I sit on the couch, Buttercup on my lap, my mother next to me. All three pairs of eyes are fixed on the screen, where we will see Katniss's first appearance in front of the Capitol.
The Tribute Parade.
My head is hurting from exhaustion and my eyes are burning from crying, but no power in the world could make me close them now.
The TV is so small it's annoying, but neither me nor my mother wanted to go into the square. Gale gave us plenty to eat, and we needed privacy and we didn't want to be in public.
Gale asked us if we wanted to watch at his house, but I think he'd prefer some privacy too. He did have feelings for my sister, after all.
I'm still aching because I let her take my place. People needed Katniss. Gale did, Madge did, and those who admired her. Katniss was liked.
Me, however, everybody likes me, but no one needs me like they did Katniss.
I don't drop my gaze as I see the bright, sparkling chariot of 1, followed by 2, 3, 4, 5…
I keep my stare locked, and I gasped when I saw the flames engulfing Katniss.
Had something gone wrong? No! It just couldn't be!
My heart stops when I see my sister, waving at the audience, holding Peeta's hand, surrounded by fire.
Katniss is smiling and waving and blowing kisses. This isn't the Katniss I know, but I don't mind her friendly attitude. If anything, I'm glad. She'll probably get many sponsors.
Maybe Katniss really can come home.
I let my eyes leave the screen and I study my mother's face.
She's wearing so many emotions that I have to work them out one by one. There's relief, longing, sadness… there's also confusion, and the rest is blank. She's focusing on every move Katniss makes, on everything that is going on.
I watch, disgusted, as the Capitol citizens cheer and laugh. How could they worship something like this? How could they support 23 children's deaths every year?
I shake my head, and I notice my entire body is shaking. I see this when Buttercup meows in an annoyed manner and leaps off my lap.
After the parade, I don't stick around to listen to Caesar Flickerman's or Claudius Templesmith's comments.
Instead, I got up and made my way to our room. I then crawled under the blankets and cried. For the next three days, I'd get no news from Katniss.
Well, not Katniss exactly, but the Girl on Fire. And at home waits the Girl on Fire's sister.
