We were all sitting in the dinning car on our way to District Eleven. I had my knees to my chest as everyone around me ate and drink.
"Fabulous food, fabulous wine, the massages, spa treatments. I told them nothing but the best for my two Victors." I rolled my eyes at Effie's chatter. "It all needs to be, uh . . ."
"Fabulous?" Haymitch supplied for her in a sarcastic tone which made me smirk.
"Exactly." She turned to us. "Now, the schedule is a bit of a bear. Twelve days, twelve Districts. But it's mostly parties, celebrations, adoring fans to greet you at every stop along the way, and then we wrap it up in the Capitol." I shuddered at the word. "All you need to do it give a few speeches, wave to the crowds, and enjoy your time in the spotlight." She sat down, "You've earned it." I popped my head up and looked at her.
"Excuse me?" I asked her.
"Callie." Peeta sighed out which I ignored.
"I said, "Enjoy it, Calla Lily, you've earned it."." I dropped my legs to the floor.
"Yeah, by murdering children." I told her in spite then walked out of the car. Walking down the hallway, stopping at the security room. The door was open a crack and I could see a map of Panem before the door was closed on me. I sighed then walked all the way down to the end of the train to get away from everything. I sit on the couch and stare out the window, lost in thought twirling my mockingjay pin in my fingers. I hear the door open and knew it was probably Haymitch to lecture me.
"I'm not in the mood, Haymitch. I'll apologize to Effie later." When I get no response back, I turn my head to see who it was. Peeta was walking towards me and sat on the other side of the couch. "Oh." I said simply.
"You don't have to apologize to anybody. Including me." I gave him a confused stare. "It's not fair of us to treat you like we've been doing." He took my hand in his but I pulled it away. "Callie."
"Stop treating me like a wounded animal and I can stop acting like one, Peeta." I told him. He sighed and looked away. "Peeta." He turned back to me, eyes bright with unshed tears. I scooted closer to him. "I still love you but you have to understand that things are just going to get harder for us, if you keep acting like I'm going to fall apart at any minute. I need you to help me keep sane by acting normal, like there's nothing wrong with me okay?" He nods.
"Okay." I smile at him and place my hand in his. He smiled back at me and brought my hand to his lips, placing a kiss to it. We both look up when the train goes through a tunnel. I narrow my eyes at the sound of electricity crackling. My eyes widen when I spot my mockingjay pin design on the tunnel wall.
"Did you see that?" I asked Peeta while looking out the back window.
"What?" He questioned. "Whoa." We kneeled on the couch looking at all of the cars and Peacekeepers. We hurriedly made our way back to everyone to get off the train.
"Well, I never." Effie scoffs. There were rows and rows of Peacekeepers with guns, I moved closer to Peeta gripping his hand tight in mine. "This is not very festive." We were shoved into bulky cars with no windows. "The mayor will make some introductory remarks. And then you just have to say a few words. It's customary, of course, to give a brief eulogy to the District's fallen Tributes. For Eleven, that's Thresh and Rue." She holds out some cards to us. "Here are the speeches." Peeta takes them from her.
"I can do the talking if you want." He asked me. I gave him a grateful look.
"Thank you." I whispered.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Victors of the 74th Hunger Games. Calla Lily Everdeen and Peeta Mellark!" The doors open and Effie pushed us out.
"Smile, smile, smile, smile. Stand up straight. You're on camera." she whispered to us. There's mild applause from the crowd. My smile drops slightly at the picture of Rue with her family standing before it.
"Thank you." Peeta started, "We're honored to be here with you today. And to be with the families of your fallen Tributes." Peeta stops, I look out the corner of my eye to see him staring at Rue's family. He puts the cards down. "Though they fought and lived with honor and dignity until the end, both Thresh and Rue were so young. But our lives aren't just measured in years. They're measured in the lives of people we touch around us." I look at Peeta. "For myself, for Callie, we know that without Rue and without Thresh, we wouldn't be standing here today. So in recognition of that knowing that it in no way can make up for your loss, we'd like to donate one month of our winnings to the families of the Tributes, every year, for the rest of our lives." I bit my lip at Peeta's unintentional rebellious act, feeling hope in my heart even though I was suppose to be stopping these kind of acts I didn't really want too. The crowd gave a loud applause. "Thank you." Peeta looks to me then the microphone. I shake my head, he begins to leave but I stare at Rue and her family. I walk over to the microphone and look over at Thresh's family.
"I just wanted to say that I didn't know Thresh. I only spoke to him once. He could have killed me, but instead he showed me mercy. That's a debt I'll never be able to repay." I look over to Rue's family. "I did know Rue. She wasn't just my ally, she was my friend." My eyes began to water. "I see her in the flowers that grow in the meadow by my house. I hear her in a Mockingjay song. I see her in my sister Prim. She was too young, too gentle. And I couldn't save her." My voice breaks, a tear slides down my cheek. "I'm sorry." An old man does the four note whistle and kisses his three fingers in salute. Soon the whole crowd does it. The Peacekeepers whip out their batons and charge the crowd. The crowd begins gasp, shout, and scream as the Peacekeepers went after the old man. I rushed down the stairs to the crowd to help out. The crowd was trying to get me to stay back. Two Peacekeepers grabbed my arms and began to drag me back to the hall.
