Hey guys! Happy almost June! I'm gonna be upfront with you all, these last few months have been some of the most tiring of my life, dealing with finals and AP tests, as well as wanting to put forward the best chapter possible for you all, it's definitely been stressful. So I've been debating with myself over how much longer I should continue this story, especially since I'll be going off to college in a few months. Nothing to really discuss, I just wanted to let you all know where my head is at. So for now, let's get into some reviews!
Everlarks75- Happy birthday! I can't believe it's been a year already!
Plz keep going! I can't wait!
Thank you! And I know, it's crazy that so many of you have been reading my story for this long.
FloatingFerrets- This story is really different to any other Hunger Games fic I've read, I just really like the set up of watching the 74th Hunger Games in that situation I guess. Your writing style is just so casual and flowy, it just really complements the plot. Looking forward to the next chapter! :)
Thank you so much! I think it's a bit of a more plausible situation than the Hunger Games books just appearing out of nowhere haha. And thank you, I'm proud to say that I think my writing has improved over the past year due to this story.
- Great chapter! Waiting to read more! Good luck with your exams!
Thank you, I'm just excited for it to all be over haha!
Alright now let's get into the chapter! (Which btw, will be a little shorter than last time.)
~Jillian
Xoxo
(Lily's POV)
We all wait with bated breath, staring at the screen as Katniss slowly drains of patience and Peeta slowly drains of blood.
"What's going on?" I whisper, gripping Devin's arm.
"I'm not sure," he shrugs, eyes pinned to the screen. "They're the last two left, wouldn't that mean they've won? I mean with the rule change and everything."
"Hey!" Katniss shouts into the air, "What's going on?"
"Maybe it's the body. Maybe we have to move away from it," Peeta suggests.
Celia looks over her shoulder at Devin, "Is that a rule?"
Devin has proven himself to know a bit more about Games than the rest of us, "I don't think so. Usually, after the final fight, the victor is announced and retrieved from the arena."
"Okay. Think you could make it to the lake?" Katniss asks.
"Think I better try," says Peeta. The pair of them inch stiffly down the tail of the horn, falling to the ground. Katniss stretches, shaking the ice from her veins, before tugging Peeta up and helping him to the lake. And then they continue to wait.
And wait.
But nothing.
"What are they waiting for?" Peeta asks weakly.
"I don't know," Katniss says, agitated. Her eyes search to grass, apparently finding something enough that she stands up to get, before a booming voice interrupts her.
"Greetings to the final contestants of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games. The earlier revision has been revoked. Closer examination of the rule book has disclosed that only one winner may be allowed. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor."
I feel a shiver run down my spine. Someone, Celia maybe, lets out a gasp. Adrian hides his head in his hands. Devin doesn't say a word, perhaps he already knew this would happen.
"But- but how then?" I whisper, feeling my face begin to flush. "How did they both get out if-?"
"If there could only be one." Celia let's silent tears fall from her eyes and onto her round apple cheeks.
"Celia," I say, "Why are you crying? You know they get out. You know they survive."
She sniffs, "I know, it's just… I can't help but imagine being in their place. All Katniss wanted to do was keep those she cares about alive. First Prim, then Rue, and now Peeta. How do you just turn on what's been motivating you for the majority of the Games? And Peeta, he loves her, he'd never hurt her just to win. But does that mean he'd just let himself die? How do you make that kind of choice?"
Her rambling ends, leaving the three of us speechless. I'm struck by the emotional intensity of Celia's words, awed by the truth of them.
"Your right Celia. I can't count the number of times I've thought about the pain they've endured, the horror they've witnessed. I mean, let's face it-!" I gesture wildly at the screen, "What we are watching is apparently just the beginning!"
I clench and unclench my jaw, feeling Devin wrap a strong and sturdy arm around my shoulder. "Do you want to keep going?"
I only nod, staring into the screen like it'll give me the answers I need, the answers that I crave.
Katniss and Peeta stare at each other in disbelief as the horror of this announcement sinks in.
"If you think about it, it's not that surprising," Peeta admits. He manages to stand up, revealing the knife-
I gasp, clutching the couch in a white-knuckle grip.
But then it splashes into the lake, leaving Peeta empty-handed as Katniss points a strung arrow at his heart. Clearly, she, the same as me, had believed for one terrible second, that Peeta might have tried to kill her. I feel nauseous, like I've betrayed my father and everything he stands for.
Katniss steps back and points her weapon down, her face reddening with shame.
"No, do it." Peeta limps forwards, grabbing onto Katniss' bow and pointing the arrow at his heart.
"I can't," Katniss tells him, "I won't."
I see Celia hide in Adrian's shoulder and my heart aches in agreement.
