liv. ━━ the odds change
· 。゚☆: *.☽
▎ RUINS ▎
»»————- act three. from the ashes
FIFTY FOUR ━━ the odds change
in some other life we are standing side by side
and laughing, that in another life we are apart
— d.j.
WHEN ERIN WAKES UP FOR A SPLIT SECOND EVERYTHING FEELS OKAY, UNTIL THE PREVIOUS EVENT COME CRASHING BACK IN AND A SOB RIPS THROUGH HER THROAT, and she sits back up in her bed, tears streaming down her face. She does't even notice Finnick waking up beside her hospice bed as he worriedly stands up from his chair to take his girl into his arms. She immediately buries her head in his chest and he strokes his hand gently through her hair, trying to calm her down.
"He's dead." She cries out and it breaks his heart to see her this way as she clutches to the fabric of his wollen sweatshirt. "He—he can't be dead. He's Alex, he's my big brother."
"Shh." He whispers soothingly in her ear, holding her closer to him before the two are interrupted by the sound of the door opening.
"I'm sorry to interrupt." It's Mrs. Everdeen who steps in the room with an solemn experssion on her face that reminds Erin she isn't the only one who lost a loved one today. She carefully pulls away from Finnick who moves to the side so that Mrs. Everdeen can take his place on the bed.
Erin smiles at the woman, but it doesn't reach her eyes as she wipes away the remaining tears just like how Katniss' mother's returned smile seemed to be forced in the situation.
"I just have to cover your burns in this." The woman hold up a small container with a odorless ointment for her to see and Erin nods silentely and turns to face the woman better as she carefully unwraps the bandage around her arm before applying the ointment.
"I'm sorry about Prim." Erin whispers softly and the woman halts her movements for a second.
"I'm sorry about your brother too."
"Thank you."
Once again the door to her room opens up with a creak, and this time it is Gale who steps inside quietly. He waits by the door, exchanging a look with Finnick as Mrs. Everdeen wraps her arm up again before leaving the room with a soft goodbye.
"Coin wants to see you two." Gale announces, observing how lifeless Erin looks sitting in her hospital bed, eyes downcasted and focused on her hands.
"Do you know what for?" Finnick asks as he stands up to help Erin to leave the bed.
"Just that she has gathered the remaining victors." Gale elaborates as the two victors slowly walk forward and follow after Gale who leads them through the Presidential Mansion and down a luxerious hallway until the come upon a large room with a round table in the middle of it. Most seats are already filled and when Erin spots Johanna sitting at the table she is ready to burst in tears again as her friend jumps up to embrace her.
"I'm so, so sorry about Alex." The girl whispers and Erin grip tightens around her friend but she doesn't respond, she doesn't have it in her at the moment.
The two pull away after a moment and Finnick places a hand on her back to lead her to one of the chairs before he goes to sit in one himself. It remains eerily quiet in the expansive looking room until Katniss Everdeen herself enters the room, the same look of confusion written on her face as she observes the people in the room until her eyes lock with Erin just like they did back at the beginning of the Quarter Quell.
So many months had passed since that fateful moment. They had went from complete strangers to allies to friends that trusted each other completely. They had been more hopeful then, had more people they cared about. That had all changed during the rebellion.
They both lost a sibling— and a piece of themselves.
"What is this?" Katniss questions quietly looking at Coin.
"The remaining Victors." Coin states almost monotonely and gestures for the girl to take the last seat at the table, "Won't you join us."
"I have invited you all here for several reasons," Coin adressed the group courtly, "But first I have an announcement. I have taken taken the burden and the honor of declaring myself interim President of Panem."
"Interim." Haymitch scoffed loudly, "Exactly how long is that interim?"
Erin's brow furrowed as she watched the exchange carefully, nervously locking her hands together.
"We have no way of knowing for certain," Coin answers calmly, "But it's clear that the people are far too emotional right now to make a rational decision. We'll plan an elecation when the time is right."
Erin bites the inside of her cheek, exchanging worried glances with her friends around the table.
"But I have called you here for a far more important vote, a symbolic vote. this afternoon, we will execute Snow." Coin announces unwavering. "Hundreds of his accomplices also await their death. Capitol officials, peacekeepers, torturers and gamemakers. But the danger, is once we begin, the rebels will not stop calling for retribution."
"And?" Erin speaks up in confusion, "We can't just kill everyone that used to live here."
Coin looks up at her, an emotion she can't decipher swirling in her eyes, "Thirst for blood is a difficult urge to satisfy." The woman nods at Erin, "So I offer calling for retribution, The majority may approve it, no may abstain it. The proposal is this; in lieu of these barbaric executions, we hold a symbolic Hunger Games.'"
Erin freezes all movements at Coin's words as Johanna erupts into a fit of laughter, "You want another Hunger Games with the Capitol's children?" The short haired woman asked in disbelief.
"You're joking." Peeta frowns.
"Not in the slightest." Coin replies seriously.
"This is crazy." Erin breathes out with wide eyes.
"Is this Plutarch's idea?" Haymitch asked.
"No it was mine"Coin shakes her head, "It balances the need for revenge with least loss of human life. You may cast your votes.
"No," Peeta quickly speaks up, "No, obviously not. This is crazy."
