Chapter 11: A Strange Family
Four years before the 74th Games,
The moon cast an eerie glow over the silent night, casting long shadows that seemed to dance menacingly outside her house. Carina sat on the edge of her bed, her gaze fixed on the darkened world outside her window, pressing her hands to the cold glass.
She could smell the heavy scent of rain and dust in the air. Usually, she would've felt comforted by the rain and its scent but it all felt nauseating that night and she felt sick to her bones.
It could've been her.
She could've been in the game that year. That sick feeling of dread and fear, she couldn't forget when she thought her name was called. She hated it.
The Hunger Games was a looming nightmare that hung over her and Roan like a noose but she had always put it in the back of her mind, she'd never envisioned herself in them even though her name was in the reaping pool more times than she'd ever admit.
She could feel the heavy and worried gazes of Gale, Katniss, and Roan on her back but she made no move to even acknowledge their presence.
They'd all been lingering at the door of her bare room since the sun had set and her grandfather had let them in. The weight of her brother's worry, the concern etched into Gale and Katniss's faces, pressed against her, almost suffocating her. They knew. They knew what she had narrowly avoided, but their silence only intensified the gravity of the situation.
She'd prefer their mindless chatter to the numbing silence. She silently begged any of them to say something or do something to take her mind out of the nightmare she felt she was living through.
Her eyes traced the familiar paths through the wooded path into the Seam, the mines that had claimed so many lives including her father's, and the dilapidated houses that lined the streets, nearly hidden by the trees—all of it seemed further than they were. Their house was on the edge of the Seam and the fence that closed them off from the forest that hid the charred remains of Thirteen.
This was her home, a rat cage where the only escape was to be chosen in a doomed lottery and then it was a game of death. No one ever came back alive and the one person who did lost everything he once had. It was a hopeless and bleak reality that she should've been accustomed to but she hadn't.
Her home didn't comfort her anymore.
She tapped her trembling fingers against the half-broken windows and dragged them in a jagged line, a terrible screeching noise following her movements. Katniss flinched at her motions but she said nothing. Hestia wanted someone to speak and break the deafening silence.
"It was...almost me." She said, her voice hoarse and raspy like she hadn't spoken a word in years.
Gale sighed loudly and took a seat on the floor next to her bed. "But it wasn't you, Carin." He said gently as he took her cold hands into his warm ones. "It wasn't you." He repeated. "Your name wasn't in there as many times as last year or the year before."
"But that hardly matters."
"Of course, it matters." Roan said, louder than he intended to. "It's a game of probability."
"Not a game." Katniss and Gale said at the same time, horrified that Roan even likened the Reaping to a game. "How could you compare it to a game?" Katniss carried on, horror on her face and voice as hugged herself. The girl's eyes wide in disgust. "It's not a game, Roan."
"Well to those people, it is."
"But not to us." Katniss fired back.
"That's what it is. The Reaping is a part of the Games. The game doesn't start until they have all their players. It's just the first part of the Games and it's based on how many times your name's in that damned ball." Roan's eyes narrowed, and he stood his ground. "For the Capitol people, it is a game. They watch it for entertainment. And let's not forget that the more tesserae we take, the higher the chances of being reaped. Gale, your name is in there more times than all three of us combined."
"Roan." Gale warned him, his eyes darkening as his grip on Carina's trembling hands tightened. He rubbed his thumb on her hand in circles trying to soothe her but she wasn't focusing on him but only on her brother. "Stop it!"
"I'm just telling you all how it works!" He shouted, immediately feeling awful. "I mean we know Carin's name wasn't in there that many times but yours was, Gale."
Gale's face contorted with anger. "Don't you dare compare yourself to me, Roan. You and Carina were lucky that your grandmother got something from her time growing up in the Merchant side and she wasn't thrown out into the street like some people. You had a family who could afford to feed you without resorting to the tesserae. Not all of us are as fortunate."
Roan's voice turned cold as he retaliated, "Maybe I won't get picked, but Carina, was almost reaped. And it's not like she had any say in this."
"But she wasn't!" Katniss fired back, anger rising in her. "And it wasn't Gale's fault or anyone but the Capitol's."
"I'm not blaming anyone!"
