District Eleven
After the Reaping
"Father."
"Son."
I don't even know why he is here. Everyone else has already come and gone. Daisy, Petal, Roc, and Jake. Mother and the kids already said their goodbyes. Cedar and Oak know what I'm going to do; the others are too little to let into the secret. Besides, it would kill Mother.
He's sitting there, staring at me, warm brown eyes now closed and hard.
I want to tell him...I love him...he knows…
"It is not time. And it is not your role."
WHAT?
"I must, Father."
"And what about the family?"
"You will be fine—"
He stands up. "They will not be. Shall I then kill Daisy myself?"
Daisy. My baby sister.
"What about your mother? Your cousins?"
He's looming over me now, tilting my face upwards to meet his, so very, very like Grandfa's face.
"Do you know what the Captiol can do to a family?"
"Wipe it out," I whisper. It's the truth.
"Do you remember our history? What happened to my brother? How we had to deny all ties with him? How can you throw this away?"
"The people will rise—"
"The people cannot rise now. Not this game. It is not time!"
He drops my chin. "Win if you can and want. Win for our District, for the shoddy glory, the false applause, and the fake joy. But I would rather see my eldest son dead than all my children dying. I would rather comfort your mother than see you broken for life. And I would rather mourn you than pander to your personfication of the Captiol."
"One alone cannot change this world. You can only start foundations, or support the structures. It is your choice."
He walks towards the door.
Tears finally come to my eyes. "Fa..."
"Jasper, I love you. I will always love you," he answers, turning and crushing me in his arms.
"Fare free."
And he is gone.
Fare free.
Our old family blessing. Faring well is not always desirable. Faring free is our family's choice.
I sit alone in the darkness, wondering…
And as the door opens…
I make my choice.
For them.
The future will have to wait.