So, this started out as a piece of writing for my English essay last year. We had to write an alternative ending to the Hunger Games, and my friend dared me to include Tessa Gray from The Infernal Devices. And since I lost a few marks for 'not having correct capital letters' (hey, it isn't my fault if my English teacher can't read my handwriting very well! If there are letters in the alphabet that look more-or-less the same in both lower-case and in capitals, such as P and C, then that isn't my problem. The capital letter were there, so it's not my fault if she couldn't notice that!) I decided to write it out again on the laptop. Also, I kind of like it. It probably would have been up sooner, but I've only just got it back. So... yeah.
This will probably be a oneshot, unless people ask me to write more chapters.
WARNING: Spoilers for the Hunger Games, Mockingjay and The Infernal Devices inside!
Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games or The Infernal Devices. If I did, I would be very rich and have a different ending to Mockingjay.
(Tessa's POV)
I'm hiding in the shadows, trying to control my breathing and clutching the bow and arrow I borrowed. A part of me doesn't want to do this but I must. It is my duty to protect the children of the Capitol. If Katniss sees me and I fail, they will all die. All because of her. Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire. And with that fire will follow the destruction of Panem. I know this. Magnus told me. He looked into the future. She is a cruel, heartless murderer. She must die.
Still my hands shake at the thought of killing a kid. She has a sister back home, a sister that she loves, but so what? The girl will die anyway. I could, of course, kill Peeta, but that is unfair. He hasn't and will never do anything wrong. It must be the girl. It must be Katniss.
I am a warlock, a shape changer. The only child of a Shadowhunter and a demon. I can do this. For the good of the world. I have seen Will die, seen Jem leave me to join the Silent Brothers. I have seen the destruction Valentine has caused. This is nothing. Katniss Everdeen will not live.
"On three." She says, holding out the berries. I take a deep breath and ready the bow. Such a fool. She does not realise that by doing this, she is rebelling against the Capitol and putting millions of lives in danger.
"One." I load an arrow, the tip dipped in poison. I will do this."
"Two." I hold the bow up, aiming for her heart. The poison will slow it down until it eventually stops completely."
"Thr-" It's now or never. Katniss doesn't get a chance to finish as I release the arrow. She screams and drops to the floor, squirming in pain. Peeta screams her name and kneels down beside her, gently pulling the arrow out. I stand at the side and watch, knowing that his attempts to save her will not work. The poison is spreading quickly, and he does not have the antidote.
"Katniss!" Peeta screams as Katniss finally stops struggling, her eyes wide and unseeing. The canon fires and I know that she is finally dead.
Tears pool in his eyes as Peeta stands up, taking the nightlock berries in his hand and bringing them to his mouth. I can't have that. Not yet. Panem needs to know that I am here, that I am the killer. So I speak up for the first time since I got here.
"I wouldn't do that."
Peeta turns, and his eyes burn with hatred as I walk out of the trees. Let the cameras zoom in on my face. I don't care.
"You." He hisses, and flings himself at me. I sidestep and turn to watch the boy smash into a tree. What an idiot. He may love her, but throwing himself about blindly to avenge her won't get him anywhere.
Peeta gets up again, facing me. Any idiot can tell he's upset, but I don't care. "Why did you do it?" He asks. "Why did you kill Katniss?"
I think for a moment. I can't give away too much information, or the Capitol will kidnap me, try to get me to tell them how I know all of this or use me as a test subject and make me one of their mutilations. Magnus warned me of this when he looked into the future, a trick I have yet to master. I'm still in training, after all.
"She could not live." I say eventually. "That girl would be the reason many people lost their lives, including the children of the Capitol. Prim, Finnick, Mags, all would die if she had gotten out with you. Eating the berries was an act of rebellion."
Peeta is quiet for a moment, unsure how to respond. Then he finally finds his voice. "So you're saying that the Hunger Games are a good thing? That the twelve districts of Panem deserve to suffer by losing their children?"
I shake my head. He's such a fool. "I never said that. The Hunger Games is a cruel and evil event. But it doesn't mean that the children of the Capitol have to suffer in the future.
I walk over to Katniss' dead body and gently close her dull, lifeless eyes. "She could not live." I repeat, and look at Peeta. "This evil event will come to a halt in time, but it will not reverse back onto the Capitol, which is what Katniss wanted. Her death was not for nothing, Peeta."
Peeta's eyes are filling with tears again, and he moves to the other side of Katniss, clutching her limp hand. "Why did we not see you in the arena or in training?" He whispers, the first drops of his sorrow falling onto the girl's face. I have no doubt everyone else in Panem is wondering the same thing.
"I am not a tribute, Peeta." I say, causing the boy to look up at me. No doubt he has questions. But I can only answer a few.
"If you aren't a tribute," He says, his grip on Katniss' hand tightening. "then what are you?"
Good question, Lover Boy. Unfortunately, it may be your last. This piece of information, I can reveal.
"I am a warlock, the only surviving child of a Shadowhunter and a demon. I am the apprentice of Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn." I say, as I begin to leave. When I reach the trees, I pull out another arrow, turn, and shoot Peeta with it. His blue eyes widen as the poison begins to spread, and he falls to the ground with an unearthly scream. I just watch until the boy finally stills and the canon goes off. It is only then I approach the boy and close his eyes. "Farewell star-crossed lovers of District 12." I mutter, so that the Capitol can't hear me. I didn't really want to have to kill the boy, but he knows too much. He will tell his family and they will search for me, and the plan to end the Hunger Games will go up in flames.
I then rise to my feet, knowing that all cameras will be on my face. Somewhere in District 12, their families are mourning. Gale thirsts for my blood. There will be no victor this year. But I don't care. I have done what I came to do. Lives have been saved at the sacrifice of two. Magnus will congratulate me and be satisfied with the work I've done.
The Hunger Games will end. We will put a stop to it. Panem will be a better place and the Capitol's children shall be spared without having to suffer the horror that is the reaping.
Staring defiantly into nothing, I open my mouth and utter my final words to Panem. Final for now.
"I am Tessa Gray."
With that, I disappear into the shadows, so that the cameras can't find me, leaving behind two dead bodies, their hands still entwined.
So... how was it? Yes, I know I killed Katniss, but let's face it. While Mockingjay was a really good book, the ending just had me going 'Katniss, what are you doing?' and left me feeling like it could have ended better. Plus, who doesn't love Tessa?
Should I continue it? Or are you too horrified at how awful it was because I killed Katniss and you never want to see this again? Please leave your thoughts in a review!
