𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐎𝐝𝐝𝐬¹

XII. Bitter, not bittersweet

°•°•[Bitter, not bittersweet]•°•°

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, may I represent to you the victor of 69th Hunger Games, District Three's Julia Brown!" metallic voice of Seneca Crane said. 

Julia's knife fell out of her hand on the floor. Her legs gave up and she fell onto her knees, but she raised her fist in the air and smiled. The smile fainted. She has finally won, but her only thought was that she wrote Amber's death sentence. 

A hovercraft came above the girl and threw a latter to her. Julia took it. It froze her momentarily. When she got up, Avox were waiting for her. Redhead tried to stand on her feet, but she was too weak for that. Black spots started to appear in front of her eyes until they covered her vision fully and she fainted, falling to the ground with a thumb. 

       Pearl, Xavier and Beetee watched the end of Games together. They were so glad that Julia won, and not Vine. They felt sorry for her, that's true, but she wasn't someone they wanted to win, someone they cared about. 

But they felt sorry for Julia too because they knew what it meant to win. Xavier probably had it the worse, not only because redhead and him were so close since they were seven, but because he is the reason she was reaped. He didn't listen to Snow, and this was the consequence. 

When Julia was announced a victor, Beetee and Xavier were lead to a room along Mestala. They were going to see Julia soon. 

       Julia's eyes flickered open. An Avox have brought her food on a table next to her bed, so redhead took it and ate little bits of it, but puked it back out. It took her few seconds to remember what had happened and what was she doing here. 

I survived. I am a victor from now on. 

Julia looked at her body. Nothing hurt anymore, because there was no wounds that could hurt. Her shoulders was healed, her legs were without scars, her waist was clean. She had no scars from the mutts or from the hound. Redhead looked around and saw she was connected to a monitor with wires and tubes. Tubes were full of fluids that probably fed Julia.

Julia started to feel dizzy again and her vision became blurry again. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Soon, Julia woke up again. She was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. She noticed she still had ner locket and a ring, Mike's sister's ring and Pearl and Tucker's bracelet. Redhead exited her room. Above it, it said, Julia Brown, stable. There where twenty three other door, twelve on each side. One more doors where on Julia's right and she walked towards them.

She opened them slowly. Inside, Mestla was sitting on the couch, and Beetee and Xavier were standing, waiting for her. She entered the room. Mestala jumped from the couch, which made Julia flinch, and hugged her.

"Julia, dear, you are finally back! I knew you would make it!" he exclaimed. "Congratulations on winning, Julia, dear." 

Julia became uncomfortable in Mestala's hug, and both Xavier and Beetee noticed it. They looked at each other, but Mestala then broke away the hug.

Xavier was the next one to hug Julia. Redhead felt like crying, but she had to stay strong until she comes back in Three. Xavier stepped away after few seconds so Beetee could hug Julia. Beetee and Xavier's hugs made Julia feel like everything was going to be okay again. Like it hasn't begun yet, like she didn't kill anyone. Non of them said anything. There was no need to do so. 

They lead her to their floor in Tribute Center. Xavier felt guilty every time he looked at Julia, because this was his fault. He has did this, but he wasn't sure if killing one more person would be better.