She was called Nyx after the goddess of the night from oh-so-long-ago. But her first name isn't what anyone pondered on. It was her last. She was called Nyx. Nyx Snow.
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A month before the rebellion really began; District Thirteen began receiving anonymous letter, things photocopied from President Snow's very desk. Sometimes it was accompanied by a note, a hint as to what the Capitol was planning next. It came in three different handwriting styles, and it was determined there was a group of three informants in the Capitol. Everyone assumed three of their own soldiers or agents had managed to infiltrate into Snow's office, which was a grave mistake that was snowballing faster and faster toward disaster.
With the help of the informants the Capitol was successfully overthrown. After the flurry of events that followed – Coin's death, Paylor being elected, a new system being established – a last Hunger Games were going to be held.
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My friends and I never imagined being selected to be thrown into the arena. Who did the Districts think sent the inside information? It was us, of course!
That's why the day we heard we were required to attend one last Reaping; I vowed to change my last name.
Before walking down to the square, I met up with Cassius Flickerman and Julius Templesmith. Cassius's eyes were just as haunted as they were yesterday, the day before, and the day before that…. And basically every day since his father died. Julius and I shared a tormented glance. We had all liked Caesar very much and were aggrieved when he had taken the electric shock that had killed him but saved Peeta Mellark, but it was even worse to see Cassius like this. Peeta had been unconscious and nobody but us would ever know, and that made it almost worse.
We tried to stand together at the Reaping, but two gray-clad District Thirteen soldiers spotted us.
"You can't stand here," the black-haired woman told us.
"But Ann-" the man tried to say.
Ann would have none of it. "They have to follow the rules." She gave them a hateful look.
The man looked like he was going to protest, but glanced at his companion's machine gun and changed his mind. I wondered if Ann took anger management classes. Then I wondered if the Districts even had anger management classes. I began to walk toward the place where I should be and the soldiers began to leave, when Julius spoke up.
"If you had any idea…."
His black eyes were smoldering, and I took a step back. I had seen my friend this angry only once, and I pushed the memory away before it resurfaced. The sandy-haired man, the nice one, tensed and bit his lip, but Ann just pulled him along.
I ducked under the roped-off area for girls my age. Of course, I was alone.
They changed it slightly; Katniss was to read off our names. I looked at her without shame. I had nothing to hide or be ashamed of. I had been helping them, after all.
Her voice was steady, but something in her eyes told me this girl, maybe two years older than me, was just a teen who'd had her heart broken one time too many. I looked at Peeta, who was looking at her slightly concerned.
Finally I zoned in on the words.
"Fauna Revlon."
Everyone booed. I watched a tall, thin girl walk on stage.
"Julius Templesmith." Again, the crowd booed. Julius walked on stage, not like Fauna and the others, but head up and honest. Everyone booed louder. Another girl was called, then, "Cassius Flickerman."
Julius and I shared another concerned glance. Cassius walked onto stage the way Julius had, but even from here, I could see the vacant look in his eyes. Then he spotted Peeta.
My friend let out a cry of anguish and clutched at his head like he wanted to crush it between his hands. Julius was at his side in an instant, but I was too far away to help. Peeta looked taken aback and as though someone was accusing him of something, but Katniss and everyone else looked completely bewildered. Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore.
I ducked under the rope and ran on stage, Julius and I trying to calm Cassius down. When that didn't work, we played angry.
"Look, Cassius. This is unacceptable. Be happy Peeta's okay. That's what he wanted," Julius told him firmly. Now Peeta was just as bewildered as everyone else.
Slowly, he stopped crying, and I let him use my spare tissues to wipe his eyes. Someone I didn't recognize nudged Katniss, and she cleared her throat. The commotion died down immediately.
"Our last tribute," she said oddly emotionlessly. "Nyx Snow."
"Miller! Not Snow. Miller," I yelled before everyone could start throwing things at me. Miller was my mother's maiden name.
"You just couldn't give Snow his punishment before he died, so you're punishing other people instead!" Julius shouted. "If you had any idea what we did for your precious rebellion!" He looked at Peeta before turning back to the crowd. "The Districts are supposed to be the good guys. It was us with the photocopies," he continued, now speaking to Plutarch Heavensbee and President Paylor. "We can prove it too. There were three sets of handwriting. Most of the documents were from Snow's desk. Only Nyx could get at them." I nodded. "But what does it matter? We're going to die – of friendly fire."
Before the crowd could take it all in, we were rushed away.
