RUINS ( FINNICK ODAIR ) ✓

xxxv. ━━ graveyard of memories

     "Katniss tell us what happened here."cressida's voice was soft in a way that was completely different to the woman herself.

     Katniss did not turn around, nor did she speak and in that moment Erin witnessed the raven haired woman speechless for the first time as she took in all the remains of twelve.

     Erin blinked as Gale stepped away from herself and Alex, the tall man approaching the justice building with a somber look in his eyes.

     "We we're all standing right here. Watching the games when you fired that arrow. Screens just went dark, nobody had any idea what happened." He paused for a moment, making eye contact with Katniss for a second.

     "Peachkeeprs forced us to just get back into our homes. For maybe an hour the town was just dead quite. Well passed nine we heard their trucks pulling out. All of them, every single peacekeeper. I knew what that meant." Gale continued his recollection of district twelve terrible fate in a solemn voice.

     "Me and a couple guys from the mines, we started pulling people from their houses, trying to get them to the fenceline. But a lot of people were scared of the forest. So they headed up on the road, make a break for it that way." He pointed to his left before he started to walk again, the other following behind.

     "Stay with Gale." The blonde woman instructed as the followed behind Gale who manouvered through the debris.

     "Nine hundred and fifteen people made it to the fence. And we watched as bombers circled back towards the road." Erin walked close by Katniss side as they walked on a small hill and the sight made the woman's heart drop. District twelve looked complete ruined from that point of view. Everything destroyed, grumbled to the ground.

     "They fired bombed them as they ran away." Everyone was completely silent as they took in the terrible sight and Erin eyes flicker to Gale as he crouched down with a sigh and shook his head. "Ninehundred and fifteen out of ten thousand." He sounded lost for a moment, like he was back in twelve just before everything went to hell.

     The brunette felt her eyes glaze over as she looked at all the bones laying on the ground. Man, woman and children burned to nothing.

     "Is should have grabbed people, I should have dragged them with me. Some of the kids I could have carried." His voice sounded full of regret as he stared ahead, at the chaos the Capitol inflicted.

     "You saved so many people Gale. Without you there would be no district twelve. Not even the memory of it." Cressida crouched down beside Gale as she spoke to him in a gentle voice.

     The Victors Village in district twelve looked much different to the one in district four as Erin walked beside Katniss. The two woman walking in silence but there was a comforting feeling around them. One both desperatly needed.

     "You know. Everyone was against me becoming allies with you." Katniss broke the silence as they stepped inside what Erin presumed used to be Katniss' house. "They didn't trust you."

     Erin gave the girl a gentle smile before she continued to observe the home. "It's hard to trust anyone Katniss. I don't blame them. The girl I used to be-" Erin paused for a second taking a shaky breath. "The girl I was in my games, it's not something I'm proud of. But I wanted to get back home, I needed to get back. My family was barely holding together and I couldn't bear the thought of leaving them behind."

     "That's why I trusted you. After I talked to you in the training room, I knew what kind of person you really were." Katniss glanced at Erin. "I trusted you because the way you spoke about your family, how you fought for your family, like everyone else, but the difference was that you were also willing to die for them. You protected Mags from voluntering, you try to be strong for others. You bear the pain of others on your shoulders."

     "You think very highly of me then." Erin shook her head. "But I'm truely not special in that way. I'm not the only one fighting this war. We're all willing to die for this cause."

     "That's where you're wrong Erin. You're special."

     "Some become great, some are born great, and some have greatness trust upon them."

    Erin watched as Katniss knitted her eyebrows together in confusing. "Who thought you that?"

     "My mum told me when I was younger. We all have our crosses to bear Katniss. We all deal with our own problems. We all have our own battles to face." Erin smiled gently at her friend as she helped her pack some herbs.

     "Your mum, how did she die?"

     "It was an accident." Erin told her softly. "We didn't catch enough fish for the Capitol and we needed to deliver it the next day. But there was a terrible storm raging on sea, my mum and a couple others voluntered to go. I had begged her to stay but she told me she needed to do this. That it was her cross to bear. So we let her go." The brunette shook her head. "I never saw her again after that."

     "I'm sorry."

     "Don't be. I'm not the only one who suffered at the hands of the Capitol, direct or indirectly. I moved on and I like to think it made me stronger." Erin shook her head, grabbing some herbs from the cupboard above the sink while Kaniss stuffed her bag.

     "I think your mother would be proud of you, Erin." Katniss placed a gentle hand on the older girl's shoulder.

     "I'd like to think so too."

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