Sixty Seven

Epilogue

I know the rebellion's started when the first bomb goes off.

I'm in the middle of nursing Sienna, my beautiful baby girl, when the whole house begins to shake and its contents tumble about. Enna starts crying, but I don't have the time to comfort her. I race to the window, moaning quietly at the horror I see.

Victor's Village is a wasteland. Crimson and gold fires lick up buildings, devour grasses and trees. I see Karin running down the street, screaming her head off; that is, until she triggers another bomb and is blown sky high.

I gag, race for the sink and am sick into it, heaving my guts out. Sure, I'm a survivor of the Hunger Games. But this is different. I've known Karin my whole life, and while she wasn't my favourite person, it burns to know she's gone.

And there's another reason why this disaster is different, now. Because this time, the hurt and pain and death is not in the arena, safely away from families and friends. This time, it has hit far too close to home. Three is crumbling, and my heart along with it.

I grab Enna from her highchair where I left her, and then race up the stair. Thankfully, my house is still standing; for now, anyway. I race into Tallulah's bedroom, where she is huddled under the blankets and looking as scared as a five year old can get. I hold out my hand to her. "Come on, sweetheart, it's time to go. We need to go find Daddy!"

She takes my hand, and I feel her own trembling. I squeeze her fingers to offer comfort, but I'm afraid all I achieve is showing her how scared I am, too.

As a family, we run back down the stairs, two at once. There's no time to bring along our possessions; I shoulder Tallulah out the door and we begin to run. Inside the neighbouring house, I can still hear the television running: broadcasting live the Quarter Quell Games. I shudder. I was so close to re-entering the arena: the only thing that saved me was the fact I was pregnant at the time. I still am, in fact, and I know that this sprinting and screaming cannot be good for the baby.

I round the corner, headed for the town square when I fun headlong into Lucah. "Oh, god, Lucah, thank God!" I scream, hysterical. "Where's Sean? Have you seen him?" My little brother was so proud when he started his first job today, and I haven't seen him since this morning. I fear the worst.

Lucah takes me in his arms and holds me tight. "I have, Yule," he whispers, and I know the news is bad when I feel the wetness of tears on his cheeks. "I'm so sorry…the school burnt down completely. He tried to get the kids out…and he did. But he wasn't quick enough to save himself."

I feel broken, exactly how I did when Xavier was murdered in his Games. I fele like my whole life has been torn from me: first Xavier, then my mother, then my father who passed away the year after my Games from grief, and now Sean. All I have left now is Lucah, my sweet, darling Lucah, and our two wonderful children. Three, I correct myself, splaying a hand across my stomach. Lucah meets my eyes and I know it will probably be too late for us, as well.

But I can't believe that. I have to hope that Beetee will come through: that he'll send a chopper our way soon. But I know it's the slimmest possibility.

From behind me, I hear a scream. I whip my head around and see Dimitri running towards us, his clothes aflame. He's staring right at me, and I know I can't leave him behind.

"Please, love," I whisper to Lucah, handing him Sienna. His eyes widen in understanding. "No, Yule," he says emphatically, clutching out baby to his chest. "Yu can't go back in there!"

I ignore him, giving Tallulah a goodbye hug, then racing down towards my mentor, my friend for all these long years. When I reach him, the ground beneath our feet has already begun to split, cracking open from the force of the explosions. I rip off my jacket, throwing it at Dimitri in an attempt to extinguish the flames. It works. "Go!" I yell to him. "Go!"

He runs, but I can't get my feet to move. Lucah screams for me, but I'm rooted to the spot.

A chopper descends form the sky, and my heart swells with relief, giving me the strength to finally move. I wobble my way over. By the time I reach everyone, they're already in the helicopter.

The pilot sees me and grimaces. "Sorry, ma'am," he yells over the noise. "There's no more room in this one. You'll have to wait."

I guess guys like him are trained to be unemotional, because it's a wonder he's not crying and screaming along with the rest of us. I can't believe it. After everything, every fucking thing, there's not enough room in the chopper? Are you fucking kidding me?

