I am woken by the sound of the trumpets sounding, Claudius Templesmith is inviting us to a feast. I really am not very hungry but this could be a good chance to take out a few people. I pack up my backpack and start to make my way to the Cornucopia. When I arrive, I stay in the safety of the trees and arm my bow so whoever comes in my line of vision will die. At first, nothing happens and then a table comes out of the ground holding a loaf of bread. I see Foxface and try to shoot her but my accuracy isn't very good from here so I'm going to have to get closer. Foxface, manages to get back into the safety of the trees but she couldn't get the bread. As I am aiming my bow again I feel someone crash into me, I try to wrestle the person off of me but they pin my arms on the ground and sit on my chest. Clove. "Katniss. It's too bad that you couldn't help your little friend. That little girl, what was her name again? Rue? Yeah, well we killed her. And now, we're gonna kill you." I won t close my eyes As my last act of defiance, I will stare her down as long as I can see I will not cry out, I will die, in my own small way, undefeated because the comment about Rue has filled me with so much fury. Just when Clove is about to cut me, a great force yanks her off of me. Thresh. I have never heard Thresh say anything above a mutter, so when he shouts it makes me jump.
"You kill her?" Thresh shouts at Clove. "No!" Clove screams Cato's name when Thresh slams her into a tree repeatedly until she dies. I watch in shock and horror at the scene that is unfolding before my eyes. Thresh turns to me, "Just this one time, I let you go. For the little girl. You and me, we re even then. No more owed. You understand?." I do understand, about owing someone. We hear Cato's voice calling for Clove. "You better run now, Fire girl." Thresh tells me, I nod at him before running in a completely different direction away from Cato's shouting.
A few hours later, I hear the Trumpets start to sound again. And then Claudius Templesmith's voice sounds out throughout the arena. "Attention tributes. Attention. The regulations acquiring a single victor has been suspended. From now on, two victors may be crowned if both originate from the same district. This will be the only announcement." I don't know why two victors can win but I'm not complaining. I start to look for Jason and eventually I find him hiding out in a cave. And I tell him everything that has happened and I suggest we go hunting as we're starving. As me and Jason are walking through the river to hide our footprints, Jason breaks the silence. "We know Thresh took off. Cato's gonna be by the Cornucopia, he's not gonna go some place he doesn't know. Fox Face, she could be anywhere." I nod, taking in this information. "We should probably hunt around here. We don't have any food left." I say. "Okay. Uh...I'll take the bow" I look at him in shock. "I'm just kidding. I'll locate some stuff." I smile at him as he walks away. As I am hunting, I hear a cannon go off and frantically look for Jason, as I call out to him, Jason suddenly runs into me, asking if I am okay. "I heard the cannon!" I see the poisonous berries in his hand. "That's nightlock, Jason!" I knock the berries out of his hand. "You'd be dead in a minute!" I carry on shouting at him. "I didn't know" Jason says. "You scared me to death. Damn you!" I whimper and start crying and hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Jason apologises.
We find Fox Face dead after eating the nightlock berries that Jason had collected. "I never even knew she was following me." Jason whispers. "She's clever" I sigh. "Too clever." I take the remaining nightlock berries from Jason and tuck them into a small pouch, Jason looks at me in confusion. "Maybe Cato likes berries too." is all I say. As we walk through the jungle it starts to get dark. "Why is it getting so dark already?" I ask Jason who shrugs and says, "They may be in a hurry to end it."
After Cato kills Thresh, to make the finale exciting, ferocious dogs are placed in the arena, this forces me, Jason and Cato to run towards the Cornucopia, but Cato grabs Jason in a headlock and I poise my arrow ready to shoot. "Go on, shoot. And we'd both go down and you win." Cato shouts at me causing me to hesitate. "Go on. I'm dead anyway! I always was, right? I didn't know that until now. Isn't that what they want, huh?" Cato says to the sky. I hold my bow tighter getting ready to shoot but Cato tightens his grip on Jason. "No! I can still do this. I can still do this. One more kill. It's the only thing I know how to do. Bring pride to my district. Not that it matters." Cato hisses. At that moment Jason mouths at me to shoot and he springs out of Cato's grasp, Cato falls off the Cornucopia and the dogs start to devour him, in an act of mercy I shoot Cato, killing him instantly.
Me and Jason hug and the arena is turned to day again, we wait for confirmation and an announcement is made again. "Attention. Attention, tributes. There's been a slight rule change. The previous revision allowing two victors from the same district has been revoked. Only one victor may be crowned. Good luck. And may the odds be ever in your favour." Me and Jason look at each other. "Go ahead. One of us should go home. One of has to die, they have to have their victor." Jason tells me, I stare at him in disbelief. "No" I say. "They don't." I pull out the nightlock berries and Jason looks at me in understanding. I pour some berries into his hand. "Together?" Jason asks me. "Together." I confirm. Just as the berries pass our lips, the voice of the announcer stops us. "Stop! Stop! Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the winners of the 74th annual Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen and Jason Allen." We stare at each other again before I fall into his arms for a hug. Jason holds me tightly. "I don't know why you saved me, but thank you Katniss." Jason whispers in my ear.
