A Tiny Spark

Chapter 3

"My pain and all the trouble caused;
No matter how long,
I believe that there's hope buried beneath it all..."

-Paramore
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Boggs has come and gone for the past forty-eight hours.  I haven't been able to sleep; not that I didn't try. My brain is reeling from everything.  Katniss and Madge, dead. Thousands of people, dead.

Can one girl handle so much heartbreak?

I imagine this is how early settlers lived when they came here: No real shelter; huddled together for comfort.  My grandfather knew our district's history well, including the name it used to have. What was it again? "Kentucky"? "West Virginia"? Either name sounds a lot more peaceful than "District 12". District 12 sounds like a prison.

Ha. That's not too far off.

We never studied the map of Panem, but I'm pretty sure District 8 is just above us, past this forest. And farther north... District 13.

There are only about thirty people remaining at our campsite. The rest, including most of Gale's family, are now settling into District 13. Gale and Rory stayed behind to continue searching for people who might be trapped, and for our protection. 

"I know it's not safe," Rory tells me on this silent morning, "but I'm gonna miss this place."

"So am I," I reply. 

"There's a chance we might be able to rebuild and live in District Twelve again someday, though. Look at District Thirteen. If they can do it, we can, too."

"Totally," I agree.  "I don't care if I'm old by then. I'll be jumping up and down!"

"I won't celebrate anything until President Snow's executed," Gale mutters, carving into a pine tree with his favorite hunting knife. A birthday gift from Katniss. They were the best of friends; but it's become obvious that Peeta wasn't the only boy who loved her. He's grieving just as much as I am.

When Boggs returns in the hovercar, he surveys the group around us. "Is everybody on your list accounted for here, Mrs. Everdeen?"

"I think so," Mom replies.

Before we got rescued, she distributed sheets of paper so that we could all write our names down as proof of existence.  A check by a name means the individual has already left with Boggs.

"Then it's time," he declares, raising his voice so the others can hear. "All of you; pack up and follow me. We're moving out for the last time."

Mom and I share wistful expressions. We have nothing to remind us of Dad or Katniss. In our rush, we only grabbed the items we needed desperately. But there's no going back.

District 13 awaits.
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Whoa is all I can think as we exit the hovercar.  This whole underground place has existed for decades, and we never knew about it? Mind blown.

"First thing we'll do," Boggs says, "is introduce you to our president, one family at a time."

I feel the beginnings of panic, knowing what I know about President Snow. "You have a president?"

"Yes, we do. She likes meeting every single person who comes into Thirteen, whether they live here or they're just visiting. After that, we'll register you into Thirteen's database and put you in rooms. You'll start working tomorrow."

He leads us down a flight of stairs, to an office door with a plaque that reads, President Alma Coin.

Mom and I are last to be introduced. When we're called in, we meet a stern, gray-haired woman, face wrinkled from age. I'd guess she's in her sixties.