I get off the train but my family isn't there waiting for me. I just won the Hunger Games and haven't seen them in over a month. You would think they would be here waiting for me. My mentor Burt is the only one who understands what I'm going through right now. He won the 25th Hunger Games. It's strange because we are the only winners from District Twelve but both won the only Quarter Quells. We get out of the train station and start walking to the Victors' Village where I am to live now. It's going to be very different since I came from the Seam. While we are walking there, people are looking at me like they pity me. Some are even saying sorry while they pass. What are they sorry about? We get to twelve huge houses.
"Well Haymitch, this is it. This is where you'll spend the rest of your life. God knows it will be a miserable one." Burt says. "That's your house over there. Your family should be there, maybe even that girl you've been so eager to see, but before you go in there listen to me. Nothing is going to be the same again. You have a hard life ahead of you, but you still have your family. Keep them safe, cherish them. Now go in there and start your life Haymitch."
"Thanks Burt, I will. I'll see you later." He walks in to the house next to mine and slams the door shut. I walk up to the door of my new house but stop before I turn the door knob. Did they miss me? Will they treat me the same? I just want everything to go back to normal. I open the door very slowly. I look around the room and don't see anyone.
"Mom? Dad? Mia?"
No one answers. I go upstairs and call them again and still no answer. I check in every room and no one is here. Why aren't they here? Is this the right house? Obviously this is the right house, all my stuff is here. So why is no one here? I walk down the stairs and go into the kitchen. Something on the table catches my eye. It's an envelope with my name on it. Maybe it's from my family! I open it and see that the handwriting is not one that I've seen before, but I still read it. It reads-
Hello Haymitch,
You're probably just getting home from the capitol and wondering where your family is. They were killed Haymitch; Killed because of your idiotic and rebellious stunt in the games. This is punishment for it and also a warning to you. If you don't keep in line you will be killed. The Capitol is not happy with you including me. Best of luck Haymitch .I'll see you soon.
Sincerely,
President Snow
I freeze. I'm in shock.
"That wasn't supposed to be rebellious! I did it to survive! I did it to get home!" I sob. "I loved them." I say a little quieter.
I grew up a lot that day. I had to grow up for the games, but even more when my family past. I learned to never get attached to anyone because they are never safe and they never last. I never got over their deaths. Sure, I drank the pain away a little at a time, but I never could get drunk enough to get them off my mind. Year after year I would watch the district 12 tributes go, even Burt went after years of being a morphling. The years went by in a haze until one year. These tributes were very different. They actually weren't just giving in to their fate of near death. They were fighting. They won the games, both of them. They stayed in my life longer than anyone else. That's when I knew my life truly started.