The 77th Annual Hunger Games

Chapter Five

Jasper sits in the chair beside me. Soon enough Haymitch and Katniss stop laughing. They sit down in the two chairs in front of Jasper and I.

"Hey c'mon Sweetie, can't take a joke?" He laughs. I look up at him.

"Oh I'm getting shivers from that cold stare." Haymitch jokes. Everyone starts laughing again but me. He elbows Katniss,

"Hey guess who she reminds me of?" He say's.

"Oh, I don't know? Who? Oh, wait no I got it! Diamond?" she laughs. 

"Wheres Peeta?" Asks Jasper. Trying desperately to change the subject.

"We can only have two mentors-" started Diamond,

"And I didn't trust didn't trust Haymitch with the lives of our kids." Katniss says. Haymitch laughs whacks her with a pillow. Katniss picks up the pillow and throws it back at him. After they calm down we just sit in silence. 

"Okay." I say hitting the arm rests with my palms, "This is going nowhere, and I'm loosing patience. I'm going to my room." I'm almost at the door when Haymitch speaks up,

"Well I guess I'll have to give my absolutely wonderful advice to your boyfriend over here." he says, I spin around picking up the first thing I can get my hands on. I quickly look and see that I'm holding a knife. I pull back and throw it just above Haymitch's head. I sticks into the wall just skimming the top of Haymitch's head, and for an added bonus it's stuck directly in the middle of a flower. Diamond and Jasper gasp, Katniss laughs, and Haymitch looks at me both amazed and angry. I turn around and walk out. I slam the door behind me and stomp down the hall. I walk into the first room I find, and slam that door too. I look around, a big closet with about a hundred different outfits, and a big dresser in the corner of the room, with about twenty more pieces of clothing, a bathroom in the other corner, with a shower, toilet and sink. I throw myself onto the large bed. It's outfitted with black, and purple sheets to match the wall paper, and really fluffy carpet beside my bed. I hold on tightly to my locket, its the only thing left from home, the only thing left of Avery. I turn onto my side, and watch the trees speed by my window in a whirl of green, I relax a bit and find I'm getting tired. I'm almost asleep when I hear knocking on my door. I take one of the pillows and put it on my head, blocking out the noise.

"Cassandra? It's Katniss, can we talk?" she asks. I groan and walk to the door, I open it to see Katniss standing, with two plates of food. She walks in and sits on the bed,

"Here," she says holding one of the plates towards me, "I thought you might be hungry"

"Thanks" I say sitting down beside her. I look down at the plate, un sure of what I am about to eat. I think it's chicken, with herbs and sauce, there are orange slices on the side of the plate, and some green vegtables, there small and looks like some sort of bean. I take a bite, it tastes delicious. We could never have afforded this back in 12, it tastes so good. Katniss smiles, and takes a bite of her own food. I think of how I would make this at home, maybe apple slices from the meadow instead of orange, water bird or turkey instead of chicken, fiddle heads instead of whatever kind if beans these are, we don't have sauces like this in 12 and we use herbs for medicine and tea, but I'm sure I could find some sort of herb to put on it, maybe basil, or parsley. Katniss and I eat in silence. It gives me time to wonder why she's here. I feel like I already know. I finish my dinner and look at Katniss. She takes my plate and hers, then brings them over to the desk on the other size of my room.

"Why did you do that?" she asks

"Do what?" I ask confused, "I've done a lot of questionable things in these last few hours." But deep down I know what shes talking about, she doesn't care about me throwing the knife, or about knowing Jasper,

"Why did you volunteer for her?" She asks like its the most obvious thing in the world. Well, it kind of is.

"I just-" I sigh, "I just didn't think, she looked upset, and it's not fair that they have to always pick the Victors children" I look away,

"Well-" she starts but I cut her off,

"They rig the reaping's! I've watched re runs of the old games, they always rig it so that the Victors children go into the games!" I yell. I look away again. I feel bad for yelling at her, she just wanted to talk.

"I just wanted to thank you.....for saving my daughters life." She smiles. Her eyes fall to my necklace.

"Where did you get that?" She asks, any trace of her smile gone. I'm now afraid that shes going to be mad at Rose for giving it to me.

"Rose came and said goodbye to me before I got on the train and she gave me this." I said holding it in my hands.

"You know," She pauses then smiles at the thought, "Peeta gave me that in the Quarter Quell, he also gave me a pearl" she says, I look at the locket, "That year Effie thought we should look like a team so she got Haymitch and Effie both something gold. That was what she got Peeta." She say's pointing at the locket in my hands. 

"Do you want it back?" I ask hoping she says no.

"No," she says smiling, "I want you to wear it in the arena" She pauses again turning the locket over in my hands. "make sure that the Mockingjay is facing up." she says, "So the President knows that were still here, and were still burning." At that she stands up and grabs the plates and leaves. we are still here, and we are burning. I think about what that is supposed to mean. I vaguely remember seeing something on t.v. about Katniss and the rebellion that said something like that, "If we burn you burn with us".  I lay down, and roll over onto my side still clutching my locket. I close my eyes. We'll be in the capitol in one day. I'm worried about Avery. Is he okay? Has he been handling this okay? Did he eat anything tonight? Is he going to sleep tonight? Will mom step up and take care of him? I start thinking about my mom. Is she okay? Did she eat? I's a vicious circle of worry. My hands start to shake. I stop thinking about it and slow my breathing. It's okay. They are fine. It's going to be broadcasted on live t.v, he'll know that I'm okay. They will both know that I'm okay. I can win. I will win. Just for them. I can feel myself slowly drifting off to sleep.