A note to my readers: No, I am not done with this story, and I am so sorry for keeping you waiting since March for this chapter. I typically do my writing while I'm at work. It's been busy here. Yay money, boo no time to write. I've also been treating a very sick kitty at home. If Meeko doesn't make it, look for her in future chapters of this, or my next fic following Qwerty's story.
When the train pulled into District Twelve, I was shocked when I saw just how bleak and grey things are there. It must be the coal. I've never handled the stuff, but the dust must get all over everything. I was not greeted with a sea of smiling faces like I was when I came home to District Three. I knew that thinking that I should or would just be a pipe dream.
The mayor greeted us as we got off of the train. He did not have the miner look about him. His hand, when he took mine to give it a shake, was too soft. He also didn't look as sad as the people in the district. He escorted me from the train station to the Justice building where a small stage had been erected. There were four chairs on the stage along with a podium, and a table.
Franz, Beetee, and I took our seats at the stage, while the mayor stood to address the crowd of people who had formed. In the front most section of the audience was a smaller platform. To the left, from my perspective, was a worn looking woman, a man with two hunched shoulders, and two younger men with a similar posture. To the right, a clean looking woman, though her hands looked red and raw, a man with thinning white hair, a girl with blonde pigtails, who could not be a day over three, and a pair of twin boys who reminded me so much of Chrome and Safari that it made my blood run cold.
I hardly listened while the mayor retold the treaty of treason, as if anyone of us needed a retelling of it between all of the other times we hear it in the year. Finally, his hand extends to me, and he grins. But it is a polite smile. Nothing more than that.
"It is my honor to present you with the victor of the Sixty-First Hunger Games, Ms. Qwerty Jobs!"
The gathered crowd gave a polite applause. I rose slowly to my feet, and moved over to the podium. By the time I got there, the applause had already started to fade. I stood awkwardly at the podium before I started speaking.
"Thank you so much for your greeting, District Twelve. It really is an honor to be here with you today." My knees shook as I spoke. These Capitol words felt so hollow. My eyes fell to the families of the two fallen tributes, and I shouldn't help but wonder how my family would react to sitting there if I died. "I never really got to know your Daughter," I said as I looked to the woman to my left, "or your son." I said as I looked to the woman to my right. "I can only say that I am sure they brought a shining example of what your district truly is."
The crowd was silent; They were just staring blankly at me. I know that none of them truly wanted to be there. Two of their children were dead, and I was standing before then, in Capitol clothes, while they live in this stark poverty.
"Thank you for your children." I said then, with a catch in my throat. The mayor presented me with a plaque, and flowers. I took the flowers, and split the bundle into two, and handed each half to each of the mothers. "I am so sorry for your loss…" I said to each of them, before I was ushered inside the Justice Building.
"Qwerty!" Franz said as we walked into what would be my changing chamber. "That was brilliant! What you did with those flowers. The audience will simply eat that up! Who coached you into doing that?"
"It just felt like the right thing to do." I said, sitting down on the couch, and looked up at the three men in the room with me. "Was it wrong?" Now I was afraid that I had done the wrong thing, and someone that I cared about was going to get hurt.
"Oh, no." This came from Beetee. "Every victor has a thing. A gimmick. That Arista Waters has the stupid ankle scarf thing, and now you have the flowers." He said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, to wrap me up in one of his tight hugs. I was starting to get used to those.
"So… I should do that at each district?"
"Yes. End each one with the flowers." Franz said, grinning fondly towards me.
The door opened, and Lenora stepped into the room, holding up a large garment bag. She was grinning as well. "Franz, love. Do you think you can get me some more flowers? I have an idea." She said as she draped the garment bag over the arm of one the empty chairs.
"I'm sure I can." He said, before he slipped out of the room.
"You're going to glue flowers to me or something, aren't you?" I asked, being honestly worried about it. Leonora had dressed me in far less before.
This caused Lenora to laugh. "No, Qwerty." She said, grinning some. "But for your hair." She added, stroking my cheek.
Franz was not one to waste time. He returned moments later, while Lenora was helping me into my ball gown. District Twelve is known for Coal Mining, and as such, I was dressed in a coal grey gown. The material was light and easy to move in. And, it seemed to almost smolder and smoke as I moved about in it. My hair was swept up, leaving my neck exposed. Lenora had taken my heart shaped pendant that Iso had given me as my token, and placed it on a length of ribbon. This was tied about my throat. The flowers were trimmed and secured in my hair with pins.
When Lenora allowed me to see myself, I couldn't help but smile. "You always do suck amazing work!"
She was grinning as she stood behind me. "You don't give yourself credit, my dear. I only make you sparkle because you're already a jewel."
We left the Justice Building by car, and made our way for the mayor's house where we would be treated to a dinner in my honor. Jordan stayed by my side the whole time. He was trying to play off his job of security, but he knew I was used to having him around. He made me feel safe. However, the dinner was the last thing I wanted. Each of the Twelve Districts experienced a lost every year. There are families mourning in every district. I know I survived because of dumb luck. Had Thor not been so arrogant, I'd be dead. Just thinking about it now makes me want to cry.
The food was simple, but I assumed it was far better than the people of the district normally got to eat. I tried to eat as little as possible, but every time I thought I could walk away, Jordan handed me something to eat. And eyed me until I gave into him. Once he thought I had eaten enough, Jordan did ask me to dance.
He moved as quickly and elegantly as anyone would. I didn't think he had it in him. I was just starting to really enjoy myself when Franz came up behind me, tapping me on the shoulder. "It's time we moved on, Qwerty. We have a long train ride ahead of us to get to District Eleven."
The ride back to the train station was rather uneventful. I didn't bother showering; I just peeled the dress off of myself, and crawled into the bed. Sleep claimed me faster than I thought it would.
