"All mentor stations are live!" Plutarch Heavensbee announced as he glanced at his tablet PC while walking around the Mentor room. Wiress looked at the black clip on Heavensbee's shirt collar that was a small microphone transmitting his voice to Seneca Crane who was undoubtably in the Gamemaker Control room. "All tributes have entered their launch-pads." Hands trembling, Wiress grasped Beetee's clammy hand. Her large eyes focused on her husband's pale face as he bit his lip to keep himself from crying out in terror for his children. "Tributes have started the ascent."
Sixty, fifty-nine, fifty-eight...Claudius Templesmith's voice began counting down as the mentors focused on the large viewing screen in the front of the room. Beetee glanced at his son and daughter who were on adjacent plates. To Estelle's right was a girl from Five. Cato was on Noah's left. "Run, buddy, my star. Just run, kids." He whispered in a strangled voice.
"Oh, my children, be strong." Wiress whispered. Ten... Nine... eight... seven... six... five... four...three... two... one... "OH MY WIRES! NOOO!" Watching helpless, Wiress saw her daughter reach for a backpack before the girl from Five delivered a blow to her shoulders with an axe. "NOO! STELLE! MY STELLE!"
"NOAH TERRIMAX, GET OUT OF THERE, NOW!" Beetee screamed as his son grabbed a backpack before running back to Estelle. Tears streamed down his face as he watched his son drag his sister's broken body away from the bloodbath.
"Stelle, Stelle, get up!" Noah urged as blood poured from Estelle's back. "Please, Please!"
"That's it, baby, stand up." Wiress whimpered watching her daughter slowly get to her feet. Grabbing a backpack from a fallen tribute, Estelle hobbled away as Noah pulled her further into the arena. Too soon, Estelle fell to the ground again.
"STELLE!" Noah gasped seeing a knife in Estelle's side. Reacting quickly, Noah blocked another knife with her backpack. "Stelle - no - wake up - wake up, please, Stelle!" Tears poured from his eyes as he gazed into his sister's pale face as her large eyes lost their focus.
"Mama -" Estelle whispered.
"Oh - baby -" Wiress sobbed as Beetee wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug as sobs racked his body.
"Mama - dad - I - love -" She choked out as blood trickled from her mouth.
"No - Stelle - please -" Noah pleaded through tears streaming freely down his face.
"Noah -" Estelle whispered locking her large eyes onto his. "Win. For mom - and dad. Love - you."
"I love you, Stelle." Noah whispered as he cradled his sister's head and neck in his arms before she went limp in his grasp. "No - NOOOO - MAMA! DAD! PLEASE! DAD! MOM! PLEASE HELP ME, STELLE'S NOT MOVING, PLEASE!" Turning his head away from the screen, Beetee screamed in anger at the sound of his son's grief-laden wails for help and at the sight of his daughter's lifeless form. Small hands prodded him before he turned around to look at his wife.
"Noah - " She whispered as their son peeled Estelle's coat off her body with trembling hands. He took her backpack along with his and began sprinting toward the trees even as he was overcome with sobs.
He ran for a good hour before finally collapsing near a tree, falling to his knees and wailing with his face in his hands. "Stelle?" He whispered after what seemed like an eternity.
"Use The Force." Wiress whispered, her throat raw from crying with her son. "She's in the Force now, sweetie -" Her voice broke as she began crying again.
"Stelle, are you -" Noah gasped as he reached into her bag. "Thank you." Pulling a small toolkit of a screwdriver, some nails, screws, bolts, and wire out of the bag, he held it to his chest. "You're watching out for me, huh, sis." Looking around for some berries, he examined one with great care before determining that it was a wild grape.
"Keep moving, buddy. Please." Beetee pleaded as he watched his son walk through the arena. Eventually, he found a stream where he filled a small water container. Putting iodine drops in his water, he let it sit for the required amount of time before drinking it slowly. He began examining his and Estelle's backpack before making a campsite.
"Look -" Wiress whispered as she watched Noah use a mirror to direct rays of sun to a pile of dried twigs and leaves to start a fire. "Smart boy - our smart Noah."
"I know." Beetee whispered before checking his tablet before cursing. "WIRES!" His exclamation startled Wiress. "I'm sorry, baby, I - I keep checking yours and my tablets for our Stelle -"
"Beetee -" Wiress choked back a sob. "Oh - Beetee - I know -" As night fell, she allowed her husband to hold her as she held his hands knowing the results of the bloodbath would be shown in the sky. As the national anthem played, they watched as Noah got to his feet. Wiress' heart swelled with pride and sorrow as Noah whispered his sister's name and held his hand in the district sign for her. Tears streamed down his face as her face appeared in the sky.
"My boy - he's showing them - that's my boy." Beetee whispered. "He has your strength."
"Your bravery -" Wiress whispered. "Our Estelle - free." Nodding, Beetee kissed his fingers and gave his daughter the district sign. "I love you, my Estelle. Wherever you are in The Force. Daddy is so so proud -"
"Mama is so proud too." Wiress whispered as the tears came again. "We will fight for you."