A Tale of a Boy and His Flower

Revenge

"The world is watching." 

That's the first thing Zach tells me when we step out into the parade stadium. It's the same stadium we were paraded through before the games. 

Zach eyes my weapons but he does question them. He either doesn't care or thinks I'm finally insane. 

We walked to the front of the long path, waiting for Katniss to make her way up. She was followed by a huge crowd of rebels and refugees alike. The stadium seats were also filled with spectators. 

I looked at Cressida and Pollux, who held cameras that broadcasted the execution. Pollux was focused on the victors. It was Plutarch's idea to catch our reactions as well. He thought the world would want to see their idols faces when they got closure. 

The world is watching. 

Let them. 

Snow spent years broadcasting innocent people's deaths for entertainment. Let him get a taste of what it is like. 

I glared at Snow, who was tied up to a post awaiting his execution. He wasn't scared. In fact, he kept his expression smug. He even dared to smile at us. It made me want to strangle him before Katniss could even get close. 

Drums beat. Katniss walks out. 

Before she could take action, our attention was turned to Coin, who was standing above us on a podium where Snow used to sit during the tribute parades. 

"Welcome to the new Panem!" she greeted. Her voice echoed over the speakers, "Today, on the Avenue of the Tributes, all of Panem...a free  Panem, will watch more than a mere spectacle. We are gathered to witness a historic moment of justice." 

Katniss and Snow stare at each other. 

"Today, the greatest friend to the revolution will fire the shot to end all wars. May her arrow signify the end of tyranny and the beginning of a new era." 

I glanced over to see Pollux and Cressida filming the whole speech. Of course Coin would want the attention on her. After all, she was the supposed leader into an era of peace. As if she knew what peace was. At her core, she was no better than Snow. I wish for her to die. I wish for Snow to die. I wish they would all die. 

"Mockingjay, may your aim be as true as your heart is pure." 

I scoff. We both knew Katniss's heart was anything but pure.  

Katniss drew her arrow and readied her bow. Her aim was directed at Snow, but she hesitated. The two of them exchanged looks. Something was off. 

He coughs and a bloody dribble runs down his chin. His tongue flicks over his puffy lips. I search hiseyes for the slightest sign of anything, fear, remorse, anger. But there's only the same look of amusement. 

 The point of the arrow shifts upward. She releases the string. And President Coin collapses over the side of thebalcony and plunges to the ground. Dead.

In the stunned reaction that follows, I'm aware of one sound. Snow's laughter.An awful gurgling cackleaccompanied by an eruption of foamy blood when the coughing begins. 

I hear shouts. A mob was coming our way. I grab Annie and push her toward Zach. 

"Get her out." 

I march toward Snow. If Katniss couldn't do it. Then I would. 

With a shout, teeth bared, I grab his shirt and pull him up. I hear the riot behind me. I hold up a hand. Miraculously they stop. 

Snow's laughing. Coughing his own life up. 

"Miss GreenShire, it's good to see you." He's smiling wide. "Or is it Mrs.Odair now? I'm truly sorry about Finnick-" 

I pull the knife from my shoe so fast that he doesn't even have time to finish his sentence before I've stabbed him in the stomach. 

He gasps as I turn it and pull it out. The crowd behind me is suddenly silent with anticipation. Waiting for my next move. I threw Snow against the wall. He lands with a thud. Blood pours from his body. He's still smiling. Blood covers his teeth. Drips from his mouth. 

I kick him in the face. In the stomach. I pull him back up. 

I look him in the eyes. "Do you know what it felt like when I watched my twin brother die?" He coughs. "No?" I pull the knife up and stab him in the side. "It felt like that." 

This time he cries out. But yet he still smiles. 

"You killed my mother, Rain, Jase, Finnick." I don't recognize my voice. It sounds like I had when I killed Champagne. "Do you know what it feels like to finally find peace only for it to be taken moments later? To slowly go mad because your mind is too broken to fix and can't handle bearing the horrors of this world that you created?"

I smile and laugh. "No? Maybe this will help." I pull the knife out and sink it into his body. Once for Finnick, once for Rain, once Jase. 

I pull the knife out. He no longer smiles. He's struggling to breathe. I dropped his body to the ground. He lies there in a pool of his own blood. But I wasn't finished yet. 

I kneel beside him. Pull the knife out. I smile and lick his blood off. "Taste's like victory." 

I dropped the knife. I dip my finger in the pool of blood. I turn to the wall behind us. I begin to write words. 

The Odds Are In Our Favor Now

I turn back to Snow. I bring out my ax. I stand over his body. His eyes lock onto mine. No remorse. Not even a bit frightened. 

"Goodbye President Snow. Your reign of tyranny is over. This last part is for every child you ever sent to the Games. Every Career you forced into thinking it was honorable to kill. Every child you starved in the Districts. Every little girl and boy who never knew freedom, peace or a childhood because you sent them to their deaths. This is for the victors who wake every night with never ending nightmares. For Finnick and every victor you sold into prostitution. For people you tortured in the Capitol. This is for Zach, Annie, Johanna, Beetee, Finnick, Enobaria, Katniss, Peeta, Haymitch. Because those are the only ones who survived you. 10 of 75. This is for Jase, Holly, Dean, Martin, Pearl, Caspian, Willow, Flora, Amara, Mason, Marvelous, Champagne, the kids you sent to the games. The people I've killed because of you. This is for me." 

I raise my ax up and bring it down onto his neck. 

I smile as I pick up his head. I walked over to the wall where I wrote those words. I take his head and attach it to the wall with my ax. Just as I had in the training center before the games. 

I turn to the crowd. Cressida and Pollux have filmed it all. Caught every word I've said. I smile at them. 

Peace. 

We are free now. 

I look straight at the camera and bow. Just as I had seen Katniss do. 

And for the first time in my life I felt like I had won. I had not won when I survived my games and became a victor. Not when the war ended. But right now. Coin and Snow dead. 

We had won. 

I had won.

Panem had won. 

 The silence was almost as fulfilling as Snow's screams. Nothing but pure bliss coursed through my veins; justice was finally delivered. 

I stepped off stage. The crowd parted for me. And then I heard someone shout. A victory shout. Many follow it. I hoped all of Panem had seen what I had done. I hoped they felt the peace I felt now. I hoped Finnick and Jase were seeing this. I hoped they knew they had been avenged. That the world was free now because of their sacrifices. 

I am free now. 

I am finally free.