A/N: This chapter is not the last one but the next one will be the last one. I hope you enjoy it!
I knock twice on the door in front of me. No answer. I knock again, but only once this time, and a bit harder.
"What makes you think she wants to see you?" I hear Haymitch's voice from somewhere down the hallway.
I ignore him and put my hand on the doorknob, ready to open the door whether she wants it or not.
"What makes you even think she's in her room? She could be anywhere these days, you know her, roaming around all the time…"
I look at him. It's a blank look but apparently it says enough because Haymitch shrugs, turns around and wobbles down the hallway, a bottle of liquor in his hand. I'm clearly not the only one who still has a tough time.
I turn the knob and open the door. At first glance, there's no one here so I'm about to leave when I hear a shuffling. She's hid herself somewhere in this room.
"Katniss?" I whisper. I don't know why I whisper. Maybe because I have this idea in my head that she's ridiculously fragile and I could break her with nothing but my voice.
The door of the closet opens and reveals a very skinny and pink Katniss. It's more a patchwork of Katniss' skin and other skin. She looks like some weird fish. And she does look ridiculously fragile.
I'm about to ask her how she's holding up but something else comes out of my mouth. "Why were you in that closet?"
She shrugs weakly. Right, I forgot she's not really talking much these days.
"I was going to ask you how you were but I think I can answer that question myself," I say while I make myself comfortable in one of the deep red, velvet chairs.
She looks at me, one eyebrow raised as if she doesn't really believe me.
"Don't give me that look. I do know how you feel. Finnick was the closest thing I had to a brother, and Prim had become a very good friend so yes, I do know how it feels."
Katniss casts her eyes down. Maybe she has realized it's not because I already lost so many people I have forgotten what it's like to miss someone, to mourn, to feel pain. Because I do. And she needs to know that.
I stand up. "Anyway, I just wanted to check up on you so…I'm going back to my room now. Take care."
It's a lie. I wasn't just there to check up on her, I was there because I needed to talk to someone. I've never been good at handling things on my own. Well, I have but there was always someone who knew about what I was dealing with and that was comforting.
I hate to admit it but really need someone to hold me. Anyone would do.
But there's no one around. Apart from Haymitch, I haven't seen a single soul in the usually crowded hallways. Not even a guard. No one.
It appears that it's just a Victor-thing, wandering around the mansion of the man who made your life a living hell.
I'm finally back at my own room but when I open the door, it's not empty at first glance, as was with Katniss'.
"Posy!" I yell in surprise with a smile on my lips.
She jumps off my bed and hugs me around my waist. "I missed you," she says, her voice sounding a bit muffled.
"I missed you too," I say softly while I pat her on her back. "Come on, let's sit on my bed."
The bed is way too big for just two people and yet she's crawled as close to me as she possibly can. Just when I needed someone, she was there. A five-year-old.
"How are you doing?" I ask her, my arm draped around her tiny shoulders.
She nods while speaking. "Good. A bit sad because Prim was my friend, and because everyone else is sad."
"Who else is sad?"
"Rory and Vick. Especially Rory. And Gale too. And my mom. And Katniss. And you."
I smile. "I'm not sad anymore."
She suddenly looks up. "Mommy says that lying is bad. You're lying."
"Okay, I'm still a little bit sad. But I'll be fine. And Rory will be fine too. And everyone else as well. You'll see."
We sit a few minutes in silence before she asks me if I'm still as sad as I was before I saw her. I say I'm not.
"Okay, then I have to go," she says. Immediately she jumps off the bed again.
"Why?" I ask. It's not an accusing tone, just a neutral one.
"Now I have to go make Gale happy. If I sit with everyone for a while, then everyone will be happy again. Mommy says so."
Children's logic. I've never found it this entertaining. "Okay, then go. Make everyone happy."
She yanks open the door and runs off. I drift off to sleep.
"Tell me again why and where you're dragging me to?" I ask one of the two guards escorting me.
"President Coin's orders. We're not allowed to tell you."
"Right, but you are allowed to take me with you against my will. And here I was thinking things would be different after Snow. Guess I was wrong." I mutter the last part of my sentence but the guards heard me.
"We'll have to report that to President Coin," says the one to my right.
"Yeah, you do that. Tell her I said it with love."
Apparently we have arrived at our destination because the guard to my right suddenly puts his arm outstretched in front of me to stop me and the one to my left opens a door.
When I enter the room, I see Haymitch, Beetee, Annie and Enobaria. Enobaria has a nice shiner, courtesy of me. I don't say anything and pull out a chair.
A few seconds later, the door opens again and reveals Peeta. He has burns just like Katniss but not that bad. I smile at him and he nods.
Then Katniss comes in, wearing her Mockingjay suit. "What's this?" she asks us.
I don't know what to say so I wait for someone else to reply. Haymitch is the one who answers her. "We're not sure. It appears to be a gathering of the remaining victors."
Katniss looks around the room, studies all our faces. "We're all that's left?"
"The price of celebrity," Beetee chimes in. "We were targeted from both sides. The Capitol killed the victors they suspected of being rebels. The rebels killed those thought to be allied with the Capitol."
