▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

SHALL WE RISE?

act three. 

(chapter fifty-four, in the flower patch, we say goodbye)

where the wildflowers grow / victor's village, 2314.

▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

DISTRICT NINE LOOKED DIFFERENT, Valencia realised as her, Commie, Nova, and Billie walked through the town. Buildings were charred and black, rubble was spread everywhere, scorch marks were on the ground. A smell of smoke was in the air, causing people to cough as they walked past. 

Paylor had kept her word when she said that the Capitol would help Nine with rebuilding. Factory workers, farmers, harvesters, and a majority of construction men from the Capitol all littered Nine's grounds, carriages beside them as they chucked rubble into the carts. Valencia noticed the pile of bones that were building up as well. It had been months and months ever since the war ended and just now did people start to rebuild.

Everyone was gloomy as they walked through the town, heads hung low and the tension thick. When they noticed the three Victors' walking through with Billie, they didn't move away like they usually did. They smiled warmly at Valencia, some even greeting her whilst nodding. (Valencia furrowed her eyebrows as she watched everyone stare at her, their eyes turning into ones of fear)

The three passed through the scarred markets in the centre. Melted stalls were stuck to the ground, construction workers ripping them apart as they chucked them into a cart. The ground was littered with rubble and black scorch marks, people furiously trying to rub them away with sponges and cloths. The smell was intoxicating as Valencia relived her life in those moments. (The sound of the busy market could be heard from where the two of them were, becoming louder as they walked nearer to the centre)

"It's so depressing here," Commie muttered when they passed a woman sobbing over a piece of rubble. 

"Nine's never experienced anything like this." Billie shrugged. "We normally kept a low-profile... until the Quell."

Valencia swallowed a lump in her throat as the three of them moved past the markets. They were heading for the boundary lines of Nine, but they were taking the longer way. This was something none of them wanted to do. And so, they walked around all of Nine. But Valencia, Nova, and Commie both averted their eyes when they neared the Justice Building, but she got a quick glance of it. 

The stage was still there, but it was missing the microphone, chairs, and glass bowls. The roped sections were nowhere to be seen and instead, people were moving around slowly with carts trailing behind them. Some were filled with rubble whilst some were loaded with bones, which seemed ironic considering where they were being drawn. (A smirk played on her lips as she moved away from Nova and towards Delphine, who looked at her sorrowfully) (Valencia took some deep breaths before latching onto the railing and forcing herself to walk up the steps)

Moving quickly past the Justice Building, they began to enter the makeshift area of Nine. The remaining apartment complexes faded out of sight whilst the factories became more visible. There would usually be smoke coming out of the smokestacks, but there was none since the factories were still closed. Due to this, the air smelt better and it wasn't as polluted as it normally was. The makeshift houses came into sight, kids sitting around with their parents, dogs laying on porches. Everyone froze to look at the three newcomers, nodding their heads at Valencia, Nova, and Commie. 

With a deep sigh, they carried onwards. They passed the makeshift houses, passed the wooden bench, walking down the overgrown cobblestone road. Their feet echoed on the stone as they looked at the different farmers and harvesters work on the grain fields. Carts were filled with new soil and some filled with the old, burnt fertiliser. They were planning to entirely strip the grain fields's soil and plant new fertiliser. Streams of water were already being sprayed on the parts that were done, washing away any of the ashes. Some in the lower parts were already planting the crops. One of the farmers told them that it would take a long time before things got back to normal as they passed through the new metal gate. 

The three of them walked around the workers carefully, trying to not tread on their work. The woods could be seen in the distance, but they were not going there. Instead, they took a right and wandered to the very edge of the grain fields. Birch trees were seen as the burnt crops and soil disappeared behind them. This was an area in Nine where nobody went to unless it was for something special. Wild flowers dotted the light green grass. This was not effected by the fires, thankfully. 

Valencia had to grasp Commie's and Nova's hands as they neared the sight, the three headstones being now visible. They had asked the morgue to add an extra headstone to the flower patch and they did just that. Standing in the patch, Valencia's father's, mother's, and brother's headstones laid in the soil. Engraved in the stones were the names Rhodes Barlowe, Eleanor Barlowe, and Antares Barlowe. 

"Well, here we are." Commie grunted, wiping his eyes with his handkerchief. Commie was about to cry. Billie was wiping her tears away. Nova was trying her best to not cry. Valencia was already sobbing. 

Laying a few inches away from their feet, six feet underground, was the bones of Valencia's father and mother in their coffins. For Antares, they didn't have a body to bury nor any ashes and so, his coffin was empty with just a single wildflower and a picture of Annie laying inside. Valencia had not visited this site ever since her mother died. The last time she came here, Antares and her weren't talking and stayed far apart from each other. Now, Valencia was here for Antares's funeral.

