Katnip

Chapter Three

"Please, can you make this work for me?

Cause I'm not a puppet, I will work against your strings."

-Sam Smith, Money On My Mind

I awake the next morning with a deep sense of foreboding. Today. Snow's execution. Me. Crowd. Performance. Apperance. Cinna. Gone.

My body begins to tremble, but suddenly there's a hand on my shoulder, steadying me. Gale. He stares into my eyes, and I nod slightly, letting him know that I'm okay. He hugs he gently, like a fragile porcelaine doll he's afraid of breaking. I hug him back, fiercly.

There's a sudden knock on the door, and someone clears their throat. Haymitch. I call out, "Come in."

He staggers in, reeking of alcohol, his pain-filled eyes bloodshot. Peeta. The guilt swallows he, and my eyes prick. Haymitch turns away briefly, before he limps towards me, gently patting my back.

"I know, sweetheart, I know. Peeta. Prim. Guess we're all broken now, huh? Guess Snow got what he wanted. Or is it Coin? I don't even know anymore... She's called a meeting."

I take my white rose from the glass of water, in all it's horrific perfection. I walk to my bathroom, where my prep team is waiting. I can't look tired, or have dirty fingernails when I kill the most evil man in my life, can I?

They usher me around, making small talk, but the life has gone out of them. Or rather, them too...