Cannon after cannon goes off, more than two now, another couple of innocent people, the person I love have killed, I just had to hope that he would keep his promise and let me have Katniss; she had robbed me and Cato of the things that could have helped us win and get back to my father and his family in district two; she robbed us of sponsors, most of us knew that Katniss never really loved Peeta, she was doing it to survive, acting like they had a romance. There was only one true couple at this moment in the arena. Me and Cato, I have to protect him, I have to kill Katniss.
She will come for him, and me, just so she could win. I had to kill her before she has the chance. I was dreading the review tonight, of all the people killed; it would be torture knowing that Cato would have killed most if not all of them, it would be unbearable, unless Katniss was on that better come back soon, I hate being on guard, I don't feel safe without Cato by my side,
He swore he would protect me
He will protect me
He promised,
He signed the call with the sound of three cannons, I hated this being the signal for what I was about to do, it was horrific I wouldn't agree to it if we weren't in the arena, and the person who was the target of it all. She would be here soon, he would need his medicine, as me and Cato needed what they had decided to give us, we didn't particularly need anything, it didn't really matter whether I got it or not.
There she is, stupid thinking she's alone, keep your breathing steady clove, grip your knife slowly and surely. Feet in position" I murmured as I got ready to kill the one I had been waiting to kill for so long, I had to do this, if I didn't then I couldn't win, if I and Cato couldn't win then... no don't think about death, not now, we have to win this, for Calim I watched as she ran towards the baskets,
3...2...1 … run
I sped towards her with ease, I was fast, but so was she, I gripped my knife harder and stride forward further at each step, I crashed into her, in aim to push her over, easier to kill if she can't move, she was fighting back as I suspected though, we tumbled on the ground, her trying ferociously to escape my grasp, this was going to be difficult, I raised my knife and attempted the first stab, she jolted out of the way, pulling my knife out of the grass I put it to her throat, she froze still, just as I had hoped
"Where's Loverboy?" I hoped she caught the irony in my voice, we both knew she had no real feelings for the boy, she struggled, I talked, trying to do my district proud, it sounded so bad, I hated living in Panem and I hated the games, hated the capitol and everyone living in it, I hated the peacekeepers, I hated my life and everyone in it apart from Cato, my Father, brother and Cato's family.
This world has taken everything and everyone I loved off me at one point or another, sometimes not forever, but I had lost them all, at one point or another, Cali , a tear welled up in my eye, my mother in so many ways, my father, Cato at one point, Panem was the whole source of my pain, I hated everything about this world I lived in, I hated most people these days, most of all I hated Katniss's Everdeen. Her name stung my thoughts; I had to cause her the upmost pain, I mentioned Peeta, and rue, I had calculated that someone probably killed her by now, probably that big guy from 11, or foxface.
I had to make the burn hurt more, I told her that we killed her that she was all part of a little plan of ours, I hated how cruel I sounded, I cared for that girl, and I would never kill her, ever. But that should do it, she shouldn't struggle now, she would probably want to die, I half expected for her to speak, spiteful words, I lifted up the blade, allowing a bit of time for last words, I knew what the last thing she would hear would be, id planned it all out, "this is for Cali", I thought momentarily for my father and brother watching this at home, what would they think? They had to remember the real me, and that bit of hope that they would remember what I had told them, about it being an act, was all that kept me going through the games, it was all I could think of when I killed, when I winced at each cannon going off?
I had hated each death, but I wouldn't hate this one, the thought of Katniss' cannon going off really was going to be bliss.
I lifted my knife higher, about to strike.
I heard footsteps, it must be Cato, I only prayed he would turn around, I could not manage to allow him to see me kill,
"This is for is..."
Huge hands grasped my stomach, I was lifted into the air and whirled around, and all of the breath heaved out of me, I immediately recognised the face of my captivator, the boy from 11…
"DID YOU KILL HER?"
Did I kill her? I looked down at Katniss who was now pulling herself up a scared and stressed look on her face, couldn't he see?
I didn't kill her... yet...
He shook me, hard; fear crept into the gaping holes in my stomach
"I HEARD YOU SAY HER NAME!"
