I'm so sorry it took me this much to post a new chapter.
I hope you enjoy it.
As usual, I'm the last one to enter my classroom, after having left Prim safely in hers.
Like any other day, I walk to my seat, by the window, and prepare myself for another day of looking through the window counting the minutes till I can finally be outside.
Before seating down, I take one long look to the classroom plant and notice the only other empty seat…
Peeta, who's now probably arriving at the Capitol and getting ready for this afternoon's tribute parade, who, on any other day would already be seated and with a happily chatting with kids most near him, is the obvious other absence.
Now, with is chair empty, the whole classroom seems to have lost the cheerfulness and joy he brought to it.
Our teacher enters the class and starts lecturing us like any other day. I look around and everyone acts like this is a day like any other, no one mentions the empty chair, no one seems to even acknowledge that the person that used to occupy the chair is no longer here.
For someone who always seemed to have a large group of friends it is uncanny how little his so-called friends are affected by is absence.
Curious about the lack of interest shown by the people who spent their every day with Peeta, once the bell rings, I pass by the bakery to see how his family is holding up.
Business is open and running as usual, with the witch working the cash register and wearing the same affected smile on her face. His brother is helping at front cleaning tables and making deliveries with and expressionless face. I can't see his other brother and father, but assume they're in the back, baking as always.
The lack of comments and worry I see on everyone's faces, leaves me believing that it was all a dream. Peeta wasn't reaped, he's probably sick and had to stay home for the day.
The remainder of the walk home is done with me trying to figure out why it affects me this much to know that no one but me seems to be aware that the boy who saved my life is no longer near.
Prim walks by my side in silence, I can tell she knows something is off, but she won't say anything. I never told anyone, not even her, what Peeta did for us, how he saved our lives, so she must be thinking that my worrying is related to the girl that was reaped and the proximity to her in terms of her age.
We arrive home to find our mother in front of the Tv and the mandatory viewing program about to start.
All houses in the Seam are poor, however, all of them are equipped with a top of the line TV that broadcasts Capitol approved programs and news only. In twelve, as we rarely have electricity available, almost no one watches tv. When the program is of mandatory viewing all tvs are automatically turned on, with the Capitol making sure we have uninterruptible power.
We settled next to our mother, in the small and patch filled sofa, just in time to catch the start of the parade. Carriage by carriage all districts parade in front of the t, ones seem really well characterized others not so much, it's obvious that the best stylists are saved for the career districts. They're the ones that have greater coverage and gather the most sponsors.
With each passing carriage, I grow more and more nervous, historically the tributes from our district are always poorly dressed and don't make good first impressions and he needs all the help he can get.
I mustn't be making a good job pretending I'm totally normal, as Prim places a reassuring hand on my shoulder as soon as the cart from 12 becomes visible.
As usual the carriage passes without lifting many eyes, as a coal district 12's tributes are dressed as miners in unflattering jumpsuits.
This doesn't improve his changes – I think.
I take a good look at him, holding tightly to the carriage, he looks afraid to fall. I feel like murdering his mentor for not bothering to coach him – That Drunk Haymitch, more interested in a bottle than in a child's life.
After the President's welcome speech, the emission is cut and the tv turned off. It will be two weeks now until we see him again. Two weeks of training in the tribute center culminating in one last interview with Caesar Flikerman, Capitol's most dignified tv hosts, on the night before the games.
The days go by with little alteration, we go to school, we come back, I go hunting. No one makes the slightest comment on Peeta's absence, not even after seeing him on tv. It's like he never existed. I guess as this happens every year, people have their own way of dealing with it. They're already used to it.
Mom, Prim and I gather around the tv for another mandatory viewing as Caesar Flickerman takes the stage. He has been the Games host for as long as I can remember, the green hair man dressed in an extravagant orange suit greats both his public and home viewers. The crowd goes crazy as he makes a few jokes and acknowledges this year's tributes.
With no time to waist, Peeta's opponents march on stage and share a few words with the host.
The careers opt for a show of force performance for their stage time, while the remaining district talk to their strengths and their life at home.
