The Mockingjay's Rebirth

Chapter 2

Walking down the streets of the market brought back so many memories of my younger years.  I remembered how my father would bring my younger brother and I to the bakery with him early in the morning, and he'd let us help run the shop with him.  When it was sunny outside, Col and I would grab a ball that my parents kept in the back, before we'd convince a few more kids to come and play with us. I knew that Col loved the bakery most of all, baking all the different kinds of bread and delicacies, helping my father decorate extravagant cakes that would be showcased to passerbies who couldn't help but be drawn to the delicious temptation.  My father taught us how to make pictures in the icing, which Col always takes much joy to taking part in.  

That sun was well up in the sky by this time, beating down on everyone who was outside.  I wiped the sweat from my brow before continuing on through the market until my family's bakery came into view.  Just as I was about to open the door and walk in like I've done since I could take my first steps, something stopped me.  I heard the commotion and turn my head to see a large rowdy crowd forming a circle in the middle of the market square.  Abandoning the bakery, I head over to the crowd before nudging my way through the sea of spectators.  In the very heart of the circle, the head Enforcer who was known as Keats was kicking a boy mercilessly in the abdomen, and the boy lets out a cry of pain.  I couldn't help but cringe when the boy spit out a mouthful of blood on the ground.  Though I was a hunter, I did not believe in the use of violence.  As strange as that sounds, it was a rather complicated but true notion.  Keats laughs darkly as the boy sturggles to get to his hands and knees before Keats gives him another sharp kick to his side, sending the boy tumbling to the ground.

"Maybe that should teach you a thing or two about stealing, rat."

"I didn't steal."  The boy choked out with an injured breath.

"Liar,"  Keats says.  He then motions for the other two present Enforcers.

"Take him to the Justice Building, maybe a few nights in a jail cell will do him some good."

The other two Law Enforcers grab handfuls of the boy's dirty shirt before hauling him to his feet and leading him out of the marketplace.

"Please, don't do this.  I didn't do anything, I swear!  You have to believe me!  Let me go now, I need to see Katniss Everdeen!"

This suddenly picked at my attention and my head whipped up to see the boy struggling against his captors.

"Nice try kid, maybe you could do better with Haymitch Abernathy." Keats bellowed out a loud howl of laughter, which the rest of the Enforcers didn't hesitate to join in on.

"It's the truth, I swear it!  She's the only one who can--"

"Lou!"

The Enforcers suddenly stopped walking when they saw me start running towards them.  But I ignored both of them, my eyes refusing to waver from this stranger of a boy.

"What happened?"

"We caught this little rat trying to break into the bakery and steal some bread."

I only glanced at Keats before I glared at the boy who was now looking at me like I had a third eye.

"Let him go, he didn't do anything."

"But he--"  Before Keats could finish his sentence, I spoke once again.

"Is the new boy that my father hired to help carry all the flour sacks to the market.  He said that Lou could have some bread to feed his family in return for his help.  He wasn't trying to break in, he was just bringing some food back home.  Now, release him."  The two Enforcers looked at Keats who had a quizzical expression on his face.