Justice, the 4th hunger games book, the story after mockingjay

Chapter thirty-one

PPOV

I awake to the trickling of water over rocks from the nearby river and to the smell of freshly baked bread the sun is barely cresting the horizon and the pale light of the morning threatens to pierce through my closed lids. I realize that I have slept through, no nightmares. I am acutely aware of the tough rough bark of the branch I am so precariously perched on we must’ve been caught out last night, hiking through the forests of twelve. Needing to camp out and head home once it became light again, that would explain the tree we were sleeping in and the soft sound of someone else’s light breathing, the breathing of someone asleep, but that isn’t the soft breathing of the one person I have loved for many years, this is the breathing of someone I barely know, Ali. That one name causes me to be brought back to my senses as I snap my eyes open and sit bolt upright.

Katniss and I hadn’t been caught out after dark last night, we weren’t back in the forests of twelve, no, that would be too easy, too much to ask for us to have a quiet life, we were back in the hunger games, alone and separated. Alone trying to find each other. Alone and fighting for our lives. Alone and almost down to the final eight. Alone but not alone, I have an ally, Ali and according to her Katniss won’t be alone either, she will hopefully have paired up with her father. But then again this is Katniss back in the games, I don’t know what she will be doing but I do know that she is tough and nothing will stop her from finding me. She has done it before, she will do it again, I just need to follow the river upstream.

Remembering where I am I take in my surroundings before leaning back against the trunk. Bread? Freshly baked bread in the hunger games? That isn’t normal. Where is this bread? Why can I smell it, where is it? Another gift from Haymitch? I begin searching the branches trying to locate the silver parachute. I spot it just metres from where I sit and begin my short climb. As soon as I reach it I unclip the small tin from the parachute and swiftly tug free the fabric and tuck it into the pocket of my jacket, you never know when things like that may come in handy at a later point in the games. Stabilizing myself I free my hands allowing myself to open the small metal container in it there are four and a half of the most wonderful cheese buns I have ever seen.

But why would Haymitch want to send me four and a half? Why not just four or five? There must be another reason for this gift. That’s when it clicks, cheese buns, Katniss’ favorite not mine hers. Is there a connection he is trying to make me make? Why four and a half cheese buns? I ask over and over again in my head before I begin mouthing it to myself.

“Peeta?” Calls a soft quiet voice from lower down the tree scattering my thoughts, Ali must be stirring.

“I’m up here Ali, and I have breakfast.” I add as I slowly make my way back down to her branch before handing her one of the cheese buns.

“What are these?” She asks and I frown in confusion, I thought everyone was now able to afford luxuries such as these.

“What do you mean? Don’t you know what this is?” I question and in response she just shakes her head at me eyes wide with curiosity and in that instance she reminds me so much of Prim. So full of innocence and determination.

“These are called cheese buns. You have bread back in four don’t you?” I question just to clear up that matter before I go on explaining. She sheepishly nods her head so I continue. “I make them every day back in twelve for Katniss, they are her favorite. I must say I do enjoy baking these, very easy and extremely rewarding, here have one.” I add handing her one. Picking up one myself we lapse into a comfortable silence as we succumb to the emptiness in our stomachs that only comes from the games. I allow Ali another for her to enjoy as opposed to scoff out of hunger pangs and I lean back against the trunk and give myself a couple of minutes to try and crack Haymitches code. He was always much better at communicating with Katniss, that’s why in the first games she got all the parachutes.

Come on Peeta! I mentally shout as I slowly chew on the last of my cheese bun.  Four and a half, that must be a clue in itself. I mean why on earth would Haymitch go to the trouble of just sending a half? Why not four or five?

There has to be some significance with this four and a half. I think back to the last games and how the bread was used to signal the day and the time of day the break out would happen and back in the first games Katniss explained to me that, even though she wasn’t in love with me she knew how much fake love and affection she needed to give in order to receive the right food and medicines for me. I wish more than anything she was here, she would be able to read into this straight away. Since she isn’t receiving anything from Haymitch I can rule out the possibility of another break out attempt as there would be no way for her to know about it. So the number of bread is not to do with hours or days.

If he wanted to tell me something why send Katniss’ favourite to me unless it was something to do with Katniss. Finally I think I understand. Maybe this is a distance counter. Maybe this is Haymitch trying to tell me how far away I am from Katniss, but is this in miles? Days walk? That I am unable to know but the more I think about it the more I am convinced that this is Haymitch’s way of telling me how far away I am from her, from the only person I would willingly die for, Katniss.

With this renewed lease of energy I pack our bags and swiftly climb down helping Ali down.

“Come on, we’ve got another days hiking ahead of us, keep a weather eye out and a hand on  your weapson, don’t want to be caught off guard!” I encourage as we begin our next day following the river upstream.

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Sorry sorry sorry sorry for not uploading sooner, i am a bad person! got so distracted with graduation and finishing Uni that i completely forgot that i hadn't uploaded in almost a month! hope this chapter makes up for the delay a little!