Here is chapter 2! I know Clove seems OOC. But just wait. As the story progresses she will turn into the Clove we know! Please review. Tell me your thoughts. ~LeRandomFangirl
I shove my way through the crowd. I keep my eyes locked on the door where Venus took Mica and Bellona. After what seems like an eternity, I make it there. Peacekeepers guard the door. They stop me when I go to open it.
"Are you family of one of the tributes?" One asks me.
I nod. "Mica is my step brother," I say. "You have to let me in." I am fighting back tears now.
The peacekeeper moves aside and opens the door.
"Up the stairs, turn down the hallway to your left. He will be in one of the rooms on the right," he says.
"Thank you," I say with a sigh.
I race up the stairs and turn left. There are two doors. I hear cheers in the first one. A happy squeal or two. Definitely not Mica. I open the second door.
Mica is sitting on the couch in there. He is tapping his thumbs against the seat like he does when he is stressing. He stares at the wall. His expression is blank.
"Mica?" I say.
He turns to me. "Clove," he says. "Why didn't you just go home?"
"I wanted to say good bye."
He scoffs. "What's good about it?"
I walk over and sit next to him. "You said you wouldn't get picked."
"I said I 'shouldn't' get pick. Not that I wouldn't," he says. "There was always a small chance that I would get picked. And I guess the odds weren't in my favor."
"But you said someone would volunteer."
"But obviously no one did," he says. There is a bit of anger in his voice.
I feel a tear fall onto my cheek. I sniffle a bit. Mica looks at me. His dark green eyes are tinged red with tears. Or lack thereof. He puts his arm around me.
"Don't cry," he says. "If anyone needs to be strong, it's you." He wipes the tear. "Be strong, Clove. For me."
I nod. "I will," I say. "But promise me you will try to win. Try to come home. For me." I just cannot imagine him not coming home. The thought makes me hurt.
"I'll do the best I can," he say. But we both know that the odds aren't exactly in his favor. District 1 requires that every one be trained. So they are most certainly a threat. I wouldn't put it past Bellona to kill her district mate. And I have no idea what the other districts' tributes look like. District 4 is always a challenge, because they sometimes train tributes and when they have a well trained one, they tend to win.
"Here," I say. I reach around my neck and undo my necklace. Attached is a heart shaped locket. Inside are two pictures. One is of me as a baby, my mom and my dad. And the other is of Mica, his dad, my mom and myself. I put it into his hand. "As your token. You will keep it. Won't you?"
He smiles. A forced smile, but still, a smile. "Of course I will." He looks at the clock. Usually family member only have two minutes to say goodbye. It's been seven. "You will have to go soon."
I nod. The door opens. I expect a peacekeeper to walk in and force me out. But instead I see Mica's father.
"Dad," Mica says.
"Clove," his father says to me. "Would you excuse us? I would like to speak to my son alone."
I nod. I give Mica one final hug. "Try to win," I say. The tears are fighting their way back again. "Just try."
As I close the door behind me, I hear say Mica say, "I will. I swear I will try. And you be strong. For me."
The tears come before I am even out of the building. By the time I am in the square, my eyes are so clouded with salt water that I can't see anything. I stumble all over the place. Luckily for me, no is there to see. Everyone is gathered at the train to watch the tributes leave. My mom is probably already on the train. Preparing herself for her mentor duties. It's been a long time since she has mentored. I only have two memories of her leaving for the games. One when I was very young. And another from three years ago. Both of those years our district had winners. I hope this is another one of those years.
Somehow, I manage to find my way home. I now better than to head to the tracks like everyone else. If I could barely hold myself together while walking home. I cannot imagine how I would be seeing Mica getting on a train and leaving. Possibly forever. I know these games will be tough. Not just because Mica will be in them, but also because he and my mom won't be here. They would both comfort me during the weeks. The games have always scared me. Maybe it's because my dad died in them. Maybe because I, unlike almost every other child in District 2, have not been trained to laugh at the face of danger. I am not brave. I could never kill anyone. Just cutting my meat at dinner with a knife makes me afraid I'll hurt myself or someone else. I, unlike the others, am not a killer. And I hope, I will never have to become one.
In the distance, I hear a train's whistle. It is the signal of the train leaving. Mica leaving. My mom leaving. Part of me leaving. All I can do is wish that all that leaves, returns.
