It's been 5 months since the 74th reaping. It never got easier. The flashbacks never stopped. The constant fear of feeling like I was going to die never left. The only thing that changed was me and my situation. Me and my family got placed in victor's village. It was nice to live in a proper time. My father and sister are here. I offered grandma a place to stay but she declined. She liked her small wooden house better.
It was only us and Locksmith who lived here. It was quite. My father was getting sick. It was getting harder for him to work. He wools sheep and other animals and sends them to the fabric places. We thought it was just a small cold. It has been like this for 2 months.
My sister has grown up some. She is hunting and training. She is scared she will be picked or something. She had got really strong. She is not to my level yet. She has been acting different towards me. She seems angry often. She is not the only one to change. I quit being nice to people who did not deserve it. I stopped singing at pubs because the capital said I could not do it anymore. It stopped dancing through the streets. I stopped singing in general.
I have a big tattoo on my arm to my neck I got from this strange man. It was definitely an experience. I have been working on myself. I lost some weight. I gained muscle. I am more flexible. I joined fighting groups that we are not aloud to tell anyone about.
I haven't seen Katniss since the reaping either. I waited two weeks for her at our spot. She never showed. I haven't been back since. I have been busy and I suppose she has been busy herself.
I see Drake everywhere. Of course, not physically but in the little things. I remember that day. When he mouthed boring to me. The video was a little boring. He was not. He made me smile and laugh. Oh Drake how I miss you so.
With Rue. I feel like she is watching me everywhere. I look into the tree's and see her. Or I will find a spot I think she would like to sit. I wish I could have traded spots with her.
I was walking through the town. I just killed a snowbird and had a meltdown in the process. I was apologizing to the bird. Today was the victory tour. I went to Locksmiths house. I walked inside. "Smith!" I called out. He was laying on the couch.
"Of course you are sleeping" I mumbled as I walked to him. "Smith!" I yelled. "Hey Smith get up" I told him. I had enough so I slapped his arm. He jumped up. "What the heck Mavis!" He shouted. I smiled. "Good you are up!" I told him. I went to his kitchen and got him some bread and butter. "Sober up!" I directed and handed it to him.
"I am sober enough. Thanks" he took the bread. "I got to go to my house I need to get ready and so do you. Take a shower or something you smell" I told him. He laughed "You are just a ray of sunshine" He joked. "Thanks darling" I told him and shut the front door.
I walked inside of my house. "I am home!" I yelled. "You have a guest sweetie" My father said. He pointed towards the office library. I walked into there. It was Snow. "Ah good to see you Mavis" "Likewise" "Here I have you something" He pulled out a black rose. I smiled and took it. "Thank you" I told him. "I hope you have a good time on the tour" He told me. I nodded.
He walked into the living room. He stopped and looked at my father. He nodded his head and walked out. I just noticed him and my father look alike. "What did he want?" My father questioned. "Wished me luck daddy. You need to rest you are pale" I mentioned. He kissed my head and got on the couch. I heard someone knock on the door.
I opened it. It was Effie. "There she is! Our victory!" She cheered. I smiled lightly as she kissed me. She introduced me to her designers. Then someone came from behind her. "Darius!" I shouted and gave him a hug. "Hello Songbird!" He cheered. I was beyond happy to see him.
They hurried and did my makeup. I threw on some jeans and a big puff coat. "Wait can we pull my hair back?" I questioned. "Why you always like your hair down!" Darius mentioned. I took a breath. "I know but that was then. I want it pulled back in a ponytail or something" I mentioned. "Fine" He threw it back for me.
"Come on big smile but not to big" Effie said. She opened the door and I walked out. I had a light smile. "Ah there she is the beautiful Mavis!" Ceaser spoke. "Thank you Ceaser being charming as always!" I spoke. "Wow it looks like you are excited today!" "You could say that I suppose. I wish I was lucky enough to have a special someone with me but it's okay. I am a strong independent woman after all" I commented.
"I just am blown away with your beauty! Well, we will be checking in with you during the victory tour. Thank you so much Mavis Baird!" "No thank you Ceaser!" I dropped my smile along with the cameras.
"That was amazing Mavis now come along we have a train to catch!" Effie mentioned. I walked inside and kissed my dad and sister goodbye. "Take care of him and yourself alright!" I told Annabella. "You got it Mavis" She told me. I walked to the front door. "I love you Anna" I spoke. "Love you too" She said. I shut the door softly.
