When two worlds collide

chapter 4

Chapter 4

Katniss's POV:

In the morning, Prim shakes me awake. After being in 12 yesterday I just don't feel like actually playing attention to my schedule, so after breakfast I find myself a supply closet, and fall asleep.

When I finally crawl out, Its dinnertime. I get my portion of soup, and I after I finish, I begin to make my way to compartment E, that is, until Boggs sees me and stops me,

"There's a meeting in command. Disregard your current schedule" he says.

"Done," I say.

"Did you follow it at all today?" he asks me looking almost serious but with a bit of annoyance.

But I just say "possibly," not really in the mood to care how he feels about it.

He rolls his eyes at me, hiding a small smile.

"Why do they want me in command" I ask.

"Um, I think Cressida wanted to show you something." he says.

I nod.

When I get there people are already crowding into command, I make my way toward the front, and pick a seat. "What's going on, are we watching propos from 12?" I ask Plutarch

"No. I mean he might play that... I'm not sure what footage Beetee plans on using."

Not sure about what he's talking about exactly.. But remembering yesterday, I look around the room, and sure enough I see four, and the blond girl, standing at the back of the room, I look around them, trying to look casual, and I see they're doing the same. Except they're mostly looking at the ground, unsure of themselves and their surroundings.

They're clean and wearing district 13's uniform clothes, and they tug uncomfortably at their clothes, I look at their faces as I recognize a couple of them, like the laughing one, and the similar-looking-to-four woman, I guess the rest are resting or wandering around or something. I doubt they would be given a schedule. Except to tell them when the meals and such are going on.

I really want to talk to them. Just as I'm thinking this, the small blond girl catches my eye and is about to smile slightly, when I decide to turn back around, a little embarrassed.

Finnick is also sitting next to me, and says something to me, "Katniss?" He says again.

I look at him, and he repeats it until I finally answer "yea? What?"

"I was just saying Beetee thinks he's found a way to break into the feed nationwide. So our propos will air in the capital too. He's down in special defense now. There's live programming tonight. Snows making an appearance or something."

I nod my head. Looking at the screen just as the capital seal appears, followed by the anthem. President snow greets the nation, with his snake eyes, which I feel dig into me, Like fangs.

Snow's standing behind a podium. As the camera zooms out, I see Peeta. He's sitting in a chair. He's tapping his foot at an irregular beat, his forehead is sweating, but it's his angry and unfocused eyes that frighten me the most.

I clench my fists, until they're almost numb. "He's worse" I whisper.

And I forget about everyone around me, looking at Peeta, unable to break away my eyes from the screen.

Tris POV:

Last night we were stripped from our weapons and were given a couple of compartments, some had to share. Which some weren't exactly happy about, but we adjusted.

We were mostly just glad that we weren't staying in some crazy lunatics building, keeping all these people hostage or anything.

The food was bland but for some reason it just kind of tasted like the food back in abnegation... But I think even then the food was a bit better in abnegation, I've never missed the dauntless food more.

Today we were told we could participate in some classes, or go to this meeting or stay in our compartments, whatever we wanted, but just stay out of their way, and not cause trouble. It's not like we were planning on staying or anything, but I was still amazed that there was SO many people out here, and I'm told there's A LOT more. It's hard to take it all in.

What amazed me the most was this Katniss girl, she seemed to be what everyone was always talking about, many disliked her, others loved her, some just didn't care.

She was sitting toward the front, and when she stiffened at the sight of a blond boy on the screen, I wasn't sure what to make of it. 

The man who had spent a lot of time with her yesterday, Gale I think his name was, was telling us that she was a victor from the games, but when we made it clear we had no idea what he was talking about, he almost seemed... angry. Not quite direct at us, almost jealous that we had no idea what the Hunger Games were. He walked away. The other man in the room had to finish explaining what the games were, but after the sentence about how the 12 districts have to reap children into a game, to kill each other, I laughed. I told him I wasn't in the mood for whatever sick joke he was trying to play. He had looked at us sadly.

"I wish it was just a joke," he said as he walked away too.

We just stood there not sure what to make of this, a nation where people watch kids die... for entertainment?  That's how Katniss plays into it, she apparently was finished playing their sick games, of manipulating her, but because of it, her "star-crossed lover" is stuck in a city they call the capital.

When I asked who the leader was, they told me President Snow, But Alma Coin was the president of District 13. We passed her through the halls, when they gave us a short tour, she spoke to us briefly. Evelyn got along fine with her, no surprise there.

I turn back to the screen which is jumping back and forth with clips of Katniss and then back at the capital.

I look up at Tobias who looks interested; I remember he used to hack into stuff back in dauntless I wonder if he thinks he could help them.

I clutch his hand tighter. As I see things are heating up on-screen. And I hear Peeta say something that shocks the room into silence

"... And you in thirteen..." he pauses, a crazed look in his eyes "Dead by morning!"

I look around, waiting for someone to react.

Katniss seems frozen in place like everyone else. The camera is still rolling, but toward white tiles, and there's big boots, I hear an impact of a blow, just as we hear Peeta's cry of pain. His blood splatters the tiles. My mouth is hangs open in disbelief.

I don't realize that Tobias is holding me harder against him from behind until I feel him moving us slowly backwards, inching closer to the door.

I look over at Christina who is mirroring my look of horror. I can see she's thinking same thing I am

What have we gotten ourselves into?

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"If people were rain, I was a drizzle, and she was a hurricane." - Looking for Alaska, by John Green.