Magnificent. (Clove's P.o.V.)

"You kill her? Cut her like you'd cut this girl here?"

"No, no, I...-"..."Cato!" "Cato!"

Even as I yell to the only hopes of salvation I'm left, deep down I know I'm already gone. It's just human instinct, you know? To be scared upon facing death. All tributes are scared. Careers too.

And I'm trembling horribly as I witness my own end. The rock crashes hard against the side of my head. My sight goes all blurry and red from the blood. I lose all control over my body and I'm drowned in unbearable pain.

But I don't scream any. Only some moans leave my lips once in a while.

"Clove!"he yells from a distance that sound farther than it really is. He's late...

"Clove!"he calls again, but it is more of an exclamation this time. Has he seen me? Pathetic and lethally wounded as I am? I hope not.

Yes he is indeed closer now. He falls to his knees beside me. How come he's not looking out for any threats? Has fire-girl fled? Thresh certainly did, taking the package sent from the Gamemakers for us along.

"Hang in there, Clove. You can do this. We can win."he says and I'm sure he knows I'm done for as well as I do.

"No I can't .You can."I say with the last spark of I'm left.

"Clove.. "he whispers , so much turmoil in the beautiful silver eyes.

"Promise me."I whisper, too, unable to make sound, anymore. The sadness on the face I never admitted I love brings bitter tears to my vision to mix with the blood there.

"I promise."he says, genuinely meaning it. A single tear escapes his hard stare and trickles down his weathered features.

Oh Cato...I'm so unwilling to let go that thin, frail bond to life I have and that's from the love I have for you. You aren't what most think of you to be; a ruthless Career that was only raised to kill without mercy. I know better. We do it because we must. We have grown immune to our own feelings, because they taught us how to.

Like pawns we come, like pawns we go.

A general feeling of numbness settles through me and I slowly succumb into a sleep that has no pain, no grief and blood, no fire-girls and lover-boys. Just sweet dreams in a world where everyone is free, where teenagers don't have to be slaughtered in the name of a cruel government .

A world where Cato and I can spent whole days just goofing around without worrying about anything. A world I can barely touch now.

The pain fades. The arena around me with all its gore. The only thing that doesn't quite fade are these eyes of molten silver and suddenly I regret making Cato promise me to win. I want him to join me in this bliss. I'm completely gone now, but nothing goes black. Just white and warm rich light. It is simply magnificent.