Hunger Games - Extended epilogue

Chapter Thirteen

Articles are all over the paper, on different things. Things like, the town Square's being renamed and a voting poll will start at 10am in the town hall this morning. I'll go. Another story hypes about the Feast Day going on tomorrow in recognition of the people lost to the revolution and the days where we fought for our freedom. The town will gather to not only mourn our seventy-six years of lost tributes and the lives ended by the new revolution, but to celebrate their lives. It's not all sad, people are now teaching these days. It shouldn't be a sad subject, not anymore. We shouldn't look back and think about the devastation faced on human society. We should look back at the people we lost and remember them as their own people. It's sad, of course, but it'll be seen as something revolution will never turn into again.

There will be food made by stores all around the Square and sold to encourage people to use the Square, there will be music made by people who have loved music but haven't been able to properly express it. There will be dancing I predict, all kinds. New, old. It'll be exciting. It's also to celebrate the new name of the Square, and the person running our town will announce the news to the district. We haven't been shed of our name District 12 completely yet. We usually say district or town, 12 is only used when speaking formally to other districts. I'm sure another poll will be held for the decision. Mayor Jye Campbell was elected into position of looking after our town. A new form of government took over. Word was thought that the system was from an old English government of laws that held the term Democracy. An old Latin word, like the word hijacked as Beetee had taught me about the basic history of Latin and English.

Democracy means all people participate in decisions, not just one person. Paylor took the place of Coin, but people held a vote and she won anyway. Then a person from each district was elected to be what they call a Mayor who looks after our town. They take orders from Paylor or pass laws of ideas through Paylor. Campbell isn't on his own though, each district has a council team, Campbell just leads ours. The Council meets in the building that used to be named the Justice Building. Now it regularly goes by the Council Building. Original.

I sit at the old wooden table in our house, sipping the herbal tea and flipping through the paper. I look up at the clock on the wall, 9:30am.

"Morning, you're up early," Peeta says, kissing the top of my head.

He looks washed and shaved, ready to submit our vote in the name for the Square.

"Went for an early walk, suppose to help with your mental thoughts," I smile smartly. Though my doctor told me but I never listened till now.

"Should've woken me,"

"Maybe tomorrow," I say, finishing my tea and going upstairs.

Going into our bathroom, I took my brush out my mother gave me, and smoothed down my hair a little, before taking it up into a bun and slipping a shower cap on top. To keep my hair dry, I'm a little sweaty from my walk so a shower I need. I slip my clothes off and am careful not to look at my reflection because I know I look silly with the shower cap.

I quickly wash and dry off, and slip on a pair of blue denim ankle grazer jeans, and a striped top with short shoulder sleeves and reveals my collar bones nicely. And a pair of workman-looking boots given to me from Effie. Feeling a bit different today, and happy, I walk downstairs plaiting a braid through my hair. Thinking I should do something with my hair a bit different.

I grab an apple and Peeta opens the front door for me and we head to the Square.

"You look good today, Katniss," he smiles at me, something in his eyes tells me he's happy for my happiness. And I feel my ears redden.

He slips an arm around my waist and we walk like that to the Square. The spring sun beaming on my skin, making me feel extra alive.

A few hellos here and there are exchanged to us from people we don't very well know. But our district is still one of the smallest, and recognising faces isn't a surprise. Peeta and I line up in cues which leads to a desk which seats eight people checking identification and signing you in. It's recorded who votes, its compulsory I find out. Next the cues lead to private stations in which you fill out a voting piece of paper and slide it into a ballot box that's as high as me.