Chapter 2: After the Storm

I had lost all feeling. I also resembled one of the very first Mockingjays, who had lost their ability of speech. I wanted to scream his name, in fact, scrap that; I just wanted to scream. As soon as he reached the stage I jumped to my feet. He looked straight at me, which was when all my emotions came flooding back. What I seen next I never expected from Haymitch. Instead of him pretending everything was normal, it was like he was done with that. It was like I actually seen some truth in his eyes, it was like he needed someone to help him, it was like, he was actually showing me he was scared.

And then one word, that he wasn't intending on saying, suddenly slipped out "Maysilee."

I had frozen for about a second, even though it felt like an hour. He started walking towards me. He completely ignored the Hostess. Before I realized I had regained feeling in my feet, I was walking towards him too. In the seconds to come we were in each other's arms, which was strange. But in a good way, I've never hugged Haymitch before. That was because I always thought he was arrogant and self-centred. I knew deep down, the Haymitch I'm seeing right now, the scared, vulnerable Haymitch was there somewhere. It was also strange because any, strong feeling I ever had for Haymitch I would always be able to get rid of. But seeing him like this, if I do fall for him again, I don't know if I'll ever be able to get rid of it the way I have before. No, I'll have to. I need to make sure that I won't trust him in there. I can't trust him in there. Not even the twelve year old girl.

After my thought, I was the first to let go. I didn't want to, but I knew I had to. I would have just fell into the same place I've been in many times before, and I probably would have fell even harder than before. By the look on his face he didn't want me to let go either. I tried not to focus on that and sat down next to Delia again, Haymitch followed and sat next to me. We didn't breathe a word.

The last male tribute was still to be announced; now I was praying it wouldn't be anyone else I knew. That was the last thing I needed. She opened up the second name; thank god it was no one I knew.

"Calic Rickim." She shouted. The boy slowly walked up to the stage.

"Oh congratulations, handsome young man." She spoke to him sweetly, a tone that none of us had heard from her. Which we all pulled a face at, even the little boy.

He walked over to the tributes seats and sat next to Haymitch. His pale face stuck out like a sore thumb, his long, jet black hair hung down his face, which he would eventually get fed up with and tuck it behind his ears. But his bright blue eyes stuck out the most; you could see the sea of fear attacking his sea blue eyes, brainwashing his mind. The boy was already convinced he was going to die. But so was I, that left me to wonder if I looked as wild as he did. I tried to shake that thought out of my mind.

"C'mon you four! Time to shake each other's hands before you go!" She ordered, still with the most intimidating enthusiastic voice.

"Well! That is it for another year; I wish our tributes the best in winning the Quarter Quell. And for the rest of you, happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favour!" She closed the ceremony.

I didn't have time to register any expression on my face before I was being rushed away by peacemakers to our rooms to say our final goodbyes to our family and friends, before being rushed away to the Capitol. I pretty much got pushed into my room, then I had to wait about 15 seconds at the most before Luka kicked and screamed her way in the room and ran to me, I didn't stop her. In fact, I started running her way too and ended hitting into each other pretty hard. But that wasn't what she was crying about.

"I'm so sorry; I should have volunteered so you didn't have to do this. I feel horrible; you would have volunteered for me! You shouldn't have to do this! What if you get killed Maysilee!" She got to the point she was screaming out the words. I eventually managed to stop her.

We sat on one of the leather sofas, I was hugging her, rocking her back and forward to try and calm her down, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't working. I didn't know what else to do, she was hysterical. She finally calmed down, and she could speak, I don't know what else I expected, but I didn't expect this.

"You need to try and win, no matter what. You need to promise." She was quiet now, so quiet I barely heard what she said. I froze, just like I did when I was up on the stage with Haymitch. But I finally regained my speech and started to reassure her. Which I knew I shouldn't be doing, but how else was I going to calm her?

"I'll try." I said reluctantly.

"Promise me." She ordered. Then the peacemakers came in to pull her out the room, her head shot round to face them, and then back to me.

"Promise!" She screamed as they pulled her away. I tried to say it, I really did. I stood up to try and pull her back, to try and convince her that I wasn't going to live. The door shut with Luka being dragged away; still screaming.

I sat back down with my hands crushing my ears to see if the horrible sounds of her reluctant screams would go away, now I was crying. The screams were a lot more muffled now; I knew it wasn't because of the door. Was she actually being dragged away? I knew I couldn't leave. That was when mother and father came through the door. I ran to them first this time. The hug felt like it lasted seconds, but it was almost time for them to leave when I let go.

I looked at my mother when I let go, she was crying, just like Luka was. I went to comfort her too, but she pushed me away.

"No, you're the one that should be comforted, not me, your father or Luka. Think about yourself for once." She spoke so calmly, but she has never spoke like this. She stormed out the room in anger, wiping away her tears. I tried to shout her back, but my father didn't let me. I started crying again.

"But I also agree with Luka. I want you to try. I don't want you to promise like Luka tried to make you do. And you don't do it for anyone else, you do it for yourself." Father said; he was always the best person to talk to whenever I was upset.

"And I wish you good luck, sweetheart." He added, with a little tear running down his face. He went to open the door to leave.

I ran after him and grabbed his arm. "I love you, father."

He put his hand on my cheek. "I love you too, sweetheart." He them kissed me on the head and left the room.

I sat back down on the sofa. Waiting for Colette to come in, I needed to speak to her about Luka. Ask her to take care of her when I'm gone, and take care of her all the more when the worst happens. But she's still not here, and I only have 5 minutes left of the hour I had to say my goodbyes. I finally accepted that she wasn't coming, and sat down and waited until the peacekeepers came for me.

When they came for me they had to walk me from my room down to the car that we were leaving District 12 in, just in case I pulled any stunts and tried to make a run for it. When I got outside Haymitch, Calic and Delia were already in the car, on my way out I say Colette standing in the crowd. She looked straight at me with a guilty face, she was crying. I knew if I ran to her I would get shot, so I went straight into the car. Calic and Delia were sitting together; Delia had red circles around her eyes. You could tell she had been crying, she was still breathing pretty heavily. Calic was still his stunned self. His blue eyes still crazy in fear. But Haymitch, looked so calm. He didn't look like he was faking it either; he looked like he just didn't care anymore. He looked at me, but his expression didn't change. I gave him a small smile, a hopeless one at that. But his expression didn't change. So I turned around and watched out the window for most of the journey to the train station.