Chapter 20: District 11 Speech

We stepped out of the train and walked outside when we arrived in district 11. Effie scoffed when she smelled the smell. "Well, I never. This is not very festive."

"My mansion smells better than this," Weiss said. "Weiss." Yang scolded. "What? I was just saying." Weiss said. "Come on, this is where the fallen tributes live," Yang said. "Lets just get this over with." Uncle Qrow said. When we got farther, we walked to the car and got in. The car drove us to the square of District 11.

"The mayor will make some introductory remarks. And then you just have to say a few words. It's customary, of course, to give a brief eulogy to the district's fallen tributes. For 11, that's Thresh and Rue. Here are the speeches." Effie said, handing them to us. I felt some tears in my eyes when she mentioned Rue. Peeta took the cards from Effie.

"I can do the talking if you want." Peeta offered. "Thank you," Katniss said. Pyrrha took hold of my hand when she saw the tears in my eyes.

"It will be okay. I can come up with you if you want." Pyrrha said. "Yeah, mom. That would be great." I said with a small smile. "Would it be okay if I go on the stage with her, Effie?" Pyrrha asked. Effie sighed. "Well, I don't see why not."

Later, we arrived in the square. The mayor walked onto the stage and began to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Victors of the 74th Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, and Lana Xion Long."

Effie escorted us out the doors. I held onto Pyrrha's hand as we walked outside and faced the crowd. "Smile, smile, smile, smile. Stand up straight. You're on camera." Effie says. There was small applause from the audience as we walked out on the stage.

"Thank you," Peeta said when the clapping died down. "We're honored to be here with you today. And to be with the families of your fallen tributes." Peeta said. Peeta stayed silent for a while and put down the card. He spoke up again. "Though they fought and lived with honor, and dignity until the end, both Thresh and Rue. Were so young. But our lives aren't just measured in years. They're measured in the lives of the people we touched around us. For myself. For Katniss. And our daughter. We know that without Rue and without Threash, we wouldn't be standing here today. So in recognition of that, knowing in that in no way we can make up for your loss, we'd like to donate one month of our winnings to the families of the tributes every year for the rest of our lives." Peeta said.

The audience broke into applause. "Thank you."

As we were about to leave, we stopped when Katniss and I saw the picture of Rue on the screen.

"What is it?" Pyrrha asked me. Katniss and I stepped forward to the microphone. "I just wanted to say that I didn't know Thresh. I only spoke to him once. He could have killed me but instead, he showed me mercy. He saved my daughter. That's a debt I'll never be able to repay. Lana and I did know Rue. She wasn't just our ally, she was our friend." Katniss said. "She saved me when the careers had captured me," I said. "I regret not being able to save her when she was killed. And I'm sorry." I said.

"I see her in the flowers that grow in the meadow by my house. I hear her in a Mockingjay song. I see her in my sister, Prim. I see her in my daughter, Lana. She was too young. Too gentle. And we couldn't save her. I'm sorry." Katniss said. In the distance, I saw a man whistling a tune and lifting up three fingers. That was a sign of respect. Soon, everyone held up the sign. The crowd gasped when the peacekeepers grabbed their weapons and walked over to the man.

Katniss and I quickly walked over to the peacekeepers. "No! No!" Katniss shouted. "Leave him alone!" I yelled. We were ignored as peacekeepers grabbed us by the arms and dragged us away. "Wait! Wait! No! Leave him alone! Leave him alone!" Katniss yelled. "Stop! Don't hurt him!" I yelled. The peacekeepers dragged the man upfront. "No! Let me go! Please leave him alone!" Katniss yelled. "Let go of me! Stop!" I yelled. No matter how much we yelled or how much we tried to get away, we couldn't stop the peacekeepers from hurting the man. "No!" Katniss and I screamed as we were being dragged back into the building.

"Lana!" Ruby cried. "No! No! No!" Katniss and I screamed. I had tears streaming down my face as I saw them shoot the man dead. The doors closed. Katniss and I grew angry.

"You! No, no, no!" Katniss screamed. "You son of a bitch!" I screamed. We charged towards the doors but we were stopped by Haymitch.

"Come here! Stop it!" Haymitch yelled and picked up Katniss. Ren grabbed me and picked me up. "Knock it off Lana!" Ren shouted. "Put me down, dad!" I shouted. "Not until you calm down," Ren said. Katniss and I wrestled Haymitch and Ren until we got out of their grasp. "Stop it! Stop!" Haymitch yelled as Katniss and I continued to scream. "What did I do?" Katniss screamed. "I didn't do anything!" I screamed, with tears streaming down my face.

