Of Victors and Tributes

Chapter 27: Homecoming

I stand and wave in front of the cameras and the people for what seems like hours until the ceremony comes to an end. The people disperse slightly, but some stay to congratulate me. But every single one I pass gives me sorrowful looks, show depressed voices. Maybe they're eyeing my stump of an arm, or they remember Meadow, or they somehow found out about the trouble I could still be in. I'm approached by Vestia's mother and older sisters. Raschel, who is fifteen, hugs me tightly. I hug her back.

"I'm sorry," I say. The knife soars before my eyes and pierces Vestia's heart. Surely it's running through their heads too.

"You did what you could," Chantilly, who is my age and the oldest sister, replies. She is the only one who has controlled her tears, for Raschel has started to cry on my shirt.

"Thank you for being with her," Sisal, their mother, finally says when Raschel releases me. Hugs are traded, and I promise to visit them and that they can visit me whenever they want. I'm eternally grateful that they don't want me dead, but I guess it's easier to not blame me for her death when you consider that I held her hands as she passed.

I run to Jean, who holds Lacey, and collapse on both of them in a tight hug. Lacey transfers into my arm, sobbing, and I don't set her on the ground for at least a good ten minutes. When I set her down, I kiss Jean suddenly, but when I pull away she only smiles and caresses my face. I hug Jean's mother next, who gives me a kiss on the forehead, but she is yet another person whose face is filled with pain. I look at Jean.

"Where's Mom and Twine?" I ask, taking Jean's hand. I would take both if it weren't for the fact that my fake arm is being transferred to my new house right now. "Did Mom get sick again?"

"Taylor–"

"It must be really bad if Twine had to stay back with her. Is she alright?" At first I almost believe it, that the stress made her illness return. But then I look at Jean. Not wanting to accept it, I look down at Lacey. "Lacey, where's Mom and Twine?" In response, she begins crying violently into my pants. I look up at Jean's mother, whose face has fallen into her hands. Then I look to Jean again.

"Jean?"

"Not here," she whispers. "Tomorrow, watch what you say." The venomous look in Snow's eyes. "You're in trouble."

Shakily, I allow her to lead me away from the cameras and microphones. Lacey stays back with Jean's mother. We walk quietly until we're out of the square, then she turns and looks me square in the eyes. I know she'll tell me the truth, as much as I hate it, because she's Jean. The same way she told me to fight in the Games before I left.

"Officially, your mother's illness returned much deadlier and Twine died of injuries in the textile mills," she tells me. I stare at her. She leans close, feigning a kiss on the cheek. "Peacekeepers took them from the house after the recap of the Games with you and Caesar. The people. . . They say that the President decided to have them killed."

And it comes back to me. What I said after I claimed that the Capitol killed Meadow.

"Why not? It's true. The Capitol killed her, President Snow might as well have stabbed her himself!" That's what I yelled at Axel after he dragged me away from the sight of Meadow's death.

"If you want to live a second longer–" is what Axel started to say.

"No, I won't pretend anymore! I won't. Twine was right. It was all a setup. Since Weaver died from Finnick Odair, and now I'm meant to die by Pearl Swansea. That's just it, isn't it? We die, over and over again, and those Career kids live because they're the darlings of the Capitol, and no one cares! They pretend it isn't happening, but I won't!" And that's how I interrupted him.