The Hidden Story of District 2
xxXandraaLingxx
Summary: Clove. Vicious, cunning, and sadistic. Cato. Defiant, heartless, and brutal. You know them as the District 2 warriors of the 74th Annual Hunger Games. Well, let me tell you the whole story...
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES!
Hey peoples! My first ever Hunger Games fic! Hope you like it! R&R!
Chapter 1: Hello, Goodbye
The thunder outside my bedroom window roared. The rain poured over our small house in District 2. Actually, it wasn't even a house. It was more of a cottage. Even though District 2 is one of the Capitol's favored districts, there are some people who are poor. Including my family. We are more than poor; we're dirt poor, but we're happy.
We weren't always like were actually average, middle-classed. But, my father wanted to spend most of the money we had on Aspen, my dead brother. When Aspen became eligible to train for the annual Hunger Games, my dad took the chance. He was determined to bring pride to our district and move to the Victor's Village. He wanted to be showered in money. Aspen didn't really care, he just wanted to please my dad.
When he turned seventeen, he volunteered to be in the 70th Annual Hunger Games. Aspen was so close to winning. He was actually in the last five. We really thought he was going to win. But, there was a huge earthquake and a dam broke, filling the entire arena with water. Aspen trained so hard on combat, even making traps and identifying plants, but never swimming. No one, except those in District 4, could swim. No other district has even seen water. He died drowning. Clearly, the odds were in District 4's favor.
After Aspen died(which was only a couple of months ago), it was only me. We couldn't afford anything, being forced to move out and living on selling old clothes for food. But my father started to realized you didn't need money or big houses to be happy. After that, he really regretted making Aspen train. Most of the time, our family is happy. But sometimes, my dad stares out the window, in a faze. Regret fills his face and we all know what he's thinking about. My mother and I try our best to forget the games, but at night, when we are asleep, it comes back. Aspen drowning. I usually wake up screaming.
But, tonight, I couldn't sleep, so I tiptoed to the staircase to see if anyone else is awake. I overhear my dad talking to my mom.
"Honey, we really don't have the money. I don't think we even have enough to feed our stomachs."
My mother looks at my father and says, "I know, but what can we do?"
He pauses, thinks for a moment, then says, "There's no choice. I have to become a Peacekeeper at some other District."
"No!"
"But, honey, that's the only way. I don't want you or Clove to die from starvation because of me."
My mother thinks for a moment, then nods her head. She realizes he's right. This is the only way. My father will have to leave us.
When I went back to my room, I've made up my mind. I'm going to train myself to be in the Hunger Games. We obviously can't afford trainers to train me, and I have a lot of free time because we can't pay for me to go to school.
I've decided, tomorrow, I'm going to sneak out and watch the trainers train the kids my age and copy them.
"Mom, I'm going to the park. I'll be out for a while!" I don't like lying to her, but after what happened to Aspen, I know she won't approve what I'm doing.
I put my hair up in my usually ponytail (parted in the middle, small sections tied up at the side of my head, then all of it pulled back) and and old pair of boots and sprint to the training area.
The training area is gigantic. It has a huge dome shaped building with a ton of obstacles and dummies you can "kill". The weapons are in there too. During the day, there is a field (well, it's more like dirt with patches of grass) where you can fight trainers and occasionally goof around. A huge barbed wire fence is around the whole area and there are peacekeepers everywhere. I hide behind a bush, peeking past the fence.
One boy really stands out. Blond hair, blues eyes. He's clearly the star pupil, even better than those who are almost twice his age! (He looks like he's two years older than me, 12) Then, as if he sensed someone watching, he looked right at me. My face turned white as snow, as if I'd seen a ghost. 'Drat!' I thought, 'He saw me! He's probably going to tell some guard or something!'
I raced back home, leaving no evidence I was there except for a trail of dust. "Oh gosh, I hope he didn't say anything," I mumbled to myself.
What am I going to do? If I want to train to help my family live, I have to do something. I think for a moment, then decide on something. I'll sneak past at night, when the peacekeepers are sleeping. I hope no one finds me.
At approximately 2 o'clock, I tip-toe past my parent's room and dash to the training area. As I suspected, there is no one there. The lights are off, the fence is not electrified, and the doors aren't locked (at least I hope so). I get in by crawling under the fence. I immediately go to the dome. Surprisingly, I was right; the doors were unlocked.
As I stepped in, my hazel eyes widen in a mix of excitement, surprise, and astonishment. I never would've expected it to be this big. I recall Aspen talking about the training area and telling me what it was like, but never would I imagined it to be like this Weapons of all kinds are in a huge compartment at the side of the metallic room. There is a huge obstacle course that circles around the area. In the middle, there are stations. There is every and any kind of help you might need in an arena: fire building, edible plants, snare building, bow and arrow, spear/sword throwing, camouflage, tree-climbing, and so much more.