I cast my eyes down. I haven't really given much thought to the other Victors so I can say that this is a surprise. We really are all that is left. But then I look at Enobaria. She's from Two, and Two was working with the Capitol. It was the last District to fall.
"So what's she doing here?" I ask a bit angrily.
"She is protected under what we call the Mockingjay Deal," the voice of Coin suddenly says. I turn around to see she's just entered to room as well. "Wherein Katniss Everdeen agreed to support the rebels in exchange for captured victors' immunity. Katniss has upheld her side of the bargain, and so shall we," she continues.
Enobaria shoots me an infuriating smile. "Don't look so smug," I say. "We'll kill you anyway."
I won't kill her, I'll just beat her up. But I do think someone will eventually kill her. She's from Two. And she's Enobaria. That's reason enough.
"Sit down, please, Katniss," Coin says. Katniss takes a seat and Coin begins her speech. "I've asked you here to settle a debate. Today we will execute Snow. In the previous weeks, hundreds of his accomplices in the oppression of Panem have been tried and now await their own deaths. However, the suffering in the districts has been so extreme that these measures appear insufficient to the victims. In fact, many are calling for a complete annihilation of those who held Capitol citizenship. However, in the interest of maintaining a sustainable population, we cannot afford this."
What the hell is she talking about? I'm having trouble comprehending everything she says. Maybe it's the morphling. Oh, no, I quit that stuff again. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with my own fickleness.
Coin continues. "So, an alternative has been placed on the table. Since my colleagues and I can come to no consensus, it has been agreed that we will let the victors decide. A majority of four will approve the plan. No one may abstain from the vote. What has been proposed is that in lieu of eliminating the entire Capitol population, we have a final, symbolic Hunger Games, using the children directly related to those who held the most power."
That I can understand, but it surprises me nonetheless. "What?"
"We hold another Hunger Games using Capitol children," Coin repeats calmly.
"Are you joking?" Peeta asks, his face puzzled.
"No. I should also tell you that if we do hold the Games, it will be known it was done with your approval, although the individual breakdown of your votes will be kept secret for your own security."
Suddenly everyone is making noises. Talking, murmuring, yelling.
"Was this Plutarch's idea?" Haymitch asks, his eyes very narrow.
"It was mine," Coin said. "It seemed to balance the need for vengeance with the least loss of life. You may cast your votes."
"No!" Peeta yells. "I vote no, of course! We can't have another Hunger Games!"
I don't have to think about this for a second. "Why not?" I snap back. "It seems very fair to me. Snow even has a granddaughter. I vote yes."
"So do I," Enobaria says. "Let them have a taste of their own medicine."
I'm surprised to hear her agree to this plan. It doesn't make sense. She's from Two, Two has always sided with the Capitol. Why is she suddenly against the Capitol?
Peeta is obviously not happy with the situation. "This is why we rebelled! Remember? Annie?"
"I vote no with Peeta," she says. "So would Finnick if he were here."
"But he isn't, because Snow's mutts killed him!" I remind her. I know it's pointless but this is one of the reason why I voted yes. And I know Finnick would vote no, but I'm not Finnick. He would know I'd say yes, and he'd understand.
Beetee votes no too. "It would set a bad precedent. We have to stop viewing one another as enemies. At this point, unity is essential for our survival. No."
Of course Beetee would make it philosophical. 'Essential for our survival' my ass. As if the entire population of Panem depends on the lives of twenty-three Capitol dimwits.
"We're down to Katniss and Haymitch," Coin reminds us.
I have a feeling they will both vote yes. Haymitch because I know him. And Katniss, well, because I know her too.
"I vote yes, for Prim," Katniss says. I knew it.
"Haymitch, it's up to you," Coin says.
It's a done deal. Haymitch has been through enough. Peeta is still trying to talk Haymitch into voting no but I know he'll never say no to this.
"I'm with the Mockingjay," he says.
Coin is obviously pleased. "Excellent. That carries the vote. Now we really must take our places for the execution."
We all exit the room apart from Katniss who has something to discuss with Snow. I walk a little faster so I can walk next to Peeta but we have to part again at the doors. He'll be standing next to Katniss when she shoots the arrow. I don't want to be that close to Snow so I'm going to stand amongst other people. Guards, officials, rebels leaders surround me.
Katniss point her arrow towards Snow but she's hesitating. For the briefest of moments, I think she might say no to it, that she can't do it. But then she releases her arrow and not Snow falls dead, but Coin.
My mind goes blank in surprise, but only for a second.
This cannot be happening. Snow doesn't get to walk away from this. The man who made me kill thirteen innocent people, the man who made me have sex with strangers for his own benefit, the man who was responsible for my best friend's death does not get to live. Not if I have anything to say in it.
A rage engulfs me. In the chaos that has broken out I can see Katniss trying to kill herself, Peeta stopping her, both of them arguing, Katniss fighting with everyone who comes near her and eventually screaming for Gale. I know what she means. She wants him to shoot her. She doesn't want to deal with everything. I completely understand her but I know Gale won't do it. People around me are kicking and pushing and pulling and somehow I get my hands on some guard's rifle without him noticing it and I shoot. No one has seen it, no one has heard it but I know and that's all that matters.
Snow was my kill after all.
I am Johanna Mason, Victor of two Hunger Games, and I have killed President Snow.