The Girl Who Sparked the Capitol - Book 2 - Peeta

Part 2 The Quarter Quell: Chapter 10

It's Alessia's mockingjay.

It makes no sense. Her bird baked into bread. Unlike the stylish renderings she saw in the Capitol, this is definitely not a fashion statement. "What is it? What does that mean?" She asks harshly, still prepared to kill.

"It means we're on your side," says a tremulous voice behind Alessia.

She didn't see the girl when she came up. She must have been in the house. Alessia doesn't take her eyes off her current target. Probably the newcomer is armed, but Alessia is betting she won't risk letting herself hear the click that would mean her death was imminent, knowing Alessia would instantly kill her companion. "Come around where I can see you," Alessia orders.

"She can't, she's-" begins the woman with the cracker.

"Come around!" Alessia shouts. There's a step and a dragging sound. Alessia can hear the effort the movement requires. Another woman, or maybe Alessia should call her a girl since she looks about the same age as Alessia, she limps into view. She's dressed in an ill-fitting Peacekeeper's uniform complete with the white fur cloak, but it's several sizes too large for her slight frame. She carries no visible weapon. Her hands are occupied with steadying a rough crutch made from a broken branch. The toe of her right boot can't clear the snow, hence the dragging.

Alessia examines the girl's face, which is bright red from the cold. Her teeth are crooked and there's a strawberry birthmark over one of her chocolate brown eyes. This is no Peacekeeper. No citizen of the Capitol, either.

"Who are you?" Alessia asks wearily but less belligerently.

"My name's Twill," says the woman. She's older. Maybe thirty-five or so. "And this is Bonnie. We've run away from District 8."

District 8! Then they must know about the uprising!

"Where'd you get the uniforms?" Alessia asks.

"I stole them from the factory," says Bonnie. "We make them there. Only I thought this one would be for ... for someone else. That's why it fits so poorly."

"The gun came from a dead Peacekeeper," says Twill, following Alessia's eyes.

"That cracker in your hand. With the bird. What's that about?" Alessia asks.

"Don't you know, Alessia?" Bonnie appears genuinely surprised.

They recognize Alessia. Of course they recognize her. Her face is uncovered and she's standing here outside of District 12 pointing an arrow at them. Who else would she be? "I know it matches the pin I wore in the arena."

"She doesn't know," Bonnie says softly. "Maybe not about any of it."

Suddenly Alessia feels the need to appear on top of things. "I know you had an uprising in Eight."

"Yes, that's why we had to get out," says Twill. "Well, you're good and out now. What are you going to do?" Alessia asks.

"We're headed to District Thirteen," Twill replies.

"Thirteen?" Alessia says. "There's no Thirteen. It got blown off the map."

"Seventy-five years ago," says Twill.

Bonnie shifts on her crutch and winces.

"What's wrong with your leg?" Alessia asks.

"I twisted my ankle. My boots are too big," says Bonnie.

Alessia bites her lip. Her instincts tells her they're telling the truth. And behind that truth is a whole lot of information she'd like to get. She steps forwardand retrieves Twill's gun before lowering her bow, though. Then she hesitates a moment, thinking of another day in this woods, when Gale and her watched a hovercraft appear out of thin air and capture two escapees from the Capitol. The boy was speared and killed. The redheadedgirl, she found out when she went to the Capitol, was mutilated and turned into a mute servant called an Avox. "Anyone after you?"