"Do it," Peeta continues to plead, "Before they send those mutts back or something. I don't want to die like Cato."
"Imagine pleading for someone to kill you," Adrian groans, rubbing Celia's arm. "I don't even know how you would be able to mentally prepare for that. Let alone move on."
"You shoot me then," Katniss demands furiously, "You shoot me and go home and live with it!"
"You know I can't," Peeta says, tossing aside the weapons. He leans down, grabbing onto the makeshift bandage on his leg, "Fine, I'll go first anyway." He tears the wrap away, eliminating the arguable weak barrier between his blood and the dirt.
"No, you can't kill yourself," Katniss falls to her knees, trying desperately to fix the now torn strip of fabric.
"Katniss, it's what I want," Peeta says, trying to comfort her.
"You're not leaving me here alone," Katniss begs, her gray eyes stormy.
To willingly give up your life for someone you love, someone who may not even love you back, is a choice I will thankfully never have to make. And that's due in part to my parents, and their fight to eliminate them. But how did they…
"Listen," Peeta pulls Katniss to her feet and away from his wound. "We both know they have a victor. It can only be one of us. Please, take it. For me." Peeta continues, saying words that are honestly pale in comparison to the poetry he spews on a daily basis to my mother, going on about his love for her and what life would be like without her.
But Katniss looks to have stopped listening, mind elsewhere. Her fingers start to fumble with the pouch on her side, the pouch of nightlock berries.
"No," I cry softly.
"No, I won't let you," Peeta says, grabbing her wrist.
"Trust me," Katniss whispers. The pair share an intense, unbreakable look, before Peeta slowly lets go. She loosens the top of the pouch, and pours a few into Peeta's palm.
"What are they…?" Adrian asks, tilting his head.
Katniss pours berries into her own hand, "On the count of three?"
Peeta leans down and kisses Katniss gently, savoring it, "The count of three."
"Oh my god," I say, mouth open in disbelief. Did they plan on killing themselves? A final act of rebellion against the Capitol of old Panem, to take the victor from them.
Katniss and Peeta stand back to back, empty hands locked together. "Hold them out," Peeta suggests, "I want everyone to see."
The berries shine with dark beauty in the sun, promising a glorious demise.
"One."
"What are they doing?" Celia asks frantically, sitting up straight and rigid.
"I'm not sure," I admit, voice breaking.
"Two."
"Are they really gonna kill themselves?" Adrian's confused and upset, likey disturbed at the morbid display.
"They live. We know this." Devin reminds us.
"One."
"But how-"
The berries have just slipped from their hands and past their lips when the trumpets blare.
"Stop! Stop! Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victors of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark! I give you the tributes of District Twelve!"
The four of us finally breathe again. In fact, I laugh. A relieved, crazed giggle, bubbles out of my body.
"Oh my god," I chuckle, "they've done it." I look around, sharing amazing and happy faces with my friends.
"And that strategy…!" Adrian is in awe, eyes wide. "To threaten to take away the entire end result of the Games from the Capitol, it's genius! She really stuck it to them!"
"Well I don't know," Celia notes, "Are we sure it's a strategy? I mean, was she thinking about sticking it to the Capitol? It looked to me like she couldn't stand the thought of being without Peeta."
"Well there's no way the thought of rebelling against the Capitol didn't cross her mind," Devin states plainly, "We've learned about the terrible conditions She and her family were living in. People were angry."
"I actually agree, she knew what she was doing when it came to threatening the Capitol," I add, "But she definitely cares about Peeta. Like she said," I pause, drinking in their victory and the love I know is just under the surface, "she couldn't let him leave her."
Celia shivers, "If Peeta died, no doubt Katniss would feel his ghost with her for the rest of her life. I'd be haunted if it were me."
I nod in agreement, "In the arena, he was everything and she was everything. They were the only things keeping each other going. I don't know how you just… let that go."
"You don't," Devin states, gesturing at the screen with his chin.
The rest of us turn our attention to the tape, which is still running. Katniss and Peeta are clutching each other, mouths moving as they confirm neither has apparently swallowed any of the poisonous berries. The hovercraft flying down to them eliminates any chance of hearing what either of them are saying, so we have to rely on their looks. Eyes blown wide, the pair hold onto each other, Katniss desperately trying to keep Peeta up and conscious. She grabs onto the ladder that has been lowered from the hovercraft, the minute her skin touches, both her and Peeta are frozen in place.
