Return to District 12

The train carrying Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark away from the Capitol and back to District 12 represents the first moment of genuine freedom since the reaping. As the train clears the tunnel that separates the Capitol from the eastern districts, Katniss takes what she calls her first free breath since the reaping. The journey is accompanied by Effie Trinket and Haymitch Abernathy, and the group watches a replay of the final interview on television. With the Capitol growing farther away every second, Katniss begins to think of home, of Prim and her mother, and of Gale Hawthorne. She excuses herself to change out of her dress and into a plain shirt and pants, slowly and thoroughly washing the makeup from her face and putting her hair in its braid. In the mirror, she tries to remember who she is and who she is not, transforming back into Katniss Everdeen, a girl who lives in the Seam, hunts in the woods, and trades in the Hob. By the time she rejoins the others, the pressure of Peeta's arm around her shoulders feels alien.

The Confrontation on the Tracks

When the train makes a brief stop for fuel, Katniss and Peeta are allowed outside for fresh air, with no further need for guards. They walk down the track hand in hand, but Katniss finds nothing to say. Peeta gathers a bunch of wildflowers for her, but she works hard to look pleased because the pink-and-white flowers are the tops of wild onions and only remind her of the hours spent gathering them with Gale. The thought of seeing Gale in a matter of hours makes her stomach churn. She feels like she has been lying to someone who trusts her, or more accurately, to two people. Haymitch approaches and, keeping his voice down even in the middle of nowhere, tells them they did a great job and just need to keep it up in the district until the cameras are gone. When Katniss asks what he means, Peeta overhears and the conversation turns. Katniss blurts out that the Capitol did not like their stunt with the berries, that it seemed too rebellious, and that Haymitch has been coaching her through the last few days so she did not make it worse. Peeta realizes he was not coached because Haymitch knew he was smart enough to get it right, and he asks if the last few days and back in the arena were just some strategy she and Haymitch worked out. Katniss stammers that she could not even talk to Haymitch in the arena, but Peeta presses: she knew what he wanted her to do. Peeta drops her hand and says, "It was all for the Games. How you acted." Katniss admits, "Not all of it," but when Peeta asks how much, she cannot answer. He asks what is going to be left when they get home, and she says the closer they get to District 12, the more confused she becomes. Peeta tells her to let him know when she works it out, and the pain in his voice is palpable. Katniss hears every step he takes back to the train.

The Hollow Homecoming

Peeta disappears into his room for the night and does not appear the next morning. The next time he turns up, they are pulling into District 12. He gives her a nod, his face expressionless. Katniss wants to tell him that he is not being fair, that they were strangers, that she did what it took to stay alive and keep them both alive in the arena. She wants to explain that she cannot explain how things are with Gale because she does not know herself, that it is no good loving her because she is never going to get married anyway and he would just end up hating her later instead of sooner. She also wants to tell him how much she already misses him, but that would not be fair on her part. So they stand silently, watching their grimy little station rise up around them. Through the window, she can see the platform is thick with cameras. Everyone will be eagerly watching their homecoming. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Peeta extend his hand. She looks at him, unsure. "One more time? For the audience?" he says. His voice is not angry; it is hollow, which is worse. Already the boy with the bread is slipping away from her. She takes his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when she will finally have to let go.