*Note from the author: Can you believe it's been five years since we first saw The Hunger Gamescome to life on the big screen? Wow. I'll never forget it. Here's a little something to commemorate this anniversary!We don't know for sure that any other victors survived besides the ones who voted on a Capitol Hunger Games. This is what I'm basing the story on.*
Year One
Katniss
"Night has always pushed up day
You must know life to see decay,
But I won't rot
I won't rot…
Not this mind, and not this heart,
I won't rot."
-Mumford and Sons
I knock on Effie Trinket's apartment door. Peeta and Haymitch stand beside me.
Effie herself answers. "Dear Katniss," she coos, "I've missed you."
"I missed you, too." And wouldn't you know, my words are true. Though I still think she dresses ridiculously (just look at her frilly turquoise ensemble!), the war has changed her almost as much as it's changed me. She's really not so bad. Through it all, no matter what we've done, her faith in us hasn't wavered. That kind of loyalty is priceless. We all trade hugs with her.
Peeta grasps my hand firmly as Effie lets us inside. He and I vowed to start over; and we've become great friends. Who knows where it might lead? Maybe one day, we'll try being a real couple. I'm just thankful to have the real Peeta Mellark by my side again.
That's not the only change. After President Snow died, Capitol officials and Peacekeepers were forced to resign. Sentenced to hard labor in District 11. The worst offenders were given the mercy of death. Commander- or should I say, President, Paylor- is a welcome change as we gather our country back together. We never did hold a Hunger Games with Capitol tributes. Which is fine by me. I'm not sure I was in my right mind when I voted for them.
Mom left District 12 and moved to District 4, where she's earning a legitimate nurse's certificate. But I've visited occasionally. We call each other all the time. Gale, well… from what I hear, he's off in District 2.
The next face I see is Annie Cresta- I mean, Odair. I've seen plenty of her lately, as she generously allowed my mother to live with her in District 4's Victors Village.
"How's Rowan doing?" I ask.
She grins broadly. "He gets bigger every day. I can't keep up with him sometimes. Wanna see pictures?"
"Sure," I reply.
It's a rare occasion when Annie smiles, but you know what they say about new mothers and their complexions; her porcelain skin really does glow. Once she announced her pregnancy, I finally understood Finnick's last, incomplete words to me: "Take care of Annie and my-"My child. She gave birth to her son a few months ago. I bet if you placed Finnick's baby photos against Rowan's, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
Beetee and Johanna are chatting about their jobs. Johanna stands up to awkwardly hug me, but the hug she gives Peeta looks way more natural. She told me once that he reminds her of her dead brother.
We're very familiar with each other's screams.
Enobaria, not bothering to greet us, sits in a corner by herself. We still have an unspoken hatred for each other. But Paylor made her an honorary Peacekeeper, so I dare not aggravate her.
This is what's left of us. Seventy-five Hunger Games victors, cut down to seven. Many died before my time. Haymitch says that some left the world by choice; after countless attempts, they learned the art of doing it quickly. No Capitol doctors could revive them. Eighteen victors were snuffed out through the Quarter Quell. Others fought in the war and lost. Others, I've learned, were executed by Alma Coin during her short presidency.
So here we are. The seven.
"Hello, everyone!" Effie cheers. "It brings me great pleasure to have all our living victors under one roof again. Thank you for accepting my invitations. Now, I know I don't understand what you're going through, after your horrible experiences. But I do know that you need to go through it together."
"Why'd you invite her?" Johanna asks, nodding to Enobaria.
"This is a victor's group, isn't it, dear? Miss Golding did her time inside the arena. Just like yourself. You owe her some respect."
Johanna rolls her eyes. "Not gonna do that, lady. Clearly, you weren't paying attention when they didn't rescue her from the Capitol."
"Yeah, Snow let me go," Enobaria replies, smirking. "I guess he actually liked me."
"He should've killed you."
I can't say I disagree. Enobaria trained, for years, with all sorts of weapons. Boggs could've made her a rebel squad leader. If she had died, it would've been honorably. Like Finnick. Instead, she abandoned us. Where's the honor there?
Now I seriously regret not shooting her on that final night of the Quarter Quell.
"Well," Enobaria replies bitterly, "Even though he didn't succeed, he definitely tried to kill me. Twice."
"Hmmm. You know, bloodsucker, I'm pretty sure we've got you beat."
"Just because I left doesn't mean I sat back in safety. Who do you think supplied the rebels? Huh? Me. I spent every day crafting your weapons."
What?I must've heard incorrectly.
"Beetee made our weapons," I argue. My bow, the special arrows, Finnick's trident, Gale's crossbow…
"No, he enhanced them. I was fine with him taking all the credit. Do you know why, Girl on Fire? You don't trust me. I never laid a hand on your pretty face in the arena, and youstill don't trust me."
"Never call me that," I hiss. But I watch Beetee's face.
"She's not lying about the weapons," he admits. "I just attached the explosives to your arrows, and ran some wires through. People come to me for technological assistance. Can you really see me welding metals into tridents or bows or swords?"
"You aren't that easy to read, Beetee," I reply coldly. My fists still clench up whenever I'm around him. The man partially responsible for Prim's death. This is the most I've spoken to him since that day.
He knows what I'm talking about, of course. "Katniss, I didn't have any idea…"
Gale used the same excuse.
"Yes, you did!" I fire back. "Mom told her not to go to the Capitol, but she did it anyways. You could've warned her!"
I leave out the fact that Prim wouldn't have listened. She was too much like me sometimes.
"And you're a freaking coward!" Johanna yells at Enobaria. "I heard most of the remaining victors were put down while we stayed in District Thirteen. Why not you?"
"Because, unlike every other victor here, I'm a good liar."
"And unlike your district's tributes from my year, I'm alive," Johanna taunts.
"Not before they killed your pathetic excuse of a district partner."
Johanna throws the first punch. Enobaria may be aging in comparison, but her Career skills haven't left her. She returns with her own punch to Johanna's jaw. Peeta quickly grabs Johanna from behind, restraining her wrists. Haymitch somehow manages to hold back Enobaria.
"Don't mess with me," she screams, "you stupid, unrefined lumberjack!"
Johanna spits out blood from her mouth. "Oh, you're calling me unrefined? How about we see a video of your Games?"
"Do you hear yourselves?" Haymitch barks. "This is exactly what Snow wanted; to divide us. Even from six feet under, you're letting him win. We didn't lose our friends so that you could act like immature girls."
His words seem to have a calming effect on both women, because they relax their stances. It's obvious they aren't friends, but it appears they've reached an understanding, one that only comes from knowing someone for years. We all grew up hearing about the legend of Haymitch Abernathy. After all, no other victor can say they outlived 49 tributes. He was also the first victor who changed the rules of winning.
Perhaps he should've been groomed to lead the rebellion, instead of me- although, I cringe to imagine the Mockingjay suit on him.
Enobaria glances around the room. "It's not just her, Haymitch. You all treat me differently because of my district's connection to the Capitol. But guess what? After Haymitch and Beetee, I'm the oldest victor left! Like you told me once, Johanna, I am one of you. I'll rejoin this little party when you start remembering that."
With a huff, she trudges away from us, slips her jacket on, and leaves.
Peeta glances over to me. "Did you notice…?"
"Notice what?"
"Her teeth are normal again."