Nelly takes the stage and I have to give it to Caesar, he really tries to help the tributes. He's making her sound so much more interesting than she is. I feel for her, it's obvious on her face that she knows she doesn't have a chance. The most she can hope for is to survive longer than some of the others. Her time ends but not before the tears fill her eyes. All the good work she had done suddenly vanishes in those little drops.
My heart races as his name is called and he takes his seat near Caesar. He becomes a crowd pleaser the minute he opens his mouth. He looks so relaxed talking and joking with Caesar that the whole public tunes into his every word.
He talks about his job at his parent's bakery going as far as comparing the districts to bread types. He then cracks a joke on how dangerous the Capitol showers are:
"Tell me, do I smell like roses?" he bends so that Caesar can smell him. They start sniffing each other trying to elect the most perfumed and almost bring the house down from all the laughter.
The audience is still trying to focus back when Caesar asks him about his girlfriend. I think back to our time at school and I can't place a single girl as his love interest. I guess I'm right as he vehemently shakes his head.
"Handsome lad like you. There must be some special girl. Come on, what's her name?" says Caesar. Peeta sighs. "Well, there is this one girl. I've had a crush on her ever since I can remember. But I'm pretty sure she didn't know I was alive until the reaping."
The crowd let out some sympathy sounds.
"She has another fellow?" asks Caesar.
"I don't know, but a lot of boys like her," says Peeta.
"So, here's what you do. You win, you go home. She can't turn you down then, eh?" says Caesar encouragingly.
"Oh, I don't know I can try, but I don't think that even then she would look at me" he blurts out.
"Nonsense, I bet she would love to go out with a victor" the host encourages.
"No, she's not like that. Katniss doesn't see status" he continues.
"Is that her name? Katniss?" Caesar asks while I'm trying to think of another Katniss in our district.
"Yes, Katniss Everdeen, she's the most beautiful girl in the district"
"Well then, you know what to do. You must win the games to win the girl"
Wait it's me. This Katniss person is me, he means me! my jaw drops as Prim and mother turn their attention to me.
I'm furious. How dares he to put me in this spot? He doesn't even know me; how can he like me?
I can't believe he just did this, what does he have to gain from this? Is It because I never got the chance to pay what I owe? Is this a revenge?
If it is it's perfect! I bet everyone will be talking about this tomorrow at school. I'll be the joke of the entire student faculty and I have no one but me to blame. Why couldn't I just pay him back when I had the chance? Why?
Seeing the look on my face prevents mom and Prim of making any comment, not that they have the time either, because as soon as the tv goes off, I shoot straight to my bed and place the pillow over my head.
Not wanting to be laughed at, I spend the next day hiding and plotting against Peeta, oh how I would love for him to win the games so I could kill him myself…
It's obvious everyone in class saw the interview, as every single head is turned to me as I make way to my desk. No one dares say anything but I can feel no one is paying attention to the teacher, who has also eyed me differently this morning, as I feel the back of my head burning.
No even Madge, the girl/only friend I have, with whom I have lunch with every day, opens her mouth, I bet my face is looking pretty dangerous for everyone to risk saying something.
I manage to go by without a single comment until I meet Gale at our usual spot in the woods.
"What the hell was that with Mellark last night?" somehow, he seems angrier than me.
"How should I know?" I shrug "I've never even talked to the guy"
"The nerve on that guy. Aren't the merchant brats enough for him, does he have to claim our girls too?" I'm choosing to ignore the word "our". I'm not some kind of merchandise he can discuss and trade.
"I don't know and I really don't want to discuss this anymore. Can we just focus on the hunt?" I ask.
Obliging we spend the rest of the day hunting and gathering while I try my best to forget that at the same time the games were starting and Peeta could no longer be alive.
I make sure to lose the beginning of the games as well as most of the broadcastings available twenty-four/seven. Although their watch is mandatory, I manage to escape viewing the games by coming to the woods. I tell myself that I'm doing it to take advantage of the time I would spend in class, to fill our pantry at home. But the truth is I just can't bring myself to watch Peeta die.
