Catching Fire (Peeta's P.O.V.)

Chapter Four

Katniss's body seems as lifeless as the man crumpling to the ground. I grab her hand. No response. Then a thick wall of peacekeepers in white uniforms blocks her view. She is only just realizing what's going on when they begin to push us back towards the

"We're going!" I say, pushing the peacekeeper who's pressing Katniss, "We get it, all right? Come on, Katniss."

I guide her back into the Justice Building, because I honestly don't think she's capable of efficiently doing it herself right now. The peacekeepers keep a few feet behind, but the closeness is still obnoxious. When we're inside they practically slam the doors in on us and walk away.

Haymitch, Effie, Portia, and Cinna stand on under a static filled television screen. Effie clinks her way over to us in her high heels.

"What happened?" She pipes "We lost the feet just after Katniss's beautiful speech, and then Haymitch said he heard a gun fire, and I said it was ridiculous, but who knows? There are lunatics everywhere!"

Under different circumstances I would have laughed at this, but now is the time to stay calm.

"Nothing happened, Effie. An old truck backfired." I say.

Another gun goes off. Then another. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Katniss trying to keep her emotions steady. She's probably wondering who that was. She's in such a state that she probably thinks it was someone from Thresh's or Rue's families. Even I feel a little queasy as the shots go off though, because even with the big doors you can still hear them clearly, and they don't sound very much like an old truck.

"Both of you. With me." Haymitch orders.

Katniss follows no question; I look over my shoulder at Portia. She gives me a sad smile. I return it and then go on my way with Haymitch and Katniss. The peacekeepers in the JusticeBuilding don't really seem to care that we are walking around after witnessing a public execution; that's kind of odd, but oh well. We climb another gigantic marble stair case and enter a beautiful room decorated with grapes and vases of flowers and a very high ceiling. I look and see our clothes for tonight hung against the wall. I look back at Katniss and feel a little disappointed she won't be wearing the beautiful orange dress to dinner tonight. Katniss and I set down our plaques and flowers and then Haymitch literally rips the microphones and headpieces from our bodies and stuffs them under a couch. Then he impatiently motions for us to move forward.

Haymitch very skillfully leads us through a maze of staircases and stuck doors up to a room where he pushes open a trap door and ushers us into the dome of the JusticeBuilding.

Everything in the room is covered with dust. It seems a whole lot like a junk yard to me. There are all kinds of broken furniture and piles of old books. I hear a thunk and turn to see that Haymitch has kicked the trap door shut. Then he turns around to us and asks,

"What happened?"

I explain about the melody and the salute and the execution,

"What's going on, Haymitch?" I ask.

He turns to Katniss,

"It will be better coming from you."

Katniss looks at him like he's mad, but then turns to me. And each and every word she says rings through my ears and stabs my heart. She tells me that President Snow made a surprise visit to her house and personally threatened to have Gale killed. Of course it all comes back to him. Then she tells me that she kissed Gale, or he kissed her. I shouldn't be mad about this, it was while we weren't even speaking, but I still feel a little betrayed. She says that she thinks she the whole country is in danger for her trick with the berries,