The boy with the bread: The back story to Peeta Mellark

Chapter 6

You can hear it from a mile away, so it's even louder right above the justice building. The wind blew strongly against Peeta. He starts running home, to warn his parents that the peacekeeper is an hour early. Maybe he'll wait a while until he looks around. Peeta prays that everything will turn out okay. After all, he's only staying for one day, not forever. But if he came from the capitol, who knows what he came here to really do.

Peeta runs up the steps into the bakery and screams out to everyone, "He's here!"

"I knew that sounded like a Hovercraft . . ." his father sighs.

"Well what do we do? There's still bread in the oven! We won't be able to get it out in time!" One of his brothers yell.

"Calm down, We'll gather everything we have and put it out now, maybe he won't really show up here until later. After all, he is an hour early."

"Okay family! Lets do this, Peeta get the frosted cakes and display them in the front, they are the only nice looking thing around here!" His mother demands him to do.

Peeta gets right to work with no buts. He grabs one of the small cakes and walks toward the counter, then suddenly stops. A message is being projected from the Justice building. He walks outside to listen carefully. What does this mean?

"Attention Citizens of District 12," he recognizes the voice. It's the mayors, "Head Peacekeeper, Mandice has arrived. Please gather at the justice building immediately."

Peeta turns around and looks at his family. His Father first, he's timorous, scared even. By the look in his eye, it seems like he's remembering the last time something like this happened. His mother, on the other hand looks like nothing strange or different is happening. Her face is stern and pale. Peeta forever longed to find out what goes on in her mind. What she thinks about, how she truly think of him. How she looks at a situation like this--a possibility that they might lose their bakery. She's been trying hard these past few days, she really has, but the last time a new head peacekeeper came, her mind took a total flip around and never went back to the way it was. Peeta's heart starts to beat faster and faster as he gets  closer to the building. Its same grey tiles, concreted together sit there, mocking them. That same stage is where Effie Trinket stands on with her Capitol heels, grasping a slip that can change everything. Today her shoes belong in the Capitol, so this time it's the Mayor and new peacekeeper who stand straight and tall, watching as frightened people slowly walk to their designated area.

"Thank you for coming here today. If I can have every ones attention towards Mr. Mandice." The mayor says into a microphone.

Mandice puts his arms behind his back, grasping them together, looking professional and quite intimidating, "I am here because President Snow isn't happy with you all. The amount of coal that is being produced is incredibly low. And remember rebelling doesn't work around here. Take District 13 for example, do you want to end up like them?" He looks around the crowd, searching for an answer everyone is afraid to say. "I said, do you want to end up like District 13!" he yells this time, louder then any man Peeta's ever hear scream before. The people shake their heads and mumble "No"s.

"You think I'm here because I need to check up on you and ensure everything is running fine, because you can't survive on your own. To see if everyone is following the rules as they should be." His voice is deep and heavy. He's a big man, probably 6 5" or even more--much taller then Peeta. His suit is perfectly white and in his left hand holds a whip. If he came here to scare the death out of everyone, then he's doing a stunning job, Peeta thinks.

Peeta glances to his left and sees Katniss with her mother and sister. They look concerned and worried, but isn't everybody? Peeta notices that Prim is tightly hold Katniss' hand.  He's  never seen such a strong relationship between siblings. Still looking in their direction, Prim glances at him. She smiles then gazes up at Katniss, Peeta looks away quickly. But Prim just smiles looking back and forth between them.

"Oh, there's something we forgot to mention," the peacekeeper begins, "We have decided that your old Head Peacekeeper Darnell, has been transported to another district. Which means someone will need to fill his place, long story short . . .I am now your new Head Peacekeeper, and things are going to much different around here for now on."

The crowd gasps with shock and whispers start to spread like broken telephone. Peeta looks around. Mothers clutching their children harder then ever, close to their calming bodies. People holding their hands over their mouths, trying to let the unexpected news sink in. And Peeta, what does he feel at the moment? He feel hatred towards Mandice and who ever else that works for President Snow. He feels his heart beating more rapidly then ever. The fact that he said no rebelling against his rules, make Peeta want to rebel even more. He's never been one to break rules, but remembering that Katniss goes into the woods, a forbidden area, everyday for food, worries him.

"Please everyone bring your attention back up here," the mayor says, leaning into the microphone. "You will now and forever respect Head Peacekeeper Mandice as you would any other representative from the Capitol. You are now excused, please proceed to your normal routine. Thank you."

Everyone just nods politely and are escorted by other Peacekeepers away from the area. Peeta sees Mandice jump off the stage and make his way into his direction. Mandice pushes violently through the crowd, approaches someone and taps her one the shoulder. She whips around, wide eyed and surprised. She is still holding her sisters delicate hand.

"Hello Ms."

Katniss just stood there, motionless and speechless.

"What's your name, please?" Mandice asks.

"Katniss Everdeen," She quickly answers. Everyone is watching them. Just as they were when The baker was in the same position as Katniss.

"Katniss Everdeen," he says slowly, expanding the vowels of her name. He takes a look at Prim, "Is this your sister?"

Katniss nods as Prim clutches her arm, as if holding on for her life.

"Well aren't you a cutie,would hate to see you go through the games," he says it sarcastically, "You ms. Everdeen seem to hold this family together . . . supply basic need like food, sign up for tessare, now don't you?"

Peeta looks at Katniss and examines her face expression. She shows no fear towards him, even though it's probably rattling inside of her. He looks at her mom, she's got the same plain look on her face as always. Her blond hair falling out of a lose ponytail, just watching this man talk to her daughters, probably scaring the crap out of them, and not doing anything about it.

"Um, I guess so," she responds quietly.

"Well I just wanted to let you know that those arrows that fly off your bow are now banned. And how would I know that you ignore the No trespassing sign outside the fence and wander into the woods everyday? Simple . . . Cameras." he looks around and eyes the crowd surrounding them, "I said that changes were going to be made around here, and one of them is that you will no longer be allowed to sneak into that forbidden area. One, because the fence that surrounds the border is now filled with electricity. And two, there will. Be. Punishments, if you do cross that fence." His last words hang in the air. Katniss just stares back at him, straight faced, speechless and ready to kick him out.

He grins at her then turns and faces the people watching, and yells, "Exit the area! You all are under curfew! If I see anyone out from now to the break of dawn, you'll be shot on sight!"

Immediately everyone runs away, scared for their life. Peeta darts back home, catching up with his parents and brothers. He turns around while walking and sees Katniss comforting Prim and walking with her mother. This doesn't mean well for them. For anyone, really.