The Hunger Games: Book Four - How it Might Have Been ... Gale.

Page Forty-Eight

Oenothera

The Tributes begin walking towards each other across the rubble, raising their pathetic weapons, hands shaking. They are all facing each other now in a wide circle, but no one is making the first move. We all know we are going to die anyway, so what's the point?

I landed furthest away from everyone else, so I am still jogging towards them, slowly though, picking my way over the rocks. In the midst of all the craziness, I still find time to be sentimental about the fact that I am in District 13, standing on the rubble of the Rebellion all those years ago.

I imagine the citizens of Panem who are watching this right now on screens in their town centres. There will be no Peacekeepers there to watch them, but I have a feeling no riots will break out anyway, because everyone will be so shocked and scared by what they are seeing. I wonder where the cameras have been set up... perhaps they sent someone out earlier to stragtegically set them up throughout the rubble, in the branches of the burnt out trees. There are probably some cameras on the hovercraft too. I look up at it, and it towers above us all, I wish I could shoot it down with this bow and arrow, but I know I cannot.

I want to stand up to them, to show them they can't win, but it seems impossible. I am not my mother - I don't have the ability to start a Rebellion, and even if I did, I'd have to survive the Hunger Games to do so.

But still... my mother almost defeated the Capitol... by dying.

So I nock and arrow, one of the few I have, and set up the bow against the rocks. A branch hold back the string, taut, but not very secure. Perfect.

I stand back into the open, and I see the other Tributes' heads turning to see what I am doing.

I am defeating the Rebellion.

Just like my mother and my father almost did, all those years ago. I thank Uncle Gale silently for showing us those tapes on the ArchivePlayer.

The wind whistles, and I see the string wobbling, the arrow shaking, dying to be released. I lift my arms up and outward, hoping the citizens of Panem seeing my sacrifice as something I'm willing to do, something of significance to them. I want to show the Capitol I can take them down, without resorting to their games.

Before the arrow gets a chance to shoot, there is a violent squeal, and suddenly, the hovercraft from below begins to fall, rapidly. It swerves and drops so quickly I don't even have time to compose myself. There is an explosion and rocks fly everywhere. The Tributes are knocked over by the force of the ground shaking, and my arrow flies.

Straight towards me.