Fall of the Rebellion

Darian Hale stood a step behind his father at the District Two train station. Tonight was the final meeting between the thirteen District leaders before the final strike. Tonight would mark the beginning of the end; the end of the Capitol reign and the end of President Jonah Cross. Four years the Districts had been in rebellion and it seemed like the struggle would never end. But soon, Darian knew, the fight would be over. A new era would arise with new leaders.

The train came quickly and twelve men and women exited, standing in a straight line facing Gregory Hale. They all saluted, hints and sparks of smiles on each of their faces. Tonight was a night of celebration.

The last off the train was a young blonde woman. One Darian knew quite well. She looked around and then spotted him. A smile breaking on her usually stern face, she ran to him and threw her arms around him. Kelsa Foley had accompanied her father, as usual and Darian wasn't the least bit upset about it.

"It's been too long," she whispered in his ear, loosening his grip a slight bit.

"Only a month," he replied with a smile, wrapping his arms around her as well, "So not that long…"

The group followed his father towards the town hall which was already set up for them all with blueprints of the Capitol. The main route of the attack was drawn out in a multitude of colors, each representing each District.

Kelsa and Darian were not invited to the official meeting, but that didn't stop them from finding a way into it anyways. It was the roof of the town hall this time. Kelsa scaled the drainpipe easily and Darian followed with a little more struggle. She let out a small giggle and then offered him a hand to pull him up over the edge. Being from District Seven she was a lot more accustomed to climbing things since she spent most of her time in trees.

Kelsa quietly opened a top window which was the perfect avenue for them to sit in on the meeting. Staying silent, they sat and listened to what came from below.

Not even five minutes into the meeting the rebel leaders were all arguing. There were boisterous shouts and a few undermining insults thrown out; one which Darian had to put his hand over Kelsa's mouth to keep her from laughing. Her father was always quick with the slights.

Finally, the calm voice of a woman from Six brought them all back from their heads (or asses more like) and back on track. It was decided that a group would go by train and multiple groups would go by foot. The takeover of the Capitol would be top stealth. They would never know the rebels were coming…

The meeting was longer than anything Darian or Kelsa had ever suffered through. Kelsa was prepared and brought out a deck of cards which kept them occupied until the meeting came to an end. All the preparations were set. In two days time, the attack would commence.

Before starting back down the drainpipe, Kelsa laid back and stared up at the midnight sky. "I can't believe it will finally be over," she said softly.

Darian agreed with a nod. "It's been too long though. In four years we have done amazing things. We deserve this."

It was true. In four years they had captured back control of the train systems, telegram and telephone systems, most of the food and agriculture. In four years the Districts had been mostly liberated from the tyranny of the Capitol.

"We do," she said, almost sadly, "You need to come visit me all the time in District Seven… if it will even be called that."

He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

She sighed and then looked over at him, "I mean that I won't have an excuse to come and visit you, and you won't have an excuse to come and visit me. We need to keep in touch."

"I know that, I meant with the name thing."

She rolled over on her stomach, her eyes becoming lit with excitement, "I had this idea that all the Districts would rename themselves. Numbers are so boring, and since we would no longer be part of the Capitol…"

He smiled at the idea. Kelsa was a cool girl. "I get it… what would you name District Seven?"

She thought for a moment and then looked at him, "Norlyn."

He let out a quick laugh and tried to cover it with a cough, "Norlyn? Why Norlyn?"

"Well we are the Northern most District, and I think it's pretty." She raised her hands as if she were reaching for the stars above them.

"Norlyn," he repeated, "It's growing on me."

"Of course it is, I came up with it." She sat up and turned to him, "And what would you choose for District Two?"

He shook his head, unable to come up with something off the top of his head. "No idea. Let's hope that doesn't become my duty when this whole thing is over."

"Strong Valley," she said, "That's what I would name it."

"Yeah? Why Strong Valley?" He didn't hate the name, and he really couldn't think of anything better.

"Because," she started, moving his chin towards the further towering mountains that loomed in the west, "You have always been this close to the Capitol. You are the strong valley that had held up against the Capitol even though you two are neighbors."

He didn't know exactly where in those beasts of mountains the Capitol sat, but he knew it was there, perfectly protected and ignorant to what was coming for them.

