Catching Fire #18

Catching Fire

Pg.253-263

4/24/11

Summary: Katniss is still smoldering when she talks to Caesar about her dress and her stylist Cinna. Caesar is so amazed by Katniss’s dress that he has Cinna rise and take a bow. However, this was a bad move by Cinna, for the Mockingjay is frowned upon by the Capital, since Katniss has something to do about it, and he just indirectly showed the Capital that he was on Katniss’s side. Unfortunately, Katniss has no time to take all of the attention off of Cinna before the bell rings, signifying that Katniss’s interview is over, and Peeta walks up to the stage. Peeta wastes no time to capture the crowd’s attention when he asks Caesar if he can keep a secret. Caesar nods his head and Peeta tells the whole world that he and Katniss are already married. I am not quite sure if Peeta is bluffing, but apparently they secretly got married a couple weeks before they were informed about going back into the Hunger Games. In addition, Peeta also says something about how he guesses their baby will never have a chance to live his/her life. Immediately, the crowd goes silent. It takes the crowd a while to react, but Katniss and Peeta know that there isn’t a single person in the world, blood thirsty or not, who wouldn’t be the slightest bit mad at the Capital for having a pregnant woman, Katniss, enter the Hunger Games. The crowed goes wild. They start shouting and throwing things around, and don’t stop until the anthem comes on and the tributes do something never before seen during the Hunger Games; hold hands showing that they are all one. This gets the already chaotic crowd going again, and before the anthem even stops the Capital forces the producers to shut off the cameras, for they don’t want the rest of the world to know about the tributes silent rebel. Within minutes all of the tributes are escorted back to the hotel, and the crowed is forced to go home. On the elevator ride up to their room, Katniss and Peeta look back on what just happened before their eyes. Katniss isn’t a bit upset with Peeta for telling the world about the wedding and baby without her permission. When they get out of the elevator, Haymitch is right by their side. This may be the last time Katniss and Peeta see Haymitch, but there is not much to be said. They give each other their love, and Katniss and Peeta try to get some sleep on their last night before the Hunger Games. However, just like their first Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta don’t get a minute of sleep. Dawn arrives and Katniss is separated from Peeta to travel into the arena. Cinna tries to get Katniss to eat, but can only get Katniss to drink some water. In no time Katniss is in her capsule ready to be launched into her second Hunger Games. But before Katniss can leave the world with something good on her mind, three Peacemakers come into the room and knock Cinna out cold before dragging is bloody body out of the room, all the while Katniss is three feet away watching Cinna go, and isn’t able to do anything about the tragedy. Soon enough Katniss is shot into the arena, and the only thing that comes to her mind when she hits wet ground is, “This is no place for a girl on fire.”