A/N: This is a fic inspired by the song "The Show" by Lenka. Written in Clove's POV


I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle

Clove stood motionless as she watched from the the stage in District 2.

Bright lights and cameras and hungry reporters all vied for her undivided attention, but she only had eyes for the handsome boy standing next to her.

Cato.

Her district partner.

Her best friend.

Her only obstacle.

There were going to be 24 of them entering the Games.

And only one would be allowed to emerge as Victor.

I don't know where to go I can't do it alone I've tried
And I don't know why

It was on the day of the Reaping that they severed all emotional ties with each other.

Cato gently kissed her and told her that this had to be the end of whatever odd relationship that they had, because in the Arena, love was nothing more than a distraction and a weakness that could easily be exploited.

Though she saw the logic behind it, that didn't stop the pain from hitting her any less hard.

I am just a little girl lost in the moment
I'm so scared but I don't show it

She would never admit it, but she cried herself to sleep every night before entering the Arena.

During her training she would emerge as this blood-thirsty, vicious killer, but beneath her callous exterior was nothing more than a scared 15-year-old girl.

But at night, as soon as the door to her room was bolted closed, she would run to the bed and throw herself down, beginning to sob uncontrollably.

She immediately would hated herself for feeling to weak, but that only made her cry harder.

Tears of fear and of sorrow and of anger streamed down her face until late into the night, when she would finally pass out simply because of the endless hours of pure emotional exhaustion.

I can't figure it out
It's bringing me down I know

Honestly, she had never understood the real point of the Games despite the fact that she was raised with a Career mindset.

District 2, being the Capitol's right hand, was expected to full participate and get into the Games, and it was nothing more than an over publicized sport there.

When she was younger, her parents and mentors had all told her that she could go on to do great things to bring pride and honor to her district.

So they forced her to train endless hours.

That meant that unlike other kids her age, there would be no life outside of gym.

This was her life.

Alongside Cato, her only real friend, she was raised to be a killing machine, void of feelings and emotions.

And the harder they trained, the more empty she felt, leaving Clove to wonder if you took away her knives, what would be left of her.

I've got to let it go
And just enjoy the show

But when it came down to those precious 60 seconds before the Bloodbath was to begin, Clove made her choice.

She had been trained nearly her entire life for this, and now she was ready.

She did what she had been programmed to do, and that was kill.

She was aware that all of Panem was watching her as she dashed for the pack of knives laying 20 feet in front of her and she could almost heard the Capitol's cheers as her blade danced from her hand into the belly of the boy from District 9.

When the initial fight was over and the weaklings killed off, she and the other three Careers dug around for other useful supplies and surveyed their victims.

She looked over at Cato who was proudly holding a large sword, grinning cockily over the dead body of the boy from District 6.

When she caught his eye, she could swear that the corners of his lips turned up ever so slightly in a smile meant just for her.

She focused back to the countless bodies strewn carelessly around the Cornucopia.

Well if it was a show that people wanted, it was a show they would get.


A Note From The Author:
Let me know what you thought! Review and such make me smile.