Mockingjay: Peeta's POV

Chapter Twenty-six

Chapter Twenty-six

After my talk with Mrs. Everdeen, I return back to my hospital bed. The patients around me are badly injured from the flames. As I'm about to sit on the bed, Plutarch comes in the room beckoning to me.

I follow him out of the doorway.

"How are you, Peeta?" he asks, before I can say anything.

"I've been better. Where are we going?" I ask as we pass through these unknown halls.

"All the remaining Victors here are having a meeting with us," he responds, keeping up with his fast pace down the hall.

"Who's us?" I question, trying to keep up but it's difficult with the new grafted skin and leg.

"Coin and me."

"I see." Of course, who else would it be?

We reach our destination, and I see that we're all wearing the same thing. "Apparently we all get to wear the same thing. Just like the Games," I mutter to myself.

I see Haymitch crack a smile as I walk to an empty seat. Annie, Haymitch, Beetee, Johanna, Enobaria. The remaining Victors. Wait a minute where's Katniss? Just as I'm about to ask where she is, the door opens.

Katniss enters looking around. "What's this?"

"We're not sure," Haymitch answers. "It appears to be a gathering of the remaining Victors."

You don't say. A meeting of the remaining Victors. I never would have thought.

"We're all that's left?" Katniss asks.

I see where she's going. I didn't notice before there's not many of us left.

"The price of celebrity. We were targeted from both sides. The Capitol killed the Victors they suspected of being rebels. The rebels killed those thought to be allied with the Capitol," Beetee says.

Oh, so not only the Capitol is killing the Victors but so are the rebels. Guess I'm not really all that surprised.

Johanna scrowls at Enobaria. "So what's she doing here?"

"She is protected under what we call the Mockingjay Deal. Wherein Katniss Everdeen agreed to support the rebels in exchange for captured Victor's immunity. Katniss has upheld her side of the bargain, and so shall we," Coin says, entering the room.

Enobaria smiles at Johanna.

"Don't look so smug. We'll kill you anyway," Johanna sneers.

After that everyone falls silent and an awkward silence follows.

"Sit down, please, Katniss," Coin says, shutting the door.

Katniss takes the remaining seat between Annie and Beetee.

As soon as Katniss is seated Coin begins. "I've asked you here to settle a debate. Today we will execute Snow. In the previous weeks, hundreds of his accomplices in the oppression of Panem have been tried and now await their own deaths."

Wait it's been weeks since the bombs! How long was I exactly out for?

Coin continues. "However, the suffering in the Districts has been so extreme that these measures appear insufficient to the victims. In fact, many are calling for a complete annihilation of those who held Capitol citizenship. However, in the interest of maintaining a sustainable population, we cannot afford this."

I look up from the table feeling someone's eyes on me. Katniss. I lock eyes with her for a moment before I look away. I don't know how I feel about her anymore. Do I love her?

"So, an alternative has been placed on the table. Since my colleagues and I can come to no consensus, it has been agreed that we will let the Victors decide. A majority of four will approve the plan. No one may abstain from the vote. What has been proposed is that in lieu of eliminating the entire Capitol population, we have a final, symbolic Hunger Games, using the children directly related to those who held the most power," Coin says.

The seven of us turn to her in shock.

"What?" Johanna questions.

"We hold another Hunger Games using Capitol children," Coin says, repeating it as if we can't comprehend.

"Are you joking?" I ask, speaking for the first time since Katniss entered the room.

"No. I should also tell you that if we do the hold the Games, it will be known it was done with your approval, although the individual breakdown of your votes will be kept secret for your own security," Coin says, as if that's going to make it better.

"Was this Plutarch's idea?" Haymitch asks.

"It was mine," Coin says.

Go figure.

"It seemed to balance the need for vengeance with the least loss of life. You may cast your votes," Coin concludes.

"No!" I burst out in anger. "I vote no, of course! We can't have another Hunger Games!" I say breaking through the mutt side of me.

"Why not?" Johanna questions. "It seems very fair to me. Snow even has a granddaughter. I vote yes."

"So do I," Enobaria says immediately. "Let them have a taste of their own medicine."

"This is why we rebelled!" I shout. "Remember?" I look around the table. "Annie?" I say, stopping on her face.

"I vote no with Peeta," she says her voice quiet. "So would Finnick if he were here."

"But he isn't, because Snow's mutts killed him," Johanna says.

"No," Beetee says speaking up. "It would set a bad precedent. We have to stop viewing one another as enemies. At this point, unity is essential for our survival. No."

Good. At least Beetee is using logic to figure this out. I mean, it's a start.

"We're down to Katniss and Haymitch," Coin says.

My eyes flit to Katniss. She looks at her hand. "I vote yes . . . for Prim."

No. No. This can't be happening.

"Haymitch, it's up to you," Coin says.

I watch Haymitch. I can feel the anger radiating off of me.

"I'm with the Mockingjay," he says, slowly.

"Excellent. That carries the vote. Now we really must take our places for the execution," Coin says.

I storm out of the room. Where is their humanity? It wasn't right for the Capitol to do that to us. To any of us. It's no better for them to turn around and do the same thing back to the Capitol. They want to say they hate the Games, then they turn around a vote to have one. Voting yes makes them no better than them. Besides their children did nothing wrong just like anyone forced into the Games did anything wrong. They're not only punishing those who held power in the Games but the innocent as well.

I'm even more confused about my feelings now. Ever since Katniss kissed me again, my mind has been so much clearer. Like I can control the memories more. What's real and what's not.

But now I'm conflicted. Do I really know what is real? How am I going to figure out my feeling for Katniss? Do I like her or not?

I look up as the I hear shouting. I'm in line with the other Victors. Snow is being tied up to a post behind him.

I glance at Katniss. She pulls an arrow out, positioning it. Snow coughs and blood runs down the corners of his mouth. He wets his lips. Katniss adjusts the arrow and lets it fly.

Except it doesn't hit Snow it hits Coin. She collapses over the side of the balcony, falling to the ground. Dead.  

Edited