Lucah's eyes are wide. "Wait, wait!" he says in a panicked voice. "I'll get out; we'll swap-" But it's no use. He's the furthest away from the doors, and the pilot shakes his head any way.

"Can't risk any delays," he says. "I'm sorry."

The blades of the helicopter swing faster and faster, and the aircraft begins to lift off the ground. I see Tallulah's tiny little hand pressed against the glass, can hear Enna's wails even over this racket. But most of all I see Lucah, his face streaked with tears, his eyes wide with grief, wedged in next to Dimitri and two other men I recognise only by sight. I manage a smile to him.

"I'll see you again, I promise!" I yell, but it's lost to the wind, and suddenly the helicopter has lifted off and flies away until it's only a dim black dot in the fiery sky.

I'm left alone. I can hear the screams and shouts of Three from down in the square, but I'm immobile once again. I feel detached, almost, as if I'm watching the scene from a great distance. I don't feel human, but God, do I feel the pain as the street below my feet erupts and I'm blown backwards into a brick wall.

It's beyond anything I've ever felt. My metal arm feels dented, scratched, damaged beyond repair. There's a throbbing in my head and white spots dance before my vision. I can feel the baby kicking inside me, but I don't have the strength nor the will to respond.

The noise fades. So do the flames. I can feel my eyelids fluttering closed and, before I know it, the whole world vanishes into nothingness.

I wake in a world of white. "I've been here before," I murmur under my breath, or try to, because my lips are dry and my mouth is parched and horribly swollen.

"Well, it's about time."

I sit up, meeting the eyes of - three guesses who - Sienna. She's smiling, but I can see the worry in her eyes, and I know she's hiding something.

"This isn't real," I spit out, hacking and coughing, looking about the stark white room with disbelief.

"No," she whispers gently.

"Then it's a dream?"

A hesitation. "No."

"Then what-"

The door directly facing me opens, and inside steps my baby brother, Sean. My heart stops. Following close behind is my father, my older brother Xavier, and-

"Mum?" I ask, not understanding. "But…how…how is this possible? You're dead! All of you, you're-" And then it hits me with the force of a Capitol train. I stagger, my guts heaving, but nothing comes up but blood which splatters the white floor and then dissolves without a trace.

"This is…heaven?" I attempt a guess. Sienna takes a deep breath, in and out. "Not exactly," she replies. "It's whatever you want it to be."

"But…but I'm dead, right?"

She doesn't have to answer. The look on her face is answer enough. "But what about Lucah? And Tallulah, and Enna-"

"They're alive. Thanks to you. You died a hero." The voice isn't Sienna's. It's Mum's; a husky mix of grief and pride and contempt.

"Because that's all that matters," I say bitterly. "Being a hero? Saving the world? Well that's fucking likely, isn't it?" My mother flinches at the swear word. I turn away from her. "But what about my baby?" I say, looking down at my stomach which is now as flat as it has ever been.

Sienna sighs. "Honestly? I don't know." I blink back tears.

"But will I ever see them again? My family?"

"Of course you will."

"Yeah, once they're dead, too."

Sienna shrugs. "That's the way it has to be. But honestly? If you concentrate hard enough, you might be able to see them much sooner."

It takes a moment for her words to sink in. "Like…like you did with me?" At her nod, a smile unfurls across my face. "How? When will it happen? Why-"

"I'm afraid you need to work that out for yourself. I couldn't explain it if I tried."

I look down at the floor. Somewhere, somehow, my darling children and husband are alive, and I will find them, no matter what.

Sienna grins, reading my thoughts. "Together," she says, standing firm, and suddenly I'm reminded of our agreement all those years ago to fight against Snow, to join the rebellion. My grin widens.

"Together," I repeat, and take her outstretched hand in my own metallic one. I squeeze it tight, seeking solace, and she laughs.

"Just like old times, then, ally?"

"Exactly," I say, and together, as equals, we run out the door and into the phantom world beyond.

Author's Note: IT IS COMPLETE. Please review, it would make my day. Thanks to Ruter Dam and rainbowpanda0, who've stuck through this till the very end.