The Fiction Games

Chapter Seventeen - Ashes

President Snow's duty was fulfilled, Katniss thought. No more will there be a rebellion, not in this world, not for seventy four years, until one courageous tribute replaces the face of dissent. He might be immortal. Who knows? If they managed to bring Snow back to life, is it possible he might live forever, gathering more and more tributes from other worlds each year? Killing Katniss marked the beginning of the end, where Panem will cease to be a memory, and her defiance will turn to ash.

These people will die too, she thought. It ran through her mind before, but now it seemed imminent. Peeta, Rick Grimes, the unruly-haired girl, and tributes after. All of them. Eventually every tribute will have to play Snow's game, without the knowledge of playing their own.

Soon the blood will seep through her sock and create footprints on the floor. She stayed behind to draw less attention to herself. Peeta slowed down to meet her.

Poor Peeta! She finally had him safe in her arms. She had been careless throughout her life. She threatened to kill herself with nightlock, destroyed the force field at the clock arena, allowed her loved ones to join the battle against the Capitol, left Peeta for dead in the Cornucopia. Now her carelessness is at an end; no one will suffer anymore. The consequence for her actions will be her demise, and that's what President Snow wanted.

Checkmate, Katniss heard Snow say under his bloodred lips. 

Bruce Wayne stopped short, placing Selina upright against the roots of a tree, shaking her.

"What's the matter?" Percy said. 

Bruce patted her pale cheeks. "She's not breathing!"

They crowded around her. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, body motionless. Rick immediately kneeled at her side, feeling her neck. "I can't find a pulse."

Bruce scowered for a flat surface. He placed her on a blanket of snow and pushed at her chest. His eyes fled with panic. "Can anyone do something? Katara, you've done it before, heal her!"

Katara shook her head. "There's nothing we can do."

He shut Selina's nose and blew into her mouth. Three pumps at her chest. Repeat. Nothing happened. He did several times after, waiting for her to rise. She wouldn't wake up. 

A cannon fired overhead.

"She's gone," Rick said to Bruce. "That's it. You know what has to be done."

"NO!" Bruce pushed Rick away. "You're not going to kill her. The Gamemakers will see to her body. No guns. No bullets spared."

Rick sheathed his revolver, stepping backwards. "Don't get too close. Say your goodbyes."

Katniss could feel the heat reach her forehead. She broke into a sweat. When they were busy inspecting the forest for walkers, starting a quick fire to cook a meal, Katniss found a tree that wasn't covered in a sheet of ice. It cool against her back. She took off her bloody sock and tossed it in the snow. Her foot was caked in red and black.

It was just a matter of time for Katniss to draw her last breath. If a horde of walkers stumbled in their path, how was she to even defend herself? She lost her bow and arrows in the river, her shoe-less feet ready to be amputated. President Snow wouldn't allow that, she thought, he will let the fever corrupt her, then pull the cannon. 

Peeta sat beside her, and she had an impulse to tell him. She hid the wound with her pant leg. 

"Do you see that compass Jack is holding?" Peeta asked.

She craned her neck over to the man holding some sort of compass. He shook it violently while Susan and Peter Pevensie watched. "A compass," she managed to say.