𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 ☘︎ 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞

𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 ☘︎ 8

I back up in fear and shock and immediately blend into the trees. My eyes widen as I realise why this has happened.

Thread's suspected me from the beginning. So why not light the fence up with electric current then trap me inside the woods, conveniently walking past it at some point to apprehend me.

I try to calm down, for I've been shaking for a minute, but I don't know what to do.

This has happened before, it's not unusual. But usually Gale and Katniss knew what to do. Normally, we would just find a nice tree to rest in until it turned off. Which it always did eventually. Prim and Rory even got into the habit of checking the fence, to save our mothers some worry.

However, now, this is a problem. Because (a) I've taken deliberate steps to mislead my family into thinking I'm not here, (b) if Thread has turned the electricity on deliberately, it likely won't turn off any time soon and (c) I don't live near the Seam anymore.

So I need to tackle this fence. And soon. Because if I don't show up, my family will worry and Thread will have me arrested.

I know I can't get under it without baking myself good and proper, so I'll have to get over it.

I begin to look up, trying to find a tree with a good branch to climb over it. Finally I find a sturdy oak and shimmy up it. When I get onto the branch, I see why Gale, Katniss and I always tried to wait it out. To be high enough to avoid getting fried, you have to be about twenty feet in the air. My branch must be twenty five.

I start to slowly walk along it until I'm level with a patch of snow that will hopefully soften my landing.

Very slowly, I sit down, then drop to just my hands. Hanging there regretting my life, I closed my eyes and tried to gather the courage that Austin said I have. I don't want to think about him right now, but somehow, that's when he always comes to me.

I take a deep breath. Then, very reluctantly, I release my hands and drop.

I don't feel anything until I get to the snow, thumping several places in my body all at once. I'm hoping for bruises, but after I move it's pretty certain that my tailbone is broken and my ankle is sprained.

Despite this, I force myself to walk normally (even though it's killing me) and I walk to the square.

My mother and my siblings can't know I was in the woods. I have to work up an alibi, however thin, to try and help my story.

I decide to tell them that I was speaking to someone at the Hob about trying to get Prim's goat, Lady, pregnant, because I wanted to surprise her and she was talking to me about it earlier.

I also go into a shop and buy a packet of peppermints. I'll just tell her that I was walking around the square, handing out food the rest of the day.

I arrive at the Victor's Village, sore and sorry. I'm close to tears, but I can't show it.

I walk up to my house and open the door, but I don't expect to see two peacekeepers, a man and a woman, standing at my door. The woman's face remains impassive, but I swear I see a flicker of surprise on the man's.

Behind them, I see my mother, Mrs Everdeen, Gale, Rory, Vick, Posy, Prim, Katniss, Austin and Haymitch. All eyes are trained on me.

"Hello," I say, acting surprised.

"Hi, love, you're just in time for dinner!" My mother says, coming forward. I try to stop looking surprised. Because, in fact, I'm very late for dinner.

"Can I help you with something?" I ask the peacekeepers.

"Head peacekeeper Thread sent us with a message for you," the woman says sternly.