The First Annual Hunger Games (Book 1)

21. Death

The President's mansion is even bigger than I thought it would be. Two sets of staircases, divided by a fountain, lead up to a small garden. The mansion itself is white with two stories and large windows. I walk up the steps with Tullis right beside me. She relays all the extraneous details of the house; the outside is made of marble, it took three years to perfect the white roses in the garden, all the wood is made of mahogany.

A few peacekeepers stand watch by the doors and open them when we approach. One gestures for us to follow him and he leads the way down several halls and finally to Dane's office. He knocks on the door and then opens it.

"Welcome Aldera! Tullis! Please come in and sit." The President gestures to a few chairs in front of his desk. We sit and I try to smile. "I've asked you here to discuss a few details regarding the future."

"Thank you for having us, Mr. President," Tullis gushes.

"It's an honor," I add.

"The pleasure is mine." He gathers a few papers on the desk and sets them aside. He interlocks his fingers and rests his elbows on the wood. "A few houses have been built in District 11 and more are being built in the rest of the districts too. Your family is already in the process of moving to them." He doesn't break eye-contact with me while he speaks. "The gamemakers and I have decided that to reward the victors we will put them in new, pristine houses and provide for their every need."

"Thank you so much, that's so generous of you." Tullis nods in approval at my words, I must have said the right thing.

"You'll have a few more parties and meetings here in the Capitol to celebrate your victory and in two days you will be sent home. The Capitol is also throwing a party for you and all your district and it will take place the moment you arrive from off the train." I nod and fight the urge to break his gaze.

"Your life has changed forever, Ms. Clearwater. Your family will never have to work again, you'll never have to worry about money, your stylist will visit you and dress you," Tullis perks up on this note, "you'll have a few avoxes to help with your needs. Your life will be better."

"It sounds like heaven." The opposite really.

"I'm glad you agree." Dane turns to Tullis. "My dear, do you mind waiting outside a moment, there's a few more details I would like to go over with Ms. Clearwater in private." It wasn't a question.

"Of course, sir." Tullis hops up and waddles out into the hall.

"She's a wonderful escort," Dane says when the door closes again.

I nod. "She really is."

"In fact," Dane turns from the door and back to me. "You've had a wonderful staff while you've been here."

I nod once again. "Yes, they've all been quite lovely."

"Yes... Aldera, I'm going to be frank with you." His smile is cunning. "You are the new star of the Capitol. Everyone will be watching you for the rest of your life." Everyone meaning him.

He knows about Talon and he's probably going to send him home with me on purpose. He most likely already had cameras and listening devices installed in that new house. I'll never be able to live in peace. I'll never be able to stop watching my back and every word I say.

"Anyway, what I wanted to tell you was the gamemakers and I have made another decision." He leans forward. "One of them has had this brilliant idea, it's pure genius if I do say so myself."

"What is it?" I ask cautiously.

"We would like for you to come back next year and be a mentor to the new tributes of your district. You would travel with them, help them train, give them tips on how to survive the arena. What do you think?"

This is it. This is the moment I truly lose my life. I thought it was taken away from me when the Capitol took control again. I thought it was stolen away when I was reaped. I thought it was gone when they discovered me and Talon. I thought I'd lost it when I took another's life in the arena. But no. From this moment on I am no longer Aldera Clearwater.

I am the Capitol's slave, sentenced to promote the deaths of innocent children. Worse than that. I will be the one to give those children hope, to tell them they can make it out of the games, but they can never make it out of the games. They will look up to me and I will destroy any promise made to them. I might as well be the one to kill them.

"That sounds absolutely wonderful."

Dane smiles and shakes my hand. "Perfect."

The war is over, but the battle is still being fought. 

So, I don't know if you've guessed it but this is the last chapter in this story. :( I'm sad to have to end it but also really happy with how it turned out. Thank you so much for reading and voting and commenting! I'm so grateful to you readers! Well, please leave me a comment of what you thought of this chapter and the story overall, and if you have any suggestions let me know. Also give this chapter a vote if you liked it! And tell your friends about this story (that is if you liked it, if you didn't then I'm not sure why you're still reading it). Thank you so much for reading!!

P.S. I have been thinking about a sequel for this story, but I am NOT making any promises so DON'T get your hopes up. If, and that's a big if, I did a sequel it wouldn't be for a while because I want to focus on a few different stories.

P.P.S. I'm going to enter a short story of mine into the Once Upon Now writing contest and I would be eternally grateful if you voted for it to help me win. I haven't posted the story yet, but keep an eye out for it, it's called Death and Scarlett Wall. Thanks!

P.P.P.S. I'm sorry for all the P.S.'s ;)