"But you are!" Katniss, who was usually calm and preferred to observe, couldn't control her anger anymore. She looked to Carina for intervention but she wasn't looking at her. She stared at her hands that Gale had in his while she tried to block out the noise. Katniss let out a growl of frustration. "It wasn't her and it won't be her. She doesn't take out tesserae for anyone like I do for Prim and like Gale does for his brothers and sister!"
"You never know. All it takes is one slip of paper." Roan said and Katniss' eyes darkened. "Who knows? Maybe next time it'll be Prim and then you'll understand—"
Carina felt annoyance rise within her. She couldn't bear the thought of her brother using her against Gale as a weapon in their argument. "Stop it!" she exclaimed, her voice quivering with emotion. "It wasn't me, and you know it." She swallowed hard, her shaky gaze meeting her brother's tired ones.
Roan clenched his jaws and nodded. His anger gradually washed away as he took slow steps back away from Katniss and Gale. He was blaming them even though they had nothing to do with what almost happened.
The tension in that room was suffocating her. She took deep pained breaths with Gale rubbing circles with his thumb on her hands to soothe her. She stood up, her legs almost giving out beneath her but Gale wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her. Roan narrowed his eyes on Gale but shut his mouth before he could say a word.
With a deep breath, Carina forced herself to smile. "The real tragedy is that our escort is a senile old man who can't even read." She said in a soft but playful voice, trying her best to hide her anxiety.
A sudden burst of laughter escaped Gale, surprising everyone. "Carina's right," He said between giggles. "Percy's so focused on looking glamorous that he can't even do his job properly."
"He's gonna be gone next year or the year after." Katniss chimed in with a small smile. "I know he is. He's looking too wrinkly these days and you know how they are."
A flicker of a smile appeared on Carina's face, grateful for the momentary relief. But the weight of the situation quickly settled back in. "I got lucky this time," She admitted, her voice tinged with a mix of gratitude and fear.
"But what about next time? What will we do then?" Roan's question hung in the air, his voice filled with unease.
Silence enveloped the group as they exchanged glances, each aware of the harsh reality they faced. Carina knew that luck might not be on her side forever. The looming threat of the Hunger Games would continue to haunt her, and she had to find a way to navigate this treacherous path.
"Then we'll think about that bridge when we get there." Katniss attempted to try and lighten the mood. She made a face and shook her head. She wasn't good at these sorts of things, it was Carina who was better at being idealistic, not her.
Nobody bothered to say another word after that. Carina's room was shrouded in an uncomfortable silence once more as Carina decided to sit on the floor with Katniss and Roan following her lead.
Carina rested her head on Gale's shoulders and Gale leaned his head on Carina's; she playfully scowled up at him, noticing a strange look of discomfort momentarily flash across Katniss' face but it was gone as quickly as it had come.
Maybe Carina had imagined it.
She opened her mouth to break the uncomfortable silence when Katniss sat up. She turned abruptly towards the window. Her head snapped up, her eyes narrowing as she strained to listen.
"Did you all hear that?" Katniss whispered, her eyes narrowing as she turned towards Carina and Gale.
Roan looked away and followed Katniss' gaze. "Well, it's not Prim talking in her sleep." He joked, standing up and walking out of the room.
For a second, Katniss lingered at the door, looking back at Carina and Gale who were still on the floor. "I think there's a group of people talking outside." She said softly.
Carina could hear it too—a faint murmur of voices, distant but growing louder. Gale lifted his head from hers and they exchanged glances, he nodded in understanding. Katniss didn't say another word and followed Roan into the living room.
Without a word to each other, they followed Katniss and Roan, their footsteps barely audible as they walked into the darkened living room. The fire that her grandfather lit died and embers still hot from the flames glowed dimly at the base of the fireplace.
Carina was about to reach for the matches when Katniss stopped her with a firm grip on her arm.
"No, Carina," Katniss whispered urgently. "Leave it. We might draw attention to ourselves and wake Prim and the other children."
In front of the fireplace on the sofa Prim was asleep and at the foot of the sofa laid a makeshift bed on the floor where Rory and Vick were fast asleep with little Posy nestled between her brothers.
