Holding on ( A hunger games story)

Epilogue

I'm back in District 12. That's where they are holding the fifty year anniversary since the hunger games we're band. They are reading all the names of the fallen. When the get to Peeta it seems the entire crowd turns to look at me. But I remain still, eyes forward, feet unmoving and stare. I stare at the way the announcers eyes slowly make their way along the page. The way his mouth moves at every syllable. The way his clutch the paper and he reads name after name after name.. after name of all the dead. It's a long list, and Peetas name is last. At the end of the service people are allowed to visit the gravesite where a headstone was placed for each child. I don't go. He's not there, there's no point at looking at some rock. It will do nothing. Instead, I head to the forest. Out where Gale and I used to hunt. The fence is new, but it only stands to keep animals out, not people in. I walk through, past the the people staring at me curiously and head to the tree that holds my bow and arrows. I'm only half surpised to find them still there. Instead of taking them to hunt, I take them and sit down on a rock. It takes me a minute but I recognize this rock. It's the rock I sat on when I was still in 13. It's only then I realize the sun is starting to come up, I've been walking for at least a day. I take a seat and stare out, taking it all in. Nothing has changed, and I bet if I went inside, I'd be welcomed by the district. I don't want that now. I pull my bow around and place it on my lap, it's nothing fancy. Not anything like the one I used to shoot all those videos for 13. But, it's mine. The only thing I have left that I had before the games.

The games. They've been over for so long that most of the teachers at the schools weren't alive when they ended. They only know what they see when they watch the old movies. They have no idea.

I quit my job a couple years ago, back when the kids were all moved out. Living on their own in district 2 and the Capitol. I rarely see them anymore. Gale passed away a few years ago, from heart and lung problems. The doctors said it was from working in the mines as a teen. But we both knew it was much more than that. Prim now has her own kids, their all grown up except a little girl she just adopted. She named her Annie. Annie Odair is doing well, she hasn't married again. But she raised her child better than I've seen anybody raise theirs. Finnick would be proud. Haymitch is buried in 12, it was drug overdose. He really hit rock bottom after Peeta went. I never got to say goodbye. I guess that's just how life is though, a bunch of unsaid goodbyes until your the one no one said goodbye too. A never-ending circle of grief. Or maybe it's just me. I'll never know.

I take a breath in, enjoying the smell of flowers and fresh air. I haven't been outside like this in a long time. My mind floats to Peeta. He would love to be out here. He would sit down on the ground and began painting the flowers and the trees and the sunrise. It would be the most beautiful painting ever done. I only wish I could see it.

My hair blows with the wind and I slightly smile, peace at last. I take my bow and load it, closing my eyes.

I imagine another world. Where Prim and Rue are best friends, playing in the woods and telling eachother their secrets, not worrying about a thing. I watch as Finnick teaches his son to swim while Annie smiles and waves at them both on the sand. I see Haymitch, sober and reunited with his lost family.  I see Wiress and Beete watching the sunset while discussing what element of the earth makes each color appear. I see Johanna seeing the people she loves for the first time, although she never told me who they were. I see my mom and Dad on their first date in almost 60 years. I see Gale, tucking our beautiful children into bed. And then... I see Peeta. He's baking a and giving it to.. Mags. And she's talking and thanking him. And he's smiling and laughing, and he looks happy. Really happy, like none of this ever happened. I wanted to cry.

I opened my eyes, and I was back in the woods. Alone. I smiled as I felt the tears drip down my face. They were happy, every single one of them was happy. And there was only me left. I raised the bow and arrow up and aimed it, there was no way I would miss my target.

I closed my eyes again, and saw everybody I loved again, but this time they we're looking at me and smiling. Beckoning me forward. I thought of everything I loved, prims income innocence, the way Gale's lips felt on my mine, the way Peeta smiled, Rues song, Cinnas outfits, Finnicks sugarcubes, My children. So much joy in a world full of hurt. I pulled back the arrow once more and, for the first time in a long time, I smiled for real and let the arrow fly. It hit the target dead on and I let out a final tear. The blue sky above me began to get brighter and brighter and in the distance I heard my father singing and it got louder and louder.

"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."

Everybody I loved began to appear and I reached out my hand. Peeta stepped forward, smiled and took my hand.

"Welcome home Katniss."

I looked up at the sky one last time, marveling at the sight of the beautiful evergreens. Evergreens... Everdeen... Katniss.. Everdeen.. the girl on fire.

*boom*