TWELVE

The Careers were gathered around the tree that I have climbed in. My skin is sticky with sweat, my breathing ragged. I hang on to the trunk for dear life as the leader of the pack sneers up at me, "Come on down, chick on fire." His cold green eyes glint with amusement. "We're not going to hurt you."

I force myself to look down at them once more. They are all smiling up at me like crazy people. This just causes me to tighten my grip though I didn't think it possible. I look back up at the blindingly blue sky, praying that it would suddenly turn dark and lightening would strike the bullies below.

"She's not coming down," one of the girl Careers say. "We might as well camp out right here and wait. She can't stay up there forever."

"I'll get her down," an all-too-familiar voice says. I look down again just in time to see Chisel step out from behind one of the Careers. My eyes widen as he loads a crossbow. He points it upwards at me. I let my grip loosen and start to climb once again though I am already too close to the top for comfort. I have almost reached my goal when something strikes me in my shoulder. Pain shoots through me and the hand that had just reached the branch I was going to pull myself up on releases the rough wooden arm. I begin to fall, a high-pitched noise piercing my ears. My hands grip uselessly for anything I can catch myself on. Finally my palm connects with something... something soft...

I open my eyes and find myself staring at a ceiling that isn't my ceiling at home. I sit up quickly and assess my surroundings. Then, I remember that I am on a train on my way to the Capitol right now. Only there's something wrong. The noise in my dream hasn't stopped. It's not coming from inside my room.

I go out to the hall to investigate. I follow the sound to Mother and Father's compartment. I push their door open and prepare for the worst. I find Mother thrashing in the bed and Father kneeling beside her, saying soothing words to her as her eyes look around wildly. Wynona is also inside of the compartment, barking orders to Father. Though it is nothing new for me, it makes my heart clench seeing them. I wonder if I make it out of this, if I'll end up the same way. None of them notice me so I quietly slip out, continuing down the hall.

I make my way to the parlor, hoping to maybe get a cold drink of water to help calm my nerves. I walk into it. As I do, I notice that the television is on, replaying the Reapings again. Someone is sitting on the couch, watching them. I turn to walk back out but their voice stops me. "Hey, Sapphire."

After my moment of being frozen, I continue to walk quietly back through the door. There is a sigh. "I can hear you, you know," Chisel says without turning to look at me. "It's okay if you want to come in."

I stand half in the room, half out. I finally give in and walk over to the bar. I grab a glass and fill it with ice and water, saying nothing and never looking up as I do. I wonder silently how he heard me when my footfalls were barely audiable. "So, why are you up?" he asks me.

I raise an eyebrow but still refuse to look at him. "I could ask you the same question," I reply, annoyed. I lean back against the bar and take a sip from my glass. Gosh, even the water seems richer when it's from the Capitol. "Also, did your father give you, like, superhearing or something?" The idea doesn't sound completely crazy to me as I know that Gale is a very smart man and a great inventor.

He smiles slightly and looks back at the television. "Insomniac," he says simply. "Never been able to sleep a day in my life." Normally, I would be able to read a person easily and tell if they were lying or not, but Chisel's onyx eyes give nothing away. They are like an abyss, swallowing everything up and never letting you see it again. It makes me feel uneasy.

I move over to sit on the other side of the couch. "I had a bad dream," I tell him, taking another mouthful of water so I won't have to answer immediately if he asks about it. Surprisingly, he doesn't. And it's... comforting not having him pulling and prying for answers. He just nods and keeps watching the television.

The District Twelve Reaping plays. "I volunteer!" we hear Chisel say, looking strong and sure. Then, the camera pans to me on my knees with my head hung in shame. I look like a person who is being executed on the spot. How coincidental. At that moment, I realize I have already made a fatal mistake by showing the Capitol and the Gamemakers my weakness. My little brother. I reach for the remote. "We don't have to watch this," I mumble.

"No," Chisel protests. He grabs my hand and the same spark that went through me as his grasp tightens on my fingers. I jerk my hand back and rest it on the opposite side of my. He looks down sheepishly. "Sorry," he whispers, "about your wrists."

I look down at them. Though it is hard to tell in the blue light the television gives off, I already have a few small bruises in the shape of fingers. I look back up at him though he is still looking down. "That's alright," I say, surprised as I find I actually mean it. "I've had worse. Plus, I might as well go ahead and toughen up."

We are quiet as we watch the new host of the Games, Vick Treagan, comment on the Reapings. His voice is like a buzz in my head. He comments on Chisel's volunteering for my brother. This makes me remember what he said before. "Why did Gale make you volunteer?" I ask quietly. I look over at him and see him looking at me with the one emotion his eyes can make. Anger and hurt. I realize that I have sailed into forbidden, haunted waters, and that I must turn around quickly. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

His eyes harden again as he looks away. "I'd rather not." We sit in silence even longer. It is awkward and uncomfortable. I shift from one side to the other, probably looking like a crazy person rocking back and forth. I tip my glass up again to find I am out of water. I set my glass down just as Chisel breaks the silence. "I hear someone has their sixteenth birthday coming up," he says, smiling at me.

I sigh and sit back. "I might have a sixteenth birthday," I correct him. When he shoots me a confused look, I explain. "We're going to be in the arena on my birthday. I'll have to make it for three days if I want to survive to be sixteen."

"Well, I guess we both have something extra that sucks for us, don't we?" he says bluntly before returning to silence.

I wonder what he means as Vick continues to talk about the tributes. "Let's take a look at Giovanni Hawthorne, the thirteen-year-old from District Two," he says. Somehow, this makes me think about something that my brain was probably too jumbled up with emotions to think about earlier today.

"She's your sister, isn't she?" I say, looking at Chisel. His jaw visibly clenches, and he breathes deeply, nostrils flaring out like a bull's. He looks lethal as he glares at me. "Chisel, I'm so sorry. If I would have known-"

"If you would have known?" he repeats angrily but quietly. "Can't you take a hint? I know you're book smart, Sapphire, but I never knew you didn't have common sense. Maybe that's what will get you killed in the arena."

I sit there gaping at him. His eyes widen as he realizes what he just said. He runs a hand through his thick hair, making it stick up everywhere. "I'm sorry," he murmurs as he quickly stands up and walks out of the room, leaving me there by myself.

It looks like I am not the only one who's weakness is their family.


A/N: There you are! Chapter 12! And don't worry. I'll get to why Gale made Chisel volunteer. And, yes, I do have something planned out.
Also, I have posted the first chapter of my new story
The Second Quarter Quell. I hope you will like it as much as you like this one.
Oh, and don't forget to review, guys!

-AGEless