Rising Flames

Chapter 21: Last Day

Being woken up by the Capitol anthem is not the most pleasant thing in the world, but it's definitely not the worst. Climbing to the top of my tree, I saw that this time, it being morning and all, there was no image, merely sound echoing around the now almost empty arena.
"Tributes, we congratulate you, for now there are only 2 of you left." As the voice spoke, I realised I didn't really want to win, so I began to climb back down the tree for what may be the last time, letting the voice continue as I rush through over the beach and onto the island, scrambling up onto the Cornucopia. "As you may already know, all the keys have been used, so only one of you will survive today. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your fav-"
Before they finished speaking I looked up into the sky, hoping I was looking at a camera from my high point, and shouted as loud as I could, "THEY ARE NEVER IN OUR FAVOUR!" I took a deep breath and continued, "and they probably never will be. But before you go and turn off the mic so you can just kill me with the click of a button, I would like to say something. Would you give me that? My last wish if you want to call it that." I stopped and waited for an answer, hoping they hadn't left yet.
Nothing came. No response, but also no death inducing situation.
Nodding, I looked around the arena. Corbin was out there somewhere, probably plotting how to kill me most dramatically.
"Okay," breathing deeply, I look around the arena, turning as I do so. Somewhere around here there are cameras, so the audience is watching, I know that. "Why do you have these? I mean I know why you have the games, they are to keep the Districts in line, stop the rebellions, right? Well it didn't work last time, so why should it work now? I was told you use it as hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, your child will be the one to survive. Not fear, but honestly, you screwed up. Because all I see in the eyes of people put in here is fear. Not the hope that they might survive. Heck, some of them are even afraid what will happen if they do survive, living with the memories of what they did in here." My mind flicks to Thomas, but I push that thought away and keep going. "But you know something? I'm not scared anymore. Go ahead, kill me, let Corbin live the rest of his life without the weight of my death on his shoulders." I stretch out my arms before letting them drop to my sides once more. "My name is Maysillee Everdeen, I am the Phoenix, daughter of the Mockingjay, and I am NOT AFRAID OF YOU!" My voice echoes around the arena, nothing following it except the occasional bird call.
I wait for something to happen, anything, but nothing, again. They haven't tried to kill me.
My rapid breathing begins to slow down and I look around at the beach, spotting Corbin standing there, knife in hand.
"Hi Corbin, nice to meet you."
He stands there for a moment, paralysed. Eventually he speaks, a gritty, deep voice escaping his voice. "You'd let me go home. You'd die to let me go home."
I smile, scrambling down the side of the metallic Cornucopia. "Yep."
He begins to hand me the knife. "Take it," he says it so earnestly, kindly even, "kill me and go home."
I shake my head, pushing the knife away from me. "No, I'm not going to kill you to go back home. I'd never be able to forgive myself."
He takes the knife back but keeps it in his hand. "How many people have you killed during these games?"
Well that's a strange question to ask right now, but I answer, "None. How about you?"
He smiles, but it's a sad smile, "Enough that one more won't matter."
I prepare for the blade to kill me, but instead, Corbin turns the knife on himself.
He collapses to the ground, and I kneel down, cradling his head in my lap. "Why'd you do that?" I say, tears welling in my eyes.
He smiles, a tiny bit of blood running from his mouth, "One of us had to die. You were willing to give your life up for me, someone who had been plotting to kill you only moments before, so I'm definitely willing to die for you. You didn't kill a single person the entire games, and didn't even think of killing me." I open my mouth to disagree, but he stops me, going on, "Don't think you killed me, I killed myself. Just remember to honour me in that Victory Tour of yours." He and I laugh for a moment, before his eyes glaze over and he stops moving in my arms. I let a sob erupt from my throat as a canon fires in the distance, and the voice comes back.
"Congratulations, Maysillee Everdeen. May I present to you the Victor of the 100th Hunger Games and 4th Quarter Quell."
This was no victory, I think bitterly. The hovercraft comes over me and a platform descends, carrying a single person. They step off and lift me from where I'm sitting on the ground. Another hovercraft comes over and lifts Corbin from the ground. Another sob comes from my mouth and I clamp a hand over it to stop further signs of weakness showing. Being lifted from that place of death was sort of surreal. It was over. I was going home. But the deaths that had to happen for me to get here.
I wondered how and when Samantha found out about James.
This was no victory. This was cold blooded killing. You may be in power for now President Snow, but the Capitol has fallen once, I thought about the one favour I had asked of those I'd let out and a smile spread across my lips. It'll be easier a second time.