The first couple of chapters are a bit short, but they do get longer. I was writing this originally on my iPod, so they looked a lot longer than they actually were. Apart from that, enjoy! ~OwlSocks
I wake up, drenched in sweat, screaming. I start to cry, loud hysterical sobs, as my mother rushes in.
She cradles me in her arms, shushing me, telling me it's ok, it's only a dream. I wish it was just that. Only a dream.
"But it's not a dream, it's not!" I tell her, choking through my tears. "Kirel is dead! He's not coming back.. He's not coming back! I hate The Hunger Games! I hate what they did!"
I'm shouting now, and I break down again in her arms, my sobs louder than ever.
"I know, I know, it's not fair, it's not." My mother hushes, and I feel her tears drip onto my face. She's crying too, now. None of us can get over it. We can never get over the fact that the Hunger Games killed my brother.
It was my very first Reaping when Kirel's name was called. Since it was his last year, he refused to let me take out any tesserae, he didn't want me to take any chances. I cast my mind back to our very last meeting in the Justice Building. I ran into the room he was in, my heart racing, tears pouring down my face. He pulled me into a hug whilst I buried my face into his chest, never wanting to let him go. My parents joined the hug, and we all sat there, in a silent, tearful embrace. Kirel eventually broke the silence by telling us, that he was going to try his hardest to come home to us.
"No matter what happens in there," he told us "I want you all to remember I love you all so much and I won't let the Games turn me into someone I'm not." My father then dug into his pocket and took out a thick leather bracelet with swirling patterns etched into it. He pressed it into his hand.
"Your district token." Kirel stroked the soft leather, and then tied it around his wrist.
"Thank you." A single tear slipped down his cheek. That was the first time I had ever seen him cry. Seeing him looking so sad, so vulnerable broke my heart and threw my arms around him once more, the tears a constant stream down my face.
"It's gonna be ok, it's gonna be ok." He whispered into my hair. My heart pounded as I dared to ask the question. "But what if it isn't?" He tilted my chin up, so I was looking right into his hazel eyes.
"Then you have to promise me that you will be strong." He then looked at my parents.
"All of you."
I only had enough time to nod my head and whisper,
"I promise." before the Peacekeepers came and told us our time was up.
"NO!" I screamed and held him tighter as our parents rushed to give him one last hug. As I was picked up and dragged out, screaming, I shouted,
"I love you, Kirel!" Then the wooden door was slammed in my face. I was never going to speak to my brother again.
Kirel was good in the arena. He was strong and clever, and knew better than to trust anyone. I watched for days as he hid and hunted, staying away from the others, avoiding conflict of any sort. It was only when there were 6 tributes left that he had to face anybody, driven to the edge of the woods by an enormous fire. That was when it happened. His first and last conflict in the Games. My heart pounded as I watched him, terrified for his life. I was shaking all over, unable to tear my eyes away from the screen when the camera showed the boy running up behind him to deliver the fatal blow.
The terrifying scene of my brother's murder has haunted my dreams for the past two years. I miss him so much. I hate the Capitol. I will never forgive them for what they did. Ever.