Baird's girl

Chapter 26

Mary's body had been found in the evening. It was difficult for the peacekeepers to handle; as soon as they brought out the body, Amber covered Joana's eyes. Amber told Ethan what everyone knew the day he returned to District 12.

May 24, 2018
District 12

"And you don't know who did it?"
"The mayor must have an idea. She's in front of my house every morning as if she's watching me."
"You think she suspects you?"
"Of course she suspects me. Mary and I openly hated each other."

There was a moment of doubt for Ethan.

"Reassure me, tell me you didn't kill her."
"I can't confide such things to you. You would go and repeat it. Trust is important to me in a relationship. Without trust, you could be dead and it wouldn't change anything for me."
"And am I dead or alive if we follow your logic?"
"Both, I think."
"You can trust me, Amber."
"I don't know who to trust anymore."
"Amber..."
"I can't tell you even if it were true, even if I had something to do with her death, I would never trust you enough to talk about it."

Ethan looked at her, disappointed. He was disappointed that Amber couldn't trust him despite all their conversations and confessions. But at the same time, he understood: admitting to a murder is not the same as admitting to something less serious like trivial anecdotes.

"You might be better off coming back when the mayor stops camping in front of my house. It's dangerous for me if she sees us together; I could end up hanged, maybe even next to you because of the scenarios she might imagine."

Ethan listened to Amber and left District 12 to return to the Capitol.

Amber, on the other hand, found herself at the bar with Michel, Thomas, and Maude.

She had told them everything; she couldn't keep it to herself.

"Amber, my dear... you have to report it."
"If she does that, she'll get hanged too."
"No one will be able to prove she was there."
"Did you see her state the night Mary died? There are plenty of witnesses to her state that night, Thomas. The mayor will easily make the connection."
"You won't get hanged if you flee."

Flee.

She had thought about it, but it would make her even more suspicious, and there would be repercussions on her family.

"I can't do that to Maude and Joana."
"We'll manage, Amber."
"Yes, I don't doubt that, but if I flee, there will be repercussions on all my loved ones, and I could never come back, and that's out of the question."
"Not necessarily."

Michel clearly knew things; you could tell from his words.

"If you flee and just before the mayor has time to implement her repercussions, there is an uprising, for example..."

Thomas and Maude looked at each other and decided to leave Amber and Michel alone.

"An uprising?"
"That's what's being prepared. And not just in District 12. Many victors are preparing for it."
"So this uprising isn't against District 12? It's against the Capitol?"
"Yes. If you knew, Amber... even District 1 is preparing for it. Everyone is tired of sending their district's children to die; they want to see the Capitol's tyranny end."
"How do you know about the victors?"
"They have more privileges. If you wanted, for example, you could request to go to another district for a set period, while other residents are stuck, only seeing their district. There's a victor from District 10 who comes to District 12 quite often; her name is Camille Belcourt. It's thanks to her that I learned about the victors' rebellion preparations."

Camille Belcourt...
Amber was 13 during those games.
She had volunteered too. She won by hiding in the early days and killing in the later days.
She seemed quite cold during the reaping when she volunteered; that's what had caught Amber's attention, that's how she remembered that girl.
And now she learns that she had been coming to District 12 for five years?

"And now what should I do? Wait for her next visit, is that it?"
"You're smart, and you prove it to me more and more every day. Yes, you should preferably wait for her next visit; it should be soon. She could help you better than I can, but..."
"She'll want something in return?"
"Yes, and I think you've guessed what she'll want."
"That I prepare this rebellion too?"
"Yes."
"Michel, I can't do that. I'm in love with a guy from the Capitol!"
"He'll understand. If he loves you, he'll understand. He's always understood your actions so far, hasn't he?"
"Yes."
"Then he'll understand why you want to rebel."

Amber thought for a moment. If she dies during this rebellion, how would Ethan feel? Then she thought: Maude and Joana are orphans because of the Capitol.
And there were indeed people who mattered more than anything to her that the Capitol had killed.

"Amber, don't feel forced..."
"No, it's okay, I'll do it."
"Are you sure? Do you really want to do it?"
"Yes. For Lucy."