To Historywriter2007 thank you for your wonderful beta work and for being a soundboard for this story. Please note I do not own The Hunger Games or A Christmas Carol
The last time we saw Katniss, Finnick had shown her the past that included Peeta, then he took her to the present where she learned what was going on in the district without her, now it's time to go to the future
They flew across the expanse of the heavenly realm toward a small dot of light. They were in a tunnel of some sort. Despite how magnificent and curious everything around her was, Katniss couldn't look at it her mind was whirling with what she just saw. Her sister was attacked by a rabid dog and she couldn't do anything to help her. It had been her own folly to lay hands on Finnick. She should have run forward and helped her sister. She tried to remove her hand away from his arm but it was as if she was fused with him. "Finnick, this isn't funny, my sister!"
They came to a stop and began descending through billowy clouds. Looking up she could see the clear evening sky, the stars numbered in the hundreds of thousands, some brighter than others.
Finnick only raised an eyebrow. "You wanted to know why it was so important that you attend the party, well welcome to the future where you will reap what you have sowed."
It was dark and stormy outside, it looked as if rain was about to fall from the sky. "Come along." They walked through the district until they came to her house.
They walked through the walls where Katniss saw her mother sitting before her sister. "Prim," Katniss whispered trying to hold her.
"I told you they can't hear you," Finnick said.
"What happened?" Katniss turned around.
"Your suspicions were right, the dog had rabies. The apothecary refused to sell you the medicine, so Peeta went and bought it for your sister. With the injection, your sister slowly returned to you but the bite became infected and although Prim survived it maimed her hand. She will never be able to use it to darn a sock much less suture a wound."
"Come on dear you can do it," her mother said to Prim.
Prim's hand shook as she tried to hold a pencil. Her fingers were swollen and she couldn't make a fist to hold it but her hand shook and the pencil fell through her fingers. Prim had tears sliding down her cheeks.
"It's okay, Primrose, you'll get there, slowly." Their mother put her arm around Prim.
"I'm not the one you should be focusing on mom, we should be worried about Katniss," Prim whispered.
"Your sister will be fine, we'll see her tomorrow. Now," their mother said picking up the pencil. "Let's try one more time."
"What do they mean visit me, where am I?" Katniss demanded, she was glad her sister was alive but she wouldn't leave her sister and mother alone, especially when her sister was so sick.
"Touch my sleeve," Finnick said.
Katniss did as Finnick asked she wondered where they were going next. Finnick brought her to the courtroom in the Justice Building.
"Who's on trial?" Katniss looked around the courtroom. Her sister and mother were in the audience. Prim's hand was bandaged and she was standing, there was no one next to her sister.
A woman was being dragged out of the courtroom the Judge was hitting his gavel trying to regain order.
"What's going on Finnick?" Katniss demanded.
There was a man dressed in a suit and he was speaking to the court. "Your honor, as you can see this woman is violent, just as the witness claimed. It's no wonder that her betrothed left her. "
Katniss lip furled at the sight of the witness, Marley Jacobson, he'd become a small man devoid of a conscious. Until today she had forgotten why she didn't trade him, it all began when they were little. "What is he doing here?"
"Testifying," Finnick quietly responded.
"Mr. Jacobson, would you mind stating once more what you told the court?" The prosecutor asked.
"I was coming back from making deliveries when I overheard Katniss Everdeen tell Rye Mellark she did not want to marry and she threatened to cause him harm."
"Thank you, Mr. Jacobson, in light of the evidence the prosecution rests."
"He's lying Finnick! That no good freeloading toad-face, is lying through his teeth. I never threatened Rye, I hardly spoke to him."
"Katniss," Finnick quietly reminded her, "This is what happened as a result of you not going to the party."
Katniss looked to Finnick for answers.
"Mrs. Mellark poisoned the hearts and minds of the villagers, no one traded with you. She convinced the PBFM her sons' disappearance was all your fault, she even hinted you killed him. You were put in trial and while no one was able to find his body..."
"I didn't kill him." Katniss interrupted shocked by what Finnick told her.
"I know that, and you were fortunate one of the surveillance cameras picked up footage of Rye climbing inside of a cargo train. It also showed Delly helping him and throwing a rock at the camera at the station on the night of the party. There was also a report of a blond man arriving in District Eight soon after."
"So what happens to me?" Katniss begged.
"Watch," Finnick simply said.
