My grandfather walks toward me in a field of roses, a slight grin showing behind his facial hair. He takes me into his arms for a tight hug. As usual, he smells of roses and blood. Mother says this is from a mouth disease he has, and I have learned to put up with it. We walk through the garden atop his mansion, overlooking the Capitol.
He holds a hand out to the city and says, "One day, James, this will all be yours."
"But, Grandpa," I remind him, "The Vice President Alexander is next in line for your office."
He just chuckles. "This position was my father's, and now mine. Neither of my children wants it, and Arianna is not prepared. In a year or two, I will ask Mr. Alexander to step down and you will be my second-in-command."
"Are you serious, Grandpa?" I ask excitedly.
He nods his head.
This is the last conversation I had had with the president alone, only two days before the rebel takeover. It is also the only dream I remember having between the time I passed out in the arena and when I awoke in the hospital.
The room is soft. Yellow walls and flowers make me feel calm and comfortable. A window overlooks the mountains, a beautiful sight. I lay in a hard bed under scratchy sheets and a yellow blanket. In a chair beside me, Wyatt is reading.
When I turn over, he looks up and smiles. "James! How are you feeling?"
"Fine," I tell him quietly. "Where…am I?"
"We're in the hospital on the edge of the city," he tells me. "President Paylor had the entire top floor reserved just for you three."
Three? I think. The first is obviously me. And the second must be Asher. But who else? It must be-
"Elisabeth," I whisper.
Wyatt's smile drops a little. I know the news must be bad.
"How is she?"
He thinks for a minute before answering that question, "All things considered, she's doing well. Her first surgery on the hovercraft revealed a ton of punctured organs. The impact alone should have killed her, and if not, it should have been the blood loss. She made it through two surgeries that day, but they couldn't risk anymore. They wanted to wait twelve hours. When the doctors checked on her this morning at about ten, they thought she had about an hour to live." He says this all so quickly, but his tone tells me it hurts him to be the one that has to relay all of this information to her husband.
"What time is it?" I ask, barely able to breathe.
"Three thirty."
My eyes widen and I begin to hyperventilate, but he assures me she is alive. I beg him to let me see her, pleading between sobs.
"Fine," he says exasperatedly after ten minutes. "I'll take you, but you can't tell the nurses or doctors. They'll have me fired."
I nod, even though I am pretty sure his employment was terminated after the Hunger Games. In fact, I do not even know why he is here. I am grateful for it, though.
He helps me stand, which is not difficult, then gives me a pair of slippers to match the patients' gown I wear. Slowly, he checks to make sure the hall way is clear, then motions me to follow him. This is a very nice hospital, much better than the inner-city ones. The floors are made of wood and the hall walls are a soothing beige color. Windows are open everywhere, letting in natural light and a fresh breeze.
We walk two doors down, and Wyatt knocks twice. Annie opens the door and, upon seeing me, invites us in. Elisabeth lies in a bed connected to many machines by tubes attached to her body. Her hair is spread out on the pillow, and her normally bright eyes are now pale. A beeping noise relays her heart-beat to me.
I walk to her side, get down to my knees, and grab her right hand. "Lissie?"
She looks at me and a faint smile dawns her face. "James, I love you," she says breathlessly.
"I love you, too," I say, crying again, "And everything is going to be alright."
"I made it through the Hunger Games," she says slowly. "I'm not afraid to die."
"Don't say that, Lis."
"Remember this, James," she says. "Remember love."
For a minute, I just watch her. Then a single tear escapes her eye, her chests ceases rising, and the heart-beat reader goes flat.
A nurse rushes in followed by a doctor and another nurse. "Mr. Snow?" The second nurse says. But she continues, "I'm afraid I need you to leave."
I am led by Wyatt and Annie to the hall where they both wrap their arms around me as I sob. I know she cannot be dead. They rock back and forth slowly as Annie makes a 'shhhhh' noise. At one point, I see the wedding ring on her hand and know that I will soon see a ring on my wife's hand.
