𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 ☘︎ 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞

𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 ☘︎ 1

Winter had arrived in District Twelve as I was trying to forget. I knew I wouldn't. It's impossible.

My name is Willow Hawthorne. I've survived the Hunger Games and I got two people out of it. Me, and Austin Thatcher, the boy I was supposedly in love with.

Right now, I'm out in the snowy woods, with my axes, hunting for game that I know won't come. It's too cold. Anyway, I have more than enough food now, since winning the games.

After I got home from the games, my family moved to the Victor's Village, the only real 'rich' part of Twelve. We also got food, water and enough money to last us a lifetime.

But that sort of lifestyle isn't for me.

Anyway, I'm now down by the lake, axe out, trying to catch something. Nothing shows. Suddenly, a twig snaps behind me and I turn my axe on whatever's there.

"Whoa," Gale says as he holds his hands up. "It's only me, Willow, it's only me."

Yes, it is only him. My brother. But after the games, he's been really distant. He hasn't talked to me nearly as much and every time he sees me with Austin (pretending to be in love, no less) he rolls his eyes and doesn't speak. I don't know what's wrong with him.

"You here to finally talk or are you just gonna cold shoulder me like usual?" I ask, walking past him. He grabs my arm and turns me back.

"When's the tour leave?"

Ahh, thanks for reminding me! As if I haven't been sweating over what's going to happen if people don't think we're in love! I think sarcastically. Gale doesn't see this on my face, though, as I answer. "A couple hours."

The Victory Tour is another one of the Capitol's way of reminding people that the Games never go away. The Victor (or in this case Victors) tours all the way round Panem, starting with their own District and always finishing in the Capitol.

We've done our bit in Twelve, now we have to tour round all the other Districts and give meaningless speeches about how we care for the two children they've lost. Well, that bit's true, but the rest is complete idiocy.

And once we're done, we get to go to the Capitol, where President Snow will give us a fake speech that he alone doesn't believe in. I roll my eyes at the pretence of it all.

"Then let's go," Gale brings me back to life. He puts an arm around my shoulders and walks me through the woods.

At one point, after taking the rabbits of the snares that Gale had set, we come across some turkeys. Gale nods at me and I pull an axe out, aiming at the birds. I throw in one small motion.

But suddenly I don't see a turkey I see Marvel, the boy from District One which I killed defending Rue. I hyperventilate as I watch him fall to the ground and die. Tears come to my eyes as Gale shouts. "It's okay, it's okay, I'm right here, Willow!"

He knows that this happens to me. Flashbacks. And I can't stop having them because the arena isn't just a physical game, it's a mind game. And I can't pull myself out of its clutches.

Gale holds me until I calm down, and I stop crying. But I can't stop thinking. I can't stop thinking about that moment when I ended an innocent life. "I'm sorry," I say.

Gale sighs. "You better hurry up."

We walk back to the fence in silence. When we get there, we slip under it and head towards the hob, the black market in which I've traded since I was eleven.

When we get there, I immediately see Greasy Sae, who has a stall selling soup. I buy a cup of it and slowly sip it as Gale haggles and trades the rabbits.