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ACT I
CHAPTER XVII
the victory tour
FIRST STOP OF the victory tour of the 72nd Hunger Games, district 12. As Thana looks outside of the town hall, her views of a very grey and snowy district are still very present. Exactly what you always see at reaping videos. She know it only hosts one victor; Haymitch Abernaty. He is a friend of Rohan, so she is sure that she will see him more often than only today. Rohan said he will meet them here while they dine with the mayor's family.
"My friend," Rohan turns around at the drunken voice of the victor with a sigh.
"It is good to see you again, Haymitch." Rohan sounds a little annoyed if you ask Thana, but still he hugs the man, "this is Thana."
"It is great to meet you," Thana says as she shakes the hand of the man.
"Lovely to meet you too," Haymitch slurs to Thana who looks at Rohan in disgust at the overbearing scent of alcohol.
Not much is to be said about her visit to the 12th district, and so it goes on for the next two districts. Thana gives speeches written by August while showing up in the most yellow outfits ever, trying to convince herself that she means every word that she says. But she doesn't, she only really cared about Jack, and he was from district 8, and she is only going to there now. District 11 and 10 got same old Thana, just like 12 did. A bland version of the girl she really is. A version the Capitol forced her to become and present for them.
Once it is time to speech before district 8, nerves make Thana trill. She doesn't want to face the family of Jack; she still feels so guilty for the fact that she made it instead of him.
"Today we are here to honour the fallen tributes of district 8," Thana reads off of August his card, "both of them fought hard and showed bravery and love to their district." Thana takes a deep breath, looking to the people on the square, "I may not have talked to Gina, but I most certainly did to Jack. Jack was my ally; he was my rock in the games. He was my best friend." Tears leak out of Thana's eyes as she looks at Jack's family. "Jack was the moon to me, and I know he thought of me as the sun. Us together was my safety net, and... and I just want to thank his family for raising such a lovely person, one who will always be in my heart, so thank you."
Dinner at district 8 is not a dinner where Thana is very present, she's in her thoughts by Jack, the boy who simply was a friend she would never forgiver herself if she forgot him.
"It is okay Thana," The voice of Jack ringing in Thana's ears, "we did our best, you deserve to be alive. Okay, remember that. My family will be okay, I am okay." For a quick second Thana saw Jack as he gave her a kiss on her forehead, a kiss she felt. "I will always love you, no matter what. And you are allowed to grow and love yourself."
"Are you okay?" Rohan asks Thana.
"Yeah," the girl answers unconvincingly, "just tired."
Once the two victors reach the station of district 7, another victor awaits them. On the platform, in dark greens, stands Johanna Mason. A scowl rests upon her face as her hands are in her coat pockets. Rohan merely nods at the girl in acknowledgement, but Thana goes straight for the girl. Disregarding her conversation with August, she walks towards the older girl and hugs her tightly, so green clashes with red.
"You have no idea how happy I am to see you again," Thana says with a big grin.
"It is good to see you as well," Johanna smiles and locks their arms, "let's get you to the townhall so you can give your awful speech."
Her statement makes Thana laugh, "they truly are yeah, I hate doing it and I have only done 4 so far."
"You'll get through it, I promise," Johanna says putting hand out for the girl, "your speech in district 8 was amazing, though."
"Oh, thank you," Thana says absentmindedly as she puts her hand in Johanna's.
After her speech in district 7, Thana says goodbye to Johanna before boarding the train towards district 6. Rohan smiles lightly at the victor of district 7 before returning to watch over Thana. August doesn't even notice that Rohan doesn't talk to him but rather looks at Thana who's face slowly falls again as the train starts to move. He knows how hard this tour is, no district is happy that you won, they want to see their own children again. Not some stranger who even might've killed their child. Thana killed people and she saw her only friend die, Rohan couldn't be happier for the girl to find some comfort in Johanna.
The voice of Jack calling out her name, follows Thana through all of her speeches that she desperately tries to complete as fast as she can. The calling makes her feel insane, it makes her feel like Jack is dying all over again, like she is killing people again. So after getting a break through meeting the most kind victor ever, Mags of district 4, Thana feels a little more okay. Her heart goes out to Annie and pain fills her as she realises that she will never be fully okay, the games will follow her always.
The cheering in district 1 and 2 overwhelm the young victor, it feels so aggressive, and it is not cheering for her. No, it is cheering for the games, if the victory tour comes by, that means the Capitol shall talk about the up coming games and how curious they are for what Seneca Crane will invent and make for his second games. How will the man top his swamp with booby traps? So, when Thana enters the train to go to the Capitol, tears fall down. Stress and everything come out of her body as she realises that only tomorrow it will start. Her first every party in the Capitol where she will meet many people and she can't hide behind words and smiles.
"It will be okay," Rohan whispers as he holds Thana, "I will be right by your side."
Nora speaking here!
Next chapter will be the last of act I and then we move on to act II, and I have a lot of pain planned for Thana, oops