Mockingjay: Peeta's POV

Chapter Twenty-three

Chapter Twenty-three

Who the woman was calling out to is a complete mystery. The apartment is empty. She was alone. There was no one to hear her cry out. Maybe it was just a reflex reaction.

"How long do you think we have before they figure out some of us could've survived?" Katniss asks.

"I think they could be here anytime," Gale says. "They knew we were heading for the streets. Probably the explosion will throw them for a few minutes, then the'll start looking for our exit point."

Katniss looks out the window. What she sees in unclear by her expression? She calls Cressida over to confirm something about our location. I only catch bits and pieces of the conversation; really only hearing something about the presidential mansion. I walk over to the sofa and clutch a nearby pillow, biting down to contain the scream I want to let go. A scream for all that Snow has done to me. My guess is that we are close to his mansion. That's what Katniss and Cressida were talking about.

"Let's check her closets," Katniss suggests.

I let the pillow slid from my mouth, noting the tears from where my teeth punctured the soft item. We follow Katniss from room to room, searching the closets. In the one bedroom we find hundreds, maybe thousands, of women's outfits, coats, shoes, wigs, and makeup. In the neighboring bedroom we find a selection for men similar to the previous room's. Of course, only people from the Capitol would think all this is necessary. Not like some people can't afford food or anything.

I look down at my wrists, now rubbed raw from the handcuffs. In places the metal cutting into my skin, leaving a trail of blood. Katniss digs her pocket producing a key. She approaches me the key but I jerk away.

"No. Don't. They help hold me together," I say. I need them to keep here in the present.

"You might need your hands," Gale points out.

"When I feel myself slipping, I dig my wrists into them, and the pain helps me focus," I respond.

Katniss shrugs, calling for us to all dress. The weather being cold makes it easier to conceal our uniforms and weapons (in my case my handcuffs) under coats and cloaks. We pull off our shoes and replace them with the ridiculous wear of the Capitol.

Now for the tricky part. Our faces. We're all recognizable. The solution is easy. We coat our faces in layers and layers of the makeup and pull on wigs to mask our hair. Cressida wraps scarves over Katniss and my mouths and noses.

"Stay together," Katniss says when we reach the front door.

She swings open the door and march out into the Capitol street. Snow has begun to fall. People rush by us, complaining of hunger and rebels as if they know what real hunger is. However, we ignore these high class people and cross the street, passing more apartments. Just as we round the nearby corner, about three dozen Peacekeepers rush past. We hop out of their way, as does everybody else.

Ahead I can hear Katniss whispering. "Cressida. Can you think of anywhere?"

"I'm trying," comes her quiet response.

Another block goes by, before the sirens sound. A nearby apartment offers us a glimpse at the emergency report. Pictures of our faces flash. They don't know who's died yet because Finnick is still in the photos.

"Cressida?" Katniss questions urgently.

"There's one place. It's not ideal. But we can try it."

Cressida leads us down a few more blocks before turning through a gate. The gate leads us to a garden and soon we exit the garden via another gate.

Cressida starts babbling in a high-pitched Capitol voice about fur undergarments. "Wait until you see the prices! Believe me, it's half what you pay on the avenues!"