Hayffie - Their story

Chapter 31

Peeta's point of view

"Tomorrow" I say to myself "is it meant to be a threat? Should I be worried?" I find myself pacing the corridors of the bakery. I don't know who would do something like this. Katniss might have, but she would of hand wrote it. I fear this has a more sinister meaning. Hank locked up the bakery last night, maybe it was him. At least he's not at work today. I would really be paranoid then.

Just as I'm starting to calm down, the phone in my office starts to ring. I'm hesitant to answer it at first. What if it's Hank?  I have to answer it though, now I really am paranoid.

"Hank?" I ask "Is that you Hank?"

"Peeta it's Katniss."

"Katniss" relief washes over me. I'm safe for now "What's up Kat?"

"Did you leave me a funny message this morning Peeta?"

"A um funny message?" I ask "Is there a chance it's a newspaper cutting?"

"You should know what it is Peeta. You left it for me." She starts to chuckle in the background. I drop the receiver of the phone and fall to the floor. They can't be targeting Katniss.

"Peeta...Peeta. You there? Answer me please Peeta."

I manage to take the receiver back in my hand and manage to mutter a few words.

"Stay there, don't move." Then I hang up.

I hastily write a note and tape it to the doors of the bakery. It reads 'Due to an unfortunate event the bakery is closed today. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.' I then run home as fast as possible.

When I reach our house I jab the kay in to the lock and slam the door shut behind me.

"Katniss, where are you? Where are you Katniss?" I must sound frantic, the way I am calling to her.

"It's ok Peeta I'm in the kitchen. Are you ok? You sound flustered?"

When I reach the kitchen I see her sitting at the dining table, her dressing gown wrapped around her body and a steaming mug of coffee in her hand. On the table in front or her is her note. I reach in to the pocket of my apron, which I forgot to take off, and place it next to hers on the table. Together they read "tomorrow and lake"

"So it wasn't you?" Katniss asks when I've finally calmed down once again.

"No it wasn't me. Where again did you say you found your one?"

"It was tucked between the Primroses out front. The ones your planted for me which I water every day. That's why I thought it might have been you."

"We just have to keep our guard up" I state "I've closed the bakery for the day. We have to see if the others have anything similar.  By the looks of things there's more to this. What we have together doesn't make sense."

"Ok but I'm going to check on Annie. If she got something like this it may have freaked her out. Expecially if it's anything like the one you got."

"Stay safe"

Katniss' point of view

"Annie" I call whilst knocking on the door. "It's Katniss"

The door swings open and I am greeted not by Annie, but instead by Joanna.

"Our little girl on fire is up nice and early today. Don't tell me you got one to?"

"One what? The message?"

"Of course the message. What else would it be? We're just discussing it if you would like to join us."

"Peeta. I have to get him. I'll be back though."

"I'll leave the door unlocked for you then. Be quick"

I practically have to drag Peeta out the house, forcing him to leave the knife he somehow acquired at home. It's only when I finally get him to Annie's doorstep however that I realise he brought a rolling pin with him.

"What were you planning on doing with that?" I ask him curiously

"Bashing." Is the only reply I receive.

As we make our way through to Annie's living room it's obvious a young child lives here. Toys are scatted about the place, but it makes it look like a proper home. However I have to be careful to avoid stepping on anything.

"Finally!" The voice comes from the living room. Peeta and I enter to see Gale, Joanna and Annie seated around Annie's coffee table. Fin can be heard in the distance, playing with his blocks.

Peeta and I take a seat on the floor and place our words with theirs. They all look identical. Each has been cut from a newspaper and laminated.  Each as vague as the next. 

"So where did you find them?" Peeta asks. Placing the rolling pin on the floor beside him.

"Mine was resting in the handle of Finnick's trident. You know the one in the hall upstairs."

"Mine was in the shower" Joanna pipes in "It was attached to the switch."

"Mine was in my hunting boots. I didn't realise till it stabbed me when I went to put my foot in it." At Gale's comment we all start to laugh.  Peeta fills them in on where we found our whilst I start think. They were all found somewhere which has a lot of meaning to us. Which reminds us of something.  Whoever did this knew what they were doing.

"But what does it mean?" I hear Gale ask "It doesn't make sense."

The five pieces of laminated paper lay on the table. 'Tomorrow' 'Lake' 'smart' 'there's' and 'A'

"I don't know. Maybe if we rearrange them they will make something?" I suggest

"There's not enough.  Unless it's meant to say that there's a smart lake tomorrow and something tells me that is not what it's implying." Joanna states. "Maybe someone else has some?"

"Haymich and Effie. If we have these they might as well. I'll give them a quick call." I excuse myself and make my way to Annie's kitchen.  According to Haymich they too received notes.

When all 7 notes are around the table, we all sit trying to figure out what they mean. Like ours, Haymich and Effie's were hidden somewhere personal to them, Haymich's in an empty liquor bottle and Effie's tucked in one of her wigs.

After about an hour of trying to figure it out we come up with what we think is right. The only problem is it still seems to be missing one. We also still don't know who it's from.

"Shall we then?" Haymich asks. "Do you think we should?"

"I want to know what it is so I'm going no matter what." Joanna exclaims. "You pansycakes can stay if you want, but I want to find out who did this and what it is."

Over the next 15 minuites we all decide we will go. Although both Peeta and Haymich are adamant of being armed. We end up leaving, our notes remain on the table in the order we believe to be correct. 
         "There's a tomorrow 2pm, Lake. Dress smart."