When we arrive back at the Capitol, Haymitch grabs my arm and leads me to the roof. "They're not happy with you." Haymitch tells me with worry in his eyes. "Why because I didn't die" I reply with no emotion in my voice. "Because you showed them up." Haymitch corrects me."Well, I'm sorry it didn't go the way they planned. You know, I'm not very happy with them either." I scowl at him. " Katniss, this is serious. Not just for you. They don't take these things lightly." Haymitch hisses at me. "You could be killed and I don't want to lose you, sweetheart." Haymitch whispers the last few words. I look at him in pity. "You won't" I say and throw my arms around his neck, Haymitch buries his face in the crook of my neck and holds me tightly. When I left the arena I was supposed to be safe but it seems that the most dangerous part of The Hunger Games is about to begin, all because of those stupid berries.
Post-games Interview.
"How did you feel when you found him by that river?" Caesar questions me. "I felt like the happiest person in the world. I couldn't imagine life without him. He's my best friend. And I love him like a little brother." I smile at Jason who is rolling his eyes at me but he has a smile on his face too. I giggle at his expression. "What about you, Jason?" Caesars asks him. "She saved my life." Jason tells Caesar but I interrupt. "We saved each other." The audience lets out a collective Awww. "Ladies and Gentlemen, from district 12. This year's victors, of the 74th annual Hunger Games! Katniss Everdeen and Jason Allen!" Huge applause.
At the Victors crowning ceremony, President Snow places a crown on the top of my head, his eyes are as unforgiving as a snake's. "Congratulations." President Snow says. "Thank You." I tell him. Snow glances down at my Mockingjay pin. "What a lovely pin." Snow examines the pin. "Thank you, It's from my District" I explain. "They must be very proud of you." Snow finally meets my eyes before walking away. I blink rapidly as I watch him walk away.
Back on the train, Jason asks me "So what happens when we get back?" I take a moment to figure out how to answer his question. "I don't know, I guess we try to forget." I tell him and he nods before we watch the world pass us by in a blur. When we reach District 12, I see Prim on Peeta's shoulders waving and smiling at us. Jason sees where I am looking and takes my hand and lifts it in the air, making the crowd cheer louder. I smile and wave with my free hand, glad to be back home.
Later that night, I finally get to have my reunion with my family and Peeta in my new house. I see Prim, Peeta and my mother waiting outside our new Victors Village house and when Prim turns around and catches sight of me, her eyes light up in joy. "Katniss!" I hear my sister Prim shouting my name and we both break into a run, desperately wanting to meet each other. As I reach her, I pull her straight into my arms, tears streaming down my face like a waterfall. "Prim, Oh Prim." I whimper. I can feel Prim's tears on my shoulder. Peeta manages to catch up to Prim and he pulls us both into his arms. "Katniss. We missed you so much." Peeta tells me, Please don't tell me he is crying too. When I turn my head to look at Peeta, I can see he isn't crying but his eyes are glistening and before I can help myself I pull him into a passionate kiss which contains all the misery I have felt when he was gone.
Peeta smiles, "What was that for?" I smile at him, tears still falling and whisper, "I missed you so much Peeta." I turn my head to find my mother with a small smile on her face, watching me and Peeta. "Come on inside, It's freezing out here." My mother tells us and we comply. I don't once let go of Peeta's hand until he has to leave for his home. "I'll see you tomorrow afternoon when I've finished my shift at the bakery around 4:30 again. I love you." Peeta tells me and he gives me a sweet kiss before he leaves. I try to go to sleep but a couple of hours later I am woken by nightmares. Roses. Wolf Mutts. Tributes. Frosted Dolphins. Friends. Mockingjay's. Stylists. Me. Everything screams in my dreams tonight. Every night it is the same. I drag myself out of nightmares each morning and find there's no relief in waking. Also, Peeta keeps all of us in fresh baked goods. I hunt. He bakes. Haymitch drinks.
One night, I go to find Haymitch, who I haven't seen since he warned me about the danger I was in with the Capitol. I knock on Haymitch's door and he answers immediately with a bottle of liquor in his hand when he sees me, he invites me in. I walk into his house and find a couple of empty bottle on the kitchen table. I sit on one of the chairs and Haymitch sits opposite me. "Want a drink?" He asks me and I nod. Haymitch hands me a bottle and I guzzle it greedily before I start to choke on it. It's disgusting, I don't know how Haymitch can drink it as it burns my throat. "Do the nightmares ever go away?" I ask him, sounding like a small child. "No" He tells me honestly. "Can I stay here tonight, please?" I ask him and he nods. "I'll sleep on the sofa." He replies. I give him a small nod then make my way to his bedroom. But I don't want him to sleep on the sofa. In fact, I want him to climb in with me, to be there when the nightmares hit tonight.
