Mockingjay: The New Story

Chapter Twelve

Katniss's POV

Three more. Three more people I cared about harmed because of my actions. My prep team lays against a cement wall, my knees digging into the gravel of the floor. The smells – I want to vomit just by looking around. I might, but Madge’s hold is the only thing keeping me to reality.

Flavius and Octavia coil back upon seeing me. Tears round my eyes. They act as if I would attack, when the truth is that I was once in their situation just recently, chained and left for nothing. I only ever thought of what was so bad about them, but I kept that to myself, so why would they recoil?

I go to Venia, since she has always been a leader between the three. She is calm and fierce, she will speak to me. Madge follows a few steps behind me. The guard outside the door tells us to leave, that I have no access to this room. There is shuffle, I know Gale has stopped him. I kneel down to Venia, who was always the strongest, she grabs my hand with her icy one.

“What happened Venia?” I ask. “What are you doing here? Like this too?”

“They took us. From the Capitol,” she says hoarsely.

Plutarch enters, gasps, and says, “What on earth is going on here?”

“Who took you?” I ask, begging my tears to stay back. Madge’s hand rests on my hand, the other in Venia’s hand.

“People. The night you broke the force field.”

“We thought it might be comforting for you to have your regular team alongside you,” Plutarch says. “Cinna requested it.”

“He requested this?” I snap back. Because if I know one thing, it’s that Cinna would never ask this on anyone, especially these three, who he gave total patience and respect to. “Why are they being treated like criminals?”

Plutarch says he doesn’t know, and I feel he is correct. I almost feel bad I yelled, but I forget it because he probably expected it after seeing this. Fulvia’s confusion confirms the thought. Plutarch turns to the guard, who just appears at the doorway with Gale. “I was only told they were being confined, why punish them?”

“For stealing food. We had to restrain them for a quarrel over some bread,” says the guard.

“Bread! Fucking bread! This is what they get for stealing bread! I’ve stolen much bigger things and received less of a punishment than for bread!” I scream.

“Katniss, please, quiet down,” asks Plutarch.

I look back to Venia, who was unmoved by my outbreak. “No one would tell us anything. We were so hungry. It was just one slice she took.”

Octavia begins to sob, covering her face with her hands. Madge helps me up and to her. I grab her hands and bring her to my chest. I feel the bile in the middle of my chest. “Octavia? It’s going to be okay, I’ll get you three out of here. Okay?”

“This seems extreme for bread,” Plutarch says.

“There were multiple times that lead us to that. They were warned. Still, they continued to steal.” He pauses as to think of something else to say. “You cannot take bread.”

“And you can kiss my ass,” I spit behind me.

“Katniss-“

“Shut up, Plutarch,” I hiss. Octavia does not look at me, but only moves her hands to hold me. I see the raw skin that is left behind from the shackles, I grow angry remembering the same sight on my wrists along with the others. “I’m bringing you to my mother. Unchain them.”

The guard shakes his head. “I have not been authorized to do so.”

“Unchain them now!”

The guard jumps, average citizens do not treat him this way. I am not an average citizen, and I am pissed. “I have no release forms. And you have no authority-“