.

Hey, girl, open the walls, play with your dolls; we'll be the perfect family.

Eidra Nevett, District Two Victor

The end has come all too soon.

The sky is clear in my eyes, not a single tear marring my vision. Underneath my hands, stained with drying, cracking blood, Shael slowly slips into the ground, her eyes dead and staring out at the vast arena around us. Her lips are parted, her skin slashed open and bleeding out.

I did this.

I did it all.

I won.

Even now, it doesn't feel real. None of this does. Even though I relay all the thoughts of this experience over and over in my head, from me stepping foot onto the Reaping stage, to Carisa rejecting Soren from the alliance at the chariot parade, to the bloodbath, to sinking the blade into Juno's bony back, to just now, as the trumpets blare and some cheerful voice booms in discordance.

"Congratulations to the victor of the Annual Ninetieth Hunger Games, Eidra Nevett of District Two!"

Lifting my head, looking out at the hovercraft's form appearing over me, a single ladder descends, awaiting me to grab it. With one trembling hand, I cling onto a rung, and pull myself on.

Are the cameras still rolling? In a selfish way, I hope they are – so they can capture every moment of this, from me gazing out at the arena to the way my hair, falling out of its ponytail, flutters in the wind. I wanted this. I worked so hard for this.

I deserve this.

A bubbling giggle creeps onto my lips and I throw my head back, not even trying to prevent the laughter. Maybe it's nerves. Maybe I'm going insane. Maybe I'm still in shock from this.

Whichever it is… I can laugh. If I was trapped before, I'm certainly not restrained now.

I lived through this all. And now I can come back, year after year, to instruct kids on how to do the very same.

I'm free.

A/N: Dollhouse by Melanie Martinez.

I'm terrible at writing epilogues, really, and I've postponed this for so long. Anyways, I'll make this short. Congratulations to Eidra, and to Jake for getting his very first victor from moi ;*

Anyways, a little explanation on why I chose Eidra as my victor.

From the very first POV I gave Eidra, I'll be honest, I thought, "She has potential, but she's not got much room for development." And I'm being honest now. She had so much potential, but in my eyes, again, not the most room for development. But in a way, maybe that's why I was drawn to the idea of her as victor – because she retained her usual boisterous nature, even in the gravest of times. She wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty, and she was certainly eager enough. Since she didn't lose herself in the arena, rather kept what she believed in, Eidra flourished in her already pristine personality. And, well, now she stands as the same person she was when she came into the arena, though perhaps changed a little for the better. She's stronger now. A survivor.

Doubt many people – or any, really – will review this chapter, but as always, I feel the need to do questions :)

Who was your preferred victor?

Favorite chapter, arena or Capitol-wise?

Overall thoughts on this story?

So long, Contrary! Farewells are bittersweet, and you've been a blast~!