The judge spoke, "Since there are no closing arguments from the defendant it is now to in the hands of the jury to deliberate. The court will recess until a jury has come back with a verdict."
Finnick snapped his fingers and ten minutes sped by. Katniss watched as a jury member stood. "We the jury have found Katniss Everdeen guilty of breaking the laws of the Panem Bureau of Family Welfare. As for the charge of murder, we found her not guilty."
A murmur spread through the crowd.
The judge picked up the paper he held in his hand. "Since Miss Everdeen has not been able to calm down, I am forced to dispense with judgment without her presence. This court finds Katniss Everdeen guilty of openly defying the Bureau's policy. That young lady should have made more of an effort, then perhaps her young man wouldn't have left. That being said, I hereby proclaim Katniss Everdeen shall spend a period of 3 months in prison and at the end of her term she is to pay restitution to the PBFM in the total sum of 5000 credits for the disregard for the sanctity of the law. This court is adjourned."
"How am I going to pay that," Katniss shouted.
"Touch my sleeve Katniss." Finnick held out his arm.
"I need answers," Katniss demanded.
Finnick kept his arm stretched out. "There's more to be seen Katniss."
Katniss finally touched his sleeve, and Finnick flew them to a grand city. "Where are we?"
"This is the Capitol," Finnick said as they touched down on a house. Thereby the wall stood a short girl with blonde hair, her eyes were glazed over. She wore a small yellow toga-like dress.
"Who is that?" Katniss asked.
"That's Delly, she was part of an underground resistance who helped people like Rye disappear. The cameras picked her image, what she did was considered treason. She was arrested immediately and brought to the Capitol where they tortured her, and when she didn't speak they turned her into an Avox. Before you ask, an Avox is a slave whose tongue has been cut out."
Katniss watched as a door slammed open, as a group of Capitolites dragged themselves into the room. One of them grabbed Delly by the arm and threw her into a room.
Finnick turned his face away. "Delly has to serve this family until she takes her last breath. It won't be long though, by tonight she'll be dead."
Katniss was horrified that she was the cause of Delly's demise.
"Touch my sleeve."
Once more they were air bound and they found themselves back in District Twelve inside of a mine shaft. Gale was leaning up against a wall of rocks. He had a flask with him and was drinking. Before him was a caged bird.
"Tweet."
Gale laughed and mimicked the birds' song. "I used to hunt, I was once engaged to a beautiful girl I loved. She's dead, and it's my fault Because I didn't go to the party, cause I drank too much." Gale leaned back and took another swig of his flask. "Now this is my mistress."
"Gale, come in," the radio clicked on. "How's our bird?" Katniss recognized her voice coming through the radio.
Gale didn't answer he stumbled forward. A group of miners always had a bird with them when they went deep into the mines when the bird stopped singing they had to scramble to get out. The bird sang once more as Gale drunkenly danced around the small space.
"Gale," the radio clicked in again. This time her voice sounded funny. "How's the bird?"
Gale picked up the cage, "Tweet, tweet," he mocked and laughed. Suddenly the bird stopped singing.
Katniss ran in front of him, "Gale get out, the bird." She turned to Finnick. "He's drunk."
"He can't hear you," Finnick said.
"CATNIP…" Gale slurred. He stumbled further into the mines. Suddenly the earth shook and shaft they were standing in collapsed around them, Katniss screamed. She opened her eyes to find herself outside of the mines. Prim and her mother stood outside, it was raining, one of the formen named Eddie called them inside.
"Eddie any word?" Prim asked.
"I'm sorry Prim, your sister she was with the crew that was down there when the explosion happened." Eddie placed his hand on top of her shoulders.
"No, my sister is alive," Prim cried, "She's got to be alive."
"Prim," their mother walked forward and took Prim by the shoulders. "Thank you, Eddie."
They flashed forward to Peacekeepers standing outside of the house. It was dead of winter. Her sister and mother held meager belongings in their arms.
"What's going on?"
"Your sister has been excluded from the reaping," Finnick said.
"Well, at least she doesn't have to marry someone she doesn't love." Katniss was glad her sister was excluded.
"This isn't a good thing it's a punishment invented by Flavius."
"Where's Effie? She wouldn't let this happen." Katniss stated.
"Watch and see," Finnick said.
"Effie would never allow this to happen," Prim said.
"She wouldn't have been fired, had it not been for…" Her mother drifted off.
