Now – The Arena.

« Cato ! Cato ! »

I hear her scream. She's in danger. Clove is in danger. Her voice is not really loud, but is still seems like she's screaming. She must be pretty far. My brain knows that I probably won't make it in time, but I can't help it. I run. I run faster than I have ever run. I can't breathe, but I still run, so fast that I can't see what's around me anymore. I arrive at the cornucopia, and I see her, lying on the ground. No. It's not possible. I reach her. Her eyes are still open, and she breathes with difficulty. I am in a perfect spot to be killed, but I don't care. I kneel next to her. She's sweating, and has trouble swallowing. She opens her mouth to say something.

"Cato I…"

"Shhh"

I interrupt her. Talking can only make it worse. I put my hand on her forehead, and push away the hair in the way of her vision.

"You're gonna be okay. I am here now."

"Cato I…"

"No. Don't leave me! "

I scream. I know she won't make it. But still, I can't admit it. She must live. She can't die here. She can't leave me.

"I… Love… You"

After she says that, I hear the canon.

She dies in my arms. Clove is dead. I scream at the top of my lung. No, she can't be. She can't be dead. How am I supposed to do, now that she's gone? I start to cry. I cry of anger. I push the floor and I hurt my hand. It starts to bleed, but I don't feel anything. I don't feel anything, anymore. I close her eyes. Now, it looks like she's sleeping. I position her in a fetal position, and whisper to her ear a simple "I love you too". I have to live now, or else I'll be killed soon. I start to run in the direction of the forest. Just before I leave the clear area surrounding the Cornucopia, I turn to look at her for the last time.

"Don't worry Clove, I'll avenge you. I'll kill them all."

And I disappear in the woods. For about an hour, I go where my feet led me. I can't think clearly. Actually, I can't think at all. The only thing I see is her: her face, her smile, her eyes. The only thing I hear is her: her laugh, her breathing, her sneeze. The only thing I smell is her: a perfect mix of vanilla, strength, courage, roses and insolence.

When I finally come back to reality, it's almost the end of the day. I find myself a safe place to sleep. I realize I am starving. The girl from 12, Katniss, blew up all of our food, and now, we have to hunt to survive. I mean: I have to hunt to survive. I am the last one of the careers. Glimmer was killed by the tracker jackers sent by Katniss from 12, Marvel by Katniss from 12, and Clove killed by the boy from 11 because he was protecting Katniss from 12. I have to avenge all of my friends by killing the boy from 11, and that girl on fire.

I close my eyes, trying to ignore the fact that I am hungry, and that Clove just died. The thought of her death makes me wanna cry, but I swallow my tears. I am Cato, I don't cry. I try to sleep, and as I fall asleep, I remember the first time I met her.

9 years ago – District 2.

District 2 is a Career District. We train in special training center, we become strong, courageous, invincible, and then, each year, the best boy and the best girl are chosen to volunteer as tribute, and win the games.

When we're seven, every boys and girls of the district have to pass a test at the training center: A mental test, where they test our mental strength, and our will to survive. Most of us have then nightmares for months. Those who do the best at that test are allowed to take another test when they're 10, and those who pass win their entry in the training center. It sounds kinda weird, but everyone wants to train in that center, be the best, volunteer and win the game to bring proud to our district.

It was the annual day of the mental test for all of us who were 7 or would turn 7 in the next 6 months. I was ready, even more than that. I was 7, 4 months and 3 days, and I had been waiting for that day for as long as I could remember. My parents had trained me, and were expecting a lot from me. My mom was an ancient victor, and for nothing in the world I wanted to disappoint her.

All of us were waiting in a gigantic room, full of young kid and parents. I am sure some of them were worried, but none showed it. A voice asked for all of the kids to go in another room, where they would evaluate us. I was so excited that I started to run, and I was one of the first one to wait in the room. When all of the kids had entered the room – we were approximately 80 – the voice told us that the test was about to begin. The light was gonna be turned off, and we would have about one minute to hide. Slowly, the room turned into a sort of forest, and after 5 seconds, the dark surprised us. I heard children screaming and falling. I start to move slowly. I know exactly where I am going to hide. Before the light turned off, I had seen the perfect spot in a tree. I begin to climb, with a lot of difficulty, and after I almost fell at least 3 times, I am in place. The light was turned on, and I realized that someone else is here with me. I startled a little, because I wasn't expecting to see someone else in that spot.

"Did I scare you? "

Her smile was mocking me.

"Of course not! " I say, maybe a little too fast. "Nothing can scare me."

"Well, looks like you have to change your definition of nothing, because I definitely scared you"

The voice told us that the next test is about to start, so she jumped from the tree. I was so confused that I didn't even realize what I was doing, and when I finally start to wake up from my awaken dream, it's already the end of the tests. I didn't even remember talking all the tests.

As I walk home with my parents, I hear someone saying:

"Hey, the boy who was scared! "

I recognized the voice. I turned around, and regretted it as soon as I did. She called me "the boy who was scared"

"I wasn't scared"

"I told you you were. And I am always right."

"You can't be always right."

"Ahah you say that cause you don't know me."

"Well, you said that I was scared cause you don't know me either"

"I am Clove"

She held out her hand. It surprised me. I reached out for her.

"Cato"

"Nice to meet you Cato. You did a great job today at the test."

And then she left. She left before I can say "You too"

Now – The Arena.

I wake up and even though it's cold outside, I am sweating. My heart beats faster than usual in my chest. Today is my first day without Clove. How am I gonna make it? I have no idea. I just know that my animal instincts are guiding me right now, and they're telling that I have to hunt and eat, and that I have to kill that boy from 11…

Don't worry Cato, you'll be fine… You always were. You never needed anyone in your life, so what does it have to start now, now that I am gone? Now that I am not here anymore to tell you what to do, what not to do, to mock you, to hit you, to hug you, to hate you, to love you, to make you laugh or to make you jealous? Don't worry Cato, you'll be fine.