"He doesn't look so good…" Celia notes. Ha, understatement of the year. Well, taking into account my life right now, maybe more like the understatement of the week. His face is a ghostly white, even paler than when his sickness was at its highest. Neither of them are able to move as the ladder pulls them up, but nothing is stopping the stream of blood dripping from Peeta's wound. The tape continues all the way into the hovercraft, showing a team of Capitol agents helping the tributes into the room. They are released, and Peeta falls to the ground, unconscious, the black fabric of his jacket still clutched in Katniss' fist.
"His face… he looks," I swallow, unable to form the words, "like he's already gone."
They drag him away, immediately preparing an operation that is desperately needed. Then Katniss lunges, yelling and screaming for Peeta.
"Oh my gosh," Celia sobs, placing a hand over her mouth.
Katniss is grabbed by a hoard of doctors and removed from the room, a glass door moving into place to separate her from Peeta. Then Katniss goes feral, screaming and banging on the glass, eyes manic and terrified.
"What is she doing, why is she doing that," Devin asks, leaning forward in his focus.
"She's scared," I whisper, "maybe she thinks they're hurting him? Maybe her head is still in the arena?"
The screen fades, transitioning to another part of the Games labeled "Games Recap".
Caesar Flickerman greets us, eyes covered in midnight blue shadow wide with excitement. Then, one after another, those who had been involved with Peeta and Katniss before and during the Hunger Games are brought on stage, each to rounds of applause.
First is a pair of trios, each with their own flamboyant sense of style, Katniss and Peeta's prep teams. I'm not quite sure what it is they do, but I'd guess it was getting them ready for their interviews and the chariot parade, as well as just for the Games themselves.
Next is Effie Trinket, my Nana Effie, as I know her now. I haven't seen her in a few months, she's always so busy with her boutique in the Capitol and helping her niece manage it, that she's unable to escape to the Districts very often. But as far as I can tell, she's managed to keep her bubbly and cheerful persona after all these years.
Then the stylists are introduced, Cinna and Portia. Their appearances greatly contrast to the prep team and Effie, both of them choosing a more understated and elegant style of dress and makeup. The two of them receive thunderous applause for their work, and I have to admit, they were truly fantastic. I'm still not sure how that fire worked on their parade costumes.
Next up is another familiar face. "Grandpa!," I cry out in excitement. And there he is, Haymitch, looking thirty years younger and a fake smile plastered across his face. This takes me back, shouldn't he be genuinely happy that he got not one, but to tributes out of the arena? Still the audience cheers for nearly five minutes.
And finally, it's the moment we've all been waiting for. The Victors of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games.
"Oh wow," I gasp. Katniss is standing in a flowy yellow dress and sandals, not at all reflecting the bad-ass fighter we saw her as in the Games. Across from her, Peeta is raised up to the stage, smiling brightly looking so healthy. They've put him in a clean yellow button-up that matches Katniss' dress. Their eyes meet, and in a blink they are in each other's arms, clinging on to one another.
Their display is a bit much for me, kissing and hugging for what feels like ten minutes, but I can hear Celia cooing on the floor in front of me. The audience is going wild, especially when Peeta pushes Caesar away after he tries to break the couple up.
"Geez," Devin chuckles, earning a light punch from me, though I'm laughing too. Finally, Haymitch good-naturedly shoves them towards a small velvet sofa. Katniss and Peeta cuddle up on it, Katniss going as far as to kick off her sandals, tuck her feet under her, and rest her head on Peeta's shoulders. His arm goes around her shoulders instantly, holding her close to him, and a slight calmness washes over Katniss' face. But that calmness is wiped away the instant Caesar starts the main program.
So apparently, every victor of the Hunger Games, even after being a tribute in the actual arena, is forced to watch a three-hour-long recap of the Games. My eyes go wide, "Are you kidding me? First, they put them in a deathmatch with other children, cheer as they are nearly killed at every turn, and when they manage to actually survive, they have to watch it all again?" I'm horrified at the disgusting levels the Capitol and President Snow apparently went through in order to torture these kids, to hurt the Districts.
"This is awful," Devin growls, "these people are psychopaths! Who does this, who watches this, and thinks it's entertaining?"
Adrian and Celia nod mutely, jaws dropped at the events unfolding on the screen, and bodies strangely mirroring those of Katniss and Peeta. The recap starts, beginning with the reaping, the chariot parade, and the tribute interviews, accompanied with some sort of upbeat background music, which is more than a bit disturbing in retrospect.
It looks like whoever put this together was trying to tell a story- specifically, a love story, which I guess makes sense but is still weird.
This recap for the audience is honestly as much as a recap for the rest of us, having watched this one tape over the course of a few weeks. I had forgotten about the lamp stew bit during the interviews and Katniss getting hit with a fireball. I see a hint of surprise being very well hidden on Katniss' face as she sees how much Peeta pushed the love story between him and Katniss. Him whispering her name in his feverish sleep in the muddy bank, staying awake with the Careers under the tracker jackers, and fighting Cato to protect her.
