The Wrong Victor

Chapter eighteen: Peeta

District 2 is a larger district than I ever thought. Though, it is expected as District 2 is a career district and the district in charge of weapons and masonry. This district is covered in mountains that gave them the resources for the weapons the district supplied the Capitol, which is why Coin wants this district. For us to have more weapons, like we really need them. District 2 is also the last of the districts we need to convince to our side. One problem though, the giant mountain in the middle of the district is where the residents still standing with the Capitol had taken stand. In the abandoned mine we nicknamed "the Nut" because I let a sarcastic comment slip and they loved it.

The people of District 2 were well fed and were obviously favoured by the Capitol as most citizens were plump and no child seemed to have to put their name in more times for grains and oils. No one was starved here.

After I had arrived a few weeks ago the rebels took hold of the outer villages leaving those who still ate up everything Snow had to say to retreat into the Nut. 

I can't do much here, you know disabled an all. Me fighting in a second hunger games with a fake leg and training to be on the front lines meant absolutely nothing to Coin as she had instructed that I am to do nothing but the bare minimum. I often visit the hospital either for propos or just to help. That's one thing I can do. Is give the people hope. I spend most of my time with the children playing games and drawing in the dirt with them. I even help the older boys and girls train in hand to hand combat, not my specialty, but still helpful.

When I rest my mind travels to 13 where Katniss is. I often wonder how she is doing. It wasn't long after my arrival that I received word that Coin had locked her away like a wild animal sending her progress backwards. Coin was less than pleased when I told her to release Katniss and allow her to see her family and Haymitch or I would leave 2 and the propos would be done. And my final one would be telling everyone how Coin was far too similar to Snow for there to be any change.

Since then Haymitch and Prim give me updates on her every day. I even received a message from her and I replay it as much as I can.

"I'm okay Peeta. I have my pearl and Annie is excited to plan her wedding. We went to 12 to look at my leftover dresses from Cinna. I hope you don't mind that we let Finnick go through your clothes. I'm doing much better. The medics think I can move into my own unit or a shared unit with someone as long as I continue to take my medicine by myself and I don't try to hurt anyone. Anyway, I'm sorry I called at a bad time. Call soon. Prim's worried..." She wanted to say more but the message ran out of time. Prim had explained that when I called back. Katniss had had an episode after that call. Haymitch explained it was from one of the older propos being run again. One the Capitol had butchered. He said Katniss had become very confused and then volatile.

Now standing in the tent rethinking a strategy for getting the people out of the Nut with the commander from 2, Lyme. She's one of the tribute victors from at least a decade ago. She's taller than me and very muscled. I can tell she's angry and very very tired of the stupid ideas that end in failure and some injured.

"If anyone has any more bright ideas of how we can storm the entrances then be my guest and be the leader!" She shouts exasperated as her hands flew in the air to show she was tired of the same plan over and over.

I look over to Gale who is leaning against a table with his arms crossed. His jaw is set and clenched as he was yelled at by the tall woman for being stupid to only be able to agree with her. His eyebrows and practically stitched together and he stares at the Nut through the tent window. What is this idiot thinking?

"Do we really need to take the Nut? Would disabling it work in our favor?" He asks and Beetee looks up over his glasses at the younger who looked like a male Katniss, and practically acted just like her.