Life After the Capitol

Chapter 2: The Quest Begins

CHAPTER 2: (Peeta's POV)

       Effie said to start in the house. Where the hell are we supposed to look? Cinna was a stylist. "What does he like?" Katniss not to happy with my question replies "CLOTHES! duh" So we head to the bathroom closet. Nothing! We go to our son's closet then our daughter's. Nothing. Lastly we go to Our closet and again theres nothing there. "I thought you said he liked clothes?" I ask Katniss "He does...but wait if its not there then it has to be SOMEWHERE. Effie said they were clues that only I could figure out." she replies. Then it hit me. Katniss kept a box full of old memories down in the basement, and I know that Cinna didn't only like clothes....he liked Katniss. He was her best friend. That's it! "KATNISS! GO GET YOUR KEEP-SAKES BOX"---"b-but why?" she asks "JUST DO IT!" We open the box and all i see is a bunch of old junk like buttons and thread. Katniss however gasps. "I-I think I know what this clue is." Katniss says.

     I stare at her astonished. How did she figure it out already? "Well...what does it mean? It's just buttons and thread." I ask her, still confused. "Peeta, you don't get it....I didn't put those in there. This HAS to be Cinna's first clue."  That's when I see it. Folded into a tiny square on the floor next to where we found the box, was a note."Look Katniss!" i say rather impatiently "I found the paper to go to the next clue. I let Katniss read it to herself then I read it allowed. Here was what the paper said :

   Dear Katniss and Peeta,

             First of all you're probably wondering why I knew Peeta was going to be with you. Well I just guessed. I know that Peeta loves you and wouldn't let you go on the journey alone. But anyway that isn't the point.  I know you can find me and bring me   to district 12. If you can successfully do so Panem will be safe. I don't mean to pressure or scare you but if you fail....Panem will fall back into the arms of the capitol. I'm sorry I didn't give you much information but here is the clue to find your next letter. "In a place so dark and dank, can you see the light?" I know you can figure out where this is to lead you. Be careful. 

                                                                                                                                             ~much love, Cinna

    What the hell is this supposed to mean? "In a place so dark and dank?" I read from the note. There are so many places here in district 12 that could be classified as both dark and dank. Even our own basement is dark and dank. "Can you see the light?" I ask. What light? Sunlight? Light Bulbs? Candle-light? Fire? "PEETA!" Katniss yells taking me away from my thoughts. "I think I know what this means.....You know how my father was a miner?" she asks. Of course I know. I know everything about her. "Well my father told me a story one day....it was the day before he...you know." Katniss continues. Okay this is leading somewhere good I hope. "Here it was" Katniss begins "One    day I was in the mine and I was working with my friends down there. We were singing a song to try to make our work time go faster and bring up our moods when we saw it. A peculiar blue light looked like it was projecting from the other end of the mine. There was nobody else down there. Roger went to go check but he was never seen again." WOW... that wouldv'e freaked me out to hear that story as a little kid. Wait a minute... what is she implying? "Peeta..... I know you aren't gonna like this, but I'm going into the mine to find the blue light. Either you stay or you go with me, but you can't stop me from going with or without you. I know she's serious so I decide to go with her. I wouldn't be able to stand living without her....so if she dies I die too. We decide to go to the mine in the early morning before working hours.