Her Victory, Their Life| F. Odair

30. The Death of the Victors

Soon, everyone had spread out to their own spots. They had found some food and were eating quietly. Well, somewhat quietly.

"Finally died during the Hunger Games," Evan chuckled. He had now been through 3 and he just now died.

Emory and Finnick chuckled as well, "didn't think I'd make it past one," Emory laughed.

"I didn't think you'd make it either," Cameron said, guilty. Evan patted him on the shoulder.

"No one did, I betted against her." Emory slapped him on the head.

"You had no faith whatsoever?" He shrugged and she slapped him again as the T.V. turned on again.

The Capitol music started like it did every night of the Hunger Games to show their fallen. First was Cressida underneath it said Capitol. She was the first ever person from the Capitol to die in a Hunger Games. It circled through all the Capitol people before it came to Finnick.

He chuckled, but seeing it made Emory's heart drop. While it wasn't real, she had had nightmares of the very thing, the cannon sound made it worse. Next was Evan. He clapped and cheered, making her giggle, but the cannon sound effect echoed in her ears. Next was Cameron, then her. She could see why they were laughing. She never thought she would get the chance to see her own name in a tribute memorial. Emporia Falkum, District 5. She started laughing as it moved to the District 12s.

The cannon sounded louder and louder every time, like it was getting closer. Next, Snow was on screen and Emory's smile faded as it felt like everything was washing away except for him. "So Katniss Everdeen, a poor unstable girl with nothing but a small talent with a bow and arrow, is dead. Not a thinker, not a leader. Simply a face plucked from the masses. Was she valuable? She was extremely valuable to your rebellion because you have no vision, no true leader among you. You call yourselves an alliance. But we saw what that means. Your soldiers are at each other's throats."

"My name is Emporia Falkum, I am from District 5, I am the victor of the 66th Hunger Games," Emory muttered under her breath as President Coin took over the broadcast.

"Good evening. For those of you who don't know me, please, allow me to introduce myself. I am President Alma Coin, leader—"

"My name is Emporia Falkum, I am from District 5, I am the victor of the 66th Hunger Games."

"I have interrupted a broadcast from your President in which he attempted to defame a brave young woman. "A face picked from the masses," he called her."

"My name is Emporia Falkum, I am from District 5, I am the victor of the 66th Hunger Games."

"As if a leader, a true leader, could be anything else. I had the privilege of knowing a small-town girl from the Seam in District 12 who survived the Hunger Games and the Quarter Quell and rose up and turned a nation of slaves into an army!"

Emory was getting louder as Coin got louder and Evan looked over at her. She stared off into the distance and started rocking back and forth. "My name is Emporia Falkum, I am from District 5, I am the victor of the 66th Hunger Games."

"Dead or alive, Katniss Everdeen will remain the face of this revolution. She will not have died for nothing. Her vision and ours will be realized. A free Panem with self-determination for all. And in her memory, we will all find the strength to rid Panem of its oppressors. Thank you. And be safe."

"My name is Emporia Falkum, I am from District 5, I am the victor of the 66th Hunger Games. My name is Emporia Falkum, I am from District 5, I am the victor of the 66th Hunger Games." Evan tried to calm her as Katniss started making plans to head for Snow's mansion. Cameron whispered to her as well, but she just kept staring forward. None of them touched her, trying not to set her off.

"Finnick," Evan called. The man looked over and Evan gestured to Emory. He walked back over from the map.

"What's going on?" Finnick whispered. He looked at his wife who seemed to be in a trance. "Hey, Emory," he called to her, but she didn't seem to hear him. "It's okay, love, we're right here, we're all right here." He moved to touch her hand and her head snapped over.

After the last cannon, all Emory saw was the waterfall. It was so peaceful. She could stand there looking at it forever. That was until Coran came. He just had to ruin everything. He always ruined it. He touched her hand and she snapped over. She grabbed a knife from her pocket and threw herself at him. He struggled against her, saying something, but she couldn't understand it. SHe felt grabbing from behind her and saw the careers.

She rolled off of Coran, kicking him in the back and swiped District 1's feet out from under them. She took Dream and wrapped her legs around her waist, holding the knife dangerously close to her throat.

Instead of digging the knife in, she punched her and threw her off, heading back for Coran. This time, she was going to finish him. She got on top of him and started choking him. He tried to grab at her arms just as before.

"I killed you once, I'll do it again," she whispered to him with an evil smirked on her face. His face softened and his eyes started to change color. His face morphed, it didn't look like him. It looked like the District 4 boy. The one with the smirk on his face, the one who said he knew she was going to win. Why would he be here? His games were last year. Why was Finnick there? His entire face was just him. "Finnick?"

"Love, it's okay," he whispered and her hands let go. She gasped as everything became clear again. She looked around to everyone with guns in their hands and Evan on the ground. She jumped back and scooted herself across the floor and tucked her knees to her chest.

"My name is Emporia Falkum, I am from District 5, I am the victor of the 66th Hunger Games." Finnick got up off the ground and held a hand out for them to put down their weapons. He walked back over to Emory and talked softly.

"I'm sorry, love, I didn't mean to set you off. Look, I'm okay," he grabbed her face and she looked at him as he smiled at her.

"I hurt you," Emory whispered. She felt terrible. There were bruises on his neck. She hurt him while they were being hunted. She was terrible. She was a horrible person. She hurt Evan, she hurt her best friend. She didn't deserve to live.

Finnick shook his head, "I'm fine, I'll be fine, are you okay?" Emory felt the tears flowing down her face.

"Is Evan okay?" She asked and Finnick looked back. Evan looked sympathetically at Emory and nodded his head.

"Yeah, he's good, you didn't do any damage, everyone's okay, we're worried about you, are you okay?" Finnick questioned her and she nodded.

"Yeah, I'm okay."