The Wrong Victor

Chapter forty-five: Peeta

Today is the day. Yesterday Katniss, Prim, Haymitch, and Finnick all left the Capitol to be safe. Finnick left for District 4 with a promise of updates on his child and wife. Katniss, Prim, and Haymitch all left for District 12 all of us hoping I make it out of this alive. We extended the offer to Effie, Portia, Katniss' mom and Katniss' glamor team. They all refused.

"You need someone with you." Effie has said as she held my hand. "I'd be honored if you let me stay and be your support through this."

I had never noticed just how much older than me Effie was, but in that moment she reminded me of what a mother should be like. So, I let her stay. So Effie, Portia, and the glamor team have stayed to help me make today "perfect".

Katniss' mom said she still has a lot of work to do. There are still hundreds of several injured people that need to be tended to.

I look in the mirror as Portia helps me get strapped into the Mockingjay outfit she made based from Cinna's sketches for Katniss' suit, but with a few differences. Katniss' was to be all black with a protective bodice and wings on the back. Mine is still mainly black, but the sleeves have the wings on my arms. They're speckled with the traditional grey spots of a mockingjay. My boots and pants are an ombré of yellow to red like I'm walking through flames. This is last time I will wear flames because after this, the snow and the coin will be melted. They will be left as nothing but a memory, a scar on this country's history.

I watch in the mirror as Effie fixes my hair a bit and dots concealer under my eyes to hide my eye bags. Katniss isn't here. I couldn't check on her last night. My nightmares were in full swing, one right after the other. The various ways I could lose her just kept playing out in my head. I eventually gave up on sleep and opted to paint.

"Ready?" Effie asks as she pins the replica pin to my chest right above my heart. "To keep you safe."

I smile and gently hold her hand on my chest for a moment. "Thank you, Effie." I pull her into a hug and just hold her for a moment. I wouldn't have survived without her. Yes, she was annoying. Yes, she was ignorant. But she's learned. She's calmed down. I kiss her head before pulling back and looking out at the giant door.

The same door I rode a chariot through the first year covered in fake flames just amazed to be there but also terrified. The same door I rode through the next year covered in glowing embers angry and upset of having to do this all again. The same door, now yet another year has passed. I will walk through that door and be faced with ending it all once and for all.

I am handed my bow and a my quiver. I secure my quiver on my back and adjust my hold on my bow. This is it.

I close my eyes one last time and see the faces of every tribute I went against. All 45 tributes. Glimmer, Marvel, Cato, Clove, Fox Face, Rue, Thresh, Katniss, Gloss, Cashmere, Brutus, Enobaria, Beetee, Wiress, Finnick, Mags, the Morphlings, Blight, Johanna, Woof, Cecelia, Chaff, Seeder, and all of those whose names I learned at some point but now have forgotten. They will now be avenged. They will get their justice. Not only those 45, but all of those who have died in the past 75 games. Those killed by poverty; carelessness; mining accidents; the bombing of 13; the bombing of 12; the wars, they will all be avenged today.

The music begins and I walk out. The path is lined with burning coals. As I walk out I stare down the one at the end of my path. Snow, his suit is no longer bright white. His hair is no longer the color of freshly fallen snow. He's dirty, filthy, like the slowly melting snow on the roads. He doesn't seem remorseful. He doesn't seem scared. He has made peace with his death, and he will still try to get the final laugh.

I block out everything as I march down towards him. I stop at my mark and look up to where Coin is standing. Not too high up and not too far. Should be believable that I miss and hit her. The music stops as she stands up and walks to the mic.

"People of Panem, welcome. It has been 76 years of being in the clutches of the games. 76 years of being forced to send our children here to be paraded around in gimmicks before being sent to their slaughter. But today. Today this place is not one for gimmicks. This place is not one where we will be sending children off any longer. This is the place where our suffering ends!"

Everyone cheers, if only they knew. If only they knew the mastermind Coin was. The manipulation she uses. I square my shoulders as if I'm agreeing with what she says.

"Today our Mockingjay, our freedom takes the stand. Today our freedom is released. Peeta Mellark, our Mockingjay will free us!"

I notch an arrow on my bow and pull back just as Katniss taught me, but I make my form back. My bring my hand too low to where my shoulder is. I aim and take a moment as if I'm trying my best to aim at Snow. For this to be believable I need to hit something that's no Coin first. I take a deep breath and shoot.

The arrow flies and hits the display above Coin, cracking the screen.

I feign embarrassment and panic. I cover my mouth and look around. I shake out my hands before taking a deep breath. I look up at Coin with a fake apologetic look on my face. I notch a new arrow and take a deep breath.

I aim and shoot. Bullseye. Coin's side is grazed by the arrow and no one else is hurt. I drop my bow as if absolutely appalled by my failure and run a hand through my hair. I pace and back forth as Coin is rushed off.

"Finish it!" "Just end him already!" A riot is beginning. They are all booing me as if I'm the worst shot in the world.

I notch an arrow and aim right for Snow's heart. The look in his eye as he smiles at me is a knowing look. He knows what I was doing. I smile back and shoot. His dirty white suit slowly begins to turn pink from his chest as cheers fill the arena.

It is out of my hands now. It is now in the hands of the medic that had volunteered to end Coin's life.

The snow has melted, soon the coin will too.