They waited for a few moments before a short, stubby priest in robes showed up with a book in his hand. In Nine, they didn't have any churches or religious buildings and so, the morgue would send a fake priest to recite some words. Sometimes it was comforting like at Rhodes Barlowe's funeral where both Antares and Valencia clung to their mother. It was comforting at their mother's funeral since the two siblings wanted something to fill the void of silence. But now at Antares's funeral, it was not comforting. Valencia wanted it to be quiet whilst they all said their goodbyes, but the morgue recommended the priest since Antares was such a well-known person. 

Valencia did not pay attention to what the priest had to say, nearly telling him to shut up and go back to the town, but she stopped herself before she opened her mouth. Instead, she fixated her eyes on her brother's headstone, tears running widely down her cheeks. Never did she imagine having to attend her brother's funeral when she was twenty-five and he was supposed to be thirty-two.

"—In the Name of God, the merciful Father, we commit the body of Antares Rhodes Barlowe to the peace of the grave," the priest finished up as he did a sign of the cross and began to pray to the sky. "You may now say your goodbyes."

Commie was the first to move out of the four of them, Billie handing him a wildflower. He placed his hand on the headstone as he whispered some words in a hushed tone so no-one else could hear him before gently placing the wildflower down. When Nova moved forwards, she was given a flower, in which she placed down next to Commie's as she muttered a few words. And then Billie went, handing a flower to Valencia before she took her own and walked over to the grave, whispering her goodbyes before she laid the wildflower. And then Valencia went. 

Legs trembling, Valencia walked forwards and bent down in-front of the headstone, twiddling the stem of the flower around in her hands. Tears were still streaming down her face as she reached forward with her free hand and placed it on the stone. 

"I'm so sorry... Terry," she mumbled under her breath. "You can rest now, it's over. You can finally have your peace now, the peace you always wanted. The peace we talked about all those years ago."

Valencia slowly placed the wildflower on the dirt, swallowing the lump in her throat as she looked up at the sunny sky, a flock of birds soaring overhead. 

"You be safe up there. And tell Pa and Ma I say hello and everyone else," Valencia continued in a soft voice. "Oh, Terry... If I could go back and change everything I would. You are and you always will be my brother. I loved you and I never really got to tell you. But now you know, I loved you... forever and always."

Wiping away the tears, Valencia stepped back. Commie wrapped his arm around her and Nova as they both laid their heads on his shoulder, Billie holding Valencia's hand. The priest said a few closing words before he walked off, leaving them all alone.

They all stood there for a few minutes, listening to the birds that soared overhead before sighing, walking away from the grave site. Valencia kept looking over her shoulder, watching her family's headstones disappear and the mending grain fields come back into view. And she swore to herself that she would never return to that site ever again. 

Everyone was quiet as they traipsed through the grain fields and workers. The last couple of months had been hard for Valencia, Nova, and Commie. Funerals invaded their minds. They held a ceremony for Antares, something that they had planned for a month or two, and they had to plan funerals for Anita and Daniel. They were short and simple ceremonies that only consisted of Valencia, Nova, and Commie with no priest. Their grave stones were placed in the tree line that wrapped around Victors' Village. That was incredibly hard for Commie since he nearly collapsed from all his sobbing. Valencia and Nova stood silently as they looked at the names Anita Greene and Daniel Tukker engraved in the stone. 

They were presumed dead, the two of them, but in Valencia's mind, they were. But it came official when Plutarch called Commie one late afternoon when Valencia was over, telling him that their bodies were found deep in the lower parts of the Tribute Centre with a bunch of other Victors'. Thirty-two Victors' were found dead either by the Capitol or the rebels. It was known as the Victors' Purge. Ten Victors' were left alive. Ten out of seventy-five (counting those who died even before the rebellion) were alive. 

This was a fact that hung heavily over Valencia's, Nova's, and Commie's heads. Many of the people who were either their friends, family, or even just those who they grew up watching, were dead. Nearly the entire race of Victors' were dead, ending up in a near extinction of Hunger Games winners. This was something everyone, despite the war, had a hard time grasping. The Victors' before were seen as rays of hope. Now, they were just dead corpses. 

Valencia thought this as her, Nova, Commie, and Billie all walked through the metal gate and up the cobblestone path. Tears were still remaining on their cheeks, something people passing by noticed. The hint of realisation in their eyes was nearly enough to make Valencia sob and collapse, but her hand was still firmly clasped in Billie's.