Katniss' song to Rue is just as haunting as it was the first time, and they play every single note, of course making Celia cry again. I have to admit though, goosebumps rise up on my arms and down my back at the tune. They exclude her burial in flowers, making my stomach clench in anger. How do flowers equal rebellion?
The tape shows every gruesome death of the Games, especially the end of Cato's, with Katniss finally killing him out of mercy. The moment with the berries is played in full, and the camera pans to show the Capitol audience shushing each other, all excited to rewatch what must have been the most intense moments of Katniss and Peeta's lives. The tape ends with what we have just seen, Katniss desperately pounding on the glass door that separates her from Peeta, screaming for him.
The pair of them watch the entire thing with numb expressions, either not willing or unable to process the emotions they must be feeling having to relive all this. Finally, it ends, and Katniss and Peeta rise to their feet, greeted by President Snow, followed by a small girl carrying a cushion with a crown on it.
For a second I'm confused, "There's only one crown, who gets it?" But then, with a twist, President Snow turns one crown into two, "Oh." As he places the crown on Katniss' head, there's a split second of intense staring between the two of them, somehow communicating without words. I feel nauseous,
Finally, we get to what I assume must be the last part of the tapes, given what's left on the reel. The section is called "Victor's Interview", so it isn't hard to guess what we are about to be privy to. This time, Katniss is decked out in a gauzy white dress with pink flats, still following the same girly trend in the last section. It's like they are trying to make her look as un-intimidating as possible.
Caesar starts to program swapping easy jokes and light conversation with the pair, especially Peeta, who helps keep up the rapport the two had during his first interview. He urges them to speak on their emotions, of all things, during the Games.
"Who cares when he fell in love with her," Adrian says, "He nearly died in there! Shouldn't we be more concerned with the trauma he's endured?"
"Oh please," I bite, "Obviously they don't really care about either of them, they just want to be entertained!"
To me, it's never been so obvious that her being in love with Peeta was an act. She's spewing out gushing comments about keeping him or putting him somewhere safe, and continues the display of cuddling into him. And don't get me wrong, my mother is affectionate with my father, but she speaks more with her actions than with her words. My father can woo or charm anyone with just a few words, where my mother inspires and draws people in with her presence. But now, she really has no choice but to speak. I've kind of figured out at this point why the whole "act" thing was necessary: it was more than just keeping them alive in the arena, but also keeping them alive outside of the Hunger Games. They needed a story for people to care about, more than just them being human beings who deserved to live.
Katniss discovers Peeta has lost his leg halfway through the interview when Casar asks Peeta how he's been adjusting. She pulls up his pant leg in confusion, finding the piece of metal that has replaced his leg. Devin hisses in sympathy and I cringe. It's strange for me to think of a time where my dad had both of his legs, but to see the actual moment where he lost it gives me an eerie feeling of loss. To physically lose a piece of your body forever must be so surreal and heart breaking, knowing you'll never get it back. His prosthetic is different now, likely having been updated a few times in the last thirty years.
The interview, and the tape itself, ends with Caesar asking what must be the most important question on everyone's minds, "Katniss, I know you've had a shock, but I've got to ask. The moment when you pulled out those berries, what was going on in your mind... hm?"
I lean forward, as do the rest of my friends, all of us wanting some sort of answer, some truth as to what her true motivations were. There's a long pause as Katniss collects her thoughts, but when she does speak it's nearly a whisper.
"I don't know, I just… couldn't bear the thought of being without him."
Hm.
Not exactly what I was looking for, but, I can always just ask her myself! Ah, the perks of living with and being the daughter of Katniss: getting to ask her anything I want.
Then the screen goes black. It's over. All of a sudden, a hollow feeling slips over me. We've actually finished the tape. It's weird…
"Am I the only one who feels weird? Like the minute the tape ended it felt like something was missing?" I ask, feeling my palms go sweaty.
Adrian nods, "Yeah… almost like I've lost something important."
Celia hums with a sarcastic smile, "Oh don't fret you two, we still have a whole other tape to force ourselves to watch!"
The boys and I groan, having forgotten about the Quarter Quell, "Please no more tonight," Adrian begs, running his hands down his face.
"No more, Adrian," I sigh, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Tonight."
Hey all, sorry this is so late! So many unexpected things got in the way of me finishing this chapter, and for that, I sincerely apologize. Let me know if you have any specific questions you'd like me to explore with Lily and her parents now that she's finished the first tape! Don't forget to review and follow to keep up with any updates, the next chapter should be out by June 13th!