Chapter 57- Terra Coppersmith
"Don't worry, I'll always be here," Fletcher says. He's being pulled away from me, and I'm reaching out for him, but he's too far away. Then the lion pounces on him, ripping out Fletcher's throat, before turning on Iry and then Deecey. And I scream as I watch my family be slaughtered in front of me, as I sit powerless to help.
"Terra, Terra wake up. It's just a nightmare."
I fight against whoever is shaking me, lashing out with my hand and meeting flesh. "Terra, stop, it's just me! Shuttle! Your mentor!"
Slowly I start to properly wake up and realize that I'm in my bed in the Training Center. It was just a dream, a nightmare. I sit upright as fast as I can and now I see Shuttle standing next to my bed, holding one hand to her cheek.
"Oh my god, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" I say, reaching out and trying to feel her cheek, to take away the mark I caused. Then I don't see Shuttle anymore; she's been replaced by the girl from 4 with the mutilated face and neck, who I killed. I shake my head and clutch it tightly in both hands.
"It's okay, don't worry. Welcome to the world of nightmares," she says, sitting down on the edge of my bed. I have tears pouring down my cheeks, and I wipe them away with the back of my hand.
"Do they go away?" I whisper. Shuttle shakes her head.
"They haven't for me. Maybe you'll get lucky."
"What time is it?" I ask, trembling all over. Shuttle puts her hand on my arm.
"Almost ten. Your prep team will be here in a minute. I'll order you some breakfast."
I sit, head in my hands, as Shuttle goes to the microphone on the wall and asks for some food. She brings it over to me and places the plate next to me on the bed.
"Muffin. It'll keep you going today," she says, smiling. Her cheek is bright red from where I slapped her.
"I'm sorry about your face," I say.
"I've had worse," she says, smiling grimly. She's a victor too. She understands, I know. While I eat, she helps me put my legs back on; they're uncomfortable and make me ill to look at. I miss the brown flesh that used to be there, instead of these metal contraptions.
I barely finish my muffin before my prep team comes in with their tools and bags of makeup. Today is my last day in the Capitol, and I'm thrilled. I can go home later and start to forget everything. I can see Iry and Deecey.
"What's the plan, Damius?" Tiffany asks brightly. She's wearing fuchsia today, which actually goes well with her orange hair.
"Subtle. Go with red lips, but make the rest of her neutral," Damius says, coming in the door after them.
"You'll be okay if I go get ready myself?" Shuttle asks. I nod, and she gets up to leave.
"Rough night?" Damius asks, looking at the dark circles under my eyes.
"I've had better," I say, then I don't have to say anything more as my stylists twitter about their own Capitol business. I don't look in the mirror until they're done with my makeup, which is several hours later. They've left my hair fairly natural, only pulled back a little from my face. I look pretty, not like a murderer at all.
Damius brings over the red dress that I'm to wear to my interview. It's long and flowy, and will cover my injuries well. As for my hands, there's nothing that can be done about them.
"Come on, you'll be on the air in half an hour," Damius says after I'm dressed, offering me his hand to help me up. I stumble a little, but I manage, only hobbling a little on my way down the hallway.
The living room has been transformed; flowers everywhere, cameras set up ready to record the interview. Marcus Fireglen himself is sitting on a couch in the middle of the room, but he rises to greet me when I enter.
"Lovely to see you again my dear," he says, giving me a light kiss on both cheeks.
"Likewise," I say, allowing myself to be helped to the couch. I sit down and arrange my skirt around my feet.
"Don't be nervous, you'll do just fine," Marcus says reassuringly, and I smile.
Marcus talks to the cameramen for a little bit, then orders some water from an attendant. I simply sit, feeling more and more anxious by the minute. It's almost a relief when one of the cameramen starts counting backwards, announcing that we're on the air.
"Welcome back, Panem!" Marcus says, looking cheery as always. "We're here with our latest victor, Terra Coppersmith from District 8! Now, tell me, Terra, how are you feeling today?"
I might as well be honest. "Tired. I didn't get much sleep," I say.
"You must have been just too excited for today," Marcus says, and I only smile in answer.
"Let's get straight to what everyone wants to hear, shall we? You had a pretty easy time of it in the arena, didn't you? You had a good ally and good sponsors too," he continues.
"I was so grateful to those who sent me gifts; it truly saved my life," I say.
"But you got to hide out at the mountain with your 'ally' almost the whole Games. How was that?"
How do I answer that? "Besides us getting attacked, it was a happy time. I was happy when I was at the mountain," I say.
