Chained Hearts

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow, a bed of grass, a soft green pillow," I sing as I perch on Effie's second balcony railing. It's a beautiful day and I've decided to absorb the heat without having to leave the front garden. "Lay down your head and close your sleepy eyes, and when again it's morning the sun will rise." Singing comforts me, it reminds me of my father. He had an amazing voice, it's one of the few things I remember of him. The soft songs he'd sing to lull me to sleep when I refused to leave the cellar. "Here it's safe, here it's warm, here the daises guard you from every harm. Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true, here is the place where I love you."

I sigh and look down below me and smile at the beautiful garden. The grass is bright green and multiple flower beds line the fence, glowing bright colors in the sunlight. District 5 isn't the most colorful of places due to pollution ruining wildlife and nature. It's refreshing to be somewhere fresher and less stuffy than 5.

"Deep in the meadow, hidden far away, a bed of leaves, a moonbeam ray," I continue, smiling as a mockingjay lands beside me on the railing and tilts it's head to the side in silent question. "Lay down your woes and let your troubles lay, and when again it's morning they'll wash away." I hold my finger out to the bird and it hops on, listening intently as I finish the song. "Here it's safe, here it's warm, here the daises guard you from every harm, here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true, here is the place where I love you." The mockingjay looks at me curiously for a moment before ruffling it's feathers and repeating the song. I smile and listen to it until it finishes and flies away.

I hop off the railing and lean my elbows on it, looking out at the clear blue sky and squinting at the bright sun. I follow the bird as it flies through the sky for a moment before swooping down to the ground and perching on the garden fence. I smile at it, thinking of my dad, when the voice pulls me out of my thoughts.

"Hello little guy," the voice says. I watch curiously as the bird chirps happily and flies towards someone I can't see. I lean over the railing to see who it is and nearly fall right off when I do. I never heard him speak, so I couldn't have recognized the voice if I'd tried, but for some reason I'm shocked by the knowledge that he does, indeed, speak. 

Peeta the Slave comes round the side of the house with the mockingjay perched on his finger, smiling broadly and slowly stroking it. Effie had returned an hour previous and set him to work on tidying up the backyard before making another swift exit for a spa date with Octavia. "You're a beautiful bird, you know that?" the slave asks. The bird chirps cheerfully in response to the stroking and praise, repaying him by singing a song to him.

My song.

When the mockingjay finishes for a second time it spreads it's wings as if taking a bow and Peeta the Slave chuckles at it. "Where did you learn such a lovely tune little songbird?" he asks. How could someone who looked so defeated just yesterday have such a radiant smile and joyful voice? As if understanding the question, the mockingjay flies off his finger and takes to the sky again, flying round in loops and gliding through the air. I watch it perform it's air show for a moment and so does Peeta the Slave, but as soon as the bird flies over to me and lands on my head I stiffen in fear. The mockingjay repeats a line of my song as if to say, 'This is her! This is the girl who sung the song!' 

My eyes flick back down to the front garden in a panic and am met with a pair of deep blue eyes staring up at me. I'd have thought that he'd lose his emotion again-turn into that indifferent person I met at the train station-but he doesn't. A small smile graces his lips and I flush in embarrassment. The only people who knew I could sing back home were my mother and Prim. No-one else. Why should anyone else know? It was none of their business. But now he knows. This person who I've barely known or seen much of for twenty four hours but leaves me more confused than using letters in math does. This boy who's made me look into my past with my father more than I ever done before, making me think more about slavery and the rights of our people. Why did he make me do all this you ask? It was that damn mask of indifference he puts on when Effie or any other woman is around. A mask, I now realize, he isn't wearing when I'm around.