Carina reluctantly nodded and joined the others as they huddled around the window overlooking the porch. They formed a tight circle, their faces pressed against the glass, their breath fogging the windowpane.
A procession of Peacekeepers marched past Carina's house, their armor glinting in the fading light. The sight sent a chill down Carina's spine, and she felt a knot form in her stomach.
Roan's voice broke the silence, though uncertainty laced his words. "What's going on out there?"
"Your guess is as good as mine." Gale answered, squinting his eyes and shoving his face closer to the window. "It's not like them to be out at this time."
"Maybe something happened." Katniss guessed. "Something bad and Peacekeepers are patrolling the streets."
"But they're not." Carina pointed out, noticing they seemed to gather in a line behind two men in front of her house. "I think they're escorting someone." She pressed her face closer to the glass pane, her head brushing against Katniss and Gale's. "Look, I see them." She moved her head towards the two men dressed in white and she paused. "Roan," She turned to her brother, a strange feeling overtaking her. "Where's grandpa?"
Roan lifted his head to look at her. His stomach dropped and he swallowed, moving away from the window and about to open the front door. Gale rushed towards him and grabbed him by the waist before pulling him back while Carina hurried to quieten him.
"What are you doing?" Katniss whisper-yelled as Prim stirred in her sleep. "Roan." She hissed out. "There's a lot of Peacekeepers out there. What were you about to do?" Her heart was hammering against her chest as she looked at Carina for support. "Were you trying to get yourself punished or killed?"
Wide-eyed Carina shook her head at her brother's stupid antics. Her hand itching to hit some sense into him. "What were you thinking? If you were thinking that is." She said, breathless as she ran her fingers through her hair. "Roan!" She hissed out his name.
But Roan refused to look at them. He was far too worried about their grandfather than what Katniss or Carina were saying.
"Hey," Gale flicked the back of Roan's head with his fingers, causing the boy to hiss out in pain. "Don't ignore them. They're talking to you. What you just did was very reckless and you could've gotten seriously hurt."
He scowled in response but his gaze softened when he looked at his nervous sister. "...Grandpa was out there on the porch." He slowly started to answer, looking away at the door.
"So he's still out there?" Carina asked and Roan nodded. Her heart dropped and she sucked in a shaky breath. Her feet started to move before she could even think and she was almost about to open the door when Gale pulled her back, wrapping his arm around her waist as he dragged her back.
"You two are a handful." He muttered under his breath, just quiet enough for her to hear.
"My grandpa's out there, Gale."
"Oh I know. I know." He said with a sigh. He understood her, he'd do the same thing if it was his mother or siblings out there and he knew she'd stop him before he hurt himself. "But do you really think that you and Roan putting yourselves in danger will help him."
He was right and she looked away. But Carina couldn't shake the unease gnawing at her. They all returned back to their spot with Gale dragging Roan with him and keeping his arm wrapped around Carina's waist. Katniss couldn't help but crack a fond smile at the sight. It was strangely comforting despite the situation.
Katniss nudged Carina and Roan away from the window. "We should move. We don't want to be seen."
Reluctantly, Carina tore her gaze away and followed the others, finding a spot where they could still see and hear without being noticed. They huddled together, their backs against the wall, their eyes darting back and forth between each other and the window.
Just as the tension threatened to suffocate them, Prim sleepily stumbled into the room, her hair tousled from her nap on the laid-out bed. She rubbed her eyes, confusion etched on her face. "What's going on?"
Katniss gently hushed her sister, pulling her into the huddle. "Shh, Prim." She patted her head as her little sister sleepily trudged towards them. "Go back to sleep." Prim muttered something incoherent before she yawned and tucked herself back into her makeshift bed on the sofa.
For a second, Carina took her eyes off the window to check on Katniss and Prim. The two sisters who were invited to stay the night by her grandfather after their mother had one of her fits, scaring Prim. Katniss could do nothing but watch and Carina's grandfather didn't like that. He thought it was only right that the two had a safe place to spend time in.
Of course, his intentions weren't completely innocent and Carina knew, part reason why the sisters were there was for her own peace of mind. Her grandfather might've been looking out for the Everdeen sisters but most importantly and even selfishly he was trying to help Carina.