The initial bloodbath is always brutal, and I don't believe I am going to be able to hide my nervousness from my family.
With that in mind I make sure I arrive home after the first canons are fired. Prim and mom are still in front of the tv and Prim's first sentence is to let me know both our district's tributes have managed to survive the bloodbath.
Surprised and relieved, I seat next to them and evaluate this year's arena.
"District 4 is in advantage", is my first thought as I take in the ocean that makes up most of the arena. Huge cliffs, made of black rock, surround the sea that ends in a bank of sand where the cornucopia is seated.
The fields of grass that top the cliffs are as beautiful as they are dangerous, with only a few scattered ruins providing refuge to the tributes. The safest place for the tributes to hide are the small caves carved in cliffs, which the twisted minds of the gamemakers have made of difficult access. To get to them, tributes will have to climb, wait for the low tide or know how to swim. As most of the district don't have water sources that allow learning how to swim, the ruins are making the favorite hiding places.
The career pack has chosen to camp outside the cornucopia, having laid sleeping bags directly in the few available spots on the sand.
The first couple of hours, turn into the first two days. The careers leave the camp twice a day, never returning without making at least one kill. Closing the second day they have a total of 11 deaths, 8 in the bloodbath: both tributes from 3, the boys from 5 and 10 the girls from 8 and 9, and both tributes from 11. The two tributes from 6 decided to hide in one of the caves, but were seen entering by the pack, who waited until the low tide to hunt them. Nearing the end of the afternoon, the girl from four cornered the last surviving tribute from 5 in a house ruin, that looked a lot like a much more degraded version of the lake cabin in twelve, and made her join the kill count.
Peeta has been managing to stay hidden in the rocks, camouflaging himself with the help of what's around him. We're on day five of the games and both tributes from 12 are still alive. 14 tributes have already been killed, all careers remain alive. I flinch every time their pack passes near the places where Peeta is hiding, but surprisingly he has done a great job hiding his tracks.
He's ingenuity has actually earned him some sponsors, not that anything has been delivered to him yet, Haymitch must be enjoying the premium liquors of the Capitol instead of doing his job, but he doesn't need anything anyway. He has been able to find food and by hiding near water plants has managed to score some water.
Nelly is another surprise, small and slim, she's been able to climb and take coverage on the rocks and high ruins.
One week into the games and only 8 tributes remain. We see Nelly getting out of her hiding place and hopping from rock to rock, trying to find some algae and shellfish to eat. Distracted trying to pluck a mussel from the rocks, she doesn't see the careers approach and takes on a spear, granting her a slow but deadly wound.
She drops to the floor in agony whilst the careers leave happy with their latest achievement.
"How sick can they be?" Prim's disgusted with them leaving the poor girl to die "A wound like that will take her hours before she dies"
I place my arm over her and bring her closer to me as the cameras zoom in near the place where Nelly is holding on to her last moments in the arena.
There are two eyes camouflaged in the rocks, two blue eyes that let large tears fall once he realizes who has fallen.
Nothing can be done for Nelly, but still Peeta waits until the night falls, picks her up and gently places her inside a cave. Seating next to her, he keeps her company while trying to make her as comfortable as possible.
"I'm so sorry this happened to you, just relax, it will stop hurting soon, I promise" he speaks calmly while stroking her hair.
"When I was little, my dad used to tell me a story every night before I fell asleep… Would you like me to tell you one?"
She nods. "Any preferences?"
"Tell me about the girl you love…" she asks with difficulty. His face relaxes as he allows a smile to be drawn on his mouth.
"Once upon a time, there was a five-year-old boy, terribly nervous, who was being led by his father's hand on his first day of School" Nelly's eyes are glued to Peeta's as she listens attentively. All cameras are focused on Peeta, as if all Panem couldn't afford to lose a word.
"I remember us waiting in line when my father pointed to her. Dressed in a red plain dress and with her hair in two braids, instead of the one braid which is now customary, was the most beautiful girl I would ever lay eyes on.
