The Broken Districts

Chapter 3/4

"He WHAT?!" Peeta screeched as Milah and Katniss were ripping through the house looking for money.

"Are we going to the Capital? But you said it was destroyed! You said it was just a small Government. You said,"

"Milah, SHUT UP!" her mother barked at her as she found five dollars in a shoe. She was only angry because her son lied to her father and had gone somewhere he shouldn't have been.

Aaron told his father," You said I could go anywhere with Haymitch, so I did."

The next two hours had been a faint blur. Katniss had told Milah to go to Gwen's hut and stay there for an hour or two. This was upstairs. Milah shuffled down the stairs only to see her dad pushing ammo in a silver and black backpack. Peeta never used a gun. Even the 12-year-old realized how serious this situation was. She missed her brother and thought about how to get him out of a lifetime of punishment. She got on her bike and road to Gwen's hut. Tea, ginger cookies, and mischief were waiting there. They played cards, exchanged stories, and then walked together back to The Mellark residence. A whoosh passed Milah's ear and embedded itself in a nearby tree.

"What the heck?" Gwen screamed while pushing them down to the ground.

"Girls, RUN!" Peeta yelled at them in the distance. He was barely visible and had been trying to carry a knocked out Katniss. Gunfire from rocks near the house had been aimed at the family.

"Dad!"

"No. Stay here Milah. You can die ya know." Gwen calmly told her while sitting on her.

Milah's footsteps echoed off the walls as she sprinted down the hallway. She only had one thing on her mind, to find her parents and confront whoever the General was. She was afraid on the inside. Suddenly Milah heard the faint sound of muffled cries wanting help. Mommy, Daddy! She didn't want to hold Gwen's gift, but she took the gun out of its holder.

"Release my parents! Now!"

"Oh look at me! Trying to be the hero of the day! Oh, so convincing Milah."

The figure was tall and had flipped over brown hair. He looked handsome even though his back was to her. She noticed a string of his hair. He turned and had a black mask covering all of his faces.

"Oh. how rude of me. My name is General." the man gestured a hand for the blank. "Yes yes, I kidnapped your mum and dad. Want them back? Want to know who I am? Eh, I'm bored anyway." Milah was confused. Then she realized he was taking off his mask. He let out a satisfied groan and grinned at Milah.

"Aaron? I'm dreaming. You would-"

"Hah! Oh yes, I WOULD. The clues have been hidden in plain sight for years little sis!"

"Y-your voice is different." she stuttered as she lowered the pistol. He now had a British accent.

"Well, yes. But I sound like a villain in the old films!"

Well, he is a villain now I suppose.

Her parents were still gagged but now their urges for her escape were louder and still muffled.

"I do love the sound of pain in the heart. Explanation time now! If only I had a cat. Anyway, when I was in second grade, some Peacekeepers visited my school asking for the smartest kids on the IQ testing. I was the smartest. They bailed me from school and took me to the Capital to give me a job and educate me on some basic stuff. Computer hacking, army tactics, construction. You know."

Milah didn't really know. So this whole time her life had been a lie? Her brother had been at the Capital and had a high IQ? He really did trick her into thinking he was stupid.