Here it is! For those of you who cannot wait to see Katniss's children being introduced, I promise you, they'll be revealed soon.
More than half of the tributes are dead by now. Probably more than that, I've lost count of them. We were, in fact, probably way less than that—but I don't know because it seems to be the longest Hunger Games ever. Usually, half of the tributes are dead after the bloodbath but it doesn't seem to be the case this time. I don't want to ask Silver because it may sound weird, if I asked to know if District 12 tributes were still there. Plus, Silver's friend doesn't trust me at all. He's always got that look whenever he's staring at me—which he does pretty often—and I can tell he feels confused about me, like he doesn't know what I'll do … or what he'll do.
"We aren't the only ones who made alliances," Silver says. "I bet the Careers have too." Of course they have. They always do. They manage to get together, kill everyone and then … make a pretty good show while the strongest—or the smartest—wins. It's what they have always done and what they are probably doing, now.
"Yeah, we should look out for them. Maybe hunt them down before they find us," Elven suggests. Elven, it's the name of Silver's friend. I say friend because I have no idea how to call him other than that. I wonder if he's from District 11. His name sounds like "eleven."
"And get killed? Without me," Liam replicates. He's still on his guard even if we've spent two days with Elven and Silver. My leg is healed, Liam said he got some medicine for it and I wonder who could have sent it. It's not like I have proven anyone that I was worth the waste of money.
"I have to agree with Elven," I say. "If we don't find them first, they will and we'll be as dead as the mouse we ate earlier."
Elven nods. "If we take them by surprise, that could make all the difference. Better we try than they do." For the first time, we seem to think the same way. I agree on Elven's words. He's got almost the same fighting spirit than I do. I wonder if Katniss's children are with the Careers or if they stand together, somewhere, hidden in the woods or in the sand. I doubt they're dead. If I can convince Liam to move, it'll be a lot easier to try to track them down. That way, it won't look suspicious for Silver or Elven. I don't know if Liam would notice anything, anyway. He never does. He's just been acting a bit weird around me, but that's it. Something's changed. And I can't tell what. I guess we all did, but his look has changed. He doesn't look at me the way he used to.
I've had bad dreams about my father. He always says the same thing. That I should try to forgive Katniss—there is nothing to forgive, nor to forget. Although, his words are just stuck in my mind. I'd never thought he'd be against that idea. I don't even know if I should listen to what he's got to say. It couldn't have been my father since he's dead. If it's not him, to who was I talking to? Maybe that question is the reason why I can't give up yet.
"Okay," Silver agrees. "I'm in."
"Liam?" I ask because it's obvious both Elven and I are in.
He looks at me, unsure. He's never been sure about anything when it comes to me. He's thinking. I'm guessing he's been thinking for the past hours real bad about it. But he's made up his mind. Now he's wondering if he's made the right decision. How can I know all of this? I just read it on his face. It tells me everything I need to know.
"I'm in," he finally says.
I can't help it, but smile. I'd feel more comfortable with him by my side, knowing we'd be equal if Silver and Elven decided to turn their back on us.
"Okay, now we need a plan. I've talked to Oswald before being thrown in here and he suggested a strategy. It's a good one. We just have to make sure it's well done."
The name of Oswald rings bells in my head. I've heard that name somewhere. I just can't remember where. Oswald, that's a common name. I wonder why it troubles me so much. There's something I should understand, but I don't. Like the whole answer has been there the whole time and just won't come out of my head.
"Everyone got it?" Elven asks.
I look up. I've missed the entire plan. I wince when I notice everyone else is nodding. I can't make him say it again, so I nod too. I'll ask Liam the plan later. "Can Jessyka stay with me?" Liam wonders. "I'd rather keep an eye on her."
Silver frowns and Elven seemed interested. "I … Is there something going on between you two?" Silver asks, suspiciously.
I look at Liam, wondering what he's doing. "I don't need to be watched, I can take care of myself, you know it better than anyone else," I tell Liam.
"I know you do," he replicates. "I just …"
Elven smiles and looks straight into Liam's eyes. "You haven't told her yet?"
"Haven't told me what?" I say. I can see darkness seeking into Elven's eyes, something I've never seen before and it kinda freaks me out.
"She didn't know," Liam says. "I've been asked not to tell her."
"Would you both stop talking like everyone else know what you're talking about and go straight to the point? What is going on?" I ask again. "And you better answer before I get really mad. You wouldn't want to see that, I can tell you."
Liam winces and Elven just looks straight into my eyes. He almost seems to enjoy the fact that I'm annoyed because I have no clue of what's going on.
"You won't tell her?" Elven asks. "If you don't, I will. I ain't afraid of saying it. It's not a big deal. You're not the only one who's got family here."
The only word I catch is "family." Liam's got family here. "No, he doesn't, you've got the wrong guy, just shut up and let me deal with him," I groan at Elven. "Liam, talk to me. Tell me what's going on or I swear—"
"Don't swear," he stops me. "I'll tell you."
