Catching Fire: Peeta's POV

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

What was he doing here? What did I do wrong? His cold steely eyes felt like they were staring through me. His eyes are black like a venomous snake's waiting to strike. Why is he here in District Twelve? He only stays in the Capitol. I've never seen him outside the Capitol. I don't think anyone has. Someone of his importance never leaves the Capitol. They stay within the confines of the city, protected by numerous Peacekeepers.

But, he came from the Capitol, and he's never seen outside the Capitol. This can only mean I'm in trouble, and probably Katniss, too. There can be no other explanation. It's something serious. Something serious enough to warrant a visit outside the city.

He steps forward, "Hello, Peeta. Nice to see you again."

His voice is full of venom. It sends shivers, that I try to suppress, through my body. "Hello, sir. How are you?" I hold out my hand for him to shake.

He stares at me with his cold eyes, narrowing on my outstretched hand. I clear my throat slightly and drop my hand back to side.

"Just fine, Peeta. But we seem to have a problem," he says. "Let's talk in the study."

I turn with a small loud and a lump forming in my throat to lead him to the study. I open the door, and let him walk through first. "Shut the door behind you," he says coldly.

I shut the door slowly, and he's sitting behind the desk. If I knew he was coming I would have cleaned up my sketches. He shifts through them before looking at the pictures on the walls. "You seem to have a talent," he looks at me.

I nod my head in thanks.

"Let's skip all the pretense," he continues without waiting for my response.

"What do you mean, sir?" I really have no idea what this is about. I can't think of anything that has happened recently, besides the Games, that would lead to either Katniss or I being in trouble.

"Why don't you sit?" he says and gestures to a chair across from the desk. It's odd being told to sit in my own house, but I take the seat anyway. "I have a problem, Mr. Mellark. A problem that began the moment Miss Everdeen pulled out those poisonous berries in the arena. The ones that you seemed to agree to take from her."

So that's what this was all about. I had a feeling it had to be something about the Games, but that was months ago. Why would it now cause a problem? Wouldn't it have started causing problems months ago? I stay quiet not interrupting the man that could kill me as easily as flicking a light switch.

"If the Head Gamemaker, Seneca Crane, had had any brains, he'd have blown you two to dust right then. But he had an unfortunate sentimental streak. So here you are. And Miss Everdeen is right next door. Can you guess where Mr. Crane is now?" he asks.

I nod. It's obvious that Seneca Crane was killed. Anybody could have guessed that from his tone toward the poor man.

"After that, there was nothing to do but let you two play out our little scenario. And you two are pretty good actors with the whole being in love skit. The citizens in my city were very convinced. Unfortunately, not everyone in the Districts fell for it."

He thinks I was acting. Well I wasn't. Katniss may have, but I was never. I'm still not acting and never will about my feelings for Katniss.

He continues, "This, of course, you don't know. You have no access to information about the mood in the other Districts. In several of them, however, people viewed your little trick with the berries as an act of defiance, not of love. And if two children from District Twelve of all places can defy the Capitol and walk away unharmed, what is to stop them from doing the same?" His voice rises slightly as he says this. "What is to prevent, say, an uprising?"

It takes a little bit before I can respond. "There have been uprisings?"

"Not yet. But they'll follow if the the course of things doesn't change, and uprisings have been known to lead to revolution," he pauses. "Do you have any idea what that would mean? How many people would die? What conditions those left would have to face? Whatever problems anyone may have with the Capitol, believe me when I say that if it released its grip on the Districts for even a short time, the entire system would collapse."

He seems actually concerned about the citizens of Panem. Or is he just scared to lose his power over all of us? "It must be very fragile, if a handful of berries can bring it down." I say off handedly. If berries can bring down an entire government, it has to be extremely fragile to begin with. It was berries, not a bomb.

He pauses before speaking again, "It is fragile, but not in the way that you suppose."

"I . . . we didn't mean to start anything," I tell him looking down and fiddling with my painted stained fingers.

"I believe you. It doesn't matter. Your stylist had a very good idea for you for the opening ceremonies, if I might say. Nothing like it before. However, it provided a spark that, left unattended, may grow to an inferno that destroys Panem," he says burning into my eyes with his snake eyes.

"Why don't you just kill us both now?" I ask. If we are causing this much trouble why keep us alive?

"Publicly? That would only add fuel to the fire."

"Why not make it look like an accident?"

"Who would buy it? Not you, if you were watching." He has a good point I wouldn't believe it. Not for a second.

"Then, tell me what to do. I'll do anything to stop an uprising from happening."

"If it was only that simple." He looks at a painting of Katniss, "And how is your little crush doing?"

"Fine," I say curtly not wanting to get on the topic of Katniss.

"You seem upset. Did you find out it was all an act? That she wasn't really in love with you?"

"Who ever said she wasn't?"

"No one, my dear boy. But it's clear she doesn't share the same feeling for you as you do for her, and you two will act just as you are even more in love than before. Only you'll have to do better if the uprisings are to be averted. This tour around the Districts will be your only chance to turn things around. Make sure you convince me."

And with that he got up leaving me sitting my chair dumbstruck. As he neared the door he turned to me one last time. "And don't worry. I'll be having the same discussion with your friend right now, and you two will do everything to stop the uprisings from happening. Everything you know and love depends on it."

He shuts the door with a click of finality. Everything is about to change . . . again. 

Edited