"We are simply ash."
•••
It had been five years since Autumn's Hunger Games. She now lived with visions and voices that haunted her every night, watching her district partner die right in front of her eyes. Only one good thing came out of the Games...
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•••
Autumn let out a deep breath and narrowed her eyes as the District Four chariot came out of the tunnel, falling into line behind District Three.
The crow went wild when they saw Autumn and Finnick ride out of the Tribute's Center in their chariots.
They still had their hands clasped together, using their free hands to hold on to the chariots. They didn't smile or wave, they simply stared straight ahead.
The Capital citizens didn't seem to mind the fact that they were neither waving nor smiling as they threw roses at the couple and screamed their names.
The chariot ride past the men pounding on their drums along the long rode that lead to President Snow.
Autumn decided in this moment that she would not be the weak girl she had for the last five years. She was a tribute once again, but a broken victor. She had to protect Finnick. She had people's lives on her hands and she would not let Finnick down. She could not depend on Finnick to keep her safe. These were her Games, and she would win.
Autumn stood a little taller and stuck her chin up a little higher. She was going to be the brave career from District Four she had been all those years ago. Before she knew the horrors of the Games. Before nightmares plagued her mind. Before voices echoed through her head. She was deadly. She was a career. She was a tribute.
The horses made it to the circle at the end of the road, circling around it. The chariot passed President Snow who looked straight at Autumn.
Autumn stared back at him but didn't change her emotion in her face. She didn't wave. She didn't do anything but stare.
She assumed President Snow did not like what Finnick had done at the Reaping. That kiss was an act of defiance. President Snow knew he couldn't get Autumn or Finnick to kill the other, but he could get them to kill themselves. And that would be just as entertaining.
President Snow did hope that it would be one of them to survive, however. They had made many people in power happy.
As they passed President Snow and many Capital citizens, Finnick grabbed Autumn's waist and kissed her on the lips, quickly. It was a small kiss, but noticeable. This caused many citizens to scream even louder than they had. President Snow had a clear hatred in his eyes.
Autumn couldn't help but smirk as Finnick stared down at her after the kiss. Their rebellious kisses were small, but significant.
•••
Katniss and Peeta sat down on the plush couches, ready to watch the Reaping.
Haymitch stood next to the large television, ready to comment on the tributes and tell Katniss and Peeta who they were.
They went through the first three Districts, deciding who was a threat and who wasn't. Until they got to District Four.
"Finnick Odair, right?" Katniss asked Haymitch as the television changed to the next district, showing the dirty blonde boy.
"Yes," Haymitch nodded. "He won his game at fourteen. Youngest ever. Extremely humble."
"You're kidding," Katniss scoffed.
"Yes I'm kidding," Haymitch spoke. "He's a peacock. A total prainer. But he's the Capitol darling they love him here. Charming smart and very skilled in combat especially in water."
"What about weaknesses?" Peeta asked. Haymitch clicked a button on the remote in his hand and changed the scene on the television to Autumn walking up to the front of the stage, taking Mag's place.
"He has one weakness in these Games," Haymitch told them. "Autumn. She volunteered for Mags, who was his mentor and hers. She won the seventieth Hunger Games when she was eighteen."
"How'd she do it?" Katniss asked.
"Well that's a complicated one," Haymitch spoke. "She's very skilled with knives. She ran into the middle of the cornucopia and got some knives. After her tribute partner died in her arms, she was almost taken advantage of by his killer. She then went a little crazy and killed him by stabbing him repeatedly in the chest. The Gamemakers then decided an Earthquake would spice things up but that caused a dam to break and the entire arena to flood. She survived ten minutes submerged underwater."
Peeta and Katniss were silent for a moment, their respect for the girl only growing. Katniss then decided that she wanted Autumn as an ally, although that meant she'd also get Finnick.
"What are her weaknesses?" Peeta asked.
"Finnick is her weakness, but also her motivation," Haymitch told them. "If Finnick dies, there is no doubt in my mind that she will go on a rampage killing in cold blood."
The screen showed a single tear dropped down Autumn's cheek. Katniss instantly connected to her as she had also cried when she knew she had to go back into the Games.
"Why did she volunteer for Mags?" Katniss asked.
"Mags was one of her only friends and Finnick's mentor. Mags helped her with the trauma after the Games quite a bit," Haymitch admitted.
"She volunteered her first Games, didn't she?" Peeta asked. Haymitch nodded.
"She volunteered for an orphaned girl who had a little brother," Haymitch told them. "Try to ally her if you can. She is actually an amazing person."
Katniss and Peeta stared at the screen showing Autumn's face. They both remembered watching her in the seventieth Hunger Games when they were twelve. Katniss had rooted for her and was so surprised with how different she seemed after she came out of the arena. Katniss now understood, especially with all of the horrors Autumn saw in her own Games. If anyone other than Peeta deserved to live through these Games, it was Autumn.
