Wilted Roses ; The Hunger Games

XVIII. homebound

ROSE PACED BACK and forth, shaking nervously as she hears Caesar announce her presence on the stage. She couldn't do it, she couldn't face everyone. She couldn't face the families and friends of Connor after what she let happen, in her head Connors death was all her fault, she couldn't make it in time to safe him.

     Usually, your mentor would greet you and watch backstage as you give your interview, but Rose hadn't seen a glimpse of Finnick since she came back home. It filled her with dread and worry, that on top of everything else she was feeling made her feel like one wrong move would cause her to explode. She had nobody to help her calm herself, nobody to give her hand an assuring squeeze, instead she was forcefully pushed forward by rough Capital men.

     She took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut as she prepared herself to walk onto stage. She almost felt like she was passing through a barrier as she forced herself onto the stage, she didn't bother slipping on her mask for The Capital knowing she wouldn't have to desperately try to win them over any longer. 

     Rose walked into the light, Caesar Flickerman waiting excitedly in a plush purple chair sat opposite from her. She sat herself down, scanning her eyes through the crowd in search for her family, but she couldn't seem to find them. She shrugged it off noting that they must be a bit deeper in the crowd and snapped her attention back to the brightly colored man in front of her.

     "Ladies and gentlemen, the lovely, the brutal, Rose Carter!" Caesar announced as if Rose was some celebrity, but she was, the entirety of Panem now knew her name. She always hated being the center of attention, now there was no way to escape it. The crowd roared at her presence, making her feel more embarrassed than empowered.

Magnolia had dressed her in a sleek red dress, spotted with the same striking eyeliner and her curly hair fell down her back. She felt fake as the Capital somehow smoothed out any imperfections, making her look more doll than human.

"Don't you look fabulous." Caesar complimented though Roses expression stayed stern as she stared into the cameras.

     "In your games, you killed a mere four people, one with your bare hands!" He said enthusiastically, the corner of her lips twitching into a small frown how he so casually mentioned the lives ended and murders she committed with such enthusiasm and pride. They were the real monsters.

"Look, Caesar. I am not going to sit here and pretend i'm proud of what I have done. I have killed innocent people, that is not an achievement." Rose spat, Caesar looked taken aback by her statement as he let out an awkward chuckle, unable to continue the conversation from there.

"Well, Rose, thats different-" Caesar started before instantly getting cut off by Rose.

"Different how? What if I killed you right here. From across the stage. I bet the crowd wouldn't be very happy with that, would they? But it's 'not the same' because they all died for your entertainment." Rose taunted, the crowd went silent as well as Caesar. Rose relished in the silence, it mean she made a point.

"Well, let's not do that, we've got security lining the stage." Caesar staggered out, trying his best to hide how intimidating he was by the victor in front of him. Rose raised an eyebrow and tilted her head slightly, unamused by the bright mans comment. If she was being honest, she wanted to stab him right then and there, but she wasn't in the best position to do so which was proved by Caesars remark.

Rose forced out a hint of a laugh, though her stone cold glare showed she was anything but amused. Though she tried her hardest to stay in touch with the interview, the one thing she thought about was home. She just wanted to go home and sleep in her bed, eat her food and talk to her family.

"Rose, what would you say is your most highlighting kill?" Caesar asked, trying his hardest to avoid the subject and completely ignore her previous statement. Rose tilted her head slightly in annoyance, sharpening her eyes as she stared down Caesar.

     "You tell me." She answered simply, not breaking eye contact with the man for a second as hatred and rage burned through her veins. She didn't understand why people weren't very cautious when talking to new victors, they have clearly proved to be killing machines who are more furious than ever after being forced into an arena for days at a time, slowly starving, their insanity dripping by the moment.

     "Well I think we could all agree, your final showdown with Dionysus was by far the most captivating moment of the entire games! May you tell us a bit more about your clear hatred for the girl?"

     "I thought it was quite obvious— she killed my only friend in the games. The last piece of home that was supposed to be on this stage tonight instead of me." Rose rumbled out, fury burning in her voice as she mentions what could have been. She imagined Connor up on this stage, joking with the crowd and blowing kisses to his family back home. Thats when she saw them. A redheaded lady with tearstained cheeks and wild hair holding a baby by her hip with remarkably similar big blue eyes to Connor. A string of children behind her, all in an equally unstable state. She couldn't bear look them in the eyes, when she saw them all she could see was Connor.

     "Thats quite the answer, now, why don't you tell us more about your district partner? Carter, was it?" Caesar teased with an intrigued expression, rubbing his dyed stubble with anticipation. Fury rose in Roses stomach, she couldn't believe how disrespectful he could be considering he was only twelve. She suddenly rose to her feet, her boots stomping on the stage as the crowd looks a little taken aback.

"His name was Connor. And we're done here." Rose spat, clenching her hands into fists as she stomps closer to the curtains to refrain herself from punching him.
"See you in hell." She mutters finally, bringing up her fist to point her longest finger in her direction before she was brought into the darkness.

The crowd gasped as Caesar attempts to bring her back somehow but to no avail, clearly the crowd is upset by Caesar attempting to calm them behind her.

Angry tears instantly bubbled in her big brown eyes as her crew gives her confused looks. She stumbled down the rocky road, savoring every inch of her surroundings as she let the warm sunlight soak into her skin. Walking the path she always would made her feel better almost instantly, but nothing could push out the thoughts of everyone she had killed or let die.

She passed the old shops, her neighbors houses, the supermarket, though none of her neighbors inhabited the houses lined down the road, all of them were up at the town square, waiting impatiently for her return.

Golden brown curls came into her vision, she instantly recognized them and the woman standing next to him. The only two people in the town that weren't at the town square. Amara Minnows, the victor of the forty ninth hunger games standing next to Finnick. They both had distressed looks on their faces as they don't notice her presence.

     Roses heart warms instantly as her friend's head perked up, his gaze instantly softened as he sprouted from his feet. Her feet carried her before she could stop herself and within a second she had jumped into his arms, melting in his touch that she had been awaiting ever since she was shot up into the arena. This was it. This is what made it all worth it, she never wanted to let go but he made that decision for her.

     She instantly missed his touch but that was al forgotten about when she saw the grim expression on Amara's face as she stared at the two, simply trembling as she stood at her old families home porch.

     "Where's my family?" Rose asked, her voice trembling helplessly as she instantly thought the worst. She broke away from Finnick, storming up the porch steps and slamming open the door.

     "We were just helping them move their things and— Ro don't go in there." Finnick demands, his voice serious as Amara grabs her arms to restrain her but to no avail as she broke free.

     "Rose!" Finnick called out to her as she rushed through the halls, calling her family's name to no answer. She approached the wooden door to her mother's room, still old and battered just as she remembered it. She placed her shaky hand on the freezing doorknob, twisting it open as Finnick and Amara stood back, knowing there was nothing they could do. As she swung open the door, she froze. Tears bubbling in her eyes which still haven't recovered from the last round.

     "No."