"No! No!" I yelled. " Wait! Wait!" The crowd is trying to protect the old man as the Peacekeepers drag him out of the crowd. "No! Leave him alone! Leave him alone!" They drag him up the stairs. "No! Let me go! Please leave him alone!" I screamed. They force him to his knees and bring out a gun "No!" I try to hold onto the doors. Just as their about to shut the doors, they shot him in the back of the head. Everyone jumps back in fright. "NO!" I go after the Peacekeepers before Haymitch grabs me by the waist and pulls me away.
"Come here! Spot it!" I keep shouting at the Peacekeepers. "Stop it! Stop!"
"What did I do?" I cried to him. He tries to shush me.
"Come on." Haymitch said and took us to the attic, dragging me by the arm. "Shut up." He told as I kept crying. "You two have a very simple task."
"I never meant for anyone to get killed." I looked around wildly. "He has to know that."
"What are you talking about? Who has to know what?" Haymitch asked me.
"Snow. He came to see me." I took a deep breath. "He's worried about rebellion in the Districts. He thinks that they don't believe our love story."
"So he wants you to make them believe it?" Haymitch questioned.
"Yes." I went to say something else when Peeta spoke up.
"You know, Callie, you shoulda told me that before I went out there, and tried to give these people the money." He shouted at me.
"I'm sorry. I tried to go tell Haymitch but Effie and them came just as soon as he left!" I yelled back then turned to Haymitch. "He threaten to kill you all if I didn't fix this. I had to protect you all."
"What about them? Who protects them?" Peeta and I went quiet, "Calla Lily, what were you thinking?"
"I was thinking about Rue." I told him, 'And rebelling.' "Just help us get through this trip."
"This trip?" Haymitch snaps his fingers. "Girl, wake up. This trip doesn't end when you get back home. You never get off this train." He told us. "You two are mentors now. That means that every year they're gonna drag you out, and broadcast the details of your romance. Every year, your private life becomes theirs. From now on, your job is to be a distraction." He motion to the window. "So people forget what the real problems are."
"So what do we do?" Peeta asked.
"You're gonna smile. You're gonna read the cards that Effie gives you. And you're gonna live happily ever after. Think you can do that?" He asked us. "Huh?" I nodded. He rubbed my cheek. "Yeah? Come here." He brought me into his arms. I clutch onto him.
"I want to fight." I whispered into his ear soft enough that Peeta couldn't hear. Haymitch just held me tighter.
"You're gonna be okay. I promise." He told me. We're put back on the train and go to the next District.
"Callie and I want to share with you our victory. And our gratitude to the Capitol for bringing us together. It was the bond of love, forged in the crucible of the Games that was our greatest prize." We kissed and looked back to the crowd. "For it is love and true love that allows us all to bear our hardships. That mends the heart and banishes loneliness and gives meaning to our lives." Back on the train and to the next's District.
"We also want to share with you the sorrows of your losses. The Tributes of this . . ." I stop when two people do the salute and are dragged off. I look to Haymitch, he nods his head. "The Tributes of this District were brave and noble warriors. They brought honor to their families and pride to their people. We are all of us united, both victors and vanquished, in serving a common purpose." The next District, there was cheering and applause. A girl handed me some flowers. "Thank you."
"One day, I'm gonna volunteer. Just like you did." I gave a grimace and turned away from the girl. Once again back on the train. I try to sleep that night but I wake up, screaming and gasping. My door slides open and Peeta runs in, panting.
"It was just a dream. I'm sorry." I said to him.
"It's okay. I get'em, too." I look over to him. "Goodnight." That makes me panic a little.
"Peeta!" I called, he turns back to me. "Will you stay with me?"
"Yeah." He comes over and crawls into bed with me. I rest my head on his shoulder, my hand on his chest just like I did when we where in that cave. His arms wrapped around me. "Always." I heard him say. They next day we get into cars to go to another District.
"We are all of us united, both victors and vanquished," On the wall we pass are the words 'The Odds are never in our favor'. "in serving a common purpose. The power and glory of the Capitol."
"Put down the cards!" A man yells.
"Tell us what you really think!" A woman shouts. 'I want too, but I can't. I'm sorry.' I look back down at the cards. 'I want to help you all.'
"Panem today. Panem tomorrow. Panem forever." I said to the rioting crowd. Peeta and I raise our hands together while the crowd clamors. We had to stumble back when they tried to get onto the stage. We're taken away by the Peacekeepers back to our train.