Make Them Burn

Rules Suck

CHAPTER 3: RULES SUCK

Boggs was not lying. At dawn, he raps on our door, and walks in. In his arms are some neatly folded clothes. They are grey and dull. He's wearing some just like them. Come to think of it, everyone I saw in 13 wore that stuff. Fun...

"Here are your uniforms. Plutarch told me your sizes, and we got these for you." Boggs says.

We are not fully awake, but exceptionally groggy. Boggs tosses my clothes on top of me, and does the same with Finnick and Haymitch.

"I'll leave you to change." He says, stepping outside.

Without a warning, I strip down to my underwear and put on the drab uniform. Finnick takes no notice, it's not a new thing for him, since he's so close to Johanna and I. But Haymitch has to take a second to recover. I catch him looking me, but he doesn't think of me like that.

"I guess we've all gotten skinny." He grunts, dreamy tone from the night before long since gone.

Finnick and Haymitch both change as I brush my dark hair and put it up into a long ponytail. My hair is gross and grimy, and I need a shower. It's length is uneven, and I resolve to cut it. My hair doesn't matter in times like these, but I feel Onnie and Georgina would want me to take care of myself.

Once we're ready, Boggs leads us to Command, a room that seems to be for war footage and propaganda. Coin sits at the head of a long table in the center, and Plutarch is at her right. I sit a few chairs down from Coin, and the boys fill in next to me. Boggs sits next to Coin. There's another woman by Plutarch and it takes a moment to place her. The solemn expression, face so neutral and hard to read it's incredible. But I know her from somewhere.

"This is Fulvia Cardew, my assistant." Plutarch says, as if reading my thoughts.

I remember Fulvia from Plutarch's dinner party before the Quell. I throw a nod her way and wait for someone to speak.

It's Coin who breaks the silence, and proceeds to tell us all the strict and stupid rules she's set up for her district. No taking food from the dining hall, follow you schedule, no wasting anything. I'll definitely break a few of these. She offers us a chance to ask questions and add comments.

"When do we rescue the people in the Capitol?" I ask. My voice, just like Haymitch's, isn't dreamy anymore. It's hoarse and cold.

She hesitates, choosing her words carefully. "At the earliest opportunity." Coin finishes.

Finnick and Haymitch seem satisfied by this, so I don't push it.

"Is Beetee okay?" I ask.

Coin nods. "A bit broken up but he's awake now. No visitors, but he'll recover soon enough. Katniss Everdeen is fine as well."

I roll my eyes. I don't care how she is.

"If that's all, you need to get your schedules and Boggs will explain the activities to you." Coin says.

What are we, four?

It turns out we get our schedules in the dining hall. You say your name, and everything is temporarily tattooed into your arm in sickly purple ink.

Boggs inspects our arms. "You all have less to do than normal citizens because you're-"

I don't know what he was going to say, but I say what he's thinking. "Mentally disoriented?" I suggest in a dark tone.

He shakes his head. "You are the bravest and strongest people I know. Please don't let this all get you down."

Even though he's known us for only a day, I smile slightly and pretend that his statement was extremely helpful.

"Any questions?" Boggs asks.

I scan my schedule. 7:00- Breakfast. 7:30- Kitchen Duties. 8:30- Education Center, Room 15. On and on with endless things I'll never do. Lunch is at 12:00, and a few hours after that there's something called reflection.

"What's reflection?" I ask.

"A half hour to do whatever you want before dinner." Boggs replies.

I'll be doing whatever I want for most of the day so reflection is useless to me.

Haymitch has no questions on his schedule, but I can tell he has a few for Boggs when Coin isn't around. "Has Katniss woken up yet?"

Boggs nods. "A few hours before dawn. Today she's making a trip to back to 12. That's probably where I should be, preparing to go there. If you have any questions just go to Command. Someone will be there. Have a nice day."

A nearby clock tells me it's now 7:00. Breakfast!

Too bad the breakfast was basically sludge. A young girl, who I recognize as Everdeen's sister Prim, beckons us over to sit with them.

Finnick, Haymitch and I exchange a look. We prepared to eat alone. But we can't refuse this kind and unnecessary gesture. The three of us move our trays over to where a group from District 12 eats.

I look around. Prim, Mrs. Everdeen, Gale Hawthorne, and a few others I don't know are assembled there.

"Hello!" Prim greets cheerfully. Then she introduces us to the group. There's a girl with auburn hair named Leevy, Gale Hawthorne's mom Hazelle with her dark hair and gray eyes, and three younger siblings, Rory, Vick, and the only girl, Posy.

"Hi." I manage weakly.

They know who we are, so Prim doesn't introduce us to them.

I take a weak bite and look at Mrs. Everdeen. "Do you work at the hospital?"

She nods. "I'm beginning to. They're making me a nurse."

I can tell she's upset about this, but don't say anything about it. If she wants sympathy from me, she won't get it. No one else should get my sympathy while it's all focused on myself, as selfish as that sounds.

Posy, Gale's little sister, looks up at me. "Why aren't you eating? Does your stomach hurt?"

I shake my head. "No, Posy. I'm just not hungry right now."

She nods.

"How old are you?" I ask her.

Posy holds up five fingers.

I smile. Posy and Lilyanna could not look more different, but I still couldn't help but see a young Yana in little Posy. Lilyanna has strawberry blonde hair, and Posy has dark brown hair. Lilyanna has pale skin and freckles, and Posy has clean olive skin. But the look in their eyes, the innocence and determination, is the exact same.

"You remind me of my daughter." I tell Posy.

She doesn't seem to hear me. Off in her own world, I guess. Lilyanna used to be off in her own world.

"Why do you have a child?" Vick blurts out. Then he looks ashamed, like he shouldn't be talking.

Oh no... I don't want to explain this.

I look at Finnick and Haymitch for help, but for the first time this morning, they appear to be interested in their food.

"She's adopted." I tell Vick.

Vick's older brother Rory leans forward. "How old?" He asks.

Their mother is watching the altercation with worry. Her boys are very curious, and I feel like it isn't the first time they've bombarded someone with questions they don't want to answer.

"Twelve."

There's an awkward silence around the table until Gale asks, "Is she still in 5?"

"No." I snap. "She's in the Capitol."

Then I pick up my tray, and leave the table.