The Two Volunteers: Unplanned

Chapter Ten

Again, had some great help with this chapter (: walkingdead_is_lyfe had another idea for this chapter! Thank you! 

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I need to get answers, and the only person I can think to ask is Haymitch. So I left Peeta in the good hands of my mother and sister to talk to him. The walk to his house seems longer because of everything racing through my head. A lot has happened the last few weeks, and the announcement of the Quarter Quell is tonight to top it all off. 

Madge has informed me that while the districts who seem the most upset are still rebelling, the peacekeepers have placed them all under a lock down of sorts. No one can leave their house, the minimal amount of food is delivered to each family to make sure no one starves, and all production has stopped. They are hoping this will teach them not to mess with the Capitol, though they also thought the Hunger Games would have taught them that. 

Peeta has slowly been getting better, it has been 3 days since he has been whipped and he is still at the house. Though he sleeps in the guest bedroom instead of the counter top. Whatever my mother put on his back has helped because it looks better. Of course it isn't completely healed. My mom and sister gave him some things to do to help it, like he has to get up and walk for 15 minutes three times a day. But he usually gets really tired around ten minutes of walking so he has to sit down. The first time he did it he tried for the full amount of time and he almost passed out. 

Then the Hawthorne's. I have gone to town every day for them to get food and supplies that they would need. I make sure they have a nice dinner every night and food for the next day. And it's not like it bothers me, it gets me out of the house for awhile to enjoy the warmer weather and also get updates on what is going on in town. Hazel has started to feel bad about the hand outs and wants to pay me back, but it doesn't make sense for her to do so because I have more money than I need. 

The square is completely transformed. Whipping posts at every corner, a guillotine set up in the very middle, and I see a space off to the side that looks like it will be used for the firing squad. Things aren't looking good as of right now, and more and more people have been sent to the square for crimes committed years ago under old leadership. I only hope no one tips off Thread that I was hunting illegally every day for 5 years. He would just love that.  

I walk up to Haymitch's house and knock on the door, not waiting for an answer before walking in. I'm sure he isn't thrilled about the announcement considering last time there was a quarter Quell he had to fight in it. I still think it's weird that at one point, and at the same age as me, he fought in the Hunger Games. Only he had to kill twice the number of tributes as I did. 

I find him sitting on the couch, which isn't his usual place. He is normally at the kitchen table when I come over, passed out drunk. But as of right now he looks pretty sober. 

"What is the point of knocking when you walk in anyways?" He asks me. 

"Usually you are passed out. I would be waiting forever." I cross my arms over my chest. 

"Well, you walked all this way. What do you want?" He shoots back. I know he isn't seriously angry with me, he never is. 

"I have a question about the Quarter Quell that I thought you might have the answer to." I say. when he doesn't respond I continue. "Depending on what it is, of course, will Peeta and Prim still be in the reaping bowl? Even though they were picked last year?" 

"Yes." He says. I sigh, letting my head lower. 

"And I can't volunteer if Prim is picked, can I?"