possession of the president•coriolanus snow

10|the celebration of death

Marie grinned and waved. Pearl felt like she was flying as she waved back at them specially. Her family was ok when she returned, and that was all that mattered.

She was soon escorted back to the inside of District 4, where the moving process to Victor's Village had already started.

Pearl waited outside their old home for her mother and Marie to return. They were the only reason she was holding on.

She saw her little sister running towards her with her usual childish pigtails. Marie was growing up, but she always kept her immature ways.

"Pearlie!"

Her sister's embrace was tighter than any Pearl had ever received. Pearl hugged back just as tight, squeezing her sister as if it was the last time they were going to see each other.

"I missed you so much," Pearl whispered.

Whatever monster the Capitol had made of Pearl disappeared into the darkness. The sweet Pearl that played with her sister along the waters of District 4 was roaming the land.

"You won for me," Marie said proudly.

The embrace ended as Pearl crouched down, looking into her sister's sea colored eyes. "Of course I did. I'm worried you won't see me the same after you saw what I did."

Marie's face went blank for a moment, and she got quiet. Pearl understood. It was hard for a younger girl to see her sister murder multiple people.

"It was scary, Pearl. But you did what you had to in order to come home."

A tear rolled down the blonde's cheek. Her mother was walking towards her and she left Marie for just a second. Pearl wordlessly embraced her mom.

"I love you, Pearl."

Pearl would always love her mother, no matter what. Marie and her were all she had left. They were her family, forever.

"I love you too, ma."

Pearl stepped inside her home for the first time after the games. It looked just about the same. She traveled past the kitchen, and to the large window. She could see the sea through it.

It felt strange to be back, but it felt good. Pearl felt a sense of relief. She didn't have to be cautious of the people around her or hunt for her next meal.

She was going to be nineteen in just a few days, and Pearl still hated that she could have been exempt from the reaping.

Pearl enjoyed a homemade meal from her mother for the first time in a long time. The dinner conversation was rather quiet, because the only thing Pearl could truly speak about was her experience in the games. She didn't want to bring up that trauma or even think about Snow and his games anymore.

So instead, they ended up talking about what life was like while Pearl was gone. What they did, and how much they missed her.

Pearl liked that she was missed. She was always so worried that she would end up with no one left or be hated by everyone. 

The day before Pearl's birthday, her house in Victor's Village was ready. Peacekeepers came to help the Bazin family move everything into their new home.

Everyone was shocked to see the large and luxurious house. Everything was brand new and shiny, and it looked so much more elegant compared to their simple home. It didn't feel like a place they belonged.

Pearl wasn't sure how she felt about it. About it being hers. It would take a while for the Bazins to feel at home in Victor's Village.

"Happy Birthday, Pearl!" Marie shouted at the end of her birthday song.

Pearl blew out her candles and smiled at her little sister.

"What did you wait for?" her mother teased.

Pearl froze in time. If there was one thing she could wish for, she would wish that the Hunger Games never happened. Of course she wished for the games to be nonexistent all together, but she simply just wished that she wasn't reaped.

Pearl had to go through so much trauma, and she had to loose people she had grown close with. She had to become one of Snow's puppets.

She had to kill.

Now that she threatened and disrespected Snow, she was worried. Snow wasn't happy with her, and he had plans for her.

Pearl feared that he would hurt her or her family. She knew that she could have risked her future. Next year and every year after that, Pearl would have to mentor and send children to their deaths.

The games had changed and ruined Pearl's life forever. She just wished some other Career volunteered for her as Hunter did for Marcus Bighorn.

Pearl snapped back into reality. "You can't say it out loud."

The small cake was split up into little slices for the Bazins. Life had never been this quiet before. It had never been so peaceful.

Mags showed up at Pearl's doorstep later that night, offering a Happy Birthday and flowers. Pearl truly admired her mentor's generosity and kindness.

Neither of them deserved this life. At least she would have Mags as not a mentor, but a friend, in Victor's Village.

Pearl's rather exciting birthday came to a rapid end when she laid down in bed. Nightmares swarmed her head. It kept going in an endless cycle.

She watched the people she loved die, and then she saw herself killing tributes. Then, Pearl would see something that hadn't happened yet and she refused to believe would happen. She saw her loosing Marie and her mother.

It was complete torture, and Pearl couldn't stop the ongoing nightmares. They continued to haunt her for weeks and weeks. They still haven't stopped and Pearl is traumatized.

One morning, she was awoken from these nightmares to a loud banging at her door. Her mother and sister were out at the shops, so it was just her home.

When Pearl got dressed and opened the door, she was greeted by a group of armed Peacekeepers.