And like I guessed, a couple of hours later. Haymitch is leaning over me, trying to wake me from the shadowy world the nightmares have landed me in. When he manages to wake me, he gets ready to leave but I stop him by grabbing his wrist. "Stay with me" I plead. Haymitch doesn't know what to do so I continue, "Because I can't handle the nightmares. Not without you" He seems to have made up his mind and then climbs into the bed next to me. He automatically wraps me in his arms and I didn't realize until now how starved I've been for human closeness. For the feel of him beside me in the darkness. In the morning, I make my way back home and I can tell something is wrong when I see my mother. She looks really pale. "Katniss, honey. They're is someone here to see you." My mother sounds too cheerful and a door I have never seen closed before is closed. Who is here? Why is my mother so pale? A capitol man escorts me to the room and when he opens the door, I come face to face with the snake-like eyes of President Snow.
He holds up a finger, as if to stay 'Give me a moment.' President Snow puts his book down and then turns his attention to me. This first thing that comes out his mouth is so unexpected, It worries me. "I think we'll make this whole situation a lot simpler by agreeing not to lie to each other. Do you agree?" President Snow asks me. I just stare at him before I say in a surprisingly steady voice. "Yes, that would save time." President Snow seems satisfied with my response before getting right back to business. "I have a problem, Miss Everdeen. A problem that began the moment you pulled out those poisonous berries in the arena" President Snow starts. "The girl who was on fire, you have provided a spark, that left unattended, may grow into an inferno that destroys Panem." I take in this new information and I don't know how I dare say the next words but I do. "It must be pretty fragile, if a handful of poisonous berries can bring it down." Snow stares at me, before answering, "It is fragile, but not in the way that you think." I don't know what he means so I don't say anything, I treat him as if he was a real snake, the venomous kind, I don't take my eyes off of him and I consider plans of retreat. "I want you to do something for me, Miss Everdeen. I want you to subdue the districts and stop this rebellion or I will kill all of your loved ones. And if I was you, I would take this situation seriously because I have killed other peoples loved ones when they didn't impress me. Remember Haymitch Abernathy? He has no one left he loves because I killed them all and I would easily do it again if I could."
I remember how Haymitch lives alone. No friends. No family. He has no one left he loves, except me. For the first time, I feel sympathy for Haymitch because of everything he has been through. Haymitch is the example in this cruel world, he is the victim of these horrors Snow holds over us. "I'll stop the rebellion, I promise. Just don't hurt them, please." I beg him. Snow nods at me before getting up to leave. "Aim higher in case you fall short" I don't answer him, as I am too lost in thought about the close proximity this evil man is to my family. As soon as, Snow has left the room, I start to break down crying. I can't lose Prim or Peeta or my mother. I just can't.
I hear my mothers quick footsteps heading towards me. She can't find out about this situation. I quickly compose myself and when my mother asks is everything is okay I tell her. "Yeah, everything is fine. The president always visits the victors before the Victory Tour, they just don't show it on television." I can see my mother visibly relax when she hears this. "Oh good, I thought there was some trouble. Would you like me to run you a bath?" My mother asks me, gently. "Sure" I can tell my mother is pleased with my response, ever since I came back from the Games I have been trying to mend our relationship. As I can't keep punishing her for something that was out of her control. Because sometimes things happen to people and they're not equipped to deal with them. Like me for instance, right now.
I go upstairs where a steaming tub awaits me, my mother has added a small bag of dried flowers that perfume the air. I undress and lower myself into the silky water - my mother has poured in some kind of oil as well - and try to get a grip on things. The first question is who to tell, if anyone. Not my mother or Prim, they would just become sick with worry. Not Peeta. There are still three people I might confide in. Cinna, my stylish but I don't want to drag him into this mess. Then there is Jason who will help me put out the flames of the rebellion. And then there is Haymitch. Drunken, cranky, confrontational Haymitch. As my mentor, it was his duty to keep me alive in the Games. I only hope he is still up for the job.
Even underwater I can hear the commotion outside, my prep team must be here. A few seconds later, I find out I am right as Flavius, Venia and Octavia burst through the door into the bathroom. There is no question of privacy. There are no secrets between my body and the three beauticians. "Katniss, your eyebrows!" Octavia squeals, horrified. I roll my eyes at her and then hand myself over to the team. I'm guessing Cinna told them only to do my face and hands because of the weather, It's snowing outside so everything else with be covered in furry clothes. When they're finished, I am personally escorted to the train for my Victory tour. I see Haymitch and Jason are already on board, waiting for me. I greet them both before the train starts rolling towards District 11.