The family ties of Lily Juniper Abernathy (book 3)

Chapter 19

Haymitch

We were in 3, we'd be in 4 by morning. We'd all agreed we'd stay there and see out the new year.

"Grandad?"

"Yeah?"

"You know at that house where we've just been?"

"Uh-huh?"

"We aren't going there again are we?"

"I don't think so kid?"

He didn't look up from the paper he was colouring as he mumbled "Good?"

He turned the page over and looked at the blank piece of paper "Grandad?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you draw me something on there then I can colour it in?"

"What do you want me to draw kid?"

He handed me a pencil "Umm, a dog?"

I nodded "Right?

"Now, I wish I would've asked Farther Christmas for a dog?"

"Yeah?" I murmured as I drew. He had no idea Me, Effie and Annie had put some money together and bought him a puppy that would be waiting for him when he got home. I slid the book back across to him and he beamed "That's really good, thanks Grandad?"

The door of the lounge opened

Charlie looked up and smiled "Hi mommy?"

"Hi sweetheart, grandma wants you?"

He nodded "She's gonna read me one of my books that farther Christmas got me!"

She smiled "Oh right? Get packed up then?"

He shoved all the colouring pencils and drawing pad into a box and scrambled out.

She came in closing the door behind her "Dad, can I talk to you?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

She sat across facing me "Did the doctors tell you and mom I might not walk again?"

I nodded

"I never knew that?"

"Your mom didn't have the heart to tell you and, me being the stubborn person I am, I refused to believe it."

"So, they said to you 'Lily's not going to walk again' and you said?"

"I just denied it...I find the Capitol hard to trust so I automatically didn't believe them, then Francine- your specialist- approached us: she was only a student nurse at the time- told me on the quiet that they were building a private rehabilitation hospital- mainly for people who had lost limbs and their mobility in the rebellion- so, Francine wrote to them, told them about you- and because you were so young, they were interested in working with you."

"Oh?" She paused and mumbled "That's what my night terror was about last night- my 'accident'."

"That's an old one to be running with?"

"That's what I thought? Finn said I didn't actually scream or anything- it looked like I was having a sort of fit, and I just woke up pretty much fine?"

"Is that an improvement?"

"That's what I thought but it lasted longer than normal?"

I shrugged "You'd have to call around and ask I suppose?"

"Yeah maybe?"

We both jumped when the small television set fired into life

'This is breaking news from the Capitol. Please stand by for more information.'

The door slid open "Have you seen the- oh- it's on!"

The rest of us and the other few groups of people that were on the train gathered in the compartment sat around the TV on the floor their eyes set on it for the slightest change to the viewing.

Lily

The screen went black for a second then flickered a little. Paylor- she was there now. Stood at a podium, the Capitol flag just behind her. This feeling of dread washed over me. For there to be an emergency broadcast it must be serious.

She addressed the nation and then took a deep breath. She started describing it then- there had been more bombings in the Capitol- and there were threats of more all the way until a huge one in the new year. The Firing Mutts had claimed responsibility. I shuddered at the name- I remembered those few seconds while in captivity when Finn wasn't breathing. I flinched. He was hold of my hand. I turned and he smiled softly probably to remind me where I was and that we were actually safe...safe as not being where the bombings where happening right now anyway. Maybe that was fate, that we had left the capitol that same night the carnage had happened. It was fate that we spent the night in hospital instead of at home when the mine collapsed. I don't know. I'd never considered the concept of fate until it happened to be Finn who was the first to hear me scream and not the careers. They would've killed me no doubt. But, maybe it was fate that he came across me. Fate that Rosie had got trapped in that net so we heard her screams...Was it fate that led me to murder? Was it set in stone somewhere that it would be me that would kill her? But then, that would mean when my legs were smashed, when they told my mother I wouldn't take one more step on the ground? The rehab hospital? Francine suggesting it to my farther. Was THAT fate?

Charlie. Was he fate? I had no real way of knowing. Maybe the arena was meant to bring me and his dad together. This baby I was now carrying that I'd deemed an accident...Maybe some things are just meant to be?