Ablaze (after the Mockingjay) ON HOLD

CHAPTER 12:

Weeks go by. Peeta and I try for a baby, but not too hard. We don't want to be let down. Haymitch and Effie surprisingly get along well. Josie wins first place in an art contest. Everything seems to be perfect. That is, until we received the news.

It was 4:00 Josie and Rye were playing outside. Peeta and I were in the kitchen washing dishes. Then our television turns on to show Gale. He stood at a podium. "This is a Presidential Broadcast. I ask that you stop and listen." Peeta silently walked over to the TV. I continued to wash dishes. I had no intent to listen to that man.

"Well," Gale said, "for starters, I'd like to announce my engagement to Delly Cartwright." Peeta slightly smiled at the sound of his childhood friend. Delly has become a very popular talk show host. Her beauty and bubbly personality makes her a great fit for the job.

"But that isn't all I have to say. I'm hear to discuss a very serious matter. Ever since the beginning, our nation has been troubled with rebellion and disagreement. You, the people, have had trouble remembering that the government is in charge. Your government has been trying to decide ways to keep from another revolt. We have reached out to your local Representatives and a few past Victors to helped in coming up with a way to ensure we have no more rebellion. We have decided to have another hunger games."

The plate I was holding fell to the ground and shattered into a million pieces. Peeta sobbed, "No! No! How will restarting the thing that made us revolt help protect us from a revolt?" He turned off the television and threw the projector across the room. The numbness that I felt when Prim was reaped and the Quarter Quell was announced and when Peeta was hijacked consumed my body. My throat grew dry. Tears stung my face. I ran into the woods.

~~~~~~~~~~

I stand clutching a tree. I have been here ever since the dreadful announcement. It has probably been about three hours. I am past the point of crying, for I have no tears left.

I remember the days Gale and I would spend in the woods. We would talk and talk about the horrible games. I remember on one occasion he said, "You root for your favorites, cry when the get killed, it's sick!" And he was exactly right. It is sick to make children fight to the death. It is sick to make a child witness another child getting slaughtered. It is sick to make a child kill others and make them live a life so haunted with nightmares that they are unable to sleep. It is sick to root for someone knowing the only way they can win is to kill others. It is sick to watch the poor children die through a screen, knowing that you can do nothing to help them.

The whole hunger games idea is wrong. My mind once again goes back to poor Rue. Tears I didn't know I still had in me spill down my face. Why, why, why is Gale doing this? What point is he trying to make? Our country is now thriving. There is no reason for one to revolt.

I wonder what would've happened if I had just stuck that knife through his heart. He would have died and most likely I would've also. But, hundreds and hundreds of kids wouldn't be in danger of dying. I should have killed him. Panem would be completely ridded of those treacherous games.

I slowly walk back to the house. To my surprise I see a massive crowd gathered outside our house. Some people hold torches. Others are reporters who hold cameras and microphones. I push my way through the crowd and stand on the front porch along with Haymitch, Peeta, and Effie.

People say things like, "There's Katniss!" and "She knows Gale! She's a traitor!" or "Ask her."

Effie and Peeta try to quiet the crowd, but nothing seems to work. Finally, Haymitch gets fed up and yells, "Shut up!" Everyone grows silent. He continues, "If you have questions, we will be able to answer them if you guys ask them one at time. You, start." He points to a reporter.

She says, "President Hawthorne stated that he spoke with the past victors. Were you spoken to?"

Peeta answers, "It was mentioned to Katniss and I by someone that the government were thinking about holding the hunger games again. We cannot reveal logistics and specifics, but we can tell you that we made it known we were, and still are for that matter, against the games." The questions continue for an hour. The people thankfully no longer consider us to be traitors.

After bidding the Abernathy's a goodbye, Peeta and I go inside. We find Rye and Josie huddled together in Rye's bed. They both look terribly frightened. We kneel down and comfort them.

"What's going on Mom?" Josie asks.

I reply, "Oh just some political confusion." Yeah by little I mean a horrible thing that could result in the death of friends and loved ones. But, I feel it is my job as a mother to protect them from this God-awful news.

Rye asks, "Why da people come here?"

"Because people know your Momma is smart and knows what to do." Peeta answers. Josie and Rye smile at me. Then we put them to bed.

Peeta and I got to bed right after that. "What are we going to do Peeta?" I say.

"I don't know honey. I don't know. Just remember that I will do everything in my ability to keep our family safe," I smile a sad smile, "Get some sleep darling. I love you." He kisses my forehead and turns to his side.

Neither of us sleep because we're both not brave enough to face the horrible nightmares we are sure to have tonight. I gently roll the pearl in my hands, wondering how I can stop the games and spare the lives of innocent children.

I recall a time that Gale wrote to me from District Two. He said that I was welcome to visit him at anytime.

I believe I'll pay him a visit.