Disclaimer: I own very little.
Chapter Fifty-One: The Winners of the 74th Annual Hunger Games
Evening was upon us in the Capitol and as I strolled through the streets, eager to be at home with my child, I felt an uneasiness settling in my stomach. The usual wear and tear of work was expected, but this feeling was a new one. After speaking with Haymitch, witnessing the death of Clove, and then remembering conversing Snow, I felt even less confident in Seneca than before. There was little doubt in my mind that he would be home early.
When I stood in front of my door in the apartment, I tried to steady my breath and put everything behind me for Obadiah. This wasn't his problem; I certainly wasn't going to even seem as though I was worried. Therefore, with a deep breath I placed my hand on the knob and pushed the door open.
If only that moment could have been normal. If only I could have walked into a cheerful home with my son playing innocently without a care in the world. This would have been too good to be true.
I stood in my home, mouth agape as I saw President Snow standing in front of the wall of windows with my child in his arms. Crystal was seated at the end of the table, looking at me with desperate eyes telling me that she had no say in this. To further my horror, I looked to the screen to see that the Games was showing: live. Crystal knew that she was not to play that on our screen while Obadiah was awake.
Anger boiled within my veins as I unbuttoned my coat and bit back many words laying on the tip of my tongue.
"Ah, Savera," President Snow greeted, spotting my reflection in the window. He turned to face me with Obadiah in his arms. "How nice of you to join us. Just in time for your husband's finale."
I met his eyes, unblinking for several moments before saying slowly," Why are you here?"
"I just wanted to witness the end of the Games with you is all," He commented, smiling as Obadish greeted me.
"Momma," He blubbed, pointing at me.
"Hi Obi," I greeted with a smile before looking back to Snow with a much more stern look on my face. "I just spoke with you hours ago, President Snow. Surely, the finale will not be tonight. I haven't even had a chance to speak with Seneca today."
He raised a brow, suddenly interested," You see, times have changed. In a matter of hours, much has occurred and Seneca will be forced to make a conclusion of all that has happened. Now. As we speak."
My heart dropped for I knew that Seneca would be committing suicide if he were to conduct the finale now. I had to speak with him before this occurred; I had to discuss this with him now. He needed to be shown how severe this was one last time. I knew, however, that there was no way I would be able to get to him in time. I could see the Games presenting themselves on the screen with Katniss and Peeta fighting a lone Cato. In my heart, I wished that the District Two tribute could simply do my work for me and kill the both of them right then and there as they fought on the top of the Cornucopia.
I nodded my head before moving over to Snow's side and reaching for my son," If you don't mind, I'd like to get him to bed at a decent time. It's already passed his bed time and-"
"Don't you think that this is an important event for him to witness?" Snow asked, meeting my eyes.
"He's only a year and a half old. He doesn't comprehend it either way," I shot back, holding my ground.
"It's the mentality behind it. As a Capitol citizen, you should be promoting the idea of your child watching the Games from a young age," He answered, not releasing his grip on my son.
"He will when he's older," I said firmly, still not breaking the eye contact.
President Snow, for once in his life, backed down from confrontation. I was shocked as he sighed and placed the child in my arms. As I turned to take the blue-eyed child to his room, Snow called me out once more.
"I just want you to know how disappointed I am, Savera," He said somberly, I heard him pulling out one of my dining room chairs. "All these years that you've had to keep him under control. To see it end like this is…anticlimactic to say the least."
With my back to him, I smirked at this. Only someone as sadistic as himself would word it like this. As if it all truly were just a game. I fought back words, but it had been too long for me to keep on holding it all in. Swiftly, I turned on my heel to face him. My rage was still boiling.
"I can only do so much, President Snow. In the end, he is exactly what he is paid to be. You wanted a showman to keep the people happy. The people have been enamored by these Games because Seneca has allowed for both Katniss and Peeta to survive for this long. In all honesty, how is that a failure? Either way people are going to be enraged," I shot out, my words feeling like darts leaving my lips.
His stare was so intense that I could nearly feel my bones shaking as his eyes bore into me," He is acting with disrespect to what this country stands for. We have these Games to prove our eminent power over the districts. Having one winner allows for just enough hope to give tributes a glimmer of having a life as good as ours. But two? Two winners? That is a complete disgrace to the system. Plus, I know what Seneca intends to do. He is not truly doing his job."
I ran my tongue over my teeth as I leered at him.
"You think me foolish, Savera?" He roared as he slammed his hand down on the table. "I know what he's trying to do and I will not have my title disgraced in such a way."