After what feels like an eternity, the doctor comes out, shutting the door firmly behind him.
"I am afraid…" he says, then pauses. "I am sorry to tell you that Mrs. Snow did not make it."
I think for a moment to figure out who Mrs. Snow is. Was he not just with Elisabeth? But I soon realize that our marriage made her Mrs. Snow. The love of my life is dead.
I break free of Annie and Wyatt's grip. I feel my feet running as the tears flow. I just want to leave the hospital, to find Elisabeth, to hold her. I turn a corner and run straight into someone, knocking us both down. He stands first, and then pulls me up, too. Through my watery eyes, I recognize Asher.
I embrace him, and he hugs me back. I can sense Wyatt behind me and hear his explanation of what has happened. He then joins Asher, and hugs me again. Soon, I feel four others join our group-hug. Sarah, Katniss, Peeta, and even Effie have all joined us, and Annie soon follows. All of us stand there, crying. Each of them with their arms around me, me holding on to Asher.
The rest of that day was passed in misery. I was released from the hospital and taken back to the training center, the last place I ever wanted to be. I refused any food or drink, and just lay in bed until I fell asleep that night.
Soon, it is morning. I feel that I do not have the tears to cry any longer, and decide that I must live my life now. I have to face the world without her, as much as it will hurt. That is what she would want. I manage to also push my mother from my mind.
I rise from the bed. Asher is absent. I go to shower away my dirt and tears, then dress in jeans and a black t-shirt left out for me. In the mirror, I am slightly relieved to see that my hair has been returned to a dirty-blond color and the star on my face is no longer there. Also, there is not even a trace of the scratch Jamica left on my face.
When I head to breakfast, my entire team has assembled around the table and are laughing together…like a family.
"Ah, James," Effie says gently as I select a tasty looking pastry. "How are you feeling today?"
I appreciate her efforts, fully aware this level of kindness is not in my escort's nature. "I'm alright," I tell the table. "I want to just go on with life. I refuse to be the kind of person that completely shuts down."
"I'm proud of you," Katniss says quietly.
"Well," Effie moves on, "We have a busy day ahead of us. Unfortunately, I will be leaving the Capitol tomorrow to visit District 12. You know, there are over 300 people living there now and I am simply dying to meet them. Anyway, at noon, there is a memorial service for the fallen tributes at the city circle. I assumed you would both attend?"
I look to Asher, who nods. I do the same and Effie continues, "Then you will return to the salon to get ready for tonight's Crowning Ceremony. Oh my, look at that time; I had better get to the circle to prepare for the funeral. See you in a few hours!" With that, she rushes to the elevator, leaving six of us.
"Boys," Peeta sighs, "President Paylor was very clear that you do not have to attend either of these if you aren't up to it."
"I want to," I say. "For Lissie."
"Me too," Ashe agrees.
"Um, Peeta?" I begin what I know will be an interesting conversation.
"Yeah?"
"Without my mother, what happens to me?" I ask. "Will I live with my aunt and uncle?"
There is a long moment before he replies, "Your aunt, uncle, and cousin have moved to District 2, James. They want to get away from the Snow family legacy, and start fresh."
"Oh…" I whisper, looking down. That was embarrassing.
"But, actually, I think the president wants to explain this to you," he promises.
Wyatt and Sarah return our hair to black, but do not tamper with our appearances any further. We are both placed in tuxedos. Mine has golden pants with a golden jacket and golden shoes. The shirt, tie, and even socks are a blue that mirrors Elisabeth's outfits. Asher's is identical, but silver replaces gold and green replaces blue.
At the memorial, each tribute is honored in their order death, 22 total. When, it is my mother's turn, a new wave of emotion comes over me, but I control myself much better than yesterday. Elisabeth is the last person honored. Annie's eulogy brings fresh tears to my eyes, but I remain in control. At the very end, I am presented with her wedding ring and the bracelet I gave her at our interviews. By the time the conclusion has ended, I am smiling again, though my remorse is obvious.
