The Simpson's Hunger Games

Chapter 8

Lisa:

Me and Clancy hear a shout, and we look at each other, confused. We both get up and walk out into the corridor, and Millhouse runs out, Snake quickly following him. Millhouse slams the door, and pants, and cleans his glasses. "What happened?", I ask him, panicked. Millhouse shrugs, and said, "The room is on fire!", and Clancy jumps back, shrieking. I take a step forward, but Millhouse stops me, and says it's too dangerous. By this time, Peacekeepers have come, and try to put out the blaze. Millhouse drags me outside, where a huge crowd of Capitol citizens have gathered, curious and excited. The other tributes soon join us, as do the adults. I can see a black vehicle pull up near the building, and Akira gets out, and swiftly goes in front of the burning building, and addresses the crowd. "Ladies and Gentlemen, do not be afraid. There has only been a small hiccup on the District 5 floor, nothing more.", but people start to point at the smoke coming out of a window, but Akira already has an answer, "As I have said before, ladies and gentlemen, there is nothing to worry about, the Peacekeepers are dealing with this swiftly and efficiently." As soon as he says this, a Peacekeeper runs to his side, and says something discreetly to him. Akira smiles. He tells everyone that the problem has now been dealt with, and some temporary housing has been set up for the Tributes and the other adults in the building. The Capitol works fast.

Before I know it, me and Millhouse, as well as Snake and Clancy are seated in a strange vehicle with darkened windows, heading for the 'temporary housing' Akira spoke about. We arrive at a reasonably sized building, with bricked-over windows and at the front door there are two armed guards. They lead us in like prisoners, and I shiver involuntarily. Millhouse silently takes hold of my hand, and squeezes slightly. I smile at him, but he doesn't notice. My stomach feels like it is about to explode with butterflies and I try to cover my cheeks, which have gone red. Peacekeepers show me and Millhouse to our rooms, and Millhouse shuts the door to his quickly. I follow his example. I need time to think. How did this happen? I refuse to believe that this was an accident. It's almost impossible. The Centre we were staying was equipped with everything that would prevent us from a thing like a fire happening. Anyway, if it was an accident, Snake and Millhouse would have looked more shocked, not as calm as they were. I frown, and sit on the bed in my room, but soon get up and start pacing around the room, trying to think.

If it wasn't an accident, then it must've been deliberate. Did the Capitol start the fire? No. They wouldn't like the press, and the rumours that would come up that the Capitol was weakening, for that I'm sure. But, on the other hand, they may want to get rid of Snake...or Millhouse. I swallow, and a cold sweat appears on my hands and arms. Quickly, I explore other options. Snake could of started the fire. It's no secret he burned down the Justice Building in District 5 when he was reaped. The Rebellious one, the Capitol nicknamed him. Snake would be an expert in this type of thing. He usually has a supply of matches and alcohol around him, so it would be easy to start a fire. That makes him my prime suspect. Snake wouldn't set the room on fire by accident, he is too careful. And he has enough power for the Capitol to say the fire was an accident, because if Snake suffered the consequences, people would start asking questions. Dangerous questions. Ignoring Snake, that leaves one more suspect...Millhouse. It's obvious that the pair don't get along, but I'm positive that Millhouse wouldn't start a fire, just because he hated Snake. Would he? The Games  changes people a lot, and it could affect anyone, even Millhouse. I gulp, and remember that I, at least, will never be the same. 

After an hour of trying to put two-and-two together, I decide to just ask Millhouse himself. He may not tell me, but at least I could get some clues from him, which will lead me closer to the truth. So, I go out of the room, and go up to Millhouse's door. Suddenly, all courage I had left extinguishes. Timidly, I finally knock on the door. I hear Millhouse shouting at me to go away. I almost do, but then I stop. I have to get to the bottom of this. So, I reply, "It's Lisa", and Millhouse groans. I wait a few minutes, but Millhouse eventually opens the door. "What is it Lis?", he asks wearily. I say quietly, "What happened?", and he sighs again, and gestures for me to come in. I walk in cautiously, and Millhouse shuts the door quickly behind me. He sits on the bed, and pats the space next to him. I sit down and wait for him to start his story. Millhouse sighs, and holds his head in his hands. Eventually though, he starts to speak in a whisper, so no one else can hear.

"Lis, um, I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone else this. I'm only telling you because you're the only person I can trust over here right now, and the only one who would understand.", and I nod, and say his secret's safe with me. He smiles weakly and continues, "Well, I walked into the room, where Snake was. He was holding his knife in his hands, doing that running-his-finger-along-the-blade thing, you know what I mean, he was probably trying to intimidate me, but I wasn't scared. Anyway, he asked me to sit down, so, I did. When he was just about to speak though, a figure leaped through the window! They were all dressed in black, and had a gun in one hand, and a flaming torch in the other! Neither me, nor Snake were expecting this, and we both jumped back. The person, whoever it was, threw the torch into the table, making it burst into flames, and then, extremely quickly, nodded at me. As soon as they had done this, they ran across the room and jumped out the window opposite. I ran at the window to look for them, but they were gone. I turned around just in time to see Snake closing the door on me, but I got through before he could lock me in. Luckily.", after he finishes his account of the fire, he runs his hands through his hair and lets out a shaky breath. "Wow", is all I can say. 

"So...", he drags off, quietly. I then start to speak, "Well, they're bound to question you", we both knew who 'they' were,"So, what are you going to say?", and Millhouse groans again and flops backwards onto the soft bed. "I don't know, Lis", he says, his voice slightly muffled from the sheets,"I don't know". I smile sadly, and think hard. All the advice I have is: "Millhouse. I think you should tell them Snake accidentally slipped his drink onto the candles on the table.", but Millhouse only laughs, and sits up again. "Lis, I would, but Snake is bound to tell them his story before I do, and he would say I did it. What would I do then?", he replies, troubled. I think some more, and say, "I could back you up", but my district partner snorts, and answers, "How? You weren't there, and Clancy can say you were with her, not with me and Snake", and he sighs. So, we just sit together in silence, waiting, for waht I don't know. I swallow, and suddenly, unexpectedly, an idea comes to me. "Hey, Millhouse, you said something about the person who really set the room on fire nodding at you", and my district partner nods, distracted. 

"Hmm", I say quietly, then a bit more loudly, "Do you think it could mean anything? Like a signal?" Millhouse frowns and agrees with me that it could mean something. "It could mean whoever it was was on your side", I say slowly. Millhouse replies, "Yes, it could mean that. But who was it?",

"Who was it Lisa?"