Athena was back to attending the local school in Nine, which was spared from the fires, and considering it was a weekday, she was to be in class. Billie didn't have a proper job, saying that looking after Valencia was her job, and so she suggested having tea in her house. Commie shook his head and said that he had some stronger stuff than tea in his cupboard so they were all heading back to Victors' Village. And surprisingly, Nova agreed. Times had changed.

With Victors' Village, the new mayor of Nine (the old one had apparently died in the fires) suggested that the people who lost their homes because of the apartment complex collapsing should go and reside in Victors' Village. Whilst it was a kind thought, everyone shook their heads at the idea of living in the Village. According to Billie, everyone thought it was haunted and so the sign stayed up and only Valencia, Nova, and Commie resided in it. They did not mind and would rather live by themselves than share a neighbourhood with some random people who did not know the importance of those houses, the memories. The thought of some random family living in Antares's house made Valencia sick to the stomach. 

"I have a large array of liquor in my cupboard," Commie told the three women as they took one of the shortcuts back to the Village. "I still have some from Mary — bless her soul — and since it's liquor, it doesn't go bad. I have peach, cherry, strawberry—"

"Who is that?" Billie interrupted Commie as they stopped at the entrance of Victors' Village. Valencia raised an eyebrow when she saw two figures standing in the garden of one house. 

"Did the mayor actually go ahead with that housing idea?" Valencia scoffed as she peered at the two figures. "I thought people hated the Village. I thought they all say it's haunted."

"Because they do," Nova murmured. "Unless these two don't. Looks like you might have new neighbours, Lennie. They're standing next to your house."

"I'm moving in with you if I have neighbours, Comm." Valencia sighed. 

No, Valencia did not like the idea of having neighbours. She hated having neighbours even before she and her family moved into Victors' Village. The Village was the only place where she got the solitary her, Nova, and Commie wanted. After months of being alone, even Billie and Athena seemed like a crowd. 

Valencia debated running away when she got a closer look to see who the people were. A man and a woman. The woman had flowing brown hair, which was let loose, and a small stature as she cradled something in her hands. But the man. The man was so familiar to Valencia. He was tall with bronze hair and tanned skin, looking as if he was baked in a blistering sun. His hands was in his pockets as he looked around the different houses. It was only when he turned around to face them that Valencia realised who it was. Finnick.

"Finnick..." Valencia breathed as she admired him from far, Commie, Nova, and Billie raising an eyebrow.

"Finnick?" Commie scoffed. "What do you—? Oh, that's Finnick."

"And Annie." Billie's jaw dropped slightly as she nodded her head. "What are they doing here?"

"Maybe they've come to say hello." Nova swallowed a lump in her throat. "Well, come on. Let's see why they've travelled all the way from Four to here."

"Nov—"

Nova was already walking towards Finnick and Annie with Commie limping after her, Valencia's eyes wide as she watched Finnick stare at her. They hadn't seen each other in months and their reunion was on the day of her brother's funeral. This made it hard for Valencia to breathe and she was thankful for Billie's hand grasping hers since if it weren't for her, she wouldn't currently be walking towards them. 

Annie had a bright smile on her face as she waved at Valencia with her free hand. Finnick had his brows creased, his face morphed into an unexplainable expression that had Valencia dying on the inside. As Valencia and Billie caught up with Commie and Nova, she caught sight of the burn scars that were on his neck.

"Annie... Finnick..." Commie greeted slowly. "What the hell are you two doing here?"

"We... Annie wanted to see you, Nova and Lennie," Finnick said softly as he continued to stare at Valencia. Either because he hadn't seen her in months or because of her scruffy, unkept appearance, Valencia did not know. "You haven't answered any of my letters, Lennie. Or phone calls."

"I haven't opened any of my letters," Valencia responded gently. "And I assumed the phone calls were from Dr. Aurelius. Well, that was what I was told."

"Don't go looking at me and Billie." Nova sighed when Valencia narrowed her eyes at them. "The calls we answered were always Dr. Aurelius. If it was Finnick, we would have told you."

"Well, this is lovely." Commie scoffed. "And as much as I love reunions, why are you really standing on our lawns and not the sandy beaches of Four?"

"It's like what Finnick said... you didn't answer our calls or letters. We sent you so many," Annie began to say. Valencia noticed that her voice lacked the distance it held before. "We got worried. We thought something happened to you, Lennie."

