The Boy with the bread

Even the mockingjays are silent

A picture speaks a 1000 words, or so I've been told. There's something about the power an image can bring, if painted in the right light. You would think me a painter, with all this talk about imagery- but no. In district 12 such a creative passion is something that would be out of the question to pursue. I'm a baker. Well not me, but I'm the baker's son so I guess it comes naturally. I'm more of the decorator in the family business, there's something quite beautiful in frosting a cookie. Maybe that's just me. I lift the flour bags too- mother says it will make me strong, but I have no need for strength, all I do is decorate cakes... She is probably scared I'll be reaped for the hunger games, I don't blame her to be honest. Without my strength I would be dead in seconds, maybe now I might last a day. The hunger games is where we fight to the death if you didn't know. I guess you didn't since you don't live around here do you? Anyways it's entertaining for the Capitol to watch apparently... Something about the hunger games always made me shiver, the thought of even considering killing another makes my blood run cold. I know I must be tougher if I want to survive, but I struggle to agree with something so wrong. I'm walking to school now- hopefully mother won't see that I left so late. The school is barely a school but four walls and a roof. Everyone learns the same things together, it's so mundane. I often imagine a life in the Capitol where a fashion mistake would be my greatest worry. Class is a bit different today though, for some reason we are singing the national anthem. I hate that song, it reminds me of how many lives we have wasted in the war and in the hunger games. I guess that's the point. That's when I hear her sing, the girl who poaches in the woods. A voice like a sweet mockingjay, even the birds stop to listen. Wow. Everyone in the room is silent till the girl suddenly realised that everyone else has stop to listen. The teacher says 'Katniss Everdeen you sound exactly like your father!' Katniss smiles then frowns 'Everyone says I have his heart, Miss'. When I lift the flour bags, when I frost the baked goods all I can hear is a cacophony of her voice swirling about in my head. It's raining now, As I look out the window I see a shape, a shape like- Wait it's her! I suddenly realise that the girl in my mind is curled up in a ball outside my window with hunger. I know what to do. The bread I have been baking is perfectly cooked. So I burn it. Mother hopefully won't notice. I am just about to package the bread up, when slam! Mother has a hand on the counter top. 'Peeta!!!!' She screams 'How dare you burn such a beautiful loaf!!! Feed it to the pigs you imbecile!!' I quiver and rush outside. I throw the bread towards the girl who can sing and run inside. She looks up at me for only a second, eyes saying everything she could possibly say in a look. Mother doesn't take it so well though. I have a scar to prove it.