Rise

Chapter Two

Six Years Later

Sophia's hand grips mine tightly as we watch the screen in front of us. She's trembling. Eight of us have been locked in this room for days now, only allowed out to use the restroom. Meals have been brought to us twice a day - a fact that startles most of the younger children in this room who are used to three or four meals. They think this to be suffering. The notion defeats me.

Sophia's grandfather is tied to a post on the screen. People begin to gather at the stage above him - the new government of Panem. He is to be assassinated soon.

"Ms. Naomi," a small voice asks while tugging at my arm. "I'm hungry."

I look down at the small girl in front of me. "I know, sweetheart. But we won't get dinner until later. Remember?"

She pouts and flops to the ground in front of me, next to her brothers who are quietly playing with toy cars. One of our guards scoffs from across the room. I shoot him a glare and return my attention to the television in front of us.

Katniss Everdeen, the Girl on Fire, is marching down the Avenue of Tributes with an army behind her towards where former President Snow is tied up.

"She shouldn't be watching this," Ethan mumbles next to me.

My gaze flits back over to our guards, who demanded we watch the proceedings on the television when they entered the room earlier.

"It's not right," he continues.

"None of this is fucking right," Evangeline speaks up on his other side, her arms crossed tightly.

"Not now, Lina," I say tersely.

"When, then, Naomi?" she retorts. "Or are our voices silenced forever now?"

I turn to look at her. "We need to be careful," I remind her quietly. "Those people out there hate us more than anyone else in the Capitol."

"Because of our parents," she continues bitterly. "We haven't done anything wrong."

"We exist, Worthington," Atticus drawls behind us. "That's enough for them to call for our blood."

I look over my shoulder and we lock eyes. His read the same as mine. Something bad is coming. My attention returns to the television, where the newly appointed President Coin is addressing Panem.

"Welcome to the new Panem," she cries. "Today on the Avenue of Tributes, all of Panem, a free Panem, will watch more than a mere spectacle."

Atticus scoffs behind me.

"We are gathered to witness an historic moment of justice. Today, the greatest friend of the revolution will fire the shot to end all wars. May her arrow signify the end of all tyranny and the beginning of a new era."

"Fire Girl should send that arrow straight through that bitch's heart," Atticus mumbles behind me.

"Atticus," I hiss, my eyes darting to the guards at our door.

"Just speaking the truth."

We watch silently as the Girl on Fire nocks an arrow and points it at Snow. I quickly wrap my arms around Sophia and pull her face to my chest, blocking her from watching as the arrow shoots straight into the heart of her grandfather.

She sobs at the sound of cheers that pour from the television. Everyone around us remains silent. I rub her back gently and rock her while she cries. She mourns a monster, though she never knew him to be so. She only ever saw the kind, doting grandfather. Not the blood thirsty monster he truly was.