I spend the next period of time going in and out of a deep drug-induced slumber. The first time I awaken, I am being carted on a hospital bed by several doctors who are nervously talking about my injuries. I am only awake long enough to catch a glimpse of a large contraption over my stomach when a cold feeling runs up my arm and I am out once again.
The next time I wake I am in the recovery room, both arms hooked up to several tubes that make their way into the wall of machines behind me. "Hello?" I call out. No one answers, instead there is the same cold feeling in my arm and everything goes black.
The final time I woke all the tubes have been disconnected. I examine my hands, which were previously coated in a layer of dirt and blood, now they are good as new, with a layer of pale skin free of calluses and blemishes, even those I'd acquired while working in the fields back home.
I sit in bed for only a few minutes when an avox enters the room. She is holding a tray of food, I look at it, somewhat disappointed with my first meal as a victor. It is a slice of bread, a banana, and a small cup of water. On the side is green gelatin. I eat it all, which actually takes some doing.
"How long has it been?" I ask the avox, who sits silently at the door. She holds up seven fingers. "A week?" I say. She nods in reply. I do some math in my head, I volunteered on July 4th, spent a week in the Capitol, then seventeen days in the arena. So by my calculations, today is August 4th. It has been one whole month since my departure from District 9.
The avox clears my tray, bows, and then exits the room through a sliding door. About an hour later, she returns carrying a package of clothing and a brochure. She hands me the brochure, which lays out my next few days on it.
August 4th - Victor's Night
Reuniting Ceremony
Victors Viewing
Crowning Ceremony
Sponsor Banquet
August 5th - Special Event
August 6th - Finale Interviews
Victory Interview
Departure from Capitol
August 7th - Triumphant Return
District Welcome and Celebration
Family and Friends Banquet
"Special event?" I ask. The avox simply nods, I've never seen that before. Typically the victor has Victor's Night and then the next day is the Finale Interviews when they are taken to their home district. What could the event be? Maybe something special in honor of the Quarter Quell.
The avox has me dressed in the outfit in the package. It is the same outfit I wore in the arena, except not shredded, burned, and bloody. From here I will leave my hospital room and be reunited with my team. I think about Quin, she really did have my back. My stomach is in knots as I put on my outfit. The last thing I get is my mom's necklace, which was sealed in a white paper envelope. The avox places it around my neck, "Thank you," I whisper. I kiss the necklace.
With that, the avox slips out of the room. I sit on my bed, waiting for the door to reopen and the Reuniting Ceremony to begin. Around fifteen minutes later, the door slides open. I rise, holding my head high. This is my first time on camera as a victor. I leave the room and walk down a long hallway to an elevator. I board it and rocket upwards.
The door slides open, revealing the golden lobby of the District 9 Tower in the District Plaza. Quin, Clio, and Leto stand waiting for me along with Rose, Flavo, and Azure. The six of them are clapping and I break into a run. I wrap my arms around Quin who hugs me back.
"You did great," she whispers.
"Thank you," I say.
We finally break away after Clio clears her throat. In the excitement, Rose goes an unfortunate color of pink and collapses to the ground. Her brother and sister have to fan her as she cries about how "This is just so exciting for her."
I am taken around to the front of the room where the massive black obelisk stands. Added in the silver text at the bottom of the list is "325 - Amaranth Masa." Me. My head spins, I have done it. I am safe. But none of this feels real. 23 people are dead, more if you count those killed in the Reaping. All of them dead for me to be crowned winner and the Capitol to have entertainment... at what cost.
"Amey, there is someone we promised you would meet," says Flavo. From behind him a little girl, maybe 12 or 13, reveals herself. She is a deep violet.
"You must be Purpura," I say, smiling at the young kid. Kid... she is old enough to be in the Hunger Games... Is she really a kid? Not to the Capitol, no.
"Hi!" she says, even her child-like voice has a Capitol accent, "You were so cool on TV! I want to be like you when I grow up."
This sends me over the edge, I get very light-headed, and I think I might pass out. I respond quickly and lock eyes with Quin who senses my distress.
"Let's get you something to drink and eat upstairs," she says. "Then we have to let Rose, Flavo, and Azure do their work."
When we get upstairs, Quin is the only one that sits with me at the table. Everyone else remains in the sitting room to give me some time to adjust. "How do you feel?" Quin says, as an avox, the same one who helped me earlier, delivers us a tray of sandwiches and soup.
"Strange," I say, not sure how to express the emotion. "It doesn't feel real, I don't feel like I am myself."
"I get it," Quin says, "It will take time, but life will go back to normal."
"How?" I ask.
"Patience, support. The next few days are going to be a bit of a whirl, you have many appearances. Do you have the brochure still?" I nod, I reach into my pocket and hand the folded paper to Quin.
"What's the special event?" I ask, taking a big bite of the sandwich.
"A funeral," says Quin. She avoids looking at me.
"For who?" I ask, taking another bite.
"Ri," she says. I stop chewing.
"Ri Pain?" I ask. I imagine the little old victor, the oldest of all the victors.
"Yes," Quin says, looking down at the table, "She passed away peacefully during the games, but they wanted to wait for her funeral until they had crowned a victor.
"Morbidly, I think it actually played into your favor, sponsors poured in after she died, that's how I got you that bread. It may not have seemed like much, but by them, it cost more than you want to know. But I wanted it to be something special, so I made sure it came from home."
"Thank you," I say. I think about Ri Pain, the 97-year-old victor of the 244th Hunger Games. We spend the rest of lunch in silence, eating and drinking soup. By the end, my stomach hurts from having real food.
Rose pokes her head into the dining room to let us know it is time to get ready for Victor's Night showing of the games. I nod, ready to finally take out my arena wear, and finally be free.
YOU ARE READING
The Incoming Storm: The Tale of the 325th Hunger Games
FanfictionAfter Peeta's fateful death in the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss is crowned Victor. The next decades are spent under the Capitol's ever-growing rule, the games become more and more a staple of society. Nearly 300 years later and after several failed re...
