Her Victory, Their Life| F. Odair

33. Reality?

She opened her eyes and she was in her room in the Capitol tribute center's hospital. Her T.V. was suddenly turned on again. It was her husband, "This is Finnick Odair. Winner of the 65th Hunger Games. And I'm coming to you from District 13, alive and well. We've survived an assault from the Capitol. But I'm not here to give you recent news. Instead, I'm giving you something much more valuable. The truth. Not the myths about a life of luxury. Not the lie about glory for your homeland. You can survive the arena. The moment you leave, you're a slave."

At the same time a ship flew into the Capitol, filled with people from District 13, ready to rescue Johanna and Peeta.

Emory started to cry as she heard the next part, "President Snow used to sell me. Or my body, at least. I wasn't the only one. If a Victor is considered desirable, the President gives them as a reward or allows people to buy them. If you refuse, he kills someone you love. Some of these people included Cashmere from District 1, they had plans for Enobaria before her teeth from District 2, Emporia from District 5, Johana Mason, who refused and they murdered her whole family from District 7. The only way the star crossed lovers got out of it was because of their love for each other. They were more obsessed with that than how attractive they were."

Everyone in District 13 let out a breath of air as the ship got through the Capitol's defensive perimeter. "This already happened," Emory reasoned, her mind racing, trying to find a reason this would be happening.

"To make themselves feel better, my patrons would make presents of money or jewelry. But my partner, who I was often bought with, and I found a much more valuable form of payment. Secrets."

The ship had made it inside of the capital and was coming upon the tribute center. "See, I know all the depravity, the deceit and the cruelty of the Capitol's pampered elite. But the biggest secrets are about our good President, Coriolanus Snow."

Emory closed her eyes, she knew this already happened. It wasn't real. She just needed to leave, maybe she was in the hospital and was just having an episode. This whole thing was an episode.

"Such a young man when he rose to power. Such a clever one to keep it. How, you may ask, did he do it?" There was breaking going on. Emory heard it. It was quiet, but she heard it. "One word. Poison. He stopped every mutiny before it even started. There are so many mysterious deaths to adversaries. Even to allies who were threats. Snow would drink from the same cup, to deflect suspicion. But antidotes don't always work, which is why he wears roses that reek of perfume. Help cover the scent of blood from sores in his mouth that will never heal.But he can't hide the scent of who he really is. He kills without mercy. He rules with deception and fear. His weapon of choice is the only thing suited to such a man. Poison. The perfect weapon for a snake."

The screen went dark again and Emroy heard the breaking of doors. Suddenly, her's was smashed open and the lights turned on. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Gale!"

He looked at her confused, "who are you?"

She laughed, "look, I'm not sure what's real or not right now, but unstrap me, we can talk, go to Finnick. I want to see my son. Gale, please."

He aimed his gun at her, "how do you know my name and how do you know about the baby?"

She shook her head, "it's me, Emory. Emporia Falkum, victor, tribute, I'm friends with Katniss. We– we were in the same squad for invading the Capitol."

He lowered his gun a little and glared at her, "how do you know about our plan to invade the Capitol? Or my squad? It hasn't been assigned yet."

"Hasn't been assigned?" Emory asked herself. "Am I going insane? Which one is the dream? I couldn't have made it up. It was real. It was really real." Gale glared at her.

"I don't have time for this." He grabbed the syringe that was on the table.

"No, no, no!" Emory shook her head as Gale stabbed it into her neck and everything became hazy.

Emory's body jolted her awake unexpectedly. She sat up, out of breath and looked around. She was in an unusually white room. She tried to move her hands, but she was strapped down to the bed.

In front of her was a white door and around her were all these machines. Soon, the white door in front of her opened and she watched as a nurse, doctor, two peacekeepers, and President Snow walked in.

"Good morning, Ms. Falkum, or should I say, Mrs. I'm still unsure who you're married to," Snow chuckled.

Emory looked up, "What happened?"

Snow chuckled, "your friend, Katniss Everdeen blew out the arena, she and the rest of your allies are now considered rebels," he explained. Emory looked around, disoriented.

"No," she said and he chuckled. She shook her head and looked at him with a laugh, "No, this already happened. This is where I woke up after a month of torture."

Snow looked impressed, "so you do remember. Billius, another round of electroshock if you will?" Emory eyes' widened.

"No, no, no," she closed her eyes tightly, "this isn't real, this isn't real."

The doctor, Billius chuckled as he brought over a machine and took out a gag. Two peacekeepers came and held her down. "NO, NO, NO, NO! YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

He placed the gag in her mouth and Snow looked to be enjoying it. "I assure, Ms. Falkum, this is very much real."

"Charing to 450," Billius called and placed the wands on Emory's temple. "Clear." She screamed in pain, her entire head felt as if it was being torn into a million different pieces. Everything faded away as she passed back out.

~

Emory gasped awake again, sitting up. She was sitting in her bed at 13. She sighed in relief and threw off her blanket. She moved her legs and placed them on the floor, slightly cringing at the coldness of the floor. She got used to it quickly as she ran from the room and down the hall.

People were yelling at her to get back to her room, but her only goal was to get to her room with Finnick. She ran to the apartments with several people chasing her. She got to her supposed room and banged on the door. "Finnick! Finnick!" He slowly opened it and glared at her.

"You're still alive?"

She looked at him shocked and backed up, "What's going on? Finnick, we won!" She just wanted to rush forward and take him in her arms, hold her son, find her family and finally just rest.

"Did we? Cameron's dead, because of you! Evan's dead because of you! You murdered Falle out of cold blood!" He yelled at her, backing her into the wall. He scoffed, "I never want to see you again."

"What about Cameron?" Emory cried, rushing forward, but Finnick blocked her.

"He's my son. MINE! You're lucky I don't kill you right here, right now!" He yelled and Cameron started crying. He went back into the room and picked up his trident. Emroy raised her hands flinching and Finnick smirked. "Leave, and stay the hell away from my family." He walked back inside the room and shut the door.

Emroy was in so much shock all she could do was stumble away from the door. She walked further down the hall and found Annie, "Oh, honey, what's wrong?"

Emory stuttered, "Finnick doesn't want me near Cam– he says I'm a murderer."

Annie laughed before glaring at her, "That's because you are, because of you, my daughter has no father. It's because of you Elliot is dead."

Emory was taken aback, "w–what?"

Annie laughed bitterly, "you were the one who convinced him to leave, then he was killed by those mutts and you never even tried to protect him. Honestly, FInnick's right, you're a monster, a murderer, I wouldn't be surprised if they executed you just for fun." Emory felt like she had just been stabbed in the stomach as Annie walked away.

She did the only rational thing she could think of at the moment. She climbed stairs. She climbed to the top, all the way up to the top level. She looked down. If she was a murderer, she should be killed. She stepped on top of the railing and walked off the edge, falling through the air.

She was falling quickly and the ground was rapidly approaching. Just as she was about to hit the concrete– she woke up.