Reality. It's a harsh thing, the only thing that keeps us from becoming idiotic. The only thing that makes us see the truth.
His mum had told him that once, when he had asked what the word meant. He swore to his mum that he wouldn't become idiotic, wouldn't try to defy reality. She just gave him a look that he could have swore meant 'everyone of us has done it before, you won't be no different'.
Now, at the age of 18, Cato Ashcroft found himself in the very situations he tried to deceive himself of. He knew the situations he had recently put himself in could get him killed within the next few days.
He knew very well that the words 'love' and 'hunger games' did not mix. Knew they never came into the same equation. Knew it was pointless to try and place them.
However, he couldn't seem to find it in himself to care as he stared down at his district partner. Clove. She had fallen asleep long before his thoughts had dragged out. She'd ran to his room crying about how she didn't want to die, that she didn't think she could do this.
Of course, Cato had set her straight. Saying that she was the strongest person he knew, and the best damn knife thrower district 2 had, seemed to bring her confident side back.
He had told her she could stay with him tonight if she wished, to which she smiled appreciatively, proceeding to lay down next to him on the huge, capitol bed.
So that's how he got here, sitting up in bed with the tv turned down low, thinking of ways to defy the reality of the Hunger Games. But what was there?
There was no way round reality. One came out alive. That meant that one had to die.
Cato had always been set on winning and never let anyone step foot in front of his winning path. So had did the small knife thrower wiggle her way in?
His walls had been so strong, yet now they were weak, making him vulnerable. Cato did not like vulnerable. Yet he still couldn't find it in himself to care as he stared at her.
He could protect her. Make sure nobody touched her. Make sure she made the bloodbath. Make sure she wouldn't freeze at night. Make sure she had every bit of food she needed. He could do all of these things, even jump in front of a weapon for her.
Was he seriously thinking of dying to save this girl?
His life had always been planned for him.
Go to school
Get into training centre and learn how to fight, defend etc. until the age of 18.
Volunteer for the Hunger Games at 18
Win the Hunger Games
Live the luxury life forever more
He couldn't see anything about saving Clove in that little list! He wasn't prepared for this. Yet he still couldn't care less.
And so as he sat there thinking about this thing called reality, and the situation he was in, he realized that there was really was no way of defying reality, because the reality was, he was always going to die in these games and it was always going to be Clove he would die saving. Because consequently, only oneof them could get out alive.
Reality really does work in mysterious ways.