he asks, changing the subject abruptly. "Wait, sorry if you didn't want to hear about the Games," he says backtracking. "I forgot that it might give you bad memories and.."
"According to a man I met in District 1, the twist will be revealed soon, possibly even today," I interrupt him. "I don't mind talking about it. The Games happened, the Quarter Quell will happen in a few months. Avoiding the subject will not change anything, and is pointless. Besides, without the Games then I probably wouldn't be getting married to Gale soon." That last sentence isn't really what Peeta would have wanted to hear, but it makes me more comfortable if I am keeping him at a distance and shoving away the idea that he loves me. "Anyway, who knows what it could be? The Capitol probably have no shortage of ideas. I think that it will be that the tributes will all be of a certain age, or maybe that they will be family. Something horrible like that."
"Maybe," Peeta says. "I guess we'll find out soon, won't we. Congratulations on your engagement by the way." Peeta bows his head slightly, looking at my ring. Also a sign of submission, I think. "Your ring is very pretty. When will the wedding be?" he asks. Good, I think that Peeta has given up on me now. Now he can love Prim- if it isn't just some crush that she had- without thoughts of me. It does make me wonder though, how did he fall in love with me? After hearing me singing and I guess he would have seen me around school before that. It seems unrealistic to think that I would fall in love with him back. It was probably just a crush that Peeta had. I hope Prim and Peeta being together is genuine, not infatuation.
"I'm not sure. Probably in a few months, I bet the Capitol will want to see it," I say resentfully. "A date wasn't arranged, but I'm guessing some time before or after the Quarter Quell." The Capitol must be having a good year this year. Extra horrible Games plus star-crossed lovers getting married. Peeta shrugs. I doubt that he minds much that our wedding will be in front of the Capitol, not him. He may have given up on me, but it still wouldn't feel good to watch someone you love getting married to another man. Especially one who hates him.
"Probably," he says. "I've got to go back to the bakery now to work, OK?" he says. "Prim, you can come with me if you want." Prim nods and walks out of the room hand in hand with Peeta. I smile as they go. Talking to Peeta makes me feel a bit uncomfortable ever since he confessed his love for me and Prim seems so happy with him. It probably was just a crush on her part at first, but if they take it slow, maybe it could grow into more. Peeta is a nice enough boy, better than most merchant kids.
Over the next few days, my anticipation for the Quarter Quell twist is rising. News has spread around the District from Peeta, Gale, Prim and I and now everyone is a bit anxious and are discussing what it might be and ways to find out. The Capitol will announce that publicly though, so there doesn't seem much point in it. A part of me is glad that I am a victor and a mentor now because it means that my name won't be in the Reaping bowl. I may have been forced to volunteer for the seventy fourth Hunger Games, but at least I have avoided the Quarter Quell.
Suddenly, a voice booms across the District. "All citizens of District 12 must report the the main square immediately for a Capitol announcement." I don't see that it could be anything other than the Quarter Quell announcement. Leaving the house, I see a torrent of people moving towards the square. Whatever the twist is for these games, I pity the ones who get chosen. Not even the adults are without fear of being picked this year.
It only takes about ten minutes for everybody to reach the main square. Effie Trinket, our escort, is at the stage in front of a microphone. She hasn't changed much from last year- same pinkish hair, same overdone make-up style. She taps the microphone. "Hello?" she asks. "Can everybody hear me?" There are some general yeses and noises of assent. Effie nods. "Good, good. Now the time has come for us to reveal to you what is to happen for the Quarter Quell this year. As you know, the seventy fifth Hunger Games will be no ordinary games."
Just get on with it Effie. You have half the District nearly having breakdowns in anticipation here. Tell us and take your Capitol-loving attitude somewhere where people won't hate you for it. Preferably far away from me. Effie pauses for effect, keeping the District waiting with bated breath.
"This year, the tributes will be chosen from the existing pool of victors," she says. There is a sigh of relief all around me and I wonder why. Then the words echo in my head. The existing pool of victors. The existing pool of victors. That means.. us. Gale and Haymitch and me. And I am the only female tribute of District 12. I don't scream like people might have expected me to, instead I just look at the floor, not meeting their pitying gazes. I must go into the seventy fifth Hunger Games as a tribute, possibly with the love of my life in there as well. And both of us can't get out alive this time.
It comes to me that the twist is a direct response to the actions of Gale and I. We defied the Capitol, therefore we must die. They can't kill us outside the Games without starting a rebellion, so they twist the Games so that we will enter them again. By our actions in our District, we have shown the victors that they have power. Therefore the other victors must be gotten rid of as well. Well-played Snow, is all that I can think. But I'm not going to let Gale go into the games for me. If Haymitch is reaped then I won't let him volunteer. If Gals is reaped, then I don't know what will happen. It's a fifty fifty chance I guess. Unless the Capitol rig the reaping ball. Which is possible I guess. I begin to calculate what will happen with a growing sense of hopelessness.
xXx-X-xXx
So what do you think of this chapter? If you have any praise or criticism, please leave a review telling me. Thank you to all of you who have reviewed or followed or favourited so far.
-MoonOfPluto