Flames to Embers

7-Britt Lee

I stepped off the train, my fourteen year old body now fully grown and able to keep up with Effie's brisk pace. Haymitch walked with us, as did our two new tributes, Leevy and Lennox Caroway. Twins.

When they were reaped, I was outraged. Haymitch explained to me on the train that President Snow is probably just trying to get under my skin by reaping first a married couple, then twins, and that I shouldn't hold it against Effie. But I was horrified. They were fourteen, like me, and I knew Leevy very well from school. They lived in the house next to my old Seam house. I knew Leevy sometimes watched Hazelle's kids for free when she was out working, and Lennox always tried to scrape up enough money to buy cheese from Prim. Now that I was rich, I tried my hardest to repay them. I always stopped by to buy some fresh flowers that Leevy picked in the meadow and made beautiful arrangements with. Lennox sold what vegetables and herbs they managed to grow, and I always made sure to buy a heap of them, since my mother used the herbs for healing purposes, and his vegetables were often better than the ones sold by the shop in town.

We hadn't learned much about the Wonder Twins in the past few days that we had been on the train. Just that they were some of the kindest souls out there. Leevy had an eye for beauty, which wouldn't help much in the arena, but she was very likeable, so she would hopefully get a lot of sponsors, based solely on her personality. Lennox had a bit of muscle, and he was just as likeable as his sister.

Both of them were scrawny, just as scrawny as I was before the Games, and probably even more. They looked sickly, their cheeks hollowed out and their knees and elbows poking out dramatically. I remembered when Prim looked just like that, and it hurt my heart. I made it my goal to get as much food into them as possible without them getting sick.

I left them at Beauty Base Zero, where their prep teams were waiting. Venia waved to me when she made eye contact. I waved back, but got out quickly before anyone else noticed my presence.

Haymitch, Effie, and I travelled up in the elevator. Effie pushed the 12 button, and I pushed the 4 button. I leaned against the wall, hoping to hide it from both Haymitch and Effie. Neither of them were really paying attention, though. The elevator stopped.

"Well that was fast," Effie chirped. I hid a grin behind my hand. The doors slid open and I stepped out, pressing the 'close door' button as I did. "Oh, dear," Effie said. "This isn't our floor,"

Haymitch raised an eyebrow. "This is District 4's floor."

I smiled cheekily at them as the doors finished closing. I dropped my smile, exhausted by my facade.

The floor seemed deserted, except for District 4's escort sitting on the couch, drinking a mug of something. Coffee, perhaps. "I'm looking for Finnick," I informed her.

She smiled at me warmly. "He's in his room,"

I thanked her and turned around and made my way over to Finnick's suite. I didn't hear anything on the other side of the door, but I knocked anyway. Mags opened it. I gave her a hug and peaked inside. Finnick was laying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Hi, Finnick," I said. He shot bolt upright and jumped off the bed, taking a few large steps towards me. He wrapped me in one of the largest hugs of my life. I wrapped my arms around his waist and tried to pull myself even closer, my head turned sideways and my ear against his chest. I could hear his heart thumping beneath his shirt.

I had grown a lot over the off season, but not nearly as much as he had. My 5'7" was nowhere near his 6'3", so I had to look up at him, my head reaching just above his shoulder.

"I've missed you so much, Katniss," He told me. His chest vibrated a bit when he spoke. Mags walked out of the room, trying to give us a bit of alone time.