Young Killers [The 72nd Hunger games]

Chapter 17: The victor

  "Beautiful. Now all we need are shoes" Tigris said "No heals because you won't be able to walk in them with your leg so, how about these"

Tigris handed Meredith these white flats that matched her dress. Once ready she made her way to go to the interview. She meet Finnick there who was waiting for her.

  "You look great" He smiled

  "Thank you Finnick" She smiled back at him

  "Now, when Cesar says your name you walk on. I want you to stay calm despite the questions he asks you, okay?" Finnick said

  "Okay" Meredith answered nervously

Meredith waited until Cesar finally introduced her onto the stage. She walked on nervous and shaking, she could still remember the first time she walked on this stage. She sat down on a chair and smiled at Cesar.

  "So happy to see you again" Smiled Cesar

  "Thank you, nice to see you too" Meredith answered back.

  "Now, there is only one thing everyone here wants to know, how did you do it?" Cesar asked

  "Well, it was difficult. I was lucky to know how to fish and swim but I couldn't have done it wouldn't the help of my ally and lest not forget my sponsors" Meredith said

Everyone in the crowed started to cheer.

  "Ah yes, Jack Atlas, he was a very good player in these games, it's a shame he had to die and what about your fellow district 4 tribute, Cress Greenlake. Most of the time tributes from the same district team up, why didn't you?"

  "Not only did Cress and I have a big difference in age but we just didn't seem to get along, we were both two very different people." Meredith tried her best to stay calm and not get to emotional

  "Ah yes, I see. There is something else I wanted to know. In the games you would sometime talk to your Mentor Finnick Odair, why's that?"

  "I was very nervous and frightened and Finnick always had a way to calm me down and before going into the games he told me, that if I was scared to just talk to him and pretend he was there and so that is what I did"

  "And when you thought this was all over, you asked your mother to tell a boy named Dylan goodbye, who is this Dylan, maybe someone special back home" Joked Cesar

  "Oh Cesar" Meredith faked laughed "Dylan is a friend of mine back home. He is actually the one who taught me how to fish"

Cesar smiled and stood up and put his hand out and helped Meredith stand up "Meredith Keene, the 72nd Hunger games victor" Announced Cesar.

He shook Meredith's hand and she walked off the stage. She hated every second of being out there. They really just treated this like a game nothing else when it was much more than that. She and Finnick made it back to their dorm inside this hotel place where the victors would stay before going back home. It was late at night and Meredith felt anything but tired. She sat in the living room in front of the off tv. Finnick saw her sitting there with a blanket over her and went to sit next to her.

  "Everything okay?" He asked

  "Fine" Meredith answered

  "Why aren't you going to bed, it's late and we are leaving early tomorrow morning" Finnick said

  "I can't sleep, I don't want to sleep"

  "Why not?"

  "Every time I sleep, I see them. I see the tributes. I hear their voices I hear their screams. I see myself killing them again"

  "I know, I had many dream like that after my games but they go away eventually" Finnick assured her

Meredith wanted to smile to show him she was okay but couldn't. She leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Finnick put his arm around Meredith and let her sleep. He didn't dare moving or anything afraid to wake her up but he didn't mind staying on the couch. A couple of minutes later, Finnick ended up falling asleep has well.

  "Don't kill me please! Please! Jack help me! Teresa help me! No,no,no!" Meredith yelled in her sleep.

Finnick woke up in a panic and woke up Meredith who was shaking. She opened her eyes and had tears in them.

  "Finnick Finnick" She repeated in a panic

  "It's okay, it's okay, it was just a nightmare, I'm here now" Finnick said taking her in his arms

She closed her eyes again has tears rolled down her face. This was hard for her she didn't know how she was going to live with the thoughts and memories of what happened in those games. Even if Finnick said that it would end going away Meredith knew that they would always be there. And every year when the Hunger games will be held, the next victor will be cursed with the same horrible memories of his or her ally's dying and memories of him or her killing innocent kids. Her only wish was for this to stop, come to an end, no more Hunger games...