Berries of Revenge - A Hunger Games FanFiction (Wattys2014)

2. Katniss Everdeen

“Mum!” a high pitched voice called.

“Mum, where are you?” it was a young boys voice. He was looking for his mother, Katniss. They were playing hide and seek together.

Katniss was hiding in one of the bushes in the backyard of their District 12 home. It was the closest thing to a forest that she could get her hands on since the uprising where they re-electrocuted the fence.

Katniss could hear small footsteps approaching the tall, thick bush that smelled of citrus. The footsteps stopped abruptly and suddenly light flooded into the bush.

“I found you! I found you.” The boy squealed gleefully.

“It’s seems you did Rye.” Katniss replied getting out of the bush. “Now, you go inside and get cleaned up. I’m going to talk to your Dad.” He nodded and scurried off. 

Katniss looked around the backyard. She and her husband Peeta were living in his house in the victors village, her mother living in the one Katniss used to live in. Katniss and Peeta had two kids, Willow and Rye.

Willow has long, dark hair like Katniss and blue eyes like Peeta. Rye has blonde hair like his Dad and grey eyes like his Mum. Rye is two years younger than Willow and doesn’t know anything about the Hunger Games, whereas Willow knew a bit.

Katniss turned and made her way up the steps and into the house. As she walked down the hallway to Peetas’ room Willow came reeling out of one of the open doors and ran straight into Katniss.

“Sorry Mum.” She puffed. Her long hair was in a two braids how Primrose, Katniss’ little sister who died in the war against President Snow, used to wear her hair.

“What’s the rush Willow?” Katniss looked at her daughter quizzically. Willow was never like this. She has always been cool calm and collected.

“Oh…um…just stuff, you know…” Willow stood in front of her Mum and fiddled with her hair. Katniss knew she was keeping something from her, but she didn’t press her. She had more important things to talk to Peeta about. She would ask her later.

“Okay then. You go do that stuff Willow.” She smiled teasingly and Willow rushed off to her room. 

When Katniss got to Peetas’ door she knocked and heard his soothing voice say “Come in.” She pushed open the door and found him standing at his window. It was on the side wall and showed a view of the town. District 12 was still in disarray after the war, even though that was many years ago now. 

Peeta looked over his shoulder and smiled. Katniss made her way around the King size bed, its’ sheets crumpled, to stand next to him at the window.

They stood there for a while before Katniss broke the silence. “Peeta, something’s wrong.” He turned and took her hands in his. He knew to trust Katniss’ instincts from many experiences before.

“Something’s changing. I can feel it, I know that sounds crazy-” Katniss began.

“No it doesn’t sound crazy. You of all people should know that your instincts are always right.” Peeta cut in. His eyes gleamed with sincerity.

Katniss nodded. She knew her instincts were above average, but she still never really trusted them. Katniss had a heavy, sick feeling in her stomach, similar to the times she was with President Snow. He always made her feel unsafe and he definitely wasn’t trustworthy.

“I don’t know what it is but something is happening, something bad, very bad.” Katniss looked Peeta in the eyes pleading, silently for his help. He nodded, understanding. “Peeta, what do we do.”

He was silent for a while then answers “We sit tight and prepare ourselves just in case.” Katniss nodded but didn’t feel very comfortable with what he said. She wasn’t one to just sit around and do nothing. Although, she would normally object she had her children to worry about so she thought better of it.

They held hands for a while and looked out the window. Katniss hoped that they would have to go through another war, because she didn’t think District 12 could take another war. It was only just healing from the first war.

Peeta didn’t want to say it but he thought that this was going to be his downfall. If there was another war he didn’t think he could fight. Not after what the uprising made him do. He couldn’t stand the thought of killing another person or worse still, having a member of his family killed.

———

Katniss slowly made her way up to the daughters’ room. Although she was worried about her daughter, her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of her life during the Hunger Games and the uprising.

She remember all of the people that died in the 74th and 75th games, Rue, Thresh, Foxface, Cato, Clove, Glimmer, Marvel, Mags, Wiress and so many other people that she didn’t know. Although she didn’t trust most of them she did trust Rue, Thresh, Mags and Wiress. And their deaths in the games had hit her the hardest.

As she reached Willows’ door she tried to push those thoughts out of her mind. She knocked on her daughters’ door. Inside there was a scuffle and a nervous sounding “Come in.”

Katniss pushed open the door and peeked inside. Willow was sitting on her bed looking apprehensive. Katniss walked into her room and closed the door behind her. “Is everything okay?” she made her way to the bed and sat down next to Willow.

Willow shifted uncomfortably. It wasn’t normal for her to be so secretive. She looked Katniss in the eye and sighed. “Promise you won’t tell Dad?” Katniss nodded. “Okay. Well I was trying to make you guys a surprise but now that you know…” she trailed off.

“Oh if you want, I will pretend I don’t know anything. I just wanted to make sure you were okay!” Katniss put her hand on Willows thigh. Willows eyes lit up at the idea and she nodded vigorously.

“Oh yes that would be great!”

“Okay.” Katniss got up and made her way to the door. When she was about to open the door Willow spoke again.

“Mum, just so you know, if there is ever a problem, you will be the first person I talk to.” The sincerity of the words she had said were reflected in her eyes. Katniss smiled and went out the door.

She lent on the door behind her and burst into tears. She didn’t know how long she would be around if the was another war and she so wanted to see her children grow up.

Composing herself she made a promise to herself. I will not let anything get in the way of my family.