The Hunger Games - Surviving The Storm - book 3

Chapter 19

The remainder of the train ride was less than 5 hours but it was the longest 5 hours of my entire life. My mother and I took turns keeping gaurd with the traitor. Every second I was watching this woman I wanted nothing more than to cut her throat slowly and watch her choak on her blood. That's exactly what she would have done to my son and myself if I hadn't have stopped her.

I stood before Fallon carving the words 'I am a traitor' on every visible inch of her body. During the first set of words I had carved in her body she decided she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. I fixed that by shoving a cloth into her mouth. I originally wanted to cut off her tongue but my father and husband persuaded me other wise.

The door opened and I ignored my fathers entrance. I knew it was him because of the way his steps were. The door opened again and I knew my mother was close behind, but only because her footsteps were almost impossible to hear.

"It's time to get ready for your arrival at District 12." My mother said as she walked forward and took the knife from my hands.

I pulled another from the wall that had originally pinned her and continued carving the words into her body. My father grabbed my arm and I quickly turned around.

"What?" I asked him.

I saw him exchange a glance with my mother.

"You need to get ready." he said before he turned me towards the door. "Your son is awake." he added.

He had won me over with my children. I had the strongest urge to hold them in my arms. Though it had only been a few hours it felt like months on end. Without a sound I crossed the room only to stop and throw the knife at Fallon. This time the blade embedded itself in her hand. I heard her muffled moan before I left the room.

I went down the hall of the train towards my room. As I went to enter I was drawn away by Cinna who said I had time to see the children later. Right now I needed to get dressed. One of the many things about the Capitol life that bothered me, dressing up for every occasion. I changed about 10 times a day on a normal day. But when I had business to go about the normal 10 doubled.

When I was finished I was dressed in a long cream gown and Jackson a black suit. My mother and father wore identical outfits to ours. When I finally got to see my babies I saw they they too wore identical outfits to ours, just more appropriate and modest. Seeing my daughter in a creamed baby doll dress and my son in a black suit tore away my heart. The sudden image of their futures and being wedded nearly brought me to tears.

"Cinna, you did it again." I whispered as I wrapped my arms around him in a friendly embrace. "Your outfits are wonderful." I said as we moved to the doors to prepare for the first appearance.

We passed through the outskirts of the village that was once my home and it took my breath away. Everything was beautiful, bright and brand new. What I once knew was no longer there. It made me happy as well as sad. The old District 12 was my home and now there was nothing left of it.

When we stopped at the train station everyone was there. I saw old friends that now had families. The mothers of those friends were aged slightly in their years and now hosted a few greys. I could tell from the way their mouths opened and their eyes lit up that they were cheering for us. It wasn't until the doors opened that I actually heard them.

After we manuvered through the crowed we were ushered into a car and taken through the town and into the square. A flash back of my reapings flickered quickly through my mind. Only when my husband wrapped his arm around me was I pulled back to reality.

When the car stopped I was looking at a newly renovated town square. It hosted a new stage and even the justice building looked marvelous. In the middle of the square was a tall rock that seemed to be changing colors.

As I got out of the car with my family and headed towards the stage I stopped to take a look. What I thought was changing colors was really pictures of people from District 12, children really. Only when I saw my brothers face did I realized that this stone was a memorial stone for those that we had lost in the Games. I covered my mouth and quickly walked away towards the stage.

As I looked over the square that was quickly filling up with people I started feeling nervous. In another five minutes the square was full and it was time to start to speech.

The mayor, Madge Hawthorne walked from the Justice building and to the microphone where she introduced us, well my parents and the President. She didn't even get my name right, I was Aloe not CaliRose, that faux girl no longer existed and I was glad for it.

The mayor Madge Undersee had married my deceased best friend's father Gale Hawthorne. By the looks of her swollen stomach they were now expecting a child together. Gale wasn't beside his wife though, so that only meant he was somewhere in the crowd.

Before my eyes could search for him though I was up to the bat. I had to give the speech and explain what was going to be happening fom here on out.

Very cautiously I moved to the microphone, it was quiet only because everyone was listening and waiting for me.

"Many of you know me as CaliRose Ripper nee Evermark but that's not who I am. My birth name was Aloe Mellark." I heard several gasps from the crowd but I did my best to try and get past them and continue. "My second time into the arena my fate was already decided for me. Under Finnicks power Aloe was never to exist. I was to be sold in the Capitol and I was, my new identity was CaliRose. I was blackmailed by the sake of my parents who he made me think were avoxes." I couldn't continue on with the horrible things Finnick had done in my life so I skipped to the next part of the speech. "Finnick is gone, my husband Jackson now rules as President of Panem. We are doing our best to make things right again. Things will change for the better. Families will be taken care of and fed properly. Those families that have lost children to Games will have their own support systems. Just like Victors Village, there is the new housing village that we are calling the Weeping Meadow. It is currently being built outside the Victors village in the area where I buried my brother. You will all be treated the way you should have been treated." I finished before I moved to take a seat.

I watched my husband go up and give a bit of a speech and then we were on our way. We would be staying in our home in Victors Village along side my mother and fathers home. The moment we pulled up outside the house I was at a loss for words. Everything was beautiful, it was like looking in on District 1 when it came to the architecture.

The wood wasn't bad quality, the lighting fixtures, windows and doors were up to date. It was perfect. This was my home, this is my home.

"Do you like it?" My husband asked me.

I threw my arms around him and kissed him. "I love it." I responded.