- Katniss

Leo and I trudged through the woods for hours on end, although every step brought more doubt to my situation. What was I doing? Following a quasi-stranger far off into the country, braving a considerable number of laws and leaving my family behind. That part hurt the most - Prim needed me. My mother, more than ever, needed me. And the games about to start... I couldn't live with myself if one of them got reaped and I wasn't there to say goodbye. I just couldn't.

But here I was, leading Leo in the woods - and there was no turning back now.

A few minutes before leaving, I'd left a note on the rusty table for them to read.

Prim, Mom,
I'm sorry. I have something very important to do right now- rabbit's in the usual hiding place. I'll be back soon. Take care.

Those last two words were directed to Prim, and she knew it. Take care. I knew she'd got the message - take care of mom. She was fragile, and she needed all the support she could get.

"Are you sure you know where we're going?" Leo asked, somewhat anxiously.

"Of course, " I called back. "I've been in this part of the woods loads of times before - hours walking in the woods is sorts my thing. I've been a few times almost to the border with District 6 before, although I never dared to cross it."

He nodded silently. "Reassuring." I wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic or not.
We walked for a few more hours , occassionally stopping to eat the few food we'd managed to take, or drink from a nearb source, or let Leo stop to gaze at the cute birdies (not sure what that was about).

And then, just like that, our legs sore, our mouths dry, we rounded a corner and almost stumbled upon our destination.

"There it is," I announced proudly, gesturing at the lush clearing in front of us.

In the middle of the sunlit area was a sort of house- more like a ruined shack made of a few wood logs lazily strapped together, in a huge oak's shade.

At first, the area seemed deserted, the only sound coming from the wind eerily whooshing through the trees - but I knew better than to believe we were alone.

"So... where's the drop?" Leo asked, waiting for the joke to end.
As a response, I simply pointed towards the top of the tree, where a wobbly platform slowly descended with a concert of creaks and squeaks very anti-climactically.

"There you are," I called, hands on hips.

The man descending on the platform was an middle-aged, bearded, messy pile of grease and fat. He wore a Whaddup, ladies shirt and some short pants that let all his unshaved body hair roam free.

"Hh-" Leo started, a bit panicked, shooting me a sideways glance.

"It's okay," I whispered to him. "He's a friend."

"Oi, Katniss!" The man called, his voice deep. He belched loudly. "Long time, no see."

"Yeah, Doc, I've been busy, you know, trying not to die. This is my friend, Leo. We need to get to... the big place." I said enigmatically.

I turned to the poor, lost boy. "Leo, this is Doc Cheadle. I met him a while ago when I went hunting a bit too far - he lives as an ermit here, and gets his food delivered from God knows where." I glared pointedly at Doc, who just shrugged, grinning. "I have addresses," he said sheepishly.

"He's... a counterfeit. And our ticket out of here."

Cheadle raised an eyebrow.
"Hey, Kat, I told you not to use that word."

"What word?" I teased.

"Y'know... the c-word."

"Oh, excuse me." I rolled my eyes. "I meant, contraband artist."

"That's better," he grinned.

"Long story short, Leo... this man can get us safely to where your friends could be..." I glanced over at Don. He nodded silently, an agreement passing between us. It had always been the deal - a counterfeit in exchange of the promise I'd look for her.

Doc looked like a lone wolf, but he hadn't always been one. He'd known a wife, kids - until one night, where his youngest daughter, Bonnie, had been taken away. Captured and faded into the night, gone like a whisper on the wind, without a single goodbye. Ever since, Doc had been looking for her, and had made me promise I'd look for her - four hours of searching in exchange of counterfeit, that had always been the deal.
Until now, I'd only ever used the deal to smuggle a few friends who asked - but once they crossed the border, I never saw them again. And I knew they'd never return.
Going there was an idiotic plan, and almost always guaranteed capture, then execution. It was foolish - but the only shot we had at freedom. In this district... you often got the impression you had nothing left to lose.

Leo gulped. "So... how are we getting to wherever we're going?"

"By train, boy," Cheadle boomed. "The fastest there is - the only one, actually. A 200-mile-per-hour high-speed bullet train, getting you to the other side of the country in hours." Cheadle always marvelled at the technology.

"Can you get us there?" I asked.

"Of course, sweetie. Smuggling two underage District-Twelvers - of which one seemingly has no idea where he is - to the richest, most selective part of the country? No job's too hard for the Doc," he grinned, exposing his shockingly yellow teeth. "Come on in," he gestured towards the entrance- more like, hole - leading to his office-slash-house. "I'll have the papers created in two hours. And then you'll be on your way... to the Capitol."

Author's Note - May 18th, 2020

Helllo! Here's a relatively short, somewhat filler chapter for ya. Looks like our unlikely pair is headed to the center of the chaos... 😉
School's starting again! I might be a tad less active, but I guess we'll see how this goes, and whatever happens I'll keep you notified! Be sure to subscribe the_odyssey_ to stay updated :)

See you around! 🥳