Long Story Short She Survived - HG, HP -WTM

Chapter 3

You have 3 minutes.

The camera cuts to Katniss in a different room

"Prim, Prim, its okay. Shh. Prim, I don't have much time. Prim",.

"Just try to win. Maybe you can."

"Maybe I can, I'm smart you know?"

"You can hunt."

"Exactly."

Primrose hands Katniss the Mockingjay Pin "To protect you".

"Thank you."

Katniss turns to Mrs. Everdeen "You can't tune out again."

"I won't".

"No, you can't."

"Not like when dad died. I won't be there anymore. Neither will Delphinium You're all she has. No matter what you feel, you will be there for her. Do you understand?" Katniss turns back to Primrose "Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't." Before a peacekeeper came into the room to say "It's time."

"It's okay. Prim, it's okay."

"No! No!"

"I promise Prim."

Every parent in the room could feel their hearts being constricted as the girl cried out while being removed from her sister.

"I'm fine." Gale says "Yeah, I know."

"I am."

"Listen to me."

"You're stronger than they are. You are.

Get to a bow. / I may not have a bow..,.. What will if you show them how good you are.

They just want a good show. That's all they want. If they don't have a bow, then you make one, okay? Okay? You know how to hunt."

"Animals."

"There's no different Katniss."

"They're twenty four of us, Gale, and only one comes out."

The potters and family are suddenly hit with the chilly realization that Delphinium had already gone through this and had come out alive meaning that 23 other children were dead and she may be the reason for there deaths.

"Yeah. And it's gonna be you."

"Okay."

"Let's go!"

"I'll see you soon okay?"

Katniss and Peeta board a train showing Crystal chandeliers and platinum donuts.

"200 miles per hour and you can barely feel anything. I think it's one of the wonderful thing is about this opportunity, that even though you're here and even though it's just for a little while. You get to enjoy all of this." Effie talks like she isn't about to send some kids to their possible deaths

Even the purebloods who don't show emotions are visibly disturbed by how normalized the death of children seems to be.

"is she really so calm about sending children to their deaths? How can our daughter be around that women James." Lily whispers to her husband who nods in agreement.

"I'm going to find Haymitch, he's probably at the bar cart. Delphinium should be here in a minute so at least we have one punctual mentor"

"Have you ever met him?" Peeta asked Katniss curiously considering her sister is a victor

"Haymitch?"

"You know, Katniss, he is our mentor. He did win this things once." Peeta points out before giving up "Look! You know if you don't want to talk, I understand. But I just don't think there's anything wrong with getting a little bit of help."  He finishes talking just as Haymitch comes through the door. Followed by Delphinium who quickly hugged Katniss. While Haymitch started talking which made it clear he was drunk "Congratulations. Where's the ice?"

His words made many confused after all shouldn't he be helping Katniss and Peeta as much as possible.

"I don't..,.. I don't know." Peeta who seemed visibly confused by his question stuttered

Delphinium visibly rolled her eyes at the older mentor "I'd just ignore him if I was you unless you can prove your worth his time by showing actual promise for winning the games."  Both Katniss and Peeta seemed shocked by her words " Took me till the individual scores to prove my worth" she answered the silent question from both of them. "Flower ain't wrong till you prove otherwise imma believe you're both better off dead from the bloodbath" came from the drunk man who had found the ice.

"How is he mentoring these children?!???" came from the incredulous voices of Amelia Bones who had so far stayed quiet. Most people agreed with her while some felt for the man who had clearly been mentoring for a while but only with one success and he had clearly just given up on hoping that his tributes would survive.

"You're our mentor, you're supposed to ....."

"Mentor?"

"Yeah."

"Our mentor, you're supposed to tell us how to get sponsors and give us advice."

"Oh, okay.Ummm..,..embrace the probability of your imminent death. And know in your heart, that there's nothing I can do to save you."

"So why are you here then?"

"The refreshments."   

A few people chuckle at Haymitch's dry reply

**********

Authors note:

The next chapter may be shorter than usual as i have a lot of due assignments in the next week just a warning.

As usual thank you for reading this story and for all the support and please don't be a ghost reader.

-IvyOsiris