Ren grabbed hold of me again, and Adam grabbed my other arm. Haymitch grabbed Katniss. "Come on." He said as we were being dragged up the stairs. "Knock it off Lana, not gonna tell you again," Adam said firmly. Katniss and I stopped screaming. "Shut up," Haymitch whispered to us. "In all my years, I have never seen..." Effie started. "Shut up, Effie!" I screamed. "Hey!" Adam yelled as he smacked me on the head. When we got upstairs, Haymitch closed the doors.

"You three have a very simple task," Haymitch said. "I never meant for anyone to get killed," Katniss said. "Mean either." I sobbed. "He has to know that," Katniss said. "What are you talking about? Who has to know that?" Haymitch demanded. "Snow. He came to see me and Lana. He's worried about the rebellion in the districts. He thinks that they don't believe our love story or our daughter." Katniss explained. "So he wants you to make them believe it?" Haymitch said. "To calm things down," Katniss said. "You know, Katniss, Lana, either of you should have told me that before I went out there, and tried to give these people the money!" Peeta yelled.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do. He threatened to kill my family. Hell, he threatened to kill our daughter." Katniss said. "Well, I have family too! Okay? People I need to protect!" Peeta yelled. I felt my body stiffen as my parents were arguing.

"What about them? Who protects them? Katniss, Lana, what were you two thinking?" Haymitch scolded. "I was thinking about Rue. Haymitch, please... please just help me get through this trip. Please, just help us get through this and protect Lana." Katniss sobbed. "The trip? Girl, wake up. This trip doesn't end when you get back home. You never get off this train. You three are mentors now. That means that every year, they're gonna drag you out and broadcast the details of your romance. Every year, your private life becomes theirs. From now on, your job is to be a distraction. So people forget what real problems are." Haymitch explained.

"So what do we do?" Peeta asked. "You're gonna smile. You're gonna read the cards Effie gives you. And you're gonna live happily ever after. Think you can do that? Huh? Yeah. Come here." Haymitch said. Katniss and I walked up to Haymitch. Haymitch pulled Katniss and I into a hug. From outside, we saw the man who was shot dead being dragged away. I had some more tears streaming down my face.

"You're gonna be okay. I promise." Haymitch assured us. "Come on, let's get out of here," Adam said. "You do need to apologize to Effie Lana," Ren said. "I know, dad," I said. We regrouped with everyone downstairs.

"Everything alright?" Jaune asked. "We were just talking," Haymitch said. "Oh, okay," Jaune said. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean for anyone to be killed," I said. Blake put her hand on my shoulder. "We know you didn't mean to, honey," Blake said. "People are just cold and careless," Yang said. "Yeah, that was a real shit show out there," Mercury said. "Mercury!" Emerald shouted. "What?" Mercury said. "Don't push it any farther, she's upset already as it is," Emerald said.

"I just want to go home." I sobbed. "Don't worry sweetie, we'll be home before you know it," Yang assured me. "It'll go by fast like all of our missions have in the past," Jaune said. "Okay daddy, if you say so," I said. "We have 10 more districts left though," Weiss said. "Has anyone seen Effie? I need to talk to her before we leave." I said. "I saw her in one of the back rooms earlier," Mercury said. "Okay. I'll be back." I said. "Just don't take too long, we have to leave in a few minutes," Pyrrha said.

I walked off to find Effie. I kept walking until I found her in one of the rooms as Mercury had said.

"Hey, Effie?" I called as I entered the room. "Yes, Lana?" Effie said. I walked up to her. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry I yelled at you and I'm sorry for what I said on the train earlier. I was just mad." I said. "Oh, dear it's okay," Effie said. Effie and I hugged. "Come along now, we have to get going," Effie said as she escorted me out of the room.

With that, we got on the train to continue our Victory Tour.

A/N: Another chapter done, yay! I'm gonna post another one later tonight. Oh and I should probably tell you guys that I am gonna put my Happy Feet and my Aladdin fanfic on hiatus now so that I can work on some other stories because I haven't been really in the mood to write those stories. I'll come back to them, don't worry. I just need to write something else for right now. I hope you all understand. And also please review!