"Now, did you know Fletcher back home, or was your romance a whirlwind one?"
I can't talk about this in front of everyone in Panem. I feel my cheeks reddening. "I barely knew him in District 8. I just got to know him better after the reapings," I say, lowering my voice.
"I'd say you two got to know each other very well! He sacrificed himself for you, after all. Do you know why he did that?"
"He didn't want to kill anyone, and by being victor he would have had to eliminate at least one tribute. So he died on his own terms, because he loved me, and he wanted me to win instead," I say, my voice cracking at the end. I wish he wasn't dead. I wish he was by my side now.
"He was a pretty special fellow, wasn't he?" Marcus says, and I can only nod. "Your love story was one of the greatest hits of the Games, I'd say. I think everyone loved watching you two fall in love."
I smile, but tears are glistening in my eyes. Marcus notices this and switches topics quickly.
"You two ran into some challenges, though. I swear, my heart nearly stopped when I saw that lion so close to you two. But you took care of it pretty quickly, and did some neat first aid on Fletcher. I have to say, I was impressed."
"I was so scared when I saw it, I don't think I'll ever like cats the same again," I say, and Marcus chuckles.
"Now, you didn't escape the arena without some injuries yourself, I've heard."
I freeze. No, please don't talk about this. Please.
"Something about frostbite? Could you elaborate for us?" Marcus asks. I have to. I don't have a choice.
Shakily, I hold up my hands for him to see. "I lost two fingers, even with the gloves. It was that cold," I say. Taking a deep breath, I move my skirts up to reveal my artificial legs. Marcus gasps.
"I walked on my feet while they were frostbitten, and so they had to take them off," I say simply, but tears are seriously threatening to fall now, now that everyone has seen how damaged I am. I can only imagine what my family is thinking back home. How horrified they must be.
"You're a very brave girl, Terra," Marcus says, clasping my right hand in his own. "You didn't have a choice but to walk to the Cornucopia. I'm sorry to see your injuries." And I think he really means it too.
"Who would have thought at the beginning of the Games that you would get frostbite," Marcus says, getting back into a cheerful rhythm. I drop my skirts, letting them hide my prosthetics.
"It was a shock for sure when the snow started to fall," I say.
"How was the desert in the beginning?"
"It was hot, but it was also beautiful. There were little paradises hidden in there, if you knew where to look. It was like being on another planet, and when the snow started to fall, it was like you were standing in the middle of nothing," I say. All I can see is the rolling sand dunes mixed with falling snow. I think I hate snow now.
"You fared pretty well until the last day, though didn't you? It was a close one between you and Calypso," Marcus says. "It was one of the most dramatics showdowns that I've ever seen in the Games."
The blood, the blood, the girl with the mangled face and me standing in pools of still warm blood just a few steps away from the bleeding corpses on the ground.
"I did what I had to do to become victor," I say simply.
"And what a victor you are! You've overcome all the challenges thrown at you, and now you'll get to go home and be a hero in your own district! Tell me, Terra, what's the first thing you're going to do when you get home?" Marcus asks, leaning forward towards me.
"I'm going to hug my sister and my best friend," I say. "I've been away from them for too long."
"How does it feel to be the victor of the Thirty-sixth Hunger Games?"
"Like a dream, Marcus. Like a dream." I didn't specify whether it was a good dream or a nightmare; it's edging towards nightmare.
"Anyone you'd like to thank before we go?" Marcus asks.
"I'd like to thank my mentors, Shuttle and Woven, for helping me all along, my family for everything they've done, and my sponsors for keeping me alive," I say. I don't have anything to thank Postumius for. I haven't even seen him yet today; probably still sleeping off last night's alcohol. Some escort he is.
"Terra Coppersmith, well done again. I look forward to seeing you back in the Capitol in a few month's time for your Victory Tour," Marcus says, and he's shaking my hand, ending the interview; the cameras go off and Shuttle comes around the back of the couch to help me up.
"Always a pleasure, Miss Coppersmith. You take care now," Marcus says, and I know he's sincere when he says it.
"Thank you, Marcus," I say, then I allow Shuttle to lead me away from the living room.
"What now?" I ask her in the hallway.
"Do you have anything you need to grab from your room?" Shuttle asks. I shake my head.
"I'm wearing my necklace now, so no," I say. I don't have anything else that's mine here in the Capitol.
Woven comes up behind us and leans against the wall next to me. "Ready to go?" she asks casually.
"Where are we going now?" I ask.
"Home," Shuttle says, and I smile for real this time.
Home.