Rising Rebellion [#3]

Chapter 1 - Instability At Large

As the sun got up over the horizon, it also turned to morning in District 7. The sun was well on its way up and another day about to begin. Now, normally, the workers would get up, eat breakfast and get to work. But as mentioned, these days nothing was normal. Six months ago everything changed in the District, in every district. The victors from District 12, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, had done something to the people. The use of the Nightlocks presented a sense of control that nobody had ever had on the Capitol before. It also fueled something that had been under the nation’s skin for a while, but was now coming to life. Defiance, rebellion, hope…these factors were all fueled by these two and their use of the Nightlocks. If two teenagers could do it, entire Districts as well.

John and Sylvia had noticed the same in their own district. People had refused to go to work most of the time. Sometimes they went, but most of the time, they were refusing in larger numbers than the number of peacekeepers. As John and Sylvia were victors, meaning they were in the same category of people as Katniss and Peeta, people looked to them to do something. As if they wanted the two of them to lead them against the peacekeepers. But both John and Sylvia knew that the President was watching them. If they stepped one foot out of place, it could be end of someone’s life or worse, the District. They knew the people looked up to them, but right now, there was nothing they saw that they could do.

It had been six months since the Hunger Games, and Katniss and Peeta’s Victory Tour was just around the corner. Many eyes were on them as if to see if their move in the Arena had been an act of love or an act of rebellion. John and Sylvia didn’t see it as anything less than rebellion. Katniss was too fake to actually have a love-interest in Peeta. She never stroke any of them as one who would fall for someone that easily. 

The sun was shining through their window as it hit their faces. John and Sylvia were sleeping tightly together. Nothing had really changed in the last five years. They were still a couple. They kept their nightmares away by each other’s presence. The last four years had simply been filled with a lot of duties in the Capitol. Not necessarily the kind they didn’t speak of, but they still didn’t like it. And then there was the mentoring, which John especially found repulsive. He really couldn’t stand what he was doing. He knew he had to do it, but it didn’t mean that he liked it.

John opened his eyes as the sun hit his face by the reflection in the mirror. Sylvia was facing away and so she was still fast asleep. John turned towards the window and saw the sun was bright and strong. “Time to get up, sunshine.” He said as he gently kissed her cheek. She drew the covers closer to her. She really liked to sleep John had noticed the last couple of years. She was adorable when she was fast asleep, but a monster when she woke up. “Just give me another hour, please?” She said as she pulled the covers closer to her. John smiled as he put on his artificial leg and walked over the window to pull the curtains aside.

“I’m sorry to break it to ya, sunshine, but the sun is up and about. So should we be.” John said at first. “You’ll miss the entire day if you keep on sleeping now.” He said as he grabbed a hold of the covers. She looked over at him with a warning set of eyes. “If you pull off these covers, you will pay severely for it.” She said. That usually meant that she wouldn’t kiss him, but he knew she would anyways. She always forgot during the day. John smiled as he crawled over to her on the bed. “We both know that I won’t.” He said as he kissed her on the lips. “I hate that you’re right…” She said as she turned away afterwards. John shook his head smiling as he got up. “Fine, I’ll let you sleep until I’m done with the coffee. Once it’s done, you better be up. We need to get back out there and look after the people.” John said as he walked down the stairs.

Every day since they came home from the last Games, John and Sylvia had noticed the changed attitude among the people. They were both in an impossible position, between the role as a victor and the role as a leader in their district. They had been watching over the people as the disputes with the peacekeepers had gone too far on many occasions. They had managed somehow to keep them getting back to work, but it was getting harder and harder for every time. The Capitol had sent stricter peacekeepers as John and Sylvia had heard a rumor from Lizzie in the Capitol, about a rebellion in District 8. Every District was now on close watch by the Capitol.