My heart sank to my feet. I felt the constant beat of it as a reminder that I was still living, but I couldn't have felt more dead. He's been planning on killing Seneca regardless. It didn't matter what I did, in an essence. I swallowed hard, realizing that I would probably not even be able to bid farewell. I hung my head as I heard the Games in the background. My eyes saw poor Cato being flung from the edge of the Cornucopia and into the pack of deranged mutts beneath him. He was the last chance at perhaps saving Seneca. His death was symbolic of my mission to try and save us.
The silence in the air was due to all eyes being set on the screen. We were all watching intensely as Katniss and Peeta climbed down from the Cornucopia. The looks on their faces were priceless. They knew that they had won it and quite frankly, we all thought that they should be hearing an announcement at any moment, just as they were expecting. I knew that these were some of Seneca's last moments somewhere; I knew that as soon as the words were spoken…he would be done.
No one expected this announcement.
"Attention. Attention, tributes. There's been a slight rule change. The previous revision allowing for two victories from the same district has been revoked. Only one victor may be crowned. Good luck. And may the odds be ever in your favor," Claudius Templesmith's voice echoed through the arena and the words bounced off the corners of all of my insides. I couldn't help but feel warmth enter me.
My eyes met Snow's as he picked his jaw up from the ground and looked at me," Very well done, Mrs. Crane. Perhaps, I was mistaken about your impact upon Seneca."
The smile on my lips couldn't be removed. He was going to abide by the rules. He was not going to completely disgrace Snow; he was going to put us first instead of the country. My selfish inner being was completely fulfilled. All of the anxiety and worry that hung over me was temporarily suspended. I even kissed little Obadiah on the cheek as he giggled, completely oblivious to what this all meant.
However, these moments of pure bliss were, like my vision of coming into a quaint home that evening, too good to be true.
"Go ahead. One of us should go home. One of has to die, they have to have their victor," Peeta told his supposed "lover". He was alluding to her killing him.
"No," Her voice is solid like the stone at the quarries back in Two. She throws down her weapon, her bow and arrow. "They don't. Why should they?"
Why couldn't she just do as she was told? Did she not realize she may have tried to make her life easier, but she was only making mine a living hell?
My eyes widened as she pulled out nightlock. We all knew what she intended to do. Immediately, I heard Snow knock down his chair and speak loudly into the earpiece where he was able to communicate with the Gamemakers.
"STOP THEM! WHATEVER YOU DO STOP THEM NOW SENECA CRANE!" He roared, hardly giving time for the ear piece to connect.
"No!" Peeta retorted on the screen, pushing away her hand.
"Trust me. Trust me," She assured, dumping the berries into his hand, regardless.
Peeta's eyes said that he did not want to do this and as Snow continued to scream into the earpiece to put a stop to this nonsense; I could only watch in awe. Not the good sort of awe, but the angering, malicious sort of awe that one never wishes to experience.
"Together?" Peeta finally asked, swallowing hard.
"Together," She confirmed, nodding to him.
"Okay, one."
"Two."
"Three."
Just as those berries are about to touch their lips, the frantic voice of Templesmith interrupts their suicide attempt.
"STOP! STOP!" He yells, very shakily. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the winners of the 74th annual Hunger Games."
It took several moments for me to digest this moment. I fought the hot tears forming in my eyes before my legs carried me to Crystal's side where I shoved Obadiah into her arms and bent down to whisper in her ear," Leave now. Take him somewhere else now, there is something I have to do."
She looked at me with wide eyes as she placed him on her hip and stood up. Snow was distracted, at the moment, and if she went now, then she could easily escape his presence. She said nothing, but only nodded and quickly scurried out of the room. I squeezed Obadiah's hand one last time before they had gone before I turned my attention back to Snow.
"He almost had himself saved, Savera," Snow growled, biting on his lip.
"Sir, that was not his fault. Surely, you know that he could do nothing to-"
"I will not be made a fool of regardless. Seneca Crane will be sentenced to death immediately," He said coldly, walking hastily toward the door.
"President Snow!" I cried," Take it out on them! Not on my husband."
"And risk having a riot on my hands? Disposing of Seneca will be much quieter," He rumbled at me, not even meeting my eye.
The tears, at this point were dripping from my eyes," Please! Please! I'm begging you. Don't do this."
"Save your tears for someone else. It is what it is," He spat at me, stopping only for a moment.
In this moment, I placed a hand on his arm," Allow me to see him just one more time. That's all I ask!"
I thought that he was simply going to walk out of my apartment without another word, leaving me alone to the life of a widow and single mother alone. There was just a spark of grace yet that lingered in his heart for he paused as he griped the handle to our front door.
"He is to be executed in the hour at the security building, 3rd floor up, if you reach him in time…I will tell the guards that you may speak to him briefly," He spoke emotionlessly before throwing the door open and exiting.
A/N: Please, please, please review I loved writing this chapter. Thanks for reading! Almost done. One more to go.
