Chapter 1

Fortune Tellers Can Be Good Persuaders

KATNISS

I lean back in my chair, my brain swirling with what I have just witnessed. First of all, according to this... future, if I had never shot Coin then she would have had me executed. Well, I knew that she loathed me and wanted me dead, but we had an agreement. None of the surviving victors would be harmed. Maybe she used her president status to have the agreement revoked. That sounds like something she would do.

Secondly, this Melody girl... she was Snow's granddaughter? Huh. I know she hated me as well for killing Snow (well, if I had killed Snow), but I can't help feeling a little sorry for her. And the other tributes. Maybe they weren't all that bad. Well... the Capitol was. But they're all still human.

I now know I made the right choice in shooting Coin. If I had shot Snow, then both me and Melody would have suffered. But because I shot Coin, we both got to live. Well, I got to live, I'm not sure about Melody. I wonder where she is now, if she's still alive. Certainly not president - Paylor has that job. But she could still be living in the Capitol with a family of her own. And I can't believe that it was one choice that saved twenty three children's lives.

I look at the one-eyed old woman, whose grinning at me. "Please," I say. "I must be getting back to my family..."

The old woman pouts. "But what about Melody? I know you want to know what would have happened to her, if this was to be..."

She's right. I'm dying to know what would have happened to Melody. Maybe I can stay a little bit longer. I'm staring at the still swirling contents of the glass sphere, transfixed.

"Alright, I'll stay a little bit longer," I say, sitting back down. The old woman smiles a toothless grin.

"O.K, deary, look into the ball then,"

I lean forward, ready to see more of Melody Upmire's mesmerizing, yet heart-breaking story.