"Strong Valley… it's perfect."

"Kelsa!" A stern voice called from below. Kelsa collected her cards, placed them in her pocket and then flew down the drainpipe.

She looked up to him, "Soon we will be free, Darian."

He held up a hand, a goodbye of sorts they had discovered when they first met. "I'll come to Norlyn. First thing I'll do when this all blows over."

She smiled at him and held up her own hand before disappearing into the darkness and down the street towards the train.

Three weeks passed and Darian heard nothing from his father, or any of the rebels for that matter. There was just silence. He had learned earlier that usually silence was never a good thing. So had his mother, who had retreated to constant cleaning to ease her nerves. He had faith in his father but it was unbelievably hard to hold it when there continued to be no change… no change at all.

Three weeks ago was insanely different than this day. Three weeks ago, the buzz of excitement shot through the crowd faster than it took a match to light. Groups of people stood out in front of town hall biding their loved ones goodbye as the rebels loaded up the trains and headed for the Capitol.

Now there was just silence. A sort of defeat wafted through the air. But they hadn't been defeated. They had been winning, people were just too easily discouraged. Sacking a city couldn't happen overnight.

Darian never remembered hearing the squeal of the trains, but somehow, they came. And what they brought was so devastating, he could never have been prepared for it.

Their door was kicked down and a gun pointed in both of their faces.

"Hands up!" A man in a complete white suit shouted. Capitol Soldiers. Before giving either Darian or his mother a chance to react, the soldier fired, smashing out the windows of their family home.

"Move!"

They both fell to the ground, Darian remember looking over to his mother to see if she was alright. After being ushered back up, another soldier came in with a different gun, one Darian had never seen before. He took his mom's hand and led her from their home, making sure they weren't separated.

The sight outside was one he could never erase from his mind. A large video screen had been set up in front of the town hall building, Capitol Soldiers were every few feet either pointing a gun at someone, or ordering more people out of their homes. Darian was shoved forward by the soldier behind him. Children were screaming and crying, people were being forced to small quarters, keep their heads down.

Being herded like cattle, the masses of District Two were brought to the town square and forced on their knees, bowing before the large projection screen that now displayed the Capitol insignia.

"Put your hands on your head! Hands on your head!"

The shouts rang throughout the crowd, coming from the soldiers in white. His mother's shaking hands moved to her head and Darian followed her. He wouldn't be the reason someone was shot and killed. Darian did a quick calculation and saw that at least fifty soldiers surrounded them, their new guns pointed towards the crowd ready to fire at the smallest provocation.

The screen flickered and showed the new image of President Cross. Darian's stomach sank, finally, as he registered what had happened. They had attacked the Capitol and the Capitol was attacking back.

"Citizens of Panem."

The speakers rang clearly throughout all of District Two and Darian couldn't help but shiver. There was nothing forgiving in his voice.

"While you were sending your forces to your precious Capitol, we were sending ours out to you."

The screen flashed to show multiple planes and helicopters flying across the sky and then went back to President Cross.

"Rebellion will not be tolerated. It is time your Capitol stepped in and ended this once and for all."

The screen flashed back to the aerial view, and Darian saw the landscape of District Thirteen. His heart pounded as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. The picture stayed the same and the citizens of Panem watched the Capitol planes approach District Thirteen as the President spoke once again.

"We will do whatever is necessary to reunite the Districts of Panem under the Capitol. Consider the Rebellion done and over."

The picture was perfectly clear as the first bomb dropped.

The fall was too long and Darian wanted to look away but was glued to the screen.

It hit the ground with a fury of a million gods all channeled into one spot. The explosion of the first bomb ripped through the rebellion as if it were a piece of paper.

Bomb after bomb tore District Thirteen to pieces. Numbness slowly took over Darian as he watched the destruction and the pure evil of the Capitol. On his knees, bowing to the man he now despised most in this world, Darian watched as the last bomb was dropped. It was basically unnecessary as what used to be District Thirteen was now a wasteland of ash.

The last thing he saw before the screen went black was a picture of their Town Hall building in ruins.

Four years it took them to get where they were and the Capitol shut them down in fifteen minutes. The Rebellion had failed.