"I don't like the look of them." Gale murmured close to Carina, his lips brushing against her ears.
Heat rushed to her cheeks and she shrunk her form, looking up to glare playfully at Gale as she took her attention off Katniss. Roan made a face and rolled his eyes. He was sick of watching them but he made no mention of it, choosing to focus on the procession outside.
"Gale!" She whispered and he grinned before he gestured towards what he had noticed. Katniss re-joined them and took a seat in between Carina and Roan, focusing on where Gale was gesturing.
Outside, a small group of four came into view—two men and two children, around Carina and Roan's age. The Peacekeepers stood behind them in formation while in front of them were two or three men. Carina's heart jumped out of her chest when she recognized them: her grandfather and the mayor.
"That's your grandfather..." Katniss pointed out, her voice full of confusion and concern.
"And the mayor." Roan added, swallowing nervously. His hands were clammy as he reached out to the window and pushed himself closer to get a better look and hear what was going on. "What's going on?"
Carina couldn't tear her gaze away from the scene unfolding outside. "I don't think we should be looking into this." She said, standing up and moving away from the window but she paused when she heard the quiet muffled chatter of the visitors. Their accents were distinct, marked with the unmistakable lilt of the Capitol.
Her face paled and as did Roan, Gale and Katniss'. Gale quickly moved away from the window but Katniss lingered. No one said a word. Those people from the Capitol were right outside their house. The walls weren't thin but she'd rather not take any chances.
"Catnip, come on. Don't sit there." Gale called out to her but Katniss didn't move. She only spared a glance towards Prim before she focused on the visitors from Capitol.
"Katniss." Katniss would always correct Gale on her name and Carina would've normally laughed but no one was laughing.
"Katniss, we should move away," Gale whispered urgently. "We don't want them to see us."
But Katniss ignored his plea, her focus unwavering. Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke. "There's something... different about them," she said, her words barely audible. "Something...off."
Carina's heart pounded in her chest as she looked at Katniss, searching for answers in her eyes. What could be so different about these visitors that would make Katniss so uneasy?
She was so focused on Katniss that she didn't even notice Roan get up to check what Katniss was talking about. She untangled herself from Gale and slowly walked over to the window to join Katniss. She didn't notice it before but out of the four in that group, three wore strange white porcelain masks on their faces.
Despite the cloudy skies, the moon was bright and somewhat visible, peeking out from the darkened night clouds that were bursting with rain. Thunder rumbled above them as wind picked up and started to blow past the ones outside.
"Do you see that?" Carina found herself asking Katniss who quietly nodded. "Their masks..."
"It looks...strange." Katniss said slowly, studying the posture and gait of the masked people while ignoring the unmasked man lingering behind the tall masked man. "They look...dangerous."
"Dangerous?"
Katniss nodded. "And... and three of them don't have faces." She continued, her voice laced with unease.
"They have faces." Roan countered, his voice and posture tense.
"They might as well not have faces. They look really dangerous." She answered without thinking much. "And you can't tell what they're thinking."
"They're wearing masks, really creepy masks." Gale added, coming back to the window. Carina agreed.
The moonlight cast an eerie glow upon their faces, emphasizing the exaggerated features etched upon the smooth surface. The absence of any human features beneath those masks sent a shiver down Carina's spine. They almost looked inhumane.
"Do you three think they're real?" Gale found himself asking despite wanting to take them away from the window, he couldn't help but let his curiosity win.
Katniss and Roan looked at Carina who shrugged. "I think so." She said. Something told her those people were real. "I think they're a family."
"A really creepy one." Roan muttered and they all couldn't help but agree. "Capitol people are very weird."
Gale snorted. "No, they're 'eccentric' not weird or inhumane, just eccentric." Carina cracked a smile and nodded. People from the Capitol were different from those in District 12. It must've been nice to have more than they needed so they didn't see a need to spend it on things they needed.
With a tired smile on her face, she pulled away from the window, Katniss still stayed, almost keeping watch. Roan did the same while Gale followed Carina. There was no point staying by the window. They'd be lucky if none of them noticed them.
"We should go to bed." Carina said, trying once again to be the voice of reason. Though she was curious about those people, she knew better than to linger by that window. Her mind was telling her that something was amiss and she shouldn't stay there for longer. "Come on, you two."
