Chapter 13

We left four days later. Of course the kids didn't want to leave, but they understood that this was what was best for the family. I don't think anyone wanted to leave actually, and honestly, I was going to miss the little cabin as well. But we had to move on.

According to our calculations from the map we only had a few days left of walking before we reached the edge of District Thirteen.

I was scared at what we would find there. Many questions ran through my mind.

Is it really the safe haven that Haymitch had promised?

Or would we just find rubble?

Complete ash like the Capitol tells us?

My main concern, though, was what would happen if it wasn't a "safe haven"? What if, even if something is there, they don't accept us? If they consider us a threat? My family would most likely die. Then all of this would be for nothing. No, I tell myself. Not nothing. We tried.

Haymitch suddenly breaks through my concentration.

"What's going through your mind, sweetheart?" he whispers.

I glance at him then back in front of me then to the sky. The sun is directly above me. Noon. I sigh.

"Are you sure about this?" I ask.

He snorts. "A little late to be asking that, don't ya think? We're all ready out here and I ain't going back."

"No, that's not what I meant. Are you sure that District Thirteen is still there? Are you one hundred percent positive? Because, honestly? If we show up to where District Thirteen is supposed to be and it's not there, I'm going to be more than pissed that I agreed to your plan to go there."

"Hey," he retorts. "It was your idea in the first place."

"But it was your idea to go to District Thirteen," I continue. "You put the thought in my head. Now, tell me! Are. You. Sure?"

"I'm positive," he answers. "You'll know soon. District Thirteen exists."

And he was right, I did know soon.

We reached the outer edge of District Thirteen seven days after we left the cabin. And at first, like I promised, I was utterly pissed. More than pissed actually, because all you could see for miles was rubble and dirt and ash. I could have killed Haymitch. I almost did.

When we reached the edge and that's all I saw I attacked Haymitch. It took three large men in grey suits to get me off of him.

When the men separated us, I turned and found my entire family lined up side by side. There were four other men with them. And they were taking our bows.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "What do you think you're doing?" I begin running for them but don't make it far before one of the three men grab me and hold my arms to my back.

"Hey now," he says as I continue to struggle against his strong grip. But I know it's no use.

I still and then see Haymitch finally stand from the ground.

"Everything's all right, sweetheart," he says, his voice scratchy from where my hands were around his neck.

The men standing next to him are looking at us then recognition dawns on their faces.

"It's the Mockingjay," one of them says.

The men near my family all stiffen when they hear the man's voice.

Suddenly a man appears from no where. He's dressed in the same grey attire as the other seven men but just by his stature you can tell of his authority.

"Hello, Haymitch," he says as he approaches. Haymitch reaches out and grabs the man's hand.

"Good to see you again, Plutarch," he replies.

Plutarch looks over at me. "Katniss Everdeen," he says with a smile. "We've been waiting for you."

The entrance to District Thirteen is hidden underground. That's why it looked as if Plutarch had appeared out of thin air. We entered the District through the Hangar. Plutarch said it was the safest place for me to walk through right now. Apparently no one needed to know that "The Mockingjay" had made it to District Thirteen.

I don't know why they kept calling me that. They wouldn't explain anything to me or my family. Haymitch, Plutarch, and the "grey men" as I had come to call them, seemed like the only people that knew what was going on.

We entered a room full of large screens and thousands of buttons. I don't know how else to explain it. The room was huge. The walls were grey and there was a large grey table sitting in the center with even darker a grey chairs surrounding it.

"Welcome to Command," Plutarch says as we enter. I step to the side so my entire family can enter and when they all have Plutarch ushers us each to a seat around the large table. It's then that I notice a woman sitting at the table, alone.

I turn to Haymitch. As much as I hate to admit it, he's the only one I trust that actually knows what the hell is going on. "What is this? What's happening?"

"Settle down sweetheart. Everything's fine," he replies.

"Fine? How can everything be fine?" I exclaim.

"Katniss," the woman speaks. "Please calm down."

The woman is kind of short but it's hard to tell because she is sitting. Her hair is more grey than the walls and the chairs that we occupy. She is dressed in the same grey suit that the men and Plutarch are wearing. Well I guess I can't call them the "grey men" anymore.

"Calm down!" I exclaim again. "Who the hell are you anyway?"

"My name is Alma Coin," she replies calmly. "I'm the president of District Thirteen."

She stands suddenly and looks at all of our faces very carefully. She stops at Gale and stares.

"I like that," she begins. "You four." She points to Gale, my father, John, and myself.

"I'm glad the fire runs in the family," she says returning her eyes to me. "You all have the will to fight. I can see it in your eyes."

Plutarch stands. "We will need you, soldiers. This is the revolution. And Katniss?" he grins.

"You are our Mockingjay."

A/N: Thanks and review!