Silver signs. "Jeez, just tell her. She'll find out eventually and Elven's dying to spill. If you wanna do it your way, just do it now."
Liam nods and turns to look at me. He grabs my hand but I make him let go of me. He can't just take my hand and hope that everything will be okay. I look at him as angrily as I possibly can. He tries to look away, but I don't let him. "Now, Liam. I wanna know now."
I don't want Elven to tell me what's going on. I want to hear it from Liam's mouth. I think I know what he's going to say. He's never told me about it, but everyone knows back in District Four. He's lost a brother when he was younger. Lost, he didn't really lose him, he just ran away. That's what I heard. Or something like that, I can't be sure because my mom has told me the story and … I'm not quite sure about how lucid she was that day. Maybe her mind was gone that day, but from what I can see right now, perhaps her mind wasn't that gone, after all.
"Well, you've probably already heard rumors about it," Liam begins.
I hate it when he's talking that slow. There is no suspense. "Yeah, your dead—or gone—brother?" I say. Can't he just get to the point, already?
He doesn't seem surprised that I know. Of course he doesn't. Like I already said, there are no secrets back in our District. No possibility to keep any kind of secret, unless the Capitol wants to use it against you later, in a meaner way. Better tell everyone yourself than let them use it against you. "Actually, you've been misinformed, it's not a brother, it was a sister," Elven says in such a hurry, it feels like he's truly dying to tell me what Liam doesn't seem to be able to say.
Now it's my turn to frown. A sister. Is Liam trying to tell me his sister is … Silver—or anyone else in here? Maybe a little girl from District 1 … or 2. Maybe she's a Career and that's why he's been so … hesitant about this plan against the Careers tributes. But … that would just be too awkward if Silver was his sister. I mean, they don't even look alike! And even if they did, when would Liam's father find time to sneak out into District 7 to … get together with Johanna? I stare at Liam for a moment, during which he doesn't talk at all. Is he waiting for me to try to figure it out? Because I may already have. Silver's brother? Come on. He doesn't look like her. He's got light hair while hers is dark brown. And her eyes are like brown and his are … His eyes. That's when I realize something. He's got … That can't be possible. It's like time has stopped because what I think I have seen cannot be true. It just can't be. "Tell me you're joking, Liam. Tell me it's a joke," I beg.
It can't be. I'm praying that he'll nod and start to laugh but he doesn't. Instead, he shakes his head. "This is not a joke, Jessyka."
"Jeez, you guys are so slow," Elven signs and turns to me. "He's your brother."
"Half-brother," Silver corrects.
Half-brother. What does that even mean? Then, I get it. That's why he wanted to protect me so badly, that's why he's been there, looking out for me to every single step I made, that's why I almost thought he was a stalker when I was a kid. He was just trying to protect me. Like a brother would.
"Who ..." I begin to ask.
"Your dad, when …," Liam says. He doesn't continue because I already know the answer. Liam's mom was, from what I've heard, a real fan of my father. I never thought it was in that way. Never thought he'd actually … I can't even think about it. I knew my dad had to sleep with tons of women in the Capitol, or in the District to make sure my mother would be safe. But Liam's mom … I had never thought of her. I'd never thought she'd … abuse my father like that.
Liam gets up and comes sit next to me. I immediately get up and walk away. "Don't. I … I can't handle that right now."
"Jessyka, you better get back here," Silver says. "For almost the first time, the Capitol is talking. They're showing pictures and stuff. They're exposing everyone's darkest secret. Everyone in the arena. They're hoping we'll kill each other, trying to get back at each other, trying to hurt everyone more than they would already be. They don't want a bloodbath—which would explain why there isn't many death—they want a torture show, they want the pain to last. It's not over. They've just exposed Liam's."
I turn back straight after her last sentence. The Capitol has chosen to expose our darkest secrets. I had never thought of something that creepy. What are they going to say about me? Then, I can't help but wonder … "How do you know it's true, then?" I ask. "How do you know Liam is really my brother?"
"Look at him," Elven says. "He does look like you."
"No, he doesn't!" I yell.
Liam signs, gets up and tries to get to me again. I don't let him. I push him back. "My father has never loved anyone else than my mother..."
"I know this is shocking. I had the same reaction when my father told me. That doesn't mean your father didn't love your mother with all his heart. I know he did. I remember the way my mom used to complain about that kind of love. It was never meant to end."
I don't know why I'm crying, but I am. I'm weaker than I thought. I don't know how to react. Should I be happy I finally got a brother? Should I be mad? Should I back him more than ever? This news just … ruined everything.
Liam and I are not star-crossed lovers. We are worse, we are siblings.
That's it for chapter 11! Review, follow, anything, it means a lot when you do. Hoping you liked it.
Curly Top : Hi, to you, I want to say that the answer to your question is yes. They'll be introduced really soon. Their identity will be revealed in Chapter 14, I believe. Thank you for reading.