Katniss nodded absentmindedly but she kept her watch while Roan reluctantly peeled himself away. There was a look of envy on his face and Carina knew her brother felt a little bitter. She just didn't know why.
"Did you see those masks?" Roan asked quietly and Carina tilted her to the side in confusion.
"Of course, I did. I'm not blind." Carina answered, a little confused.
"Not what I meant. The masks look really expensive."
"They're from the Capitol, Roan." Gale pointed out, almost exasperated with Roan. "No poor Capitol folks are gonna venture all the way out into District 12 this time of the year."
"Or ever." Katniss chimed in and Gale nodded along with Carina. She dusted herself off and stood up. "We should get to bed. I'll take Prim with me to your room, Carin, if that's okay?"
Carina nodded while motioning Roan to behave. Katniss only picked Prim up when they all froze hearing footsteps and voices outside the house.
"I heard you have grandchildren my children's age, Mr Semor." A wheezing voice was heard outside the shut door.
They all heard footsteps and looked at each other in panic, frozen not knowing what to do.
"I do, Director." Carina heard her grandfather's tired and weary voice. "But I think they're both sleeping right now. It's very late and my granddaughter had a rough day."
"Rough day?" The same wheezing voice questioned in disbelief before he barked out in an almost uncharacteristic laughter. He was offended. "Today was the Reaping, wasn't it? I thought it would be a day of celebration in District 12 not a day of mourning."
Gale's eyes hardened and Roan almost punched the door before Carina reacted quickly, pulling the boys back. Katniss looked at Carina with alarm, still not knowing what to do. That man, whoever he was, irritated them with a few words. He was a true Capitol man.
His words burned Carina and she couldn't breathe for a second but she stayed quiet, keeping her emotions to herself. The urge to go out there and do something reckless was there lingering but she didn't let it win.
The door handle moved roughly a little before it cracked open and Carina's grandfather appeared. He quickly closed the door behind him and looked at the startled children in front of him.
'Bed, now!' He mouthed with urgency.
Gale and Katniss didn't need to be told twice. Katniss hurried to Carina's room while Gale went to wake Vick and Rory while grabbing Posy to take them to Roan's room. Carina and Roan were about to follow them when the door opened wide, freezing them.
"They were awake!" A whiny voice squeezed out as the door was forced open by a masked boy of Roan's age.
At that moment, Carina was grateful that Gale and Katniss had disappeared into her and Roan's rooms. She and Roan glanced at one another and plastered an uneasy smile on their faces. They couldn't afford to offend these people.
A man followed behind the boy. He was exasperated at the boy. His annoyance clearly etched onto his unmasked face as he combed his fingers through his two-toned hair in silent frustration.
He had an unnatural reddish-pale face with black and red hair, half was blood red and the other half was black.
His frustrations were quickly replaced by a strange nervousness as he glanced behind his shoulder and forced himself to act nicer. "I'm so sorry about this, Mr Semor." The man said, bowing his head in shame as he reached for the masked boy and pulled him back. "Atticus...was just a little excited to meet new friends."
"Friends?" Roan couldn't help but echo. His disgust was clearly masked but his confusion wasn't.
"Yes, friends." The man confirmed as if he wouldn't let Roan or Carina decide what they want; they didn't have a chance. "Serval Blanchette." The man with the two-tone hair introduced himself. "I-I'm the assistant and aide of Director Walston." He gestured to the masked man behind him who marched up to the house.
"Oh good you two are still awake." The man in the white porcelain mask said, clapping his hands together. "Director Ennius Walston, you two must be Mr Semor's grandchildren. As you can see, I have two children your age. I hope you'll get along." It felt more like an order than a request and Carina dreaded everything already.
"Director Walston's children, Atticus," He motioned towards a graceful masked girl who trotted up the steps of the porch. "And Galeria."
Like their father, the two children also wore intricately designed white porcelain masks that covered their entire face.
But that wasn't what caught her eye. Galeria's striking deep purple silk chiffon summer dress instantly caught Carina's attention. The draping and the stitch, the color and the fabric all screamed with wealth—wealth that Carina would never have.
