AN: Hi! First of all, in the actual story, Katniss killed Coin and the games with the Capitol children were called off, I believe. In this version, Katniss never killed Coin, and was never sent to live in District 12 forever (although she was always wary of Coin). Just to get the backstory straight. Also, just to warn you, it's been a while since I finished Mockinjay so please don't be too hard on me if I miss something out. And finally, I realize Panem's like future America, and I am British, so if I get the dialect wrong sometimes that's why.
Full summery: Annalisa Falalefa was once lived in a mansion, with all the Jarachoka jackets a girl could wish for. That was before the rebellion. Now she lives in a three room tenement in a building full of other refugees. As if it can't get any worse, being the daughter of the Capitol's defense strategist means she is chosen for the 76th Hunger games, involving the children of the Capitol's most powerful. The nastiest thing she's ever done was kill a spider by throwing a boot at it (and for that she had to stomach up quite a lot of strength), so she knows the odds aren't in her favor. Luckily, or unluckily, however way you view it, a group of Capitolist rebels (trying to bring back the old Panem) offer to help her. But in return she has to help them.
Anyways, on with the story!
O horn of plenty, a horn of plenty for us all.
And when you raise the cry,
the brave shall heed the call
and we shall never falter.
One horn of plenty for us all.
For the first time in my life, it felt like every part of my body was working. My heart was thudding so violently I was scared it would burst out. I was breathing so fast, faster than I had in all those horrible P.E sessions back in school, and my head was spinning with more thoughts than I knew were possible. What was happening – how was this happening? Where were we going? Where was everyone? Although my head was exploding from all these concerns, I still found myself unable to do anything, except stand there and stare out the window.
"Annalisa, hurry!" Mother shouted from the hall, "We don't have all day!"
"I'm coming!" I reply, not moving from the place beside the windowsill, " I just need to pack a few things!"
"Well, speed it up! I was hoping to leave at, I don't know, some point this year, at least!"
I roll my eyes at this failed attempt at sarcasm. Although, I suppose I'd better start moving. So far my suitcase is only packed with my make-up bags, some old teddies, and only a few clothes. Well, when I say a few I mean, 14 pairs of pants, 9 skirts, all four of my Ferragaya dresses, and my most prized Jarachoka jacket. And all that doesn't even make up a quarter of my wardrobe. I can't believe I can't take all of them. With little time left, I try to squeeze in some more Brazari cardigans, but I'm already practically bouncing on my suitcase to get it to close as it is.
I hear Avery rushing down the stairs.
"Coming Mother! Sorry I had to keep you waiting, it's just you said I could only take one pair of sneakers, and I had a hard time deciding which..."
"It doesn't matter, my dear, just hurry!"
The only free space I really have at the moment are my pockets, and they can't really carry much. I'm wearing my old rainmac that Uncle Louis gave me for my birthday a while ago. It's ugly as hell, but at the moment we're in a massive rainstorm.
As I leave my room, I notice something else. I have two bottles of nail polish, blue and pink sparkes, sitting lonely on the shelf. I had totally forgotten about nail polish! Stupid, stupid! How could I forget my nail polish?
"Annalisa!"
I know I only have a few moments until Mother goes all dragon-mode, so I quickly shove the bottles in my smallish pockets and leave my bedroom for probably the last time.
O horn of plenty, a horn of plenty for us all.
And when you raise the cry,
the brave shall heed the call
and we shall never falter.
One horn of plenty for us all.
I race down the stairs to find my Mother, looking agitated, and my sister and brother beside her looking confused.
"It's about time. We're late!"
"But Maurice hasn't arrived here yet, so actually, we're early." Says Avery.
"No, Maurice said he'd be here at 7.00. It is now 7.09. Your father's not even home! This is a disaster!"
"Mother, don't worry!" Avery says, trying to her. "The talk is the rebels have taken only the city center so far, and we're all the way in the suburbs. We'll be fine!"
"I still don't understand." Says Arlene, "Why are we leaving?"
Mother facepalms yet again.
"Sweetie, you need to keep up with the news more!" This was rich coming from my mother, who lived on reality tv shows about women who fell in love with inanimate objects. The districts are rebelling against us! They plan to brutally rob, kill and rape all of us, so it's vital we leave Panem now!"
