Primrose Mellark

Chapter Eighteen

 This morning, I had decided to visit the town, because I wanted to see how everything was doing here. I packed up all my food away so the black bears don't find them, or sniff them out. I put out my fire and made sure everything was locked up safely before even leaving the lake. I have a feeling that if I stay too long in town, something might go badly.

   I walk though the woods, and to the town square. It's empty, of course. Everything else is, for that matter. I look to the side, and I get a painful feeling as I see my father's old bakery. The windows are bare and covered with a tarp. The old-fashioned porch is dusty. I remember that they built that porch to give it a "homey" feeling. It really does lighten up the place, actually. Along with the windows that cover nearly the entire front wall. But now, all you can see it pale plastic, instead of the warm, nice-smelling bakery inside. I miss that place most of all.

   My actual house, I never visited much. In fact, I haven't even visited that house since I got my home in my cave. But I am meaning to go back and check for more supplies that I could use. I might've left some screws behind, which could make excellent fish hooks or something to cut animal skins. But I never really got around to it, making my cave and all. There's another reason too, I think. Maybe I just don't really want to go back, and to see all the memories buried in along with the white paint. I've been avoiding my old house. Old? That means I've offically accepted that my cave, is now my permanant home. I smile. 

   I walk by a alley, and stop as I see some words written with red paint on the side of the bakery. I peer up at the words.

 Deep in the meadow.

   I stare at the words written on the side of a building. Somebody had spray-painted those words on the side of a brick alley with paint. What did that mean? I shrug, and turn around, uninterested. 

   I walk out of the alley. It's a sunny and hot day today, and I can see the heat wavering off the hot cement, as birds cawed above me. I look up. Vultures, maybe? I glance around. It's so silent and empty, I'm almost afraid to be here any longer. At least the forest has birds to accompany me, to get rid of the deafening silence, with no other humans beside me. I look up at the buildings, thinking. Now that I think about it, why did we have to leave? I mean, couldn't we just have sent a few workers over, and made them return with the coal and oil? Surely the whole population didn't have to evacuate.

   There's something the new leader's hiding from us. Jason Thorn. But I just don't know what, or why. I narrow my eyes, remembering the one time I saw him on our television. He had gray hair that was slicked back at the sides, and deep lines around his blue eyes. Tall, and mean looking. Whenever I see his face, I can't help but think of a wolf.

   I see a cat scurrying across the road, and I think of Thrush. Then my mind wanders to how Rye, mom, and papa are doing. I feel guilty for leaving them, yet relieved. I'm sure they will understand that I had to leave, or else I wouldn't ever prove that I could live on my own without help, in the wild. But I still miss them, of course. I wouldn't pause to hug them one more time, or to say a proper good-bye instead of on a note. Then I wonder if they even got the note. It's possible that it could've gone somewhere, and they're out on the streets, looking for me and wondering if I'm still alive. I suddenly get a cold feeling in my gut.

   As I turn to walk away, I scream, and fall backwards. A face was in front of mine, nearly two inches from my nose. I land hard on my hands and bottom. I scramble back and look up at the face. Then I nearly cry out in anger and fear.

   Evan.

   I stand up feircely. "What are you doing here?!"

   He flinches in anger. "I could say the same thing, Mellark!" I ball up my fists, and force myself not to smack him in his little arrogant head. Yet.

   "Shouldn't you be with the others?" I demand. Evan, out of anybody else! Of course. I shouldn't have expected anything other than for him to turn up suddenly. I cover my hands in my face and try to get a hold of myself.

   Evan seems to have fun with this. "I can say the same thing to you, again." I lift my head and glare evily at him. "You aren't any better than me you know, Mellark. How do you know that I wasn't just visiting, or maybe, checking up on you?" He raises his eyebrows and smiles. My willpower is getting shorter by the second.

   "Listen," I say, pointing a finger. "I mean it! Answer me right now: why are you here? Tell me the exact answer."

   Evan sighs and rolls his eyes. "Why should I tell you?"

   "Tell me now." I demand, stepping forward.

   "Fine, bossy." he snaps back at me. "Control your anger for once. I'm here to inspect the town, for signs of danger."

   I cross my arms. "No, that's not why, and you know it." I wince. My hands still hurt from being thrown onto the cement earlier. 

   Evan is silent for a moment. Then sighs, and says, "Fine. I live here, alright? I wanted to get away from the other people for a change. And don't you dare say that I was following you, because I wasn't. It was just a bad coincidence that I saw you here." I look up at him, shocked. Did he really just want freedom, like me?

    "Listen," he says. "Where do you live?" I snap my gaze up, suspitious.

   "Why?" I ask.

   He sighs impatiently, like he is working with a child. "So I know where you live, so I can stay clear of you. I don't want to live next to you." I shrug and look over at the forest.

   "I live down by the lake." I say. "My mother's lake." I glare at him. He seems to remember the day I snapped at him and Cleo for ruining my mother's special, secret lake. But he doesn't meet my gaze, though.

   "I live over there," he points to the long row of houses. "In my father's old house." His voice trails off. I duck my head, not able to imagine the pain that he went through when his father died. I can't even think about it if my papa died. Evan''s face quickly becomes defensive again. He turns around without another word. But I stop him.

   "Wait!" I say quickly. He turns around. I scratch my neck and point to the writing on the walls. "What does that saying mean? Is it a code?" Evan's eyebrows raise and he walks over to the paint on the walls. I cross my arms and watch him. He touches the brick and looks up. I wonder what's so amazing here. It's just words, aren't they? But when I look at Evan's facial expression, I know they're more than what I think they are.

   "So?" I say, snapping his attention back to me. He looks over at me, surprised.

   "Prim, you don't know what this means?" he asks, mysified. I am also mystified. He called me my actual name instead of his usual remark of "Mellark", or a mocking, "Cupcake."

   Before I can say anything his face turns to annoyance. "You should be the one who knows most about this. Considering that your mother and father..." What? That my mother and father what? He starts to walk away. "I'm leaving now." Without a good-bye, he walks down the hot street. I watch him walk down, looking like there's not a thing wrong.

   I look back at the words on the building. Deep in the meadow... what did that have to do with my mother and father? Perhaps, could it be from the rebellion or something? Surely I would know by now, though. They seem like they're trying to keep it a secret from me or something. But why?

   ---

I just wanted to say, that i had an idea for this book. that means that i will be posting sooner!! haha and...i... am almost done with it! well.... not ALMOST. haha maybe up till chap 30, or something. thanks fo reading!

-katniss_on_fire13