Secrets, Lies and Eternal Sadness: ~What if Annie had stayed?

Chapter 5

Suzanne Collins owns all characters in the Hunger Games trilogy.

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Chapter 5

Annie’s POV

Two days before the funeral I go for my surgery.

Everything goes perfectly and by the day of the funeral everything is perfect.

We travel to the church, me Finn, Mom and Dad. When we get there it’s all decorated in lilies, Grandma’s favourite flowers.

After a little while, people start to show up. People who knew Grandma, her friends, people who were a part of the games.

Katniss and Gale show up, with Finnick and Rue. Finnick pulls me into a hug and whispers sorry into my ear.

Rue stands awkwardly beside her mother.

I walk over to her and smile.

“Thank you so much for coming.”

She nods. “I couldn’t miss it.”

I smile.

“I’m really sorry Annie. I know how much she meant to you. To all of you.”

I nod. “Thank you.”

She hugs me and I hesitate for a moment but hug her back.

“Can we be friends again?” I whisper.

Rue nods. “I’ve missed you.”

I nod. “Me too.”

“And I’m sorry about telling your parents. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble. Finnick told me about what you had to do.”

I nod. “I wanted to thank you. If you hadn’t told them I never would have. And their choices made me realise I’m far too young to look after a child. We both are. Finnick understands. We’re going to wait until we’re both older.”

Rue smiles. “Still. It wasn’t my place to tell them.”

The funeral starts. My parents, Finn and I sit right at the front.

Dad talks first. He tells us of all the time he and Grandma spent alone when he was a child. And then he told us about how the first time he got to meet any of her friends was when he was nineteen. It was when he met mom. He talks about how much of a wonderful person Grandma was. How she always helped people and never failed to give him a wonderful childhood. Even though she’d been a single parent.

Next Grandma’s best friend Maeve talks. She’s known Grandma since they were kids so she recounts all kinds of funny stories from their time at school. She tells about when Grandma met my Grandpa Finnick and all about her time in the games.

After Finn recalls many of our childhood memories, it’s my turn to talk. I talk about how much my Grandmother meant to me. She was the world and more. I had a special connection with her, as I was named after her and her sister. I talk about all the time she spent with us and all the memories we’ve shared. After the funeral is over, we watch her coffin slowly being lowered into the ground beside Grandpa Finnick’s. I don’t think I could ever understand then what impact losing her would have on me.