'see that little girl?' – my father asked me 'I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner.'" Both me and Prim switch our gaze from the tv to our mother for a second but she keeps her composure and says nothing.
"And I said 'A coal miner? Why did she want a coal miner if she could've had you?' and he replied 'Because, when he sings, even the birds stop to listen.'"
I though he was just inventing a story, but I in fact I remember a red dress that was passed on to Prim, it's possible I've worn it on my first day at school, and the birds did stop when my dad started singing. I'm stunned and surprisingly moved, thinking of the baker telling this to Peeta. The story moved my mother as well, she's still quietly listening to Peeta's tale, but the silent tears falling from her eyes leave no doubts, she too is remembering my father's unique talent. It strikes me that my own reluctance to sing, my own dismissal of music might not be that I think it's a waste of time. It might be because it reminds me too much of my father.
"So that day" In the cave, Peeta continues "In the music assembly, the teacher asked who knew the valley song. Her hand shot right up in the air. The teacher stood her up on the stool and had her sing for the whole class. And I swear every bird outside the windows outside fell silent"
Oh please, I think. "And right when the song ended, I knew – just like her mother – I was a goner" he continues "Then, for the next eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to her"
"And failed miserably" he laughs. "Of course, now I may never get the chance to tell her how much she means to me" the sadness is back in his eyes.
"she knows" Nelly points to the air referencing the million cameras spread everywhere.
"Right…" It's like he suddenly realizes where he is and his face gains the color of that dress. "Well I'm glad I'm here, if I was in Katniss's' range I probably wouldn't get out alive for embarrassing her in front of the entire country" Damn right, he is lucky he's very far away. His face wouldn't look as pretty had he been near me right now.
"Well, you just have to win this, get back home and tell her" Nelly's plan is simple.
"You don't have to worry about that now, just relax, I'll be here the whole time, you can go to sleep" A falling parachute, which Peeta promptly grabs, ends the conversation.
Inside, a bottle of water and a complete meal make his eyes shine.
He of course shares everything with his temporary ally. Not everyone would share food with a dying girl, she wasn't going to need it anyway…
I can't help but to feel used. He used me to get food and water, I'm dead sure Haymitch sent him those with the money of the sponsors we won for telling that story.
Bellies full and warm, they both set themselves to sleep. In the morning when Peeta wakes up, Nelly will already be gone.
Satisfied with the night's entertainment, the gamemakers switch our attention to the career pack camping on the beach.
They sleep soundly, overconfident no one will have the guts to ambush them, not with so few tributes left. Their smugness prevents them from noting the storm that's being formed in the ocean and when a wave sweeps the entire sand, the only ones that stand a chance are the tributes from four. The current takes all six tributes, who are ripped from sleep. As his survival mode kicks in, the boy from one grabs onto the girl from four, who is trying her best to keep afloat. His weigh is too much for her to handle and they both drown. The same fate strikes the remaining tributes from 1 and 2.
The only one who saves himself is the boy from 4, who manages to swim to an island that forms in the middle of the ocean. Tired and thankful he drags himself to its middle where he lays to rest next to a seagull.
By the time he wakes up, that single seagull as turned to dozens of them, and all eye him attentively as if planning their next meal.
The voices of Claudius Templesmith and Caesar Flikerman appear to let us know that those are not ordinary seagulls, they are genetically modified seagulls (mutts), programed to kill the tribute that crosses their way.
Guessing what will happen next, I leave my family in front of the tv and exit the house to get some air.
This morning's attack leaves only 3 tributes alive, Peeta, the male tribute from 7 and the girl from 10. I'm starting to think that he's got a chance, he can win this and come back home.
Although there are only 3 tributes left and Peeta's chances are better, they're not definite. He's such a good person I don't see him killing another soul, not even for his own gain.
So, the only thing left is to wait that the others die from natural causes and that Peeta has enough to be able to survive.
