The Hunger Games: Death of the Mockingjay

Chapter 42

There's a loud media scrum as the press corps go crazy over the news that I've added my support to a new Hunger Games. I sit back and ignore the noise as my defeat washes over me. Peeta takes my hand under the table and gives it a gentle squeeze to show his support, he most likely knows that Casper manipulated my decision by holding Rue and Kyler to ransom, he knew I didn't want the Games. The questions start again but this time they're being aimed at me. I ignore them, slowly get up from the table and walk away from the makeshift studio. I've no interest in this and I need time to gather myself before I talk to the press. I just hope that Casper won't hurt our kids now that I've done what he wants.

I wait by the elevator for Peeta but I can hear him answering questions, most are about me.

"Peeta why did Katniss sign, did the Brotherhood put her under pressure?" asks a reporter.

"No she wasn't under any duress to sign off the new Games. But, even though she doesn't agree with them she knew that the country needs this and she wouldn't want to be the reason to deny the country what it really wants. With these new rules kids will no longer be forced to fight, from now on people will have a choice to be in the arena if they so wish. This is completely different to the old games"

I hear him get up from his chair and come round behind the wall to join me by the elevator.  Before I can say a word he wraps his arms around me, I bury my head into his neck as the tears start to fall.

"He threatened you didn't he, with the kids?"

"Yes"

"I know you didn't want this Kat but our part in the game is over now, we can go home to Kyler and Rue"

"Not yet, there's one last thing we need to deal with" I say as Casper and Ellie join us by the elevator.

*

Peeta and I spend the night in the President's mansion. We've spent many nights here in the past but tonight I can't sleep, all I can think about is Casper and the fact that he's successfully manipulated us into getting exactly what he wants. Plutarch arrived with Haymitch after the announcement and immediately started taking charge. Plutarch said he wants Casper to face trial and go through the full legal process before he faces judgment which we think will most likely involve spending the rest of his life behind bars. Plutarch said something about trying to get away from the barbaric act of execution which is kinda ironic when you think of how the games deliver exactly that, in a sort of roundabout way.

I get out of bed and walk over to the glass double doors and look out across the moonlit grounds of the mansion. The thing is Casper has haunted my dreams for so many years that I really want him dead, I need some sort of closure from this whole Wolfe Uprising thing which has controlled my life for so long. Killing Casper is the only way I can see how I can end my torment.

"Hey" says Peeta as his arms close around me from behind. I lean my head back against his shoulder as he kisses me on the cheek.

"Don't worry about the games Kat, if that's what the country wants then let them have it, we don't have to be involved anymore"

"It's not that what's bothering me"

"Oh.....Casper" he says as he strokes my cheek.

"I want him dead Peeta, I don't want him in a jail somewhere mocking me. I don't think I'll ever find peace while he's still alive"

For once I get the sense that Peeta hasn't got the words for me. He knows that Casper's fate is out of our hands and that there's nothing he can do to change that. For a few moments we just stand in each other's arms looking out across the Capitol. We're about to return to bed when a quiet knock on our door grabs our attention. We both go to the door intrigued as to who it could be at this late hour.