The Mentor. (Cato Hadley)

Chapter Eighteen.

Rewritten 03.28.2023

That's it, exactly the spark Plutarch Heavensbee had been waiting for. Katniss begins to sing a lullaby to the dying Rue, at her request. I watch intently as the Capitol citizens surrounding the City Circle burst into tears at the televised death, the first one this year that has made them cry.

"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." I recognize the lullaby she sings, but I'm unsure how my Capitol-born mother would know the same lullaby as a girl from District Twelve. Communication between districts is strictly banned, so this lullaby would have to have been spread through the districts beforehand.

I walk away from the crowd, finding solstice in an empty alley about half a mile from the Circle. Sliding down the wall, I stare ahead blankly, the events of the last few moments rolling through my mind. A little girl just died, because of the cruelty of the Games and to be mere entertainment for the Capitol. Something has to be done to stop this treachery, I can't keep bringing children to face their deaths.

I'm unsure why Rue's death hits me harder than any other death in these Games, even the ones I caused. I watched as her and Katniss talked about their lives, a lot of what she said about Eleven being censored out accordingly. The Capitol wants to keep each district in the dark about what goes on in the others. Rue did talk about how she gave most of her rations to her little siblings, showing her pure soul. She didn't deserve this, none of us deserve this, and I'm angry.

"Ahem," the sickly sweet Capitol accent causes me to look up at the one and only Vibiana Dawe, standing with her hands on her hips. "You must stay strong, Marblyn, you can't let the Capitol see you this way."

I compose myself immediately, glaring up at the ridiculous woman. How the Capitol's fashion sense came about, I'm unsure, but I wouldn't ever be caught dead in those bad designs. My mother tried, as she still has some remnants of Capitol fashion, but it was never my thing.

Standing up, I take a step forward so I'm a few centimeters from her face. "You don't know anything about me," I spit, the glare remaining on my face. She is nothing to me, the entire Capitol is nothing to me. Truthfully, I couldn't care less if they all die tomorrow. After what they've done to so many children throughout the districts - 1721 children dead, to be exact - they deserve what's coming to them.

"I know you love that boy," she says, gesturing to the large television screen visible between the buildings. The camera is currently turned towards Cato and Clove, who are searching for supplies, or tributes, I don't know. All I know is that you don't come out of the Games the same as you were before.

I roll my eyes at the escort, propping my leg up on the wall behind me and crossing my arms. "I just met him," I scoff, shaking my head. That isn't exactly true, as I have always known of Cato Hadley, but he's two years older than me so it isn't like I knew him very well. I wasn't big on friendships or relationships before my Games, I've been more lenient on the friendship thing the past couple years. "And I assume you're forgetting I'm only sixteen."

"Love knows no age, Marblyn," I can't deal with the Capitol anymore, needing to be involved in everybody's business. I just want the Games to be over, so I could go home. Of course, in my case, the Games will never end. I don't even care who wins, I just need to be done with the Capitol. I can't let myself care this much, I'll only end up getting hurt. He deserves better anyway, I'm a prostitute. He could never fully and completely have me to himself, not with Snow still alive.

"I can't listen to your bullshit," I walk away from her without another word, just in time to see Katniss covering Rue in flowers on the big screen. That's as close to a funeral as any tribute has ever had, and the fact that she just put the Capitol in their place lightens my mood just a little. She presses three fingers to her lips before raising her hand in the air, the same salute she got from District Twelve after volunteering for her sister. That will most definitely cause a riot in District Twelve.