Then I realized, rue, he believed what I said, that I killed rue, but I thought he killed her? I counted the people and cannons in my head, and then it all made sense, 3 cannons, RUE, MARVEL, FOXFACE, Cato killed rue, pain inflicted my heart, I was heartbroken, how could he? She was the only person; I made him swear not to kill, for one reason…
She reminded me of someone; she reminded me of... no, I couldn't think of her now. All that matters is that the person I loved and trusted the most in the world killed her, he killed rue, my mind tried to come to terms with that thought, my immediate reaction was anger, and disbelief
"NO, NO!" The last thing I saw was the angry face from the boy from 11 and a figure in the distance, a figure I recognised too well, Cato. I then heard frantic footsteps, then silence, then even more urgent footsteps getting closer and closer. I heard his soft voice whisper into my ear,
"I'm so sorry clove, I promised to protect you," his voice was drowsy with tears, "You're in a much better place now, with your Mother, and Cali," He leant over and kissed my forehead "I love you clove Adeline"
I heard the mocking jay's in the distance over the sound of Cato's light sobs his warm fingers slid my eyelids shut.
The mocking jay's and the sobs faded away, everything was white,
I was in a better place now.
cato's point of view
My fingertips slid across her eyelids, sobbing. Picking her up I carried her into the forest, trying to wipe away the fat tears that were rolling down my cheeks freely, my body didn't come to terms with what had happened to my girl, until I looked down at her paler than pale skin, bloody face, she was heavy in my arms. I had failed her; I had failed the one person I had promised to protect, and I could only blame myself.
I carried her as far as my legs could carry, until I found a meadow. It reminded me of the clearing, I clove and Cali loved so much, we would spend so long there, just the three of us. My mind cast back to those days, I wish I could go back there, I wish I could have changed our fates. Now I had lost both clove and Cali to these games.
Something fell to the floor, silver and shiny in the mid-day light. My hand reached out to it, I recognised it very well, and it was the knife charm bracelet, me and Cali got clove for her birthday, Cali's good look charm, passed on from her grandmother to her, and then given to clove. I pricked my finger on the sharp blade that I customised for her, for protection.
A tear dripped onto the blade, mixing with the blood. I laid clove down in the middle of the meadow, rising up her wrist I tried to attach the bracelet, my fingers were too big, tears welled up in my eyes, fading my vision, I kept trying but I couldn't manage it, dropping it in my pocket, I looked back at Clove.
I still remember the day we first met, how she stood out from the crowd, confident with her glossy black hair and perfect completion, freckles dashed across her face. I remember how I fell for her, the moment that first knife left her fingertips. All the things she went through in her life, I had tried to be there, and at the moment she needed me most, I failed to save her…
I was meant to be strong, a sword fighter, a contender, I was meant to be a winner. How could I had not managed to save all the people I cared about, but I swear, I will kill the boy from 11; I would win this, for Clove and for Cali.
I would go to the capitol and I would kill president snow because he killed the two most important people in my life. I would never ever forgive. Kissing her on the forehead, I then whispered in her ear, "The first time I met you; I fell in love with you, your determination, how you could throw a knife so fast, it was just a blur. The hand life dealt you Clove, was a cruel one, the world we live in is a cruel one. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you, I only blame myself. I just want you to know that I never killed Rue. I would never ever do that, I promised you. I know what she meant to you, and I would never do something like that to you. I hope deep down you knew that. Rest in peace, my four- leaf, Clover. I love you"
I kissed her once more, for I knew this was our last kiss. I then let my emotions take over, and I really didn't care, whether the Game- makers decided to kill me or anyone else did at this point it didn't matter, Right now I would rather be dead than alive.
Clove's point of view
I barely heard his soft whispers, how he spoke with such love in his voice, he loved me. I stared at my body, I would look beautiful if I weren't covered in blood. I watched how Cato sobbed; I never realized how much I really meant to him, I could only hope he realized he meant so much to me too. I knew I was dead, I didn't really understand why I was watching this, and I was definitely in the arena, my presence was there, that was for definite. Before my mother died mentally, she used to tell me how a legend used to go around in District 2, that many tributes that died of innocence, would hold their spirit in the arena, to help other tributes, the ones they cared about. My mother told me she had experienced something like it once. It made no sense to me until I found out her secret, how she was a tribute and victor. I missed my mother and father so much, I hated to think how my Father was coping, if he lost both of us, I don't know how he would manage. He couldn't lose Cato as well; he was the only one that would really understand his pain.
That legend must be true then, if that was what was happening to me at this minute, I must help someone, the only person I could think of that I possibly ever care about besides rue, was Cato. He swore to protect me, now I must protect him.
When he finally got up, he collected my favourite flowers, the ones that grew in the clearing at home, I suddenly realized I wouldn't go there ever again, never again. I hope Cato would return there though, it was the last place we all were happy, together before the reaping, before we lost Cali, before I got reaped, before Cato volunteered to protect me. Before the boy from 11, killed me, with such hatred and venom in his actions. I cherished our last kiss, the last time me and Cato were together, before Rue died, before I died. I wish I could go back.