But she was more fascinated by the gorgeous tone of the dress and the way it was designed. The dress paired with the stark white detailed mask and her dark hair so similar to Carina's almost glowed in the dim moonlight.
Carina was sadly fascinated with Galeria's appearance and she couldn't look away. She felt like she was a moth to a flame and Galeria felt the same way when she looked at Carina with her muddy brown-black hair and light brow eyes with speckles that seemed to catch light, Galeria had found something to entertain herself with.
Elegantly, the girl in the mask marched up to Carina. She noted how doll-like the girl appeared, even her hair was brushed to perfection, not a strand out of place even if she moved. Despite her masked face, Carina felt like Galeria had grinned.
Galeria held out her hand and waited. "You shake it." She said with a pompous tone and a little lilt of the unfamiliar Capitol accent.
Hesitantly, Carina took her cold gloved hand into hers and Galeria wrapped hers around Carina's shaking it. "I'm...Carina Semor." She introduced herself nervously, not really looking at Galeria. The fascination being overtaken by a strange anxious feeling she didn't know the source of. Her gaze was on her concerned grandfather. "...Nice to meet you, Miss Walston."
"Just Galeria will do after all, I want us to be friends." But Carina didn't want that; one look at the Walstons told her she didn't have a say in this matter. She bobbed her head a little before she took a confident step back, allowing her brother to take the stage. "This is my brother, Atticus. I believe he's the same age as your brother."
Roan's lips turned up into a subtle grin as he studied the Walston siblings. "I am." He answered without any sign of fear or anxiousness but there was something in his eyes that scared Carina. That look he had whenever he was planning something. She didn't like it.
"Our father is going to start filming a movie here soon." Atticus began, his tone was much more pompous and richer than his sister.
"Filming a movie?" Carina echoed, sharing a look with her brother. Her grandfather looked troubled. "In District 12?"
"Well, we wouldn't be here otherwise." He was clearly looking down on them.
"Right because there's absolutely nothing to see here." Roan drawled out sarcastically.
"You understand me." He wasn't even looking at Roan while he was talking to him, too busy examining Carina. "You're the girl whose name was accidentally called at the Reaping, weren't you?"
Her face paled and she started to tremble a little. It was still too soon for her to be reminded of her near-reaping experience. She didn't even focus on the television during recaps.
"Atticus!" Galeria hissed, turning swiftly to look at her brother.
Atticus brushed his sister aside and took a step forward towards her. "What? You are, aren't you?"
"Forgive him, he's a little young."
"My brother is the same age as him." She croaked out. She couldn't help but compare him with Roan.
"Oh I know." Atticus said, brushing her off. "Did you find it funny too?" He said, looking at Roan.
Roan narrowed his eyes but a smile danced on his face. "Find what funny?"
"Your sister's name was called accidentally at the Reaping. Galeria and I think it was the most hilarious thing ever, right Ria?"
Galeria looked back and forth from her to her own brother. "Oh yes, it was something." She nervously pulled at her gloved hand. "You must've been very disappointed it wasn't you."
Carina narrowed her eyes and held back the urge to explode. She heard a thud behind her. She froze but she quickly put on a smile and discreetly led them all out into the porch, closing the door behind. "I didn't really put much thought into it." She lied much to Galeria and Atticus' disappointments.
"Why do you all wear masks?" Roan changed the topic, tired of being terrorized by the Walston siblings.
"Roan." Carina quietly warned.
"Ah, well, you see...um...it's our family tradition—it started with our great-great-great-grandfather and it's been like that ever since." Galeria stuttered out, looking back at her father for some support but her father wasn't looking.
Director Walston was deep in conversation with the other adults. Something in the way Galeria moved told her it wasn't a one-off occurrence. By the time Director Walston did look back, it was time for those two to go, much to Roan and her relief.
But he stopped at the foot of the steps leading to the porch and looked up. "Well, I expect to see you two around the...guest house soon. My children seemed to have taken a liking to you too." He said, his voice wasn't as wheezy or breathless as before but more controlled and his masked gaze was on Carina and Roan.
Mr Semor stood between his grandchildren and the Director, almost shielding them. "I'm afraid that might be impossible. They have school and errands at home to run."
