This is just a little one-shot I wanted to do. If you don't know who Mallorive is, she was a gamemaker for a bit, and Athena and Veridie are her friends. I really can't explain so go read my other fanfic First Period Murder. Sorry, I haven't been updating, My friend is having emotional problems and I just needed a break. Thanks for being patient.
-Ihaveacupofnoodles
Mallorive Axelovie stretched, her arms straining above her head. She had driven for two hours than paid $50 to go to a place she didn't want to go, took a cramped train to the place she didn't want to go.
Everest skipped forward towards the entrance to the large dome. Giggling and singing.
Kace sighed and followed after the girl. "Honey! Stop! Look, a fountain! Make a wish!"
Everest squealed and raced back to her parents. Kace handed her a penny and pointed to the fountain. She raced over on her chubby young legs.
Kace made his way back to his wife, who's grip tightened on her purse, breath shortening.
"Shhh, are you okay? Do you want to leave?" She shakes her head quickly. "No. No. I'm fine. I can do this for Everest. At least it's not the 86th. Or 87th. Or 88th, and on and on and on until the 97th. So many kids, Kace, So so many. I-I-"
Before she can continue, Kace wrapped her in a hug. "Mallorive, you didn't do anything. It was either a mistake or someone else's doing. Now let's go have fun."
She nods, straightens her bow tie and smooths out her skirt. Everest skips back to her parents and takes her mother's hand. "What did you wish for, Princess?" "To have a kitty-kat!" "Ooh, you know your daddy's allergic. You better hope for that wish to come true!"
The girl giggles and she tugs her mom's hand. "Let's go! Let's go!" Mallorive's face clouds, but she manages to smile. "Wait, honey! What's the big sign say?"
Everest squints. "Seventy-Fourth Hunger Games Historical Arena!"
Mallorive gasps and claps. "Awesome job! Now let's go have a great vacation!"
When the family enters, they are immediately hit with the smell of pine and lilac. Mallorive knows it's artificial, but It still smells nice. The cornucopia, now accompanied by board and signs, showing each tribute's odds, place, and other facts.
Kace places Everest in a stroller. "Why?" she whines. "I can walk!" "I know, but the force fields are very dangerous." She pouts, but when she sees the tour guide, she shrieks in excitement.
"Hello, ladies and gentlemen of the Capitol, welcome to the 74th Hunger Games Historical Arena! This is one of the most visited sites of all the 127 arenas! Before we get started on our tour, my name is Garrow, and I'll be your tour guide! Are you ready?"
The Capitolites cheer and Garrow lead them to the board. "So when the gong rang, An estimated 12 tributes died in the bloodbath, leaving Glimmer and Marvel from 1, Cato and Clove from 2, Wattson from 3, Finch from 5, Fabric from 8, Darcel from 10, Rue and Thresh from 11, and Peeta and Katniss from 12!"
The group moves towards a path and starts making their way through the forest. Mallorive shudders. It was almost pleasant, walking through the woods on a spring day. The group stops again.
"Here is where Fabrie was killed by the career pack! She was finished off by Peeta from 12. It's the only kill he ever got! Peeta also, right here, protected his "love" Katniss, by making sure the careers couldn't get to her! Maybe in career training, they should have a class on climbing trees!"
Mallorive and her husband force a laugh, whereas Everest laughs more naturally. She's only five, of course.
They show off where Glimmer was killed off, Then the boy Darcel, who was brutally beaten to death by Thresh, then when Katniss found Peeta, and on and on and on. When they got to The place where Rue and Marvel died, actors were waiting.
"Oh, it looks like we're about to get a little show here!"
The actors were good. They reenacted all of it, from when Rue was caught to when Katniss sang her until she died. Everyone was weeping, but Malorive somehow felt enraged, like they didn't deserve to weep for this dead girl. They had no right.
The only person who seemed to be unaffected by emotions was Everest. Poor, sweet, innocent Everest. Mallorive couldn't thank the sky above enough that her young girl would never have to get their name picked from a bowl, to be shot into the arena, to be stabbed over and over and over until she coughed up her organs.
When the tour was over, it was time to go. There would be a viewing of the games, but everyone was hungry, and this was only a day trip.
"Mommy?" asked the girl. "Yes honey?" "can we go to the gift shoppe?" "The gift shop?! A gift shop for murder. Yes, let's go in there."
"Sure honey!" She replied reluctantly.
The girl squealed and leapt out of her stroller. Mallorive and her husband looked around. There was candy with the tributes face on it, there were notebooks, there were toys, there were stuffed animals of the mutts, "Can i get something? Can I can I can I?"
Her mother sighed. "One thing, okay?" "Yay! Thanks mommy!" Everest skipped off. Kace smiled. "She's so adorable." "I would feel the same if we weren't in a store of death right now." "We could have gone to the art museum!" "No, who goes to a museum on vacation? Not Pos-"
The words choke her throat. Why did she have to say that?
"Mommy!"
"Yes, Everest?"
"I got something! It's my favorite one!"
Mallorive stiffened. "Oh, let me see!"
She turned to see her girl, brown curls bouncing as she swayed left and right, holding a big plastic box.
"Oh, a dolly? Who is it?"
She turned the box around.
It was Rue.
Mallorive bought the doll. What was she going to do? Tell her kid she couldn't have it just because? Too petty.
As she opened her wallet to pay, she caught a glimpse of a photo. It was of her, Veridie and Athena, smiling in front of a big golden building. Veridie's face hand a big, blood red x over it.
Veridie, she was going to be the auntie to Mallorive's child, the one who came to Thanksgiving, Christmas, End of The Dark Day.
"No point in that," she thought. "Couldn't keep her mouth shut."
As the family walked out, Mallorive heard her daughter singing a song.
At first, it was cute.
Then, it wasn't so cute when she realized it was Rue's Lullaby.
End
