Mockingjay: Peeta's POV

Chapter Twenty-four

Chapter Twenty-four

Whoever she can't survive without? Not live. Survive. There's a difference between surviving and living. Thoughts swirl in my mind for the remainder of the night.

In the early hours of morning, the panel is slid open and we're invited for a predawn breakfast in front of TV for newest installment of Beetee's interruptions. An inspiration from the black wave means we now send abandon automobiles down unmanned streets. They don't get every pod but they find a large amount.

The rebels' have decided on three paths to the Capitol and are now securing block after block with ease. There's not much opposition from the Capitol. It's like they want to draw us in closer. Give us a false sense of security.

"This can't last. In fact I'm surprised they've let it going so long. The Capitol will adjust by deactivating specific pods and then manually triggering them when their targets come in range," Gale says.

Minutes later that same scenario happens on the screen. It gives me an eerie feeling like someone is listening in to our conversation or something.

"I bet it's killing Plutarch not to be in the control room on this one," I say.

The broadcast is given back to the Capitol and a reporter tells everyone to evacuate the blocks listed.

Soon, a great scufflings in heard from outside. The evacuating civilians. They're travelling down the street. My guess, heading toward the heart of the city like it's a homing beacon.

Tigris offers to be our spy for the day. After we are back down in the basement, Tigris heads out into the Capitol to gather information.

I sit on the cool, stone steps. The others sit down where they were before breakfast. However, Katniss paces back and forth. She's restless through the day, pacing back and forth across the room. A never ending path.

Around six o'clock signals Tigris' return. I can hear footsteps on the floorboards above. The panel is opened; the light filters down. The smell of frying meat wafts down the stairs. Tigris has prepared us chopped ham with potatoes. It's the first hot meal since the first pod exploding. Tigris fills each of our plates with the home cooked meal.

As we eat, Tigris tell us how she acquired the meat. Apparently, her fur underwear is much needed by those refugees that left underdressed. Many are out on the street, trying to find a place for the night. Peacekeepers are assigning house guests for the refugees.

The TV is turned on, and we watch a Peacekeeper give out specific rules regarding how many people per square foot each resident will be expected to take in. He reminds us all of the temperatures will drop below freezing tonight. Also, that the President expects them to be not only willing but enthusiastic hosts in this time of crisis. Next are some very staged looking shots of concerned citizens welcoming grateful refugees into their homes. The Peacekeeper says the President himself has ordered part of his mansion to be readied to receive citizens tomorrow. Also, that shopkeepers should be prepared to lend their floor space if requested.

"Tigris, that could be you," I say.

The Peacekeeper reappears on the screen with more instructions. Apparently this evening there was an unfortunate incident where a crowd beat to death a young man who resembled me. All rebel sighting are to be reported to the proper authorities, who will deal with identification and arrest of the suspect. Apart from his obvious bleached curls, we don't even look alike. It's the paranoid thoughts of one person and drawing others into the same paranoid thoughts until a mob frenzy is created.

"People have gone wild," Cressida comments.

A brief rebel update comes on in which we learn that more blocks have been secured. Katniss takes note on her map.