I wanted to read a Cecelia fic, but I found one, and that was really sad.
So I made one!
Disclaimer- I don't own the Hunger Games, if I did, Prim would've lived.
Not everyone will be cursed to this life. No, I hope my kids have a better future. As much as I love my fellow victors, Layla, Belinda, I couldn't help but wish that they get picked at the Reaping in place of me.
They never had kids. I tried tp move on with my life. Pretend as though I had never been in The Hunger Games. Found myself a nice handsome man, and had children, whom I loved more than life itself, with him.
But it was no use.
Every night. They came. Nightmares.
Of the arena. I never left. Not really.
After all, once someone gets picked to go into the Hunger Games, you never come out. Even if they win.
Our escort, Pippy, walks over to the ball and pulls out the name. She has had surgery to remove all of her stomach fat, and then she implanted jewels so that they cover her body in her skin.
But she was kind. She wasn't smiling this year, all she did was pick up a name and read it out loud, "Cecelia Gipol."
No. No. NO.
I look at Belinda, knowing that she knows how much I love my kids, but she refuses to meet my gaze.
I peek at Layla. She's biting her finger. I always knew she was a bit off.
I stand up, straight and tall, and walk over to my kids who were frightened, I force myself to stay calm. For my kids.
I say to them, trying with all my willpower not to cry, "I love you. All of you. Promise to me that you'll take care of Father."
Calliope, the eldest, promises me and herds the little ones to Burke, their father.
I knew he'd take care of them, but even so, I mouth in his direction, Please.
He understands the meaning and takes them away. Then, Pippy calls out the next name, "Woof Mikoy."
I don't know Woof very well, but I know him enough to be sure that he would never ever kill someone again. I live next door to him, so I can still hear his screams from time to time.
He'll never scream again.
I look back at the pen that held our mere six victors, four woman, two men. Me, Belinda, Layla, Jackyln, Woof, and Brandon.
One lone tear runs down my face. For me. My kids. Burke. Woof. Even the star-crossed lovers of District Twelve. The Capitol has wronged us all. Taking me away from my kids and Burke. Escorting Woof to his death. Making the poor Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark go back into the arena once again, even though their memories are still the freshest.
As we're herded into the train, Pippy gives me a hug. A huge one. I cry but except it. It may be the last time I'll ever get one.
Unless Woof suddenly has a soft spot.
I doubt it, right now he's flagging down an attenddant and asknig about some morphling.
I had never known him to take that. He hears my gasp and gives me a sheepish smile.
Ah. This must be the first time he's using it for pleasure. I never did undertand that.
"Shall we watch the Recaps?" Pippy's obviously trying to make things better.
"Sure." I say in a monotone voice. I wish I could snuggle with Scarlette, or Teddy, or Calliope.
Whenever we watch television, they sit very close next to me. I don't know why, but it must be their warmth that makes me feels so safe. My arena had been a giant snowstorm. Some people killed their allies by accident. Others went mad from not being able to see and died. I stayed calm, and dug myself a shelf in the ground, staying safe. Hiding. But I had almost froze to death. A capitol attenddant had to come down the ground and pick me up and bring me upstairs.
Ever since then, I never go outside during the winter.
I see Cashmere and Gloss get picked. They'll never win. Then comes th worst diistrict of them all, ENobaria is picked, and then this scrawny durggie is picked, but then Brutus volunteers! He never had to go into the arena again, but he CHOSE to.
I walk out of the room at that. I need to have a good sobbing session, and I do. I cry it all out. Then I realize that I am going to die. I actually realize it now.
Sure, I knew it, but the impact has finally hit me. I am going to die.
Might as well die dignified. I walk with my head held high back out into the room to see the end of District Twelve's reaping. I stare at Peeta Mellark as he volunteers. I wish I had someone like that as a victor.
That way he could've volunteered for Woof and we could've died together. But no, I picked ignoring my past.
I guess that just because President Snow has all the power, it means that he could stop this if he wanted to. But he doesn't want to.
Because he wants revenge on someone. He wants to get rid of someone. But who? Someone young, and a very recent victor. Peeta Mellark? No. It must've been Katniss Everdeen.
When she pulled out the berries, there was something in her eyes. Something that said: You can't own me Capitol. And you never will.
She couldn't have known the consequences to her actions, but she must regret it now.
That's what I thought, until the night of the interviews, when she made the victors join hands.
She really is the Mockingjay.