"Mom, everyone knows Effie was fired because of Delly." Prim glanced at Flavius who was smiling smugly at them. "At least she was always helpful to everyone, she made us a community." Prim held up her scared and malformed hand. "I wish I could do more."
"I know dear, but it's the only way," their mother said.
"I know mom," Prim said. "We have to pay Katniss debts."
Katniss watched Prim give Flavius the keys. "This should settle the debt."
"I'm sure it won't," Flavius smirked.
"Come on Primrose," her mother said. "We've got to find shelter."
Prim nodded.
"No, no, no, no, this can't be happening," Katniss whispered.
"Well, it does. Your sister's injury prevents her from being to help your mother's practice. Sure she does what she can but she's not as efficient as before." Finnick pointed to Flavius, "He's a snake in the grass, he goes after your sister to make an example. They are forced to sell the house to the PBFM, and they become homeless, beggars. In fact, it's because of Flavius the changes Effie wanted to make never take place. Instead, the rules get stricter to prevent something like your case Rye's Law comes into place. People are forced to marry right after they are Reaped. A black market run by a man named Thresh and Flavius opens up, young attractive youths are sold to the highest bidders in the Capitol."
Everything was so twisted. Her mind couldn't wrap around it, she couldn't wrap around the fact that she was dead and that her family had to pay for transgressions that weren't her fault.
"You see, Katniss, one person can make a difference."
"What happens to my family?" Katniss asked hoping they had managed to survive. "Doesn't anyone help them?"
"The only person in the district who tries to help them is Peeta." Finnick held out his arm. "Come on there's more to see."
Katniss wasn't sure she wanted to see more but she touched his sleeve. Things couldn't get any worse, she told herself as she flew next to Finnick time streamed by they stopped sometime in the future. "Where or rather when are we?"
"A Reaping," Finnick replied.
They stood on the side watching the events unfold. There was a couple hugging on stage, overjoyed to have been selected. Flavius had one of her many assistants escort the couple and their family off the stage.
Flavius reached into the bowl and picked up a slip, she read off the name, "Peeta Mellark."
Katniss eyes flew to the men's side.
A taller Peeta with broad shoulders moved forward, he had a scruffy blond beard and mustache. Katniss wrinkled her nose, she wasn't sure she liked the facial hair, though she did appreciate the broad shoulders.
He stood on stage, he wasn't smiling, Katniss could detect a trace of sadness as well as surrender in his eyes. The last time she had seen that look on his face was when he had lost the wrestling championship.
Effie read out loud, "Bell Rogscoe."
It hurt to see him paired up with someone else, especially knowing what she knew about Bell. Katniss tried to see the positive though, "At least he didn't end up alone."
"Do you think this is a good thing?" Finnick turns to her, "The Reapings are rigged, people pay to get paired with the person they want. Flavius pockets the money and gives a cut to Cray to keep it going."
Katniss was going to reply but she was pushed forward at a speed that was faster than sound.
Katniss was brought to a future that was bleak, bleaker than the place where they first arrived. There was no Christmas spirit even if it was Christmas Eve, none of the shops were decorated. There was no music, no lights, no tree in the center of town, and in the Seam there were no stockings, no cheer. It was as if the light within their hearts had extinguished. It was dark outside, churning gray clouds hung in the air. Everything smelled of soot, smoke, and fire.
Katniss glanced toward Finnick, "Is this District Twelve, this can't be the same place?"
"It is," Finnick confirmed gravely.
"It can't be."
"These are shadows of the future that is yet to come. It's the future set into motion because you refused to go to the party. The people rebelled because of Flavius the Peacekeepers swept in, many were killed and a lot of homes and business were destroyed. The district is still under marshall law and is being run by the Peacekeepers."
They stopped in a graveyard. There was a freshly dug grave but no one was present to see the body being buried. Katniss watched as a corpse wrapped up in linens was dumped into the shallow grave. "What about Peeta and my family?"
"Your mother didn't make it, she was killed, your sister lives in the slums by the train tracks."
"But you said Peeta was taking care of them?" Katniss implored.
"His new wife was threatened by Prim, she threw her out and told Peeta that she would have Prim shot if she found out she came near the bakery."
"I don't believe you," Katniss shook her head. Everywhere she could see destruction.
"Merry Christmas Katniss." Finnick moved forward.
Katniss followed him. She wasn't one to scare easily, but she was frightened. It was the dead of night outside. The buildings on the main street, that were not bombed out, were closed the only light came from the back if the bakery.