One of them did stand out to me though. Knife throwing. It seemed useful and somewhat easy. They're like darts, just deadly ones. I walk over there and pick one up. A small one that seems to be like a beginner's knife. I throw it at the target. Surprisingly, it was only three rings away from the bull's eye. Pretty good for my first try. I try five more times.
By the sixth time, I can hit it (almost) perfectly, only a couple of centimeters off.
"You're really good."
I jump thinking I was alone. Obviously, I wasn't. I turn to the direction of the voice and I see the boy with blonde hair and blue eyes staring back at me with a grin.
"Why are you here?"
"I should be the one asking you. Why are you here?"
I look down. "I don't have a choice." I'm ready to be reported by the Peacekeepers and sent home, in shame.
Instead, he looks at me with sympathy. "They're making you do it to?"
"Huh?" I bring my head up, confused.
"I mean your parents. They're making you train for the games?"
"No. They don't even know. I'm training on my own because we don't have a lot of money. I plan on volunteering when I'm old enough so we can move to Victor's Village and actually afford a decent meal."
"You don't know if you're going to win. And besides, Victor's Village isn't that great."
"Yes I will! And how would you know? It's better than what we have now, that's for sure."
"I know because I live there."
Now, I'm really confused. He's a victor? Then, it hit me. He was a victor's son. His parents wanted him to win the games so their family could be famous or something; but he didn't like it.
"Oh, then, if you're a victor, why are you here?" I ask him, curiously.
His face turns cold; his features harden; his blue eyes become hollow holes of nothingness. "I don't get along with my family," he said, looking away.
"How so?" I asked. I know it is rude, but curiosity beat me to it. I don't expect him to respond.
"They want to create the 'ultimate victor family'. They make me train until I die of exhaustion. They don't care about what I think or how I feel." He said bitterly.
"Then why are you here? In the training area?" I, once again, asked. 'I was right!' I thought to myself. Now, all I need it the confirmation.
"It's the only place I've ever been, besides home." He said glumly.
"What? You've never been to the park? Or visited the Nut for a field trip? Or ever been to school? Or anywhere else?" I was utterly shocked.
His blue eyes rose to my face. "I didn't even know we had a park. I never went to school. I never seen the outside of the Nut."
I know he's trying his best not to breakdown crying. So, before anything else happens, I walk up to him and give him the biggest hug he's (probably) ever gotten in his life.
He's clearly shocked by my actions, but doesn't do anything to stop me. This time, it's his turn to surprise me; he hugs back! After a few seconds, we break apart and I look at his face and say, "When you go into the arena, I'll be betting on you, and waiting for you to come back." I beamed.
He smiled and asked, "What's your name?"
"Clove. Clove_"
"I'm Cato. Cato _"
That was the first time I met Cato.
~Four Years Later~
"Pst. Cato." I whispered. He couldn't hear me. "Pst. Cato." I paused. "Cato. Cato!"
His blond hair whipped around to face me. I climbed over the fence to meet him at our usual spot.
When I got there, he said, "Race you to the roof!" and sped off.
"Cheater!" I whisper-screamed at him and ran in his direction.
When I finally got to the training area's roof, he was sitting on the edge, sucking on some fruit from Victor's Village.
We talked about stuff. Anything really, things from the weather to food, avoiding what is to come the next day.
There was an awkward pause.
Finally, I said, "Are you really going to do it?"
"Wasn't that the plan?" He asked with a grin. It was obvious he was trying to lighten up the mood.
"Do you still want to go with the plan?" I asked.
"Of course! We agreed on this plan three years ago!" He said.
"Are you nervous?" I asked.
"Nope." He smiled, but it was fake. He was nervous, it was written all over his face.
"Okay.." There was another awkward pause.
"Are you nervous?" He finally asked me.
"Yeah," I admitted, "I'm nervous for you."
His blue eyes met my hazel eyes.
"I'm fine." He said, but it sounded more like he was convincing himself, not me.
"I never said you weren't," my voice lowered into a small whisper. If you didn't pay attention, it wouldn't sound like anything.
We stayed like that, on the edge of the roof, until the sun rose. Then, the realization hit me. Today was Reaping Day. It's happening. The day Cato was going to volunteer.
"We should go. I guess I'll see you later." he stated.
Before he could stop me (or before I could stop myself), I went on my tiptoes, and kissed Cato on the cheek.
"Good luck," I beamed at him. I was sure my face was as red as a tomato. I ran off the building and to my old house.
Oh. My. Gosh. Today is Reaping Day.
**The Plan: When Cato turned sixteen, he would volunteer and go into the Hunger Games. He would win and become a victor. Then, when Clove turned sixteen(two years later), she would volunteer for her family and Cato would be her mentor. She would win and move to the Victor's Village. And they lived happily ever after...**
Did you like it? I don't think the next chapter will be as long.. but whatever.. Oh and I wanted to know if you guys want it to be like The Hunger Games and have Cato and Clove die or have only Cato die or only Clove die or they both live happily ever after or what? Please review and tell me! If not, I'll probably create 2 or 3 different endings as different stories. Thanks for reading!
