The Spark Of War ➳ Finnick Odair ²

2 | The Third Quarter Quell

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Chapter Two
THE THIRD QUARTER QUELL
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Staying quietly in bed is harder than normal. I want to do something, find out more about the winner from last year, or helping in the cause to bring down the Capitol. No one hates them more than I do. Instead I sit around stuffing myself with cheese buns and watching Willow stretch, Nolan stops by occasionally to bring me news from town, which is always bad. More people being punished or dropping from starvation.

Winter has begun to withdraw by the time my foot that I twisted helping the man is deemed usable. Willow gives me exercise to do and lets me walk on my own a bit. I go to sleep one night, determined to go into town the next morning, but I awake to find Neem, Kai, Ivy, and Ace grinning down at me.

"Surpise!" they squeal. "We're here early!"

After I took the lash in the face, Nolan got their visit pushed back several months so I could heal up. I wasn't expecting them for another three weeks. But I try to act delighted that my annual Victor's photo is here at last. Willow had hung up dresses, so they're good to go, but to be honest, I haven't even tried one on.

After the usual histrionics about the deteriorated state of my beauty, they get right down to business. Their biggest concern is my face, although I think Willow did a pretty remarkable job healing it. There's just a pale pink stripe across my cheelbone. The whipping's not common knowledge, so I tell them I slipped on the ice and cut it. And then I realize that's my same excuse for hurting my food, which is going to make walking in high heels a problem. But Neem, Kai, Ivy, and Ace aren't the suspicious types, so I'm safe there.

Since I only have to look hairless for a few houses instead of several weeks, I get to be shaved instead of waxed. I still have to soak in a tub of something, but it isn't vile, and we're on to my hair and makeup before I know it. The team, as usual, is full of news, which I usually do my best to tune out. But then Ivy makes a comment that catches my attention. It's a passing remark, really, abot how she couldn't get a shrimp for a party, but it tugs at me.

"Why couldn't you get shrimp? Is it out of season?" I ask.

"Oh, Ember, we haven't been able to get any seafood for weeks!" Says Ivy. "you know, because the weater's been so bad in District Four."

My mind starts buzzing. No seafood. For weeks. From District 4. The barely concealed rage in the crowd during the recent Victory Toyr. And suddenly I am absolutely sure that District 4 has revolted. Maybe I should make a phone call to Finnick.

I begin to question them casually about what other hardships this winter has brought them. They are not used to want, so any little disruption to supply makes an impact on them. By the time I'm ready to be dressed, their complaints about the difficulty of getting different products ━ from crabmeat to music chips to ribbons ━ has given me a sense of which district might actually be rebelling. Seafood from Dristrict 4. Electronic gadgets from District 3. and, of course, fabrics from District 8. The thought of such widespread rebellion has me quivering with fear and excitement.