3
After about a week or so, the dreams became less frequent. But not I understand why my mother wakes up screaming some nights and my father comforts her. I understand the burden they carry because they were in the capital's sick little games, and why they'll never forget it.
One stormy night when I was holding my little brother in the rocking chair, comforting him from the storm, I heard someone knock on our door. Puzzled, my mother got up to answer it. I wondered who would be crazy enough to go outside in a storm as bad as this.
When my mom opened the door, I could see her tense up. She just stood there in shock of who was at the door. From where I was sitting, I couldn't see who it was. Then he spoke.
"It's great to see you, Catnip."
This snapped my mom out of here weird trance. "Come in," she replied. "It's great to see you, too."
The man walked in, soaking wet. When he lifted his head to look at me, I recognized him as a man from one of the photos. The caption under the picture had said his name. Greg? Galen? Gale! My mother had never talked about him, and I always figured he'd died in the war along with a lot of other people in the pictures.
A boy my age followed Gale in. He looked just like him. I guessed it was his son.
"I have a room you two can stay in. Follow me," said my mother. Just then, my father came down and saw Gale and his son. He was also shocked, but a bit less. Without saying a word, he went over to my mother and took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. They went back upstairs with Gale and his son. Curiosity overcame me and I followed them, still holding my little brother.
I walked upstairs, half-carefully not sure if I should try to be quiet. If I was caught following them, I didn't want to look suspicious. I went up the stairs and saw them standing by the guest room. My mother was talking.
"... Stay in our guest room. Oh and these are my children, Ariana and Max," my mother said as she saw me coming up the stairs. "Ariana, why don't you show James around the house?" she gestured to the boy with Gale. I looked at him and nodded stiffly. I didn't like this boy. I didn't know why; I hadn't heard him speak one word, but I did. I moved Max to my hip and showed James around the house. I led him around and ended up in the living room. It took a little while because we live in my mother's house in victor village. We moved in shortly after district 12 got repaired. It was about a year after I was born.
I sat down on the living room sofa while James sat down on the chair by the empty fireplace. I curled up with Max in my arms. He was soon asleep. I caught sight of the mantle clock and realized why. It was 11 o'clock. Before I could do much about it, I was asleep myself.
When I woke up, I was in my own bed, and Max was gone. My first thought was that my father had come down and brought me to my room and put Max to bed after I'd fallen asleep, but when I looked around, I realized that wasn't the case.
"What the **** are you doing here!" I shouted. James was asleep in the chair in the opposite corner of my room. His arms were around Max. He was shocked wake and I shot out of bed and grabbed Max from him. Glaring at him, I stalked out of the room and into the kitchen where everyone else was.
"What's wrong, Ariana?" my mother said, handing me my breakfast.
I considered telling her but my eyes set on Gale and I murmured, "Nothing," then sat down at the table.
As I ate I fell deep in thought. What was James's problem? Why was he in my room this morning? Too many questions, no answers. But I was determined to get answers soon.