We got on the train and Peeta and Katniss were on there already. "Maeve!" Katniss shouted. We hugged each other. "Where have you been?" She wondered. "I can ask the same. I waited two weeks straight" I told her. "Are you sure because I looked every day in the evening" "I waited in the morning" We both shared a giggle. "Well its good to see you as well Mavis" Peeta joked. I smirked and gave him a hug. "It is good to see you Peeta" I told him.
Effie was explaining what we have to do. It seemed simple. Speeches, parties, waves, smiles. "you've earned it" Is what caught me. "What did you say?" Katniss questioned. "I said enjoy it Katniss you earned it!" Effie resaid. "By killing people?" Katniss asked. "Watching kids die?" I questioned.
"Young ladies" Effie spoke as me and her got up. "I got to piss!" I told her. I just wanted to leave. Eventually I went back in there. We were going to district 11. Thats where my hider lived. Effie was telling us about it. She mentioned Rue's name and I felt sick. "Here are your speeches" She said and handed us papers.
"For what?" I wondered. "On what to say" "Why not say it from the heart?" "Because your heart has gotten cold Mavis." I looked to Locksmith. "I wonder why?" I said like she was stupid.
"I can do the talking if you guys want me to" Peeta said. "Thank you" "Okay". We went out. "the victors of the 74th hunger games. Katniss Everdeen, Petta Mellark and Mavis Baird!" Someone announced.
"Smile smile straight up you are on camera!" Effie pushed us out. I smiled lightly as I walked out. I looked around. There was a big picture of Rue. My smile fell instantly. I got a memory. "I heard you sing during the interview. It was beautiful" Rue told me. "Thank you. I think you are a good hider." She giggled at that. Then that night we laid with unconscious Katniss.
I could not take my eyes of the picture. She would have grown to be something so amazing. I felt my eyes weld with tears. "Be smart be safe hider" "Be safe be smart seeker!". I gasped. I heard her voice clear.
I looked around the crowd. This district was sad looking. It was so dull. Many people were here with tiny babies and sad faces. "Both Thresh and Rue were so young. But are lives are not just measure in year. They're measure in the lives of people we touch around us. For myself, For Katniss, For Mavis. We know that without Rue and Thresh, we would not be standing here today. So in recognition of that, knowing in that no way we can make up for your loss, We would like to donate one month of our winnings to the families of the tributes, every year for the rest of our lives." Peeta announced. I smiled. I feel like that is the least we can do.
Peeta backed away. Katniss walked to the mic. "I just wanted to say that I did not know Thresh, I only spoke to him once. He could have killed me but instead he showed me mercy. That's a debt ill never be able to repay. I did know Rue. She wasn't just my ally she was my friend. I see her in the flowers that grow in the meadow by my house. I hear her in a mocking jay song. I see her in my sister Prim. She was to young, to gentle. And I couldn't save her. I'm sorry" Katniss speeches.
I wiped the tears off my face. She looked to me and then the mic. I hesitated. Then I went. "From what I seen of Thresh he was tuff. He was brave and he did have a heart. I was in a situation and he could have left me high and dry. He did not though. He saved me. For that I will always be grateful for. Rue. She was smart and clever. Without her those days Katniss was out I would have probably been dead before she awake. We gave each nicknames. She was hider and I was seeker." I paused and looked at her picture. "She was just a girl. She was still a kid! I held that girl for her to sleep and" My voice cracked. "It's not fair and it never will be! Rue and Thresh will live on in our hearts and memories and not just for being in the game. But for the heart they both had. Thank you!" I said and backed away.
This man kissed his three fingers and did the whistle. people joined. Then the guards went to him. Me and Katniss ran down there. "Stop! Let him go! Stop it!" Me and Katniss screamed. We got taken by guards.
"Leave him alone!" We kept repeating. They bring him on stage. They placed a gun behind his head and right before the door shut they shot him. "No!" I yelled and tried to run to the door. Locksmith grabbed me. I tried to fight him.
He explained to me that its never going to end. We are mentors now. Every year we are on that train. We read those stupid cards. We distract. "You know your singing calms down people-" "I don't sing anymore" "Why?" "Nothing good ever came out of singing Locksmith"
He sighed. "Rue liked it. Drake liked it. You loved it" "Yeah and they are the only ones who will hear it." I told him. I wiped the tears that came down. Locksmith threw his arms around me. "You know whatever happens every step of the way I will always support you honey". "I know"