Director Walston lifted his head and looked towards his assistant. Serval lept into action and with a blank look, he said. "I'm sure the children can make time for Miss Walston and her brother and school isn't that important."
Carina frowned. Her temper rose but she bit her tongue, stopping herself from saying something silly, and putting them all in some kind of trouble. Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one itching to react. Roan trembled with anger and she had to react quickly, grabbing his hand into hers and forcing him to stay by her side. Her brother did have an awful temper.
"I'm sorry you think that way Mr Blanchett but my granddaughter is going to be very busy soon." Their grandfather didn't want them to mix with the Walston siblings. "I promised my sister that Carina will be helping her out with her shop and managing a shop is a handful. I'm sorry to disappoint Miss Walston and her brother but my granddaughter will not be spending time with them."
"But your grandson..."
"He might stop by the shop and help out too—never too young to learn the ropes."
But Roan made a sound of disagreement and Serval smiled. "Seems like your grandson disagrees."
"Roan..." Carina harshly whispered his name but he was gone. That greed for more enveloped his mind and he let go of her hand, taking a step forward.
"Mr Blanchett is right even if I go to school and drop by the shops, I'll still have some free time." Roan started to speak, his anger was still simmering below the surface but his greed for more had won. Carina and her grandfather shared a worried look with another but they kept their thoughts to themselves. "I don't mind spending it with Atticus or Galeria."
"Then it's settled." Serval said, nodding in approval. "Mr and Miss Walston wake up at six in the morning. I expect you to drop by around twelve in the afternoon during lunch. If Carina has time then I expect to see you there as well."
Serval finished speaking, not even allowing room for any of the Semors to speak before he turned and followed the Walstons out of the small winding path that led out of their home.
The Mayor led the procession back into the nicer part of their District but he did spare a worried glance at the Semor family. He pitied them. Who wouldn't?
Carina didn't say a single word as she marched back into the house with her grandfather at her heels. Roan looked at them, waiting for any of them to speak. Their grandfather hung up his coat and locked the door before he leaned against it.
He glared at Roan with his arms crossed and Carina mimicked him. He sucked in a breath, covering his face in anger. His hands trembled as he did so. "What," He started, puffing up his chest. "Were you thinking, Roan?!" He bellowed out, trying his best not to wake up Prim and the other children, not caring if Katniss or Gale heard.
"I was looking out for us." Roan answered, jumping into his own defense and looking at his disappointed sister. "You wanted us to turn them down?"
"Yes." Carina and her grandfather answered at the same time. "They're dangerous, Roan. Have you seen them? They're wearing those strange masks and that man—their assistant, he looks scared of that family. They're bad news and you just agreed to be friends with their children. They didn't even ask, they were ordering us!"
"They're people from the Capitol. What did you expect, Carin?" Roan countered, raising his voice but his grandfather gave him a look and he quietened himself. "Look, we're probably gonna get paid for this and that means grandpa can go back to retirement."
"Roan!" Mr Semor yelled out before he let out a deep disappointed sigh and shook his head. "Do you even know why they approached me?" Roan didn't react. "Of course you don't cause you're too young and naive to think they came here because they needed you. There's plenty of children out there but you two were my grandchildren and they need me to be some tour guide into the old abandoned mines where they might be filming their damned movie."
"Wait." Carina gasped. "You're going into those mines?" Her eyes widened in shock and fear as he looked up at her grandfather.
"Not now, Carin."
"When then?" She countered, her voice measured but her body shaking with anger and fear. "When were you going to tell us that you were going down there?"
"Carin." He warned coldly.
"He wasn't gonna tell us at all..." Roan guessed.
"You," He turned to Roan and glared at him. "Be quiet. You're not the one to talk considering what you just did."
"I was looking out for you! For us!"
Carina stepped away from them. "Shut up, Roan."
Roan clenched his jaws and looked away. His eyes watery and red like he was about to cry. He expected his sister to understand him and not berate him. Carina didn't even look at him, she was too busy waiting for their grandfather to speak but he didn't say a word.
"They're giving me a bonus for guiding them around the mines." He said after a moment of silence and Carina shook her head in disbelief. "Carin, listen. I can retire again and you won't have to go past the fences with Gale anymore. Roan can stay in school. Maybe even do good enough for us to get our shop back.
