Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games in any shape or form.
Geth342: A response to my 24 word challenge. Each chapter is a letter, though the majority of letters are not written to be read. Apart from that, i can only say: thanks for reading and i hope you enjoy!
10) A Love Story of Odd Proportions (Prompt 8: Gratitude)
74 AR
To Cato Eliker,
I'm watching you in the Games right now. You're resting and trying to look calm but you don't fool me: I can see the distress in your eyes and the hatred on your face. Not for him, though, but for you. It might seem odd but, if I could speak to you, I'd tell you not to hate yourself. Because I am so, so grateful to you.
You would act like that's a weak thing for me to say, if we did meet. In fact, if I told you why I'm grateful, you would deny it. You've been trying to hide it for all the Games and she has too. But Clove can't fool her mother – as much as she would like to – and the pair of you are so similar that you can't fool me either.
Clove never did get along with people. Maybe that's my fault, maybe it isn't. She and I definitely never had a close relationship – I doubt we were even friends, as such. I pushed her too hard in her training. I never once told her I loved her. I don't think she even realised I did.
That's why I'm grateful to you, Cato. You showed Clove what it was like to have someone love her; someone she could love back. You're not to blame for what happened to her and you must never, ever think that.
Cato, you are clearly a great man, to love my daughter in the Games. Don't hate yourself. Win and come back. Win so I can thank you. Win for Clove.
Lavia Dakin