Mockingjay - Peeta Mellark (3)

{27} - Epilogue

They play in the Meadow.

The boys with blond curls and blue eyes, chasing each other.

The questions were just beginning.

The arenas had been completely destroyed, the memorials built, there were no more Hunger Games.

But they teach about them at school, and the boys know their parents played a role in them.

Livia gently rocks the baby girl in her arms. She's so small and pure. Not yet subjected to the cruelty of the world.

How could Livia tell them about that world without frightening them to death?

Her children, who took the words of the song for granted:

Deep in the meadow, under the willow.

A bed of grass, a soft green pillow Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes

And when again they open, the sun will rise.

Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm.

Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrowbrings them true, Here is the place where I love you.

Their children, who don't know they play on a graveyard.

Peeta says it would be okay.

They had each other.

And the book.

They could make them understand in a way that would make them braver.

But one day Livia would have to explain about her nightmares.

Why they came.

Why they won't ever really go away.

She'll tell them how she survived it.

She'll tell them that on bad mornings, it felt impossible to take pleasure in anything because she was afraid it could be taken away.

That's when she made a list in her head of every act of goodness she had seen someone do.

It was like a game.

Repetitive.

Even a little tedious after all the years.

But there are much worse games to play...

The End