With this in mind and thinking I could maybe settle the debt between us, I go by the justice building to try and find out if there's something I can send him to help. Contributions are anonymous for the tributes, so he'll never know it was me and I'll be able to shorten what I owe. Anyone can send anything, from the list of available products, to any living tribute, provided he or she as the money required. Prices tend to increase the more time passes and the fewer the remaining tributes, but maybe, just maybe, with the few coins in my pocket I'll be able to buy something helpful. At this point in the game even a little match can make a difference. With this in mind I go through the pages of the catalog.
Ten minutes later, having looked through it from cover to cover disappointment washes over me. The items are so expensive, there's no way I could ever hope to have enough to buy even the smallest gift. Peeta's on his own… There's nothing I can do for him.
I spend the day hunting, gathering and trading whatever I can and manage to come back home with a rabbit and 4 coins.
The Tv is still on and transmitting the games, but Prim and mom are busy preparing dinner.
"Peeta's still alive" Prim tells me the second our eyes lock. "But the tribute from 7 is dead though. The rocks collapsed inside the cave he was on and he wasn't able to flee in time" I shrug, I don't know what they are thinking since no words were exchanged between us, regarding the story Peeta told last night. But I don't want them to think it had an impact on me.
The truth is I'm very confused myself, I can't figure out why he would tell that story, what was is end game? Earn sponsors? It's the only reasonable explanation, right? Everyone can relate with an unrequited love story, but did he have to use me? Is it because of my debt, is he calling me out on that one? And if so do I have the right to be mad? Can I really say it's not fair? I'm the one with the debt and when your life is at stake all is valid, right? Even inventing a love interest, you desperately want to get back to.
"He's back to camouflaging himself on his surroundings, the girl is walking around but has no intention of finding and confronting him. I guess the gamemakers will get tired of that and force them to meet and fight each other. The games are probably nearing its end" She continues.
"Dinner is served" mother places a stew with the remainder of the fish I brought the morning of the reaping and a slice of tesserae bread in each of our plates.
We eat without appetite, with the games as a background sound we listen as Claudius and Caesar comment the exact same thing as Prim - The games are getting boring.
Soon enough, huge scorpion looking sea animals, the hosts describe as lobster mutts, emerge from the water and force Peeta and the girl from 10 – Vivian, as Caesar calls her to face each other.
But before they can, they have to first get rid of the monster lobsters. The three of us stand and gather around the tv as close as we can, this could be the end of District's 12 participation in these games.
Peeta's busy picking up lobsters and throwing them far away, while Vivian is panicking trying to back away and run, but only managing to be cornered by a trio of them.
Peeta saw this and walked forward to try and help her, lifting one and throwing it, when a mutt catches him in its claw by a leg and throws him back.
I stand, he can't be dead, he just flew and hit the ground hard, the mutt didn't hit any major organs and actually pushed him away from the center of the battle. He tried to stand up but wasn't able to. The wound the Claw did although non-fatal appeared to be serious.
Vivian wasn't that lucky, another lobster took the place of the one Peeta pushed away and the three of them marched to her. With sharper claws than a real lobster, it only took one to inflict a mortal injury in the tribute's neck, making it game over for her.
On the other side of the beach, Peeta wasn't doing much better, unable to stand he remained lying on the sand gathering strength to face any mutts that might come his way. But the monsters, having made their kill were already retreating back to the sea.
"Does this mean he won?" It was my mother who questioned. "I mean there's no one else's alive, right?"
"I don't know, I mean yes… But he doesn't seem well" Prim answers.
"If he has won, the Capitol can fix his leg, right?" I ask. "Yes, but they have to declare him the winner soon. That wound looks ugly, he's losing a lot of blood".
"They have to pronounce him the winner, right? There's no one left…" What are they waiting for, I don't understand…? Do they want a game without a victor?
"Ladies and Gentlemen, the winner of the 73rd hunger games – Peeta Mellarck" They cut the image from the arena to the Victor's square where the audience present was cheering and celebrating.
Prim and my mother have also hugged each other, happy the boy who makes the pretty cookies is coming back home.
His coming back home and I still have a debt to pay…