Valencia forced herself to swallow the lump that was stuck in her throat. They thought something happened to her. They probably thought she succeeded in her attempts of feeling death. Finnick and Annie probably thought she had killed herself considering the last time they saw her, she was screaming at the top of her voice for someone to give her a nightlock pill. (And that's when the screaming started. Valencia turned into a wild animal as she scratched and swiped at the guards who escorted her from the balcony. She cried for a nightlock pill) 

"Well, nothing has happened to me," Valencia muttered. "So there, I am fine, there's—"

"Lennie," Finnick interrupted her. "You still are oblivious, aren't you?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Finnick's eyes were sad as he nudged his head down at what Annie was holding. Valencia furrowed her brows as she walked closer and peered down. And her heart nearly stopped. It missed several beats as her throat became tight, her lungs collapsing in her ribcage. Screams and cries echoed around in her ears whilst her head felt like someone was repeatedly pounding it. But the little coo from the baby that Annie held in her arms was enough to draw her back to reality.

"A—a baby?" Valencia whispered as she felt the tears immediately flood to her eyes. "You have a baby, Annie?"

"Yes." Annie nodded, a smile on her face. 

"I'll be damned." Commie's jaw had dropped whilst Billie covered her mouth, letting go of Valencia's hand. Commie's brows were furrowed as he clung to his cane. 

"Bloody hell," Nova muttered.

The baby looked like a newborn, its face small and so petite. Its eyes, however, were wide open as it stared up at Valencia interestingly. Its eyes were a sea green, a tuft of brown hair atop its head. Valencia stared at the child as she felt a tear drop down onto her cheek. It was so small, its hand escaping the bundle of blankets Annie held, reaching out towards Valencia with a coo.

"Is it..." Valencia began to say. "Is it his?"

"Of course it is." Annie sighed. "I didn't know until a week after you left the Capitol. I tried sending you letters and updates, but you never answered. That's why I came. I've never been to Nine before so Finnick offered to come. You deserve a chance to meet your niece."

"Niece?"

"Yes, it's a girl." Annie smiled. "I named her after your mother since Terry always spoke about her. Eleanor Barlowe is what she's called... Ella for short."

Valencia bit her tongue as she let Annie's words process in her mind. Just about an hour ago, she saw her mother's grave beside her father's and Antares's. Now, she was being told that Annie and Antares had a daughter and that she was named Eleanor after her grandmother. And Antares spoke about his mother. In Valencia's eyes, it always looked like Antares resented their mother since he was never truly gentle with her after his Games. He was gentle before that, but yet again, he changed after he won. But now, he was dead and left behind a sister, a wife, and a daughter. And his funeral was just a few hours ago.

"Oh, Annie." Valencia sighed as she raised her finger, the baby's hand latching onto it. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry I didn't answer your letters, I've been—"

"I know," Annie interrupted her as she smiled at the sight of her daughter and Valencia interacting. "Plutarch told all of us how you were. We all understood why you never answered."

"She's beautiful," Commie murmured as he walked closer, admiring the little baby girl. "She really is, Annie."

"Thank you, Flint." Annie smiled. "She helped me in many ways."

Valencia nodded slowly as her finger continued to be held by the baby. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she felt another tear fall down. Antares was dead. Annie had a daughter. Finnick was here in Nine. And as Valencia looked up from the baby, she looked at Finnick, who was already looking at her. 

She would have jumped into his arms there and then, but for some reason, she didn't. For some reason, it felt like it did on the rooftop. A sense of fear and confusion. Valencia loved Finnick and he loved her so why weren't they happy to see each other? Maybe because of what happened. Valencia voted yes for another Hunger Games, but she was actually voting for Katniss to kill Coin. And then there was the erratical behaviour back on the balcony. Then there was what happened in the Tribute Centre. (Commie had told Valencia that everyone knew of her attempts and said that no-one was surprised. Apparently, Finnick was the first to cry). 

"Are you three staying here long?" Nova was the first to speak, breaking a long silence that enveloped them.

"For the night." Annie nodded. "We're in the little motel in the town centre. We're leaving tomorrow."

"Back to Four?" Commie asked and when Finnick nodded, he added, "Don't blame you... better than this place."

Valencia normally would have laughed at what Commie had to say, but she was too busy looking at Finnick. He looked different. Not much different from what he did a few years ago, but much different from when she first met him. He was a much different person. 

The Finnick she knew all those years ago was a flirtatious and charming man who did not hold back on whatever he had to say. Whilst a pain, Valencia loved him. (Standing in a dashing, blue, velvet suit with a glass held in his hands, was Finnick Odair) But now, Finnick was quiet and instead of his laid-back personality, his hands now fidgeted in his pockets or ran through his hair quickly. His eyes seemed distant, but they still locked onto Valencia. They always locked onto Valencia, even in his moments of pain did he still look at her. (When Valencia looked up, Finnick's sea green coloured eyes were dancing over her) And in that moment, despite the hints of love that was seen on Finnick's face as he stared at her, Valencia knew that things could never go back to normal. In this world, normality was something that would never exist again.