Cold air swept up my wind-folded jacket as I hurried to the square. A pale sun sent its rays spiralling down on the porcelain white walls of the justice building. I hurried over to where a shop was just shutting up for the day.
'Excuse me?' I called over the wind.
'What do you want, girl?' The man had a bitterly nasty voice that I had always despised.
'I was wondering if I could buy some strawberries?'
'Sorry love, but we've just closed up.'
'I could pay you extra.'
'Oh, you're the Mayor's daughter, aren't you?' I inclined my head to indicate that I was.
'Well, alright, but next time get here earlier.' He snapped as he pushed his way into the shop. I smiled. Being the daughter of the Mayor, it meant that everyone was afraid that I would get my father to execute them if they disobeyed me. I shook my head. What was I thinking!? I was standing here, smiling at how I got everyone to do what I asked, when Katniss was away fighting to the death in an arena with twenty-three other victors. I was so angry with myself for thinking that, that I began to consider going home. But I thought of my father and how much he loved strawberries, and forced myself to stay put. The sun was sinking low in the sky, and clouds the colour of ashes were concealing up the vast blueness. Suddenly, I saw something that made my blood freeze. A vast army of planes were in the distance, coming straight for us.
I turned and ran, just as the man came out with the strawberries.
'Hey! I got those strawberries you-' but he stopped as he saw the planes. I looked over my shoulder to see him drop the strawberries and run. A large strawberry was pushed by the wind passed my feet. Before I could stop myself I picked it up. I decided to give it to father as a gift, because I thought it might be the last one he received. As I ran through the square, many people were screaming and running. I had to control myself not to panic. I focused my mind and tried to stay calm. I thought of all the happy memories I had experienced. Eating lunch with Katniss on the first day of school. My twelfth birthday when my father gave me a piano. Seeing Katniss after she got home after the games. Teaching Katniss to play the piano. But I couldn't stop the horrible memories of watching the 74th Hunger Games from creeping into my mind. I remembered the girl from District 1's twisted face after the tracker jacker attack. I remembered the horrible boy from district 2 snapping the boy that re-activated the mines' neck. I remembered Rue, her body woven with flowers after she was speared. But most of all I remembered that fateful night, when the boy from district 2 was eaten alive by those mutts.
By the time I reached the house, I was screaming. I grabbed the door and forced it open.
'Dad! Dad!'
'Are you home already Madge? Come and give me those-' But he caught sight of my face and came over.
'Madge dear, what is wrong?'
'Planes coming,' Is all I could manage to choke out. But my father knew what I meant. He ran up the stairs to fetch my mother and all the servants. We ran to the door and open it, and there were crowds of people banging on the window and doors shouting out for us to help them. We tried to push our way through, but they grabbed us and shook us screaming 'Help us! Help us!' Then we heard it. The loudest noise I'd ever heard. A bomb. We ran back inside and collapsed on the floor, weeping. My father and mother embraced me.
'Madge.' Is all they could say. I didn't answer. I remembered something. Reaching into my pocket I pulled out the strawberry.
'I got you this, dad.' My father couldn't answer as he took the strawberry from me. Suddenly, I remembered Katniss. Without saying a word to my parents I left the room. They didn't object. I ran down to the room with the television and switched it on. More bombs went off in the distance, and all I could hear was ringing.
As I knew it would be, the Hunger Games was on. There was Katniss, running through the woods with that girl from district 7, Johanna. But then I watched as Johanna knocked Katniss out and began to dig a knife into her arm. I switched off the television. Katniss was going to die in the arena, I was going to die in my home. I was running back up to my parents, when I heard a plane so loud it could be right next to me. I only had time to scream my father's name before the bomb hit.