"Where are Sassafras and Mint?" Arlene asked. Arlene got quite annoying when she asked questions.
Sassafras and Mint were our cousins. Their Mother had died a while ago due to an unfortunate Botox accident, and their father was busy at work most of the time, so they stayed with us a lot. They didn't exactly live with us, but we were pretty close. I'm just saying, if someone had said to me a year ago we would someday we'll have to evacuate Panem one night, I'd have thought they'd be coming too.
"We've been over this so many times, Arlene! They're going to meet their father at work. He wants to see they're okay, and since that man is so unreliable, we have to leave without him. Goodness, I've done so much for those kids over the years, I think he should take responsibility now, at least."
Again, another collection of interesting comments to come from mother. Our nanny, Bianca, had done most of the caring for the five of us. And there were also the maids, the housekeeper, and the butler.
The doorbell rings.
Mother rushes to it.
"Pedronym?" she asks as she opens the door with a hopeful joy. It wasn't our father. It was second-best, Maurice the cab driver.
"Maurice! Finally! We're packed and ready. Pedronym's a little late, I'm afraid, but luckily he gave me the directions. We drive out the border into the desert-"
"So, Pedronym's not here?" asked Maurice, looking distressed.
"No." Mother muttered, worried. "Why?"
"I heard the rebels have already taken the Government building. It's just… if Pedronym isn't here… then…" He can tell by the look of horror on Mama's face that this may not be the best time to bring up the topic.
"Never mind. We'll have to go without him. He'll catch up somehow. Us Capitol people know our way round. Get your stuff. Most of the roads have been blocked off, that's why I was so late."
I knew Maurice would forever be his punctual self.
"But…. What about Daddy?" Arlene doesn't budge, so Avery has to be big brotherly and push her along and carry her bag for her. Avery's not very physically strong, so four bags proves a challenge for him.
O horn of plenty, a horn of plenty for us all.
And when you raise the cry,
the brave shall heed the call
and we shall never falter.
One horn of plenty for us all.
Maurice used to drive us around a lot, when none of our cars were working. Since now gas had slowly become a rarity for us in the Capitol, we're relying on Maurice (I don't know where he get his gas from and frankly I don't want to know).
The car is smaller than I remembered. Now I think of it, maybe that's probably because of our 14 suitcases.
We reach the motorway to the border. Unfortunately, it looks like every living thing in the Capitol had the same idea, as the traffic is worse than I've ever seen (and trust me, I've witnessed the struggle of looking for a parking spot on 50% off day at the mall).
"Can't you go another direction?"
"It doesn't work like that, Lettuce."
Suddenly, an explosion rings. It has to be a while away, but it still makes us jump out of our skins.
"Maurice, drive out." Mother's emotionless face, which had once been so gallantly protected by Botox, looked stricken with fear.
"I'm not dying here."
Another explosion.
People are trying to drive their cars around, but the traffic keeps them trapped like rats.
"We might have to run." Maurice warns. "I don't think I can drive out this way."
"Nonsense! You can do it," Mother implores, "Just drive over them, we desperate now. Besides, to you expect me to run in these shoes?"
Mother was referring to her prized 8in. heels, obviously too big to fit in a bag, so she wore them.
Arlene put down her chocolate bar that she had smuggled in her sleeve.
"Mother? Did you say something about running?" she asks, with an undertone of terror in her voice.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. We're walking!"
"Fine. Maurice, at least drive us to a mud-free terrain, please!" I look out the window to see the ground, filthy with mud. The avoxes would work on keeping outer-city roads clean, and since they're gone, I guess no one's around to do it for them.
Mama thinks aloud, "So, we're stuck here, with a dim prospect of escape, all roads blocked off, all possibilities of salvation destroyed…."
"Don't worry, ma'am, something will happen. We'll be fine." Says Maurice, starting to open the door.
And something does happen indeed. But before anything else can happen, another explosion blows our ride up into pieces.
I'm flung a few yards away, narrowly missing a hedge with shards of glass stuff in my legs.
Oh Capitol.
Your glorious diamond shine.
A tribute to the darkest days behind.
One horn of plenty for us all.