The Hunger Games: The Pawns

Chapter 10: Trial By Fire

~~Saul Arrem~~

Saul was dragged through the grand wooden doors by his bound wrists. When he entered the room, a Peacekeeper behind him forcefully shoved him in the direction of the front. The judge stood there at his podium with the relaxed eyes of someone who had already made the call. Saul shook his head in anger, not knowing whether it was regret he was feeling or the lack thereof.

He glanced around at his small audience, and from one look around he knew the only people here were the judge, the Peacekeepers and himself. But then he saw the prosecutor's desk, and there was a gruff looking man with a bald head who sat there staring at him with apathy. It was as if no one cared about this case. Yet, of course, there wasn't any reason to. Hundreds of people had snuck past the gate before. Most of the time, even the Peacekeepers paid it no mind. This made it very hard for Saul to understand why they jerked so hard on his arm. Why was he different than any other escapee?

The Peacekeepers threw him down onto the ground in the center of the floor. He shot them an annoyed look and moved quietly to his seat at the defendant's table. He knew little of law, but that District Eleven was not known for being particularly respectful of it.

"Prosecutor Clemaine, you may read the charge," the judge said with a bored wave of his hand. He hadn't even taken the time to put on his fluffy wig. His gold-rimmed glasses were too low on his nose to even see Saul clearly, and he was slouching in his desk.

"Thank you, your honor," he responded.

Just as he was about to speak, there was the creak of the great wooden doorway opening. There were more Peacekeepers, dragging a second victim by the wrists. Saul clenched his teeth when he saw it was his little sister, Peara with her mop of white-blonde hair. He was confused and angry that they had brought her here over his actions, but that hardly mattered now. They gave her a large shove and Saul stood up in contempt. "Don't you dare touch her!"

"Saul!" she cried. "I'm okay! I'm—"

"Shut up!" One of the Peacekeepers shouted, and hit her in the face with the butt of his gun. She was knocked to the ground.

Saul immediately rushed up in a surge of anger and ran down the empty aisle towards his sister. When he arrived, one of the soldiers in white drove his fist right into Saul's stomach and knocked the wind out of him. He fell right next to his sister. "You... won't take... us..." Saul wheezed as the troop lifted each of them off the ground and set them back in their seats.

The doors opened again, and the one who strode through them was none other than Mr. Thurgood Munrow, sporting a nice suit he shouldn't have been able to afford and a mocking grin. He sat down next to the man named Clemaine in the seat across the aisle.

"Would you kindly read both our defendants their charges..." the judge sighed.

"Yes." Clemaine stood up and held a paper in his hand. He read off of it: "Saul Arrem, charged with leaving the district and arson. Peara Arrem—"

"Arson?" Saul complained. "Arson?! You're charging me for the fire that I was trying to warn you about? That's just wrong!"

"Order in the court," the judge exclaimed unenthusiastically. Saul wondered how he ever kept this job as judge with his complete lack of concern.

"Peara Arrem," Clemaine continued, smiling maliciously. "You are charged with arson as well as your brother."

"Objection!" Saul shouted.

The judge put his hand on the bridge of his nose and sighed. "That's not how you use... What is your claim?"

"We are innocent!" he shouted. He could feel the emotion behind his own voice. "That fire was not caused by us. Munrow's the one to blame! He shot a flaming arrow—"