Her Victory, Their Life| F. Odair

37. The Vote

Emory gasped awake again. It was different this time. The walls were white, but it looked like a tent. There were medical supplies all around them.

There was an empty bed to her right, then it was Prim. She looked to her left and there was Evan. He noticed her and sat up, "hey," he smiled. "Glad to see you up, it's been over 2 weeks."

"Since what?" Emory asked, not showing any emotion. Her son was dead. She was a monster. Her son was a girl. Her son was a stillborn. She was tortured. Over and over and over and over. This was just another way to torment her.

"Since the Capitol invasion," Evan answered and Emory's eyes snapped back to him.

"That happened?" She asked softly and he nodded.

"I'm sorry about your uncle," he said, but Emory didn't even care, she smiled, it was a real smile. A genuine, relieved smile. She laughed.

"Where's Finnick? Where is Elliot? Cierra? Cameron! Where's my son?" She asked, she threw off her blankets and tried to get up, but she fell back down. She looked at her legs and they were covered in burns and bruises from top to bottom.

Someone ran in and picked her up, placing her back on her bed. She smiled at him, "Finnick," she sighed in relief.

He shook his head as he laughed, "that was a dangerous stunt you pulled, but you saved Prim."

Emory had almost completely forgotten about the girl, "yeah, I did, where's Cam?"

Just then, Annie and Elliot walked in, carrying the baby. Emory gasped and they walked to her bed, placing the baby in her arms like the day he was born all over again, only he was bigger. "Hi, baby, I love you," she cried, placing a kiss on his head. She looked back to the four, "we won?" They all nodded and she sighed again, looking back down to her son. "We won."

~

Prim was going to be okay. She had woken up before Emory and was going to recover, but she was going to have many scars. When she was ready to leave, Emory was brought to her room with Finnick inside the mansion. Falle was there and thanked her.

Katniss had thanked her for saving her sister. Everything was passing by in a blur. It was crazy, things were changing for the better finally. Soon, President Coin called for a meeting with all the Victors.

She held Finnick's hand as they sat at a circular table. She sat next to him and Evan with Annie on Finnick's other side. There was also Haymitch, Johanna, Enobaria, Peeta, and Beetee. Katniss was the last one to show up.

"What's this?" She asked.

Coin smiled at her, "The remaining Victors. Won't you join us?" Everyone who wasn't sitting took a seat and listened to what Coin had to say. "I have invited you all here for several reasons, but first, I have an announcement.I have taken the burden and the honor of declaring myself Interim President of Panem."

Haymitch, Johanna and Emory scoffed at the same time. "Interim? Exactly how long is that interim?" Haymitch asked.

Coin looked at him with a little disgust, "We have no way of knowing for certain. But it's clear that people are far too emotional right now to make a rational decision. We'll plan an election when the time is right." She folded her hands across the table and leaned forward. It was just then that Emory saw the resemblance. She reminded her of President Snow. "But I have called you here for a far more important vote. A symbolic vote. This afternoon, we will execute Snow. Hundreds of his accomplices also await their deaths. Capitol officials, Peacekeepers, torturers, Gamemakers. But the danger is, once we begin, the rebels will not stop calling for retribution. Thirst for blood is a difficult urge to satisfy. So I offer an alternative plan. Majority of five may approve it. No one may abstain. The proposal is this. In lieu of these barbaric executions, we hold a symbolic Hunger Games."

Johanna looked a mixture of pissed and disturbed she laughed, "You wanna have another Hunger Games with The Capitol's children?"

"You're joking?" Peeta asked.

Coin shook her head, "Not in the slightest." Emory looked over at Katniss. The wheels in her head seemed to be turning. She was going to vote whatever she did. She didn't trust Coin, but she did trust the Mockingjay.

Haymitch scoffed, "Is this Plutarch's idea?" He was usually the one to come up with the good plans.

She shook her head, "It was mine." That makes more sense. "It balances the need for revenge with the least loss of human life. You may cast your votes."

Peeta was the first to say anything, "No. No, obviously not. This is crazy."

Johanna smirked, "I think it's more than fair. Snow's got a granddaughter. I say "yes.""

Finnick sighed, he knew she wanted revenge, but he didn't think this was the way. "No," he answered. He looked to his wife and she held up a finger, saying she needed a minute. He looked at her confused, surely she wasn't thinking of agreeing.

"I agree with Johanna, let them have a taste of it," Enobaria said with a slight smirk.

"You guys, this way of thinking is what started these uprisings!" Peeta reminded them. This was going to get out of hand again!

It was Annie's turn, "I vote "no." With Peeta and Finnick," she said, gesturing to both.

"No," Beetee said. Emory was tempted to agree with him. She looked up to him as long as she'd been alive. He was smart, he survived the games, he was an engineer for the Capitol. "We need to stop viewing each other as enemies."

"It's down to Evan, Emory, Katniss, and Haymitch," Coin said, gesturing to the last four. Everyone looked to Katniss first.

Katniss took a minute, "I get to kill Snow."

"I expected no less of you."

"Then I vote "yes." For what they did to Prim," Katniss said.

Coin turned to District 5, "Emory, Evan?"

Emory sighed, "I vote yes." Evan nodded with her, he could see it in her eyes that she had a reason. They were friends, they communicated on a different level just like her and Johanna once did.

"Me too."

Coin nodded and turned to the last person, "Haymitch?"

"I'm with the Mockingjay," Haymitch announced, looking at Katniss, he too knew she had a plan and was willing to go along with it.

"That carries the vote. Excellent. We'll announce the Games tonight, after the execution."