𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 ☘︎ 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞

𝐌𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐉𝐀𝐘 ☘︎ 14

I'm all set, wearing a black jacket with my axes in my hands. I'm trying to sneak in with the squad that Gale and Katniss will be going to the Capitol with.

I walk into the big store room with all the explosives, waiting for my chance to sneak into the medical hovercraft. And just when it's about to close, I get one. I run through, jumping on it and running to the back of it. There's no people on it, just supplies.

I rest my head on a stack of bandages and close my eyes. It's going to be a long journey.

☘︎☘︎☘︎

I arrive in the Capitol a day later, landing softly but with enough of a jolt to wake me. There's people coming on to unpack the supplies so I hide and wait until they do, then I make my move and walk off the hovercraft.

There's people everywhere, so I blend in easily. Well, I thought I would.

"That's Willow Hawthorne!"

"What's she doing here?"

"She must be here to fight!"

"The Mockingjay?"

"What? Where is she?"

I keep my head down and try to act nice. But then I hear it. My four note tune that I made up in the arena.

And then, all around me, people are making that symbol, with three fingers in the air. I look around in shock, and see everyone doing it, and then, with another jolt, Gale's walking towards me.

"Hey," he says quietly, resting his hand on my arm. "Thought you were in the hospital?"

"I was," is all I say. And that's enough. He leads me to a bug assembly where all the rebels that are to be put into squads are waiting. Paylor stands on the stage in front of us, addressing us.

"I'm Commander Paylor, District Eight. I'm a soldier like all of you so... here's what I know.

"For the first time in our lifetimes we're standing together with thirteen districts. From what I see here, we've already made history."

There's a great applause and then she continues. "But history doesn't stop to celebrate. And we're facing an enemy that will not and will never surrender. President Snow has pulled back peacekeepers to fortify the centre of the city. He's evacuating residents from the outer blocks. Now, these civilians will be confused and desperate, and you are under orders not to target them. We're deploying medical brigades to held anyone in need, and we'll show the Capitol people who we are."

When she's mid speech, I turn to see the medics, in plain grey outfits and a big M with a red square around it sewed onto their arms.

"And to slow our advance, President Snow is building a minefield of traps," Paylor continues. She points to a map of the Capitol that she has up on the screen, only this map has weird red dots on it every few steps. She explains these in a moment. "These are lethal devices called pods. The sadistic inventions of gamemakers, meant to make sport of our deaths. If our armies make it past peacekeepers and other defences, we'll converge in the centre of the city at Snow's mansion where we won't just unlock his gates, but unshackle all of Panem."

I stand next to Gale and Katniss as cries of glee and claps and roars break out. I'm just looking up at her.

"If we die, let it be for a cause and not a spectacle!" She shouts. "If we succeed, let it be for all of Panem, and let it be forever. Yes, you've already made history, but the future, our future, starts tomorrow at dawn, when we march together into the Capitol."

More clapping.

But I just keep looking at Snow's mansion. I'm going to kill him.

That night, I begin packing my own bag to escape. "Squad four-five-one?" Gale's suddenly there, standing above me. One look at him and I can tell he knows what I'm doing. "Looks like you've got your meals covered."

"Trying to be prepared," I answer evasively, when in fact I'm running away.

"Don't lie to me."

I stop what I'm doing and look at him as he says harshly. "We've been together all our lives, and I know when you're planning to go off on your own."

I look down at my feet. "Gonna leave me behind too?" Gale raises his eyebrows.

"As your fellow soldier, I suggest you stay with your unit," I look up at my brother. "But I couldn't stop you if you wanted to come."

"Hawthornes! Come and meet your new unit!" Someone yells. I guess they're talking to both of us but honestly, I don't know. It must just be easier to refer to us by one surname.

We meet Katniss, who's also there, then turn to the rest of the unit.

The woman who called us introduces herself first. "I'm Lieutenant Jackson, and I want to introduce you to your squad. This is second Lieutenant Mitchell, best sharpshooter in Panem," she points to a man with brown hair and grey eyes. "These are the Leeg sisters. First combat division," two dirty blonde girls who look nice enough. "And this is Corporal Holmes," she puts a hand on the shoulder of the man I already met in Two.

But behind him, I see someone else. "Finnick?" I ask, walking towards him. He's twirling a trident in hand and has that old look of motivation on his face. Getting married must've perked him up. "Are you with us?"

"Looks like it," he nods.

"That was a short honeymoon," I comment, hugging him.

"Yeah, well, I guess we're gonna have to have one in the Capitol, after we take it," he grins. I smile too, as Boggs, another face I didn't expect to see, calls us in.

He's there with the camera crew (Cressida, Messala, Castor and Pollux) and the five of them walk in to greet us just then. "Squad four-five-one, you're my unit. Lieutenant Jackson is my second in command. Each one of you is elite in some form of combat, but we are a non combat unit, so we'll be following days behind the front lines."

My head snaps up in outrage as Cressida picks it up. "You're to be the on screen faces of the invasion. 'The Star Squad'. It's been decided that you're the most effective when seen by the masses."

"So we're not gonna fight?" Gale asks angrily.

"You do whatever you're ordered to do, soldier," Boggs bites back, but still, calmly without no sign of angriness. "It's not your job to ask questions."

"Yes, Sir," even Gale recognises not to tangle with them. And he'd start an argument with anyone!

"Our instructions are to shoot propoganda footage on the battle scarred streets of the Capitol," Boggs looks around at all of us. "You were hand picked to intimidate their forces."

"And inspire surrenders," Cressida nods along.

"Even though we'll be working on abandoned streets, miles behind the front lines, I garuntee that, wherever they put us, it will not be safe. This is a war zone.

"It is likely that we'll encounter both active pods, and peacekeepers. You're considered high value targets to the Capitol. In the event of capture, you'll be given a nightlock pill. A poison that acts immediately."

He hands a box of these pills to Jackson and she hands them out to us as he keeps speaking. "Now I've already briefed you on the pods, and I remind you, they are on every block. Our unit has been given a holo," he holds up some device. "A database that contains a detailed map of The Capitol, and a list of every known pod. These pods can trigger anything from bombs, to traps, to mutts. We cannot move without this device."

The 'device' is now set up, and when Boggs clicks a button, a map of the Capitol appears on a floating projection just like that.

"There could be new pods that we're not aware of, as well. Also, because we don't want the gamemakers to know we have this intel, it has a self destruct on it. You flip this switch and say 'nightlock' three times, it blows itself up and anything else within a ten foot radius. Stay within our unit. Because even with the holo, it's likely that new pods have been set. Whatever they contain, they are meant to kill you."

Finnick leans forward so that he's murmuring into my ear.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let the seventy sixth Hunger Games begin."