A/N: Ah, finally another chapter! Thanks to all of you who have stuck with this story, despite my terribly slow updates. You're the best! :)
I push the stalks of grain out of my way as I walk through the field. A gentle breeze blows past me, carrying with it the sounds of children playing in the distance. I close my eyes as the sun's rays warm my face. Eventually the field fades into a gravel path with small wooden shacks on either side. People are rushing down the path in both directions, urgency in their steps.
I know this street, I think. I've walked it more times than I can count.
Suddenly, an old man stops and looks at me. He squints, and then his eyes widen with shock.
"It's him! It's Thresh!" the old man exclaims, "He's back!"
Everyone stops in their tracks and stare at me. They begin to murmur excitedly, and then the whole crowd erupts into cheers.
I simply stand there, dumbfounded. What's going on?
People clap me on the back and shake my hand. Hundreds of voices buzz around me, but I don't really hear anything. I stumble through the crowd, trying to get away from everyone, everything.
"Well, well, would you look who it is?"
I turn towards the familiar voice. A girl of about seventeen is standing in front of me. A half smile tugs at the corner of her full lips. Deep brown eyes twinkle impishly behind strands of her long, silky black hair.
"Maize?" I ask.
"So you do remember me," she grins. "Come on, let's get out of here."
She grabs my hand and pulls me away-no small task with the crowd pressing in on us from every side. After a few sharp turns between buildings, Maize and I are finally alone.
She laughs, breathing heavily. Her dark skin almost seems to glow in the light. She's beautiful.
"The conquering champion returns." She looks me up and down. "You look good."
"You look amazing," I blurt out. I instantly bite my lip, bashful. I've liked Maize for as long as I can remember, but neither of us ever acted on it. We both agreed that looking after our families came first, and that romance in District 11 was bound to end in tragedy anyways.
She grins and takes a little step towards me. My stomach ties itself in a big knot; it's so easy to get lost in her gaze.
"You know, I thought that after you won the Games you'd be different," she murmurs. "I thought you wouldn't have time for us 'little folk', but I hear you've been giving your prize money to the needy here…" Her eyes meet mine, "including my family. Is that true, Thresh?"
"I guess," I reply. I wasn't aware I had been giving people money, or that I had even won the Games. I can't remember anything; it's all too fuzzy to make heads or tails of it.
She takes another step towards me, now only a few inches away.
"You're amazing, Thresh. You know that?"
"So I've been told." I grin.
Maize gives a tiny laugh and then throws her arms around me, pulling me into a kiss. I wrap my fingers in her hair, pulling her closer as I kiss her back strongly.
After a few seconds she pulls away, her cheeks flushed. She gives an awkward cough.
"Anyways, I shouldn't keep you all to myself. Your family will want to see you." Then she winks and adds, "but we can continue this later."
Next thing I know I'm standing in front of my house. I don't remember walking here. Strange.
I make my way to the building and knock on the door. No one answers, so I push the door open and enter the house.
The room I walk into is rustic and quaint. Everything I remember is there, from the tan walls to the wooden rocking chair in the corner.
"Thresh?"
That voice…
"Thresh! It is you!"
I turn just in time for my sister to run and fling her arms around me.
"I knew you'd come back, Thresh! I knew you'd win!"
A bubble of laughter escapes my throat. "It'll take more than a couple of Careers to bring me down!"
"Come on, Grandma's in here. She'll be so excited to see you."
My sister grabs my hand and drags me into the next room. My Grandmother is sitting in her favourite chair. She looks up at me with her thoughtful brown eyes, and her creased face brightens in a smile.
"Thresh," she whispers.
"Grandmother." Just a minute ago I was laughing, and now I feel like crying. Am I going insane?
"I'm so proud of you." Grandmother beams and gives me a tight hug.
The three of us stare at each other. Suddenly, we're all laughing and hugging.
A second later, I freeze. Something is wrong, I can feel it.
Something flashes out of the corner, and my sister screams. As she falls to the ground I stare at the blade lodged in her back. I look up, panicked, and see another flash. I hit the ground, pulling my Grandmother down with me, just barely dodging the knife. From the ground I hear a hauntingly familiar laugh: Clove.
How did she get here?
"We're getting out of here, now!" I pull my grandmother to her feet, practically dragging her towards the door.
As I reach for the doorknob I hear a loud cracking noise, and suddenly the door flies off its hinges, knocking into me and sending me flying. I look up, and my breath catches in my throat. Cato stands framed in the doorway, grinning wickedly.
He grabs my grandmother by the neck and lifts her into the air, choking the life out of her.
"No!" I scream, pushing myself to my feet. I charge at Cato. I have to get to my grandmother before-
Cato smirks at me and breaks her neck. With a single squeeze of his hand, it's done. He tosses her body aside as if she's just an afterthought.
"I'll kill you!" I scream at him, unable to charge the monster and rip him apart like I want to.
Cato just steps aside, and the District 1 tribute boy enters, dragging Maize in with him. He has a sword to Maize's throat. She stares at me with those beautiful eyes full of tears.
I glare at the tribute, an animal-like snarl in the back of my throat. "I swear," I hiss, "if you hurt her-"
The boy looks at me, smiling darkly. In one swift move, he slits Maize's throat.
Time slows down around me as Maize collapses to the ground, lifelessly. Out of the corner of my eye I see Clove hurl a knife, laughing cruelly. I watch the blade hurtle through the air, but I can't do anything. The blade lodges itself in my chest and I fall to the ground. My vision starts to go dark, but not before I see Cato's gloating face as he walks over.
"I told you I'd kill you, Thresh."
He raises his sword and then thrusts it down-
"No!" I yell, sitting up straight. I look around frantically, and for a few seconds I forget where I am. Then reality starts to settle in.
It was just a dream. My family is back in District 11. I am in the arena, I have been for four days. I am alone.
I repeat these truths in my head a few times, like a chant, to calm myself. Slowly my heart rate slows down and my breathing returns to normal. My grandmother and sister are fine, safe. Maize too.
Maize. I had almost forgotten about her. It seems like I've been here for an eternity.
I remember her clearly now, though. Maize, the girl I loved. The girl who my life in District 11 kept me from having. If we had been born somewhere else, anywhere else, we could have been happy.
But we weren't.
We knew love led to vulnerability and weakness, and, in District 11, weakness is a thing you can't have. Together, we agreed to ignore our feelings, to be strong for our families.
I shake my head, trying to clear the memories. I can't think about Maize, not now. I can't be weak. If I ever want to see her and my sister and grandmother again, I need to be strong. I need to win the Games.
I turn my face up to the sky. It's late at night, and the Capitol symbol has still not flashed yet. This will be the second day in a row without any death. The Gamemakers will probably do something to force the tributes together soon. I frown at the empty sky. You Capitol dogs and your sick sense of humor, I want to yell. Like yelling could fix anything.
I curl back up in my sleeping bag and close my eyes, hoping emptily that the nightmares won't persist.