Light the Way

Chapter One

"Who was the third?" Lucy Gray asked, turning her head to face him. They continued their walk to the house by the lake. A quick detour before they'd be on their way out of District 12, out of Panem for good.

"Sejanus... He came to District 12 because of me, I should've protected him. He told everyone I was like a brother to him." The sound of those dreadful mockingjays still haunted him.

Ma! Ma! Ma!

It was an easy half-truth to tell her. What did it even matter anyways? All of this was going to be behind him in a few hours once they made their way past the fences. The deaths, the hunger games, the rebellion. He'd act like none of it ever happened. His slate would be wiped clean along with his bloody hands.

Hanging his head a bit, Coriolanus thought back to the events that had gotten him here in the first place. Lying to everyone, cheating in the games to save her and moreso himself, not keeping a good enough eye on Sejanus...

Oh and recording his treason and sending it to Dr. Gaul, that definitely got him here.

A means to an end, he reasoned.

She had stopped walking and reached a hand out to Coriolanus, her fingers grasping his forearm, bringing them both to a stop.

"It wasn't your fault Coriolanus. Sejanus was headed down a dark path, same one as Billy Taupe and those other boys when they start to lose hope. It's what this place does to him. You looked out for him like a brother, did your best." She said it with a nod, trying to reaffirm him. 

Whew, sounds like she believed that. The slate had definitely been wiped clean.

And they continued walking.

He didn't tell a full lie. He did feel a bit of guilt, especially after his mom sent over all of those treats. But in reality, the hard truth was Sejanus had a good heart but lacked the ability to really implement anything. He lacked true grit. He was a District child trapped in a Capitol boy's body, forever plagued with the guilt that he had left everyone behind. Bound to mess up eventually and end up back where he belonged. It was silly really, he never recognized the power he had. If anyone could have made some changes, it would have been him and old Strabo's deep pockets. And may he rest in the Districts and finally stop causing me problems! He was tired of being collateral damage.

They had reached the cabin at the lake, the sun beamed down between the trees that surrounded them. Casting a soft glow against his mother's scarf that draped around Lucy Gray's shoulders, shimmering and flashing in all of it's glory. It looked good on her. She looked good.

"We should stock up on some fish while we're here. Who knows when we might find water next. The terrain out there isn't really mapped out. I've gone out a bit past the fence when Maude was gathering strawberries but never any further. Fishing poles should be in the cabin." She led the way up the steps, Coriolanus in tow. Seems like they'd be relying on her experience with the outdoors for the next little bit while he caught up to speed. Surely a smart, Capitol bread boy such as himself could learn how to hunt and live off the land. If the Districts had been doing it forever, he was confident he could.

Instead of fishing poles, Coriolanus's eyes found a large brown burlap sack that had two long noses sticking out of it. He couldn't miss the glossy black barrels staring back at him. The guns! They were here. Shamus must have stashed them here before he was caught. A popular hiding spot in the seam it had to be.

"Corio-" Lucy had pulled out two fishing rods and was turning towards him, when she saw him at a dead stop, fixated on a corner of the tiny cottage.

"Those are the guns. The ones used to kill Mayfair and Billy." His mind began to spin.