The crowning ceremony, the final event of these infernal Games, does not bring sorrow to my mind, but relief. Relief that I am out of the arena. Relief that Asher is unharmed. Relief that Elisabeth is not suffering.
As Asher and I sit next to each other in large thrones on the President's Balcony, Paylor begins to speak. She tells the citizens of how these Hunger Games were initiated. Then speaks of Katniss's major change of heart, her efforts to repeal the decision, and her ultimate failure. Next, she confirms why the Games were canceled prematurely and informs the Capitol that Jamica and Elisabeth could not be crowned because of their deaths, but will be forever remembered as Victors. She then assures the entire country that the Hunger Games will never be reinstated as long as she remains in power. She places a large golden crown atop my head, and a similar silver one on Asher.
As the crowd bursts into applause, guards escort all three of us inside a set of huge wooden doors. Here, we are greeted by Katniss and Peeta. The have two other boys with them. The first appears to be somewhere between their age and mine, and the other seems to be a few years younger than I. I wonder if these are Asher's brothers.
This theory is confirmed when all three run to meet and embrace each other. As I join our mentors, I watch their love for each other. It is the love only a family can have, a love I will never know again. The government has taken my grandmother and parents; my extended family has abandoned me. Yet, I feel loyal to both. I respect the government because of their leader's greatness, and my family simply because they are Snows.
After a minute or two, the president clears her throat and speaks to all of us, "Shall we?"
Wordlessly Katniss, Peeta, the Mason brothers, and I follow her to her personal study where she sits behind her desk. Purple chairs have been brought in for all of us and we sit once invited. There seems to be some serious business to attend to.
"Boys," She says, "Unfortunately, the time has come to consider your guardianship."
"But Miss Snow," says the oldest brother, "I thought I was going to be the guardian of Asher and Austin?"
"Jordan, you are only 16, and barely so," she replies calmly. "You cannot legally adopt your brothers until you are 21, and you must have a guardian since you are not 18." He looks largely disappointed and worried, probably that they will be split. "Luckily, Mr. Mellark and Miss Everdeen have offered to take you all in."
"What?" Jordan blurts out.
"Well we love Asher," Katniss tells him, "And we don't want to split up your family. So, when the president told us he has twelve- and seventeen-year-old brothers, we offered to take you in as well."
"Seriously?" Asher asks.
The couple nod their heads in agreement. I smile at the thought of them. They will all be a happy family, most likely more like five siblings rather than parents and children, but still happy. Really, that is all that matters.
A sudden question occurs to me. "Um, Madame President," I say timidly, "What about me? Where will I go?"
She looks at me as though I am an idiot before Peeta tells me, "You, too, James. You are just as much family to us as anyone."
I can feel my eyes widen and my jaw drop. A rush of excitement fills me as I realize that I will be a part of this family that seems so ideal. I will have two parents and three brothers!
"Katniss will be heading up the Hunger Games Squad, a team working specifically to do the clean-up work for the Games and put any will to continue them to rest. Peeta, on the other hand, will become the tenth and final member of the Panem Council. The Training Center will be converted into government housing, and you will all be allowed to stay there as a permanent home."
As the Paylor says all of this, a final question comes to my mind. Luckily, Asher blurts it out first. "What about the other people involved in the Games? The stylists, mentors, escorts, Makers? Us?"
"Oh," she says, slightly thrown off. "Well you and James will both be treated as Victors. School is no longer required, though we will ask you to serve as assistants to Miss Everdeen. Most stylists will return to their posts as my personal team, or military, or their private practice. Your Team 12 stylists have requested to be put on the Hunger Games Squad, to destroy the Games Gang. However, I feel they will work better as a publicity team, and I think you two may be able to help them. Some mentors will join the Squad, but most have already been laid off. And, as for the Gamemakers, the courts will decide their fates."
For a moment, the world seems to be at peace. I feel like my life will return to normalcy.
If only I had known the things that were to come.