Hi Everyone! this is a story I have been writing ever since I finished The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes! The second chapter will be out soon! Let me know what you all think!
It had been exactly a year since he shot at her. A year since Coriolanus Snow had betrayed her and tried to end her life. The raging bullets still shouting in her ears. The Capitol could never be trusted, she had been a fool to think otherwise. Lucy Gray Baird had left the Covey, she couldn't go back, it would have put them in danger. Danger of the mayor, or maybe Snow if he found her alive. She had to find a new home, far away from the districts-even further from the Capitol.
She traveled north-like she said she would, or at least she thought it was north. Being in complete isolation, the only comfort she had were her songs, some of which she wouldn't-no couldn't sing. The forbidden songs reminded her of him, and she hated him. Still she sang the ones that reminded her of the Covey, her home. After a couple months-or what felt like a couple of months-a wave of sweet relief rushed over her, calming those pesky butterflies in her stomach. She found a community of people. Just the sight of life made her feel an unspeakable joy. When asking their leader where the town was, he responded that there wasn't one. This was simply a camp on the move, filled with 50 or so people. A camp to find District 13. Another district, one that shouldn't exist. It was said to be a safe place from the Capitol, something Lucy desperately needed. When asking if she could come along, they asked what use she would be, Lucy didn't know. She couldn't hunt, or cook much for that matter. Her only reply was, "I can sing." And it somehow worked? She was now along for the entertainment, and people couldn't get enough of her songs, "The Hanging Tree" being a favorite. They said it "defied the Capitol." Lucy didn't even realize she was defying the Capitol at the time of writing it.
Now, a year later, she is reminded of the day where all her life had changed, where she went from having a family, friends, and a boyfriend to nothing. From being a loved soul to disappearing from existence. She now sits outside her camp strumming the notes of a borrowed guitar, the notes from a song she hasn't sung in a while. The love song written for Coriolanus Snow. She finds herself, hesitating, feeling almost astound when she finally sings out the first word. The words she hopes to forget. She regrets everything that had to do with this song. But it is a reminder of her short time in 12 after the games, the happiest she felt since her father had died. How it all was taken away so fast. Whispering the words:
"Everyone's born as clean as a whistle—
As fresh as a daisy
And not a bit crazy.
Staying that way's a hard row for hoeing—
As rough as a briar,
Like walking through fire.
This world, it's dark,
And this world, it's scary.
I've taken some hits, so
No wonder I'm wary.
It's why I
Need you—
You're pure as the driven snow..."
She can't continue. The lyrics cut deep, causing her to whimper. She hopes that one day she could actually find someone as pure as the driven snow. But today isn't going to be that day. Humming alone she hears a snap. Her heart jumps as she looks around, rotating to see the green bushy trees of the forest, but there are just trees, nothing else. Sighing, she sits down until she hears a scream of pain. Someone was hurt! Maybe one of her campers was attacked by a wild animal. Lucy's worst fear came to mind, "maybe the Captiol has found us," she whispers. She runs off as quickly as she can towards the origin of the sound, twigs snapping underneath the beaten soles of her shoes. Another much louder sound starts up from in front of her, an engine of some sort? She hesitates, afraid of what she would find. The sound rises up as Lucy looks into the sky, seeing a Capitol hovercraft fly over her head. She quickly ducks and hides behind a bush. What was a Capitol hovercraft all the way out here? They must have found us! Her whole camp had probably been shot to death, but she didn't hear any bullets. There had to be another reason. She had heard a shout of agony, of pain. She could only think of one other reason, they left something to discard out here, or someone. Someone they wanted to erase from existence, someone they didn't want to be found, but they still wanted to let suffer a slow death with no one to help them. Not if Lucy Gray has anything to say about it. Lucy's eyes widen as she picks up her pace, she couldn't save the kids in her hunger games, and she couldn't save Sejanus from Snow, at least she could save whoever this was, she had to! Looking overhead she sees a body facing down, unmoving. Running towards it, she crouches down and slowly turns the body over. "Please don't be dead," she whispers to herself. "Please don't be dead!"
Lucy gasps quickly, her body shifting away. It may have been beaten and bloodied, but she could never forget the all too familiar face.
Coriolanus Snow.