He laid the flowers across my stomach, sliding one into my hair, tucking back the loose, death black curls. Zipping up my uniform jacket and tucking in the flowers, a piece of paper fell out of my body's pocket. Cato picked it up, it was slightly ripped and crumpled, I recognised it well, it was the piece of paper Cali had given us each the day before her reaping, the letter in case we got split apart, written in Cali's perfect swirly handwriting, she wrote how she said that she hoped I knew how much I meant to her, and how no matter what I mustn't change, how she signed it with 'I love you'. I remember how I cried when I read it the first time. How I read it after she died, when she screamed out my name in pain and fear and I could do nothing, and how I never recovered after her death, she told me not to change, but that clove had died with her. How I knew after that that I would never be the same again, in no way, shape or form.
He read it, and cried, the same memories flooding back to him too, he kissed her signature, then folded it up and place it in my palms.
He kissed me on the hand, and then got up and walked away, crying more than ever. I watched as he wiped away his tears and sorted himself out, he may be dying inside, but he was still as wise as he had always been, he knew he couldn't show weakness, not for anyone. He made his way around the forest, making quick hast, until he stopped in his tracks, he heard rustling, quickly after a tall figure ran in the opposite direction, and Cato knew exactly who it is, he gripped his sword with such strength it was unbelievable, he ran so fast, he was flawless and utterly unstoppable. He reached the figure and threw his sword, just the way I had taught him to; it hit the target, right in the shoulder blade.
The figure crashed to the floor, Cato stabbed the sword in further, and I tried to close my eyes, impossible, I had no choice but to see this.
Drawing his sword he whispered
"Marvel killed Rue"
Turning himself around he ran.
I supposed he wanted him to feel guilty in his final moments of life. This was reasonable.
He did love me after all, through thick and thin.
Trust me.
I would know.
He ran and ran and ran and I knew exactly where to, he was running to where he knew they would be, after all, they could win it together now. The capitol did love romance.
He ran to the cornucopia.
He ran to kill... them.
I saw them running first, before Cato. I saw the beasts first, before Cato. I sensed the danger first, before Cato.
I went as fast as could towards him, and forced him into the woods, it wasn't safe, and he would die.
The beasts snarled at the bottom of the cornucopia, they stood on top, trying so hard to kill them, it seemed like they were invisible, all of her shots, were annoyingly perfect, but still they ricocheted against their leather skins, if they sensed Cato's presence they could kill him, without a shadow of a doubt. I forced him again to the bottom of the other side of the cornucopia, he climbed the back of it effortlessly, and with minimal noise, he grabbed the boy, Peeta I think his name was, artificial fear flashed on Katniss'' face, it made me feel sick, how could she let him die, thinking he loved her? Thinking that she cared?
Tears fell down Cato's face; his face was a mess, a large gash down his right cheek bone, blood and tears fogging his face. He threatened, and insulted, gripping Peeta's throat tighter, I could tell he doubted whether he could win, there's no reason he couldn't, maybe he felt as lost without me as I did without him. I used to hate thinking soppy thoughts like that, I tried as hard as I could to block them out since the start of the interviews, but it didn't matter now, those thoughts were all I could hold on to, now I was dead.
Katniss gripped her bow, getting ready to shoot,
"You shoot I fall and he falls, and you win. How much do you really care about him?" I admired what he was saying, but he was being dangerously brave, I worried for him.
I whispered, "Think about what you are doing" to both Katniss and Cato. I didn't know if anyone could hear me, but I had to try.
She struggled on her grip, thinking. She could hear me. I looked over at Cato, he didn't even flinch, and he obviously couldn't.
She gripped and pulled,
He fell
They attacked.
I stared in awe at I looked at the faces before me,
The girl from 12
The boy from...
12.
I looked down at the body, being devoured, I saw the fear and terror in his eyes, I couldn't look away, and his eyes were fixed on me, maybe he knew I was there, maybe he didn't but at that moment, I knew for a fact he loved me, and he knew for a fact I loved him.
"Please, I can't take it" I whispered. She heard me,
She shot her arrow with perfect precision, right to the heart, I blew a kiss to him, as his eyes shut. I wanted to put his body next to mine, but I couldn't.
I wanted to bring him back...
But I couldn't .I could only do one thing. I could never ever forget, the girl of art and the boy with the swords. I loved them. We were all together now, in a place better than the world we used to live in. The cruel world of Panem. By RoseOnFire