Peeta stood at the doorway watching as a woman in an amorous embrace with a Peacekeeper. He stepped into the back of the bakery and closed the door softly. He sat on one of the weathered stools, his face was haggard and old his eyes looked.
The door opened up and Bell walked in. When she spotted him on the stool her eyes narrowed. "What are you doing up I thought I told you to go to sleep early."
"I saw you." Peeta rubbed his face.
"You saw what?" Bell raised an eyebrow.
"I saw you with that peacekeeper how long has this been going on?"
"With him, not that long."
"How many have there been?" Peeta stood.
Katniss was shocked that would any woman want to cheat on Peeta.
Bell chortled, "You really are stupid?"
"You have to stop this or…" Peeta ran his hands through his hair.
"Or what Peeta," Bell growled.
Peeta stepped back when he saw Bell pick up a pan.
"You're a pathetic man. Your mother was right the only way to make you productive is to beat you." The woman pushed Peeta backward.
Katniss rushed forward but she walked right through Bell. She turned to Finnick. "Do something!"
"I'm not allowed, he's not my charge you are."
Helplessly Katniss watched the horror unfold before her. Peeta held is arms up as she swung at him knocking him down.
"I never loved you, and every morning I have to wake up a look at your dumb face. I don't even care for this business anymore. Ugh... to think I wasted my money on you." As she spoke she hit him again and again until he stopped moving. "I hope you die."
Finnick grabbed Katniss and moved her away.
"Wait what happens to him?" Finnick kept walking. "No, no, I'm not moving forward until I know if he's alive."
"One of the last things your sister did was helped heal him. He survives but the injuries he sustained make him incapable of baking. He couldn't lift the heavy bags of supplies, and he can't stand for hours at a time. The bakery defaulted and he lost the family business and Bell ran off with a Peacekeeper. He was unable to provide them with substance, your sister succumbs to illness. Peeta spends what little he has to bury her beside you."
Hearing this caused tears to run down her face. Her sisters' demise, her mother's, Gale's, Delly's, the district it was all too much. She was warring with herself because this all happened because she didn't act. He was beaten because she didn't want to go to the party and to give Peeta his mittens. Besides her sister Prim, Peeta was the only other person she considered good. To see him end up so bad was a miscarriage of justice.
"Follow me, Katniss, we have one last place to visit."
They flew further into the future, they were surrounded by woods. She felt the calm presence of the woods soothing her soul. It was then she saw a man, a very old man walking through the woods. He was hunched over, his left leg was dragging and he used a stick to walk. Katniss neared him and instantly recognized the blue eyes.
"Peeta," she whispered. "He looks so different." Saddened she looked to Finnick for an explanation.
"He survived but he's old and..." Finnick's words drifted away.
Katniss wanted to reach out and touch Peeta. His blond hair was feathery white, his weathered face an unreadable mask. He was no longer the bright boy filled with hope and light. He stopped by the broken fence, looking about before he crossed over into the meadow and headed toward the graveyard. They followed him until he was standing by four graves, he placed flowers on one of the graves. "What is he doing?"
"Every year on your birthday he comes out here and places flowers for you."
Seeing her grave and the markers for her parents and sister caused Katniss to gasp. She knew mortals lived a finite life, and she had been witness to the day she died, but seeing the grave caused her to feel cold.
She watched him wipe his tears, then after a while, he left. Katniss followed him, everything she had seen swirled within her like a storm. Peeta walked deeper into the woods.
"He lives in the woods, in your father's old stone house. No one even knows he's out here. He going to have a heart attack," Finnick sadly said, "it will be fatal."
"NO," Katniss tried to move but Finnick held her back. Peeta had done so much for her and her sister. He was there helping them until the bitter end. No one deserved this future. She watched in horror, "Finnick let me interfere."
"You know you cannot." He replied sadly.
She ran into the house and there on the floor lay Peeta. She put her hand on his cold body, "No Peeta, no…you didn't have to die like this. No one should've suffered like this."
"To paraphrase Charles Dickens Christmas Carol these the shadows of the things that Will be, Katniss. " Finnick stepped away. "I cannot help you anymore."
Finnick disappeared and she was surrounded by darkness. She held a pickaxe in her hand, she had on the miner's uniform. "No, please, don't leave me. I promise, to go to the party and tell Peeta how I feel. Please, Finnick...Finnick!"