"No, I think it is more fair. Snow's got a granddaughter." Johanna cuts in and Erin looks at her friend in disbelief, "I say yes."
"So do I." Enoboria adds, "Let's them have a taste of it."
"Absolutely not." Erin chimes in next, "We can't stoop down as low as Snow, I won't"
"You guys, this way of thinking is what started these uprisings." Peeta adds quickly
"What they did to us." Finnick speaks up, but his gaze is on Erin and she can already feels what he is going to say. "I hate them for it, and I know we shouldn't get down to their level, but they deserve it for what they did to us, what they did to you. So yes I vote for one last Hunger Games."
"No." Beetee shakes his head when the attention turns to him, "We need to stop viewing each other as enemies."
"It's down to Katniss and Haymitch." Coin says, and all eyes turn to the Mockinjay.
"I get to kill Snow?"
"I expect no less of you." Coin responds easily.
"Then I vote yes." Katniss nods and Erin's heart sinks into her stomache. "For Prim."
"Haymitch?"
"I'm with the Mockingjay." The blonde man speaks up after a second.
"That carries the vote. Excellent." Coin grins, "We'll announce the Games tonight, after the excecution."
· 。゚☆: *.☽
FINNICK FOUND ERIN SITTING IN A WINDOWSEAT LATER THAT DAY, MINDLESSLY TWIRLING THE WEDDING BAND ON HER FINGER AS SHE STARED OUT THE WINDOW, COMPLETELY oblivious to her surroundings. He slowly walked up the her, hoping to talk to her about the earlier meeting.
"Hey..." Finnick breathes out as he takes a seat next to her. "What are you doing?"
Erin turns her head, smiling up at him briefly before returning her gaze outside to look at the snowcovered ground and the greenhouse surrounded by multiple guards. "Nothing really."
"I'm sorry." He apologises, "I know you didn't expect that."
Erin sighs, turning her attention to her husband with sad eyes, "No didn't— I really didn't. If ayone I though you would at least vote 'no' and I could never do that, it's not what my parents would have wanted... not what alex would have wanted." Her voice cracks at the end, "But I do understand Finn, I do. And you don't have to aplogise for that okay."
"Okay." He smiles befor bringing him closer to him in a warm hug.
"It's time to get dressed." Effie Trinket's melodic voice brings them apart as she smiles sadly at the two tributes.
Snow's execution, the realisation just finally settles in. This is it, the end of the rebellion, the moment they all have been waiting for.
Getting dressed feels like a blur and before she knows it, Erin is standing outside with the other Victors, waiting for Katniss to arrive. They all stand where it began, where they met each other during the Quarter Quell.
The same square where they had been shown off to President Snow like some sort of collector's item. No the roles had been reversed as the man in question stood below the platform-- the same one he used to stand on the look down at the parade only this time he was tied to a pole below it while Coin stood where he once was.
The drums started as soon as Katniss arrived, walking steadily towards the rest of them, her face completely passive and no emotion to be read from her face as she walked passed the gathered victors, the rebells following behind her but they remained behind the other victors, before she stopped a couple feet away from Snow and the drums died out and Coin outstreched her arms in front of her.
"Welcome to a new Panem." Coin's voice echoes throughout the large open space. "Today on the Avenue of the Tributes, all of Panem, a free Panem, will watch more than a mere spectacle. We are gathered to witness a historic moment of justice. Today, the greates fired to the revolution will fire the shot to end all wars. May her arrow signify the end of tryranny and the beginning og a new era." She paused and her eyes diverted to look at Katniss. "Mockingjay, may your aim be as true as your heart is pure."
Erin inhaled sharply as Erin grabbed an arrow and notched it in her bow, a moment of complete silence passing over the place as she aimed at Snow, but when she released the arrow, in one quick motion, she lifted her bow up and the arrow went flying and imbedded itself in Coin's heart.
A look of utter shock was etched on Coin's face before she fell down the platform, behind her, the rebels went completely crazy and estranged battle cries left their mouths as they charged at a maniacally laughing Snow.
All victors were pulled away by the guards as rebels pushed passed them in a frenzy before they were brought back inside the mansion and between all the chaos, Erin felt lucky that she found Katniss and Haymitch sitting silently in a hallway, backs against the walls, an open letter in the man's hand.
"Hey." Erin approaches the two carefully and when Haymitch notices her he gets back up, they stop in front of each other, a mutual understanding passing through them and he pats her shoulder one last time before walking past her.
"That was a very dangerous move." Erin says as she sits down next to her friend. "I saw what Peeta did, after you shot Coin."
Katniss doesn't say anything and Erin takes that as an opportunity to continue.
"Why would you try to kill yourself with a nightlock pill?"
"I'm just done." Katniss sighs heavily, eyes downcasted.
"But Panem is free. We did it." The brunette says surprised and albeit confused.
"I know, it's just— without Prim." her voice cracks and Erin pulls the girl closer to her and Katniss rest her head on her friend's shoulder.
"And without Alex." Erin drops her own head on top of Katniss' "But we're free and our friends are free. we owe it to them to live our lives."
"What are you going to do next?"
"Me and Finnick will head back to District Four." Erin states, a faraway look in her eyes. "Rebuild, start a life together."
Katniss sighs, "What now."
"We live"
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