But Carina refused to listen, shaking her head as she stepped away from him. "You and Roan," She began. A lump in her throat stopped her from saying much as she swallowed back the tears. "You two are the same. You're both too reckless to see things through." She seethed with frustration and fear for her grandfather's well-being.
Just as Mr Semor was about to talk, Roan's bedroom door creaked loudly and Gale walked in, his presence a welcome relief. Carina's eyes flickered with relief because she didn't want to deal with her grandfather and brother at that moment.
"Is everything okay?" Gale asked, his eyes only on Carina whose face was red and eyes teary. "Carin—"
Mr. Semor turned to Gale, a hint of weariness in his voice. "Gale, go back to bed. We were just having a family discussion."
Roan, seething with anger, stormed off, leaving Carina and Gale standing there, caught in the aftermath of the heated argument.
"Let's call it a night," Carina said wearily. "It's been a long day."
Her grandfather nodded in agreement, his concern etched on his face. He retreated to his room with one last glance at Gale and Carina while saying. "Don't stay up too late. I need you to be over at Dottie's tomorrow after school."
Carina didn't say a word in response and watched him go before she let out a deep pained breath. Gale was at her side, looking at the closed door before checking the window overlooking the porch. There was no one there anymore. The porch and the front of the house was deserted.
Alone with Gale, Carina felt a sense of solace wash over her. She couldn't bring herself to talk to her grandfather or her brother just yet. She needed time to calm her racing thoughts.
"What happened? Did they leave?" He asked, still checking the front of the house. Carina only nodded, rubbing her eyes, trying to erase any signs of her oncoming tears. "Carin, what happened?" He asked again but more gently.
"...Grandpa's going back down the mines." She croaked out, her voice breaking mid-sentence as she held back a sob. "Those people from the Capitol—they're gonna film a movie or something and they're doing it in the mines."
"And he's going down there?" She nodded. He left his post by the window and walked over to her, leaning over her. "But his health, you said—"
"I know what I said. He doesn't care." She didn't mean to cut him off but she couldn't help it. "Roan's acting out again as well. Those stupid masked people wanted two playmates for their children and Roan stupidly volunteered—as if things can't get any worse. He just doesn't listen."
Gale reached out, taking her hand in his. "They'll be fine." Carina squeezed Gale's hand, grateful for his support. Still she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was going to go wrong. She leaned her head on his arm as she let out a deep sigh.
A faint sound caught their attention, the barely audible footsteps of someone approaching. She lifted her head to look at the source of the sound. They both turned to see Katniss, her eyes weary and her movements cautious.
"Katniss," Carina almost pulled away from Gale but he held her hand tight in his grip. "What are you doing out of bed?"
Katniss let out a weary sigh. "I couldn't sleep," she admitted, her voice tinged with worry. "I heard some shouting..." She trailed off, almost distracted by Carina and Gale's closeness.
A pang of guilt hit Carina and she pursed her lips but she also noticed a flicker of something in Katniss' eyes. It was there for a fleeting moment before it disappeared, leaving Carina unsure if she had imagined it. She didn't question it, offering the younger girl a reassuring smile. "Everything's fine, Katniss," She said gently. "There's nothing to worry about. It was just...a family discussion."
"Didn't sound like one." She retorted, harsher than she wanted to as she made a face. "I mean—"
"I know." Carina cut her off. "Don't worry about it. I'm sorry if we woke you up."
Katniss smiled wryly. "It's nothing." She said, thinking of her mother's fits back home. Her smile dropped instantly when she remembered that her mother was home alone but she couldn't go back or take Prim back just yet.
"You should get back to bed, Katniss." Katniss nodded and retreated back to Carina's room, Gale's gaze followed her, a pensive expression on his face. Carina turned to him, searching his eyes for an explanation.
"You know Catnip means well. She's worried about you." Gale began. "You should let her know."
"I should do a lot of things, Gale but telling Katniss about my family troubles isn't one of them."
"Carin..."
"She's got enough to worry about with Prim and her mother's fits." It wasn't like she didn't trust Katniss, she was looking out for Katniss or trying to and telling Katniss about her own problems would only burden the poor girl.