The Girl Who Lived.

Chapter 20.

We have been in District 13 for a while now. I have lost track of the days. I believe it is August. I have been instructed to do meetings with the other victors that have been rescued, and the president of District 13 named Coin. At the meetings, we talk about strategies against the Capitol. We do propaganda shots. One of which I must use my nephew. When I am told to go retrieve him I am a little nervous. I walk to where he is, with my brother and sister-in-law, and tell them that I need John. "Why?" Owen asks. "I was told I need to do something with John. That is all I know." I say. John and I walk back to the recording room. "Ok. This propo will be called "The Children" Lilly, you will hold John in your arms and read what we tell you. Ok?" Plutarch says. "Ok." I say. "You ready John?" I say bending down so I can pick him up. "Yes." He says. I lift him up and Plutarch tells me what to say. "President Snow. When you bomb us, when you destroy our cities, you destroy and bomb the lives of innocent children. We know you have a child with you. We know how you would feel if that child was taken away from you. We know you don't care about the children you send to the Games, you don't care about the lives you ruin. You don't care about the parents-the families-you hurt. You don't care about the 12-18-year-olds you kill every year. But think of the little ones. The ones you take their big brother or sister away from. The little children that have to worry about being reaped, the little ones that watch as the ones they love die, at your hands. You may think what you are doing is good, but just stop and think. Think about what you are doing. We may be fighting, but leave the children out of it. They are young, they will never be the same. The future of our world depends on them, the children of Panem, the children of our future." I say. The cameras are still rolling as John lays his little head on my shoulder. I continue. "Look at this, this is a child who needs a home, who needs you to stop. I am a child who needs you to stop. Thanks to you when I killed innocent children I lost my family. I lost all that I am. I was a child when I won. But I didn't win, I only survived. There is a difference. I know what it is like to lose everything. Just stop and think. Think about what you are doing. Think about the lives you are ruining. Think about the children." I finish. The cameras stop and I put John down. I give John a sad smile and walk with him back to his parents. "How did it go Lilly?" Owen asks. "It was ok. John here is a natural actor." I laugh. I go back to the control room. Beete had figured out how to hack the Capital Network. I watch as the propo plays. It will be broadcasted all acrost Panem. I see myself with John on screen, there are fake flames all around us. As the video ends The words "Think about the children" burn on screen, then it all goes black. I stare at Haymitch, who is right next to me, and give a sad smile. "You still are a good actor." He says. I give him a small laugh. "I guess so. But John is too." I chuckle. We all talk for a while until we see the screen turn on. It is a message from the capital. Peeta is on screen. He look in bad shape. He is talking about the propos. Then he says something. His artificial leg taps the chair he is in. I notice the pattern he is tapping. It is morse code. - .... . -.-- .--- .. .-.. .-.. -...--- -- -... .---- ...-- I know this. "I need a piece of paper!" I say grabbing one and a pencil. I wright out the series of dots and dashes and decipher it. It says. 'They will bomb 13.' I look up in shock. "They will bomb 13." Is all I say. "What?!" Haymitch asks. "That's what Peeta said. They will bomb 13." I urge. "He didn't though." Coin says. "She's right. The way he was tapping against the chair. It is morse code. A series of dots and dashes. She deciphered his code. He was giving us a warning." Beete says in his rapid voice. "Call for an emergency shelter." Coin orders. We hurry to get people down to a security bunker. Everyone goes to a certain spot. I go with Owen and his family. "Lilly, you were in the control room. What's going on?" Marry asks me. "I can't tell you. I'm sorry. But we're safe here." I say. "Lilly, please tell me." Owen says. "I can't ok. It is on the need to know basses." I say. He keeps badgering me about it but I do not give in. Owen finally gives up and we all do what we are told. John looks to be very scared. I sit on the ground next to him. He climbs on my lap and buries his face in my shirt. He is trebling with sobs. "Hey, hey, hey, I got you little one." I say softly, rubbing his back. "Aunt Lilly, I'm scared." John says shakly. "I know, I know." I say. I look up at Owen and he looks down at me. I remember a song he would sing to me when I was scared. I hold my nephew close and let out the song. "Some people long for a life that is simple and planned Tied with a ribbon Some people won't sail the sea 'cause they're safer on land To follow written But I'd follow you to the great unknown Off to a world we call our own Hand in my hand And we promised to never let go We're walking a tightrope High in the sky We can see the whole world down below We're walking a tightrope Never sure, never know how far we could fall But it's all an adventure That comes with a breathtaking view Walking a tightrope With you, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh With you, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh With you Mountains and valleys, and all that will come in between Desert and ocean You pulled me in and together we're lost in a dream Always in motion So I risk it all just to be with you And I risk it all for this life we choose Hand in my hand And you promised to never let go We're walking a tightrope High in the sky We can see the whole world down below We're walking a tightrope Never sure, will you catch me if I should fall? Well, it's all an adventure That comes with a breathtaking view Walking a tightrope With you, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh With you With you, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh With you, ooh, ooh, ooh With you." I sing softly. I notice Owen was singing with me. He sits on the ground with us. "You remember the song." He smiles softly. "Of corse. I still sing it to myself when there is a storm." I chuckle. I have always been afraid of storms, so when there was one back home Owen would sing me that song, but when he was gone I sang it alone. "You're scared of storms?" John asks. "Terrified." I say tucking his stomach. This causes him to giggle a little. "And when Aunt Lilly was your age she would climb into my bad when there was a storm." Owen laughs. This causes Marry to laugh also. "That's right. I still wish I could." I say resting my head on my brothers shoulder. Owen pulls John and I onto his lap and holds us both close. "What did I ever do to get a son and a sister like you 2?" Owen says with a smile. "I don't know but I do know that you are the best." I say hugging him. We are told to go to bed, I lay on a matrace on the ground while my family sleeps in holes in a wall. My mind is racing so I can't sleep. John can't sleep ether because I feel him climb onto my matrace and cuddle up against me. I hold him close and we both fall asleep.

"Aunt Lilly!" I hear John shout. "John!" I call back. I try to find my nephew but his voice gets further and further away. "Lilly!" I hear Chaff now. "Chaff!" I call out and try to find him too. I hear the voices of all my loved ones, Haymitch, Owen, Marry, Ma, Pa, Katniss, Peeta, Beete, Finnic, John, Chaff, Wiress, Johanna, and they all seem hurt. I try to get to them all but it is no use. I look around to see them all. Ma and Pa are holding picks from the mines, Johanna holds an ax, Chaff a knife, Beete a spear, Haymitch a gun, Katniss her bow, they all have something to kill me with. Ma comes up to me holding the pick. "Time for you to join us." she says bringing the pick down- I bolt up with a gasp. I look around and see Owen, John and Marry, all safe. I look over to were Katniss and Finnic are. I know Haymitch and Beete are ok. "Lilly, are you ok?" Owen asks puting a hand on my back. "No. No, I'm not ok Owen." I say with a sob. "Please, don't hurt me." I say backing away from him. "Lilly, I would never hurt you." Owen says pulling me into his arms. I hold him tight as I sob. "You were all going to hurt me. You all had weapons." I sob. "We would never hurt you my little Lilly." Owen says in a reassuring voice. "I love you Owen." I say hugging him. "I love you too, Lilly."