Goodbyes

Crimson Ashbrie, District 1

I finger the beautiful golden ring that my father just pressed into my palm. Tiny, intricate patterns wove around its supple surface. An incredibly expensive-looking ruby was pressed deep into it.

Father closes my fingers around it.

"You can win, Crimson." My little brother, Trevor says from the other side of me.

"You'll do great, kiddo." Mother grins from her crouched position in front of me.

I grin back. "You bet."

Kinglsey "King" Johannsen, District 1

After the reaping, Peacekeepers escort Crimson and I to the Justice Building. She goes off to another door, sneering in my direction, and I follow the Peacekeepers into a plush room where I will say my final goodbyes.

I know it'd be stupid to cry, and I'm much too tough to. But I realize now it wouldn't be hard at all to when my younger sister Bridget bursts into the room. Her face is full of concern and regret, and it feels like a knife stab to the heart. She must know. Or at least something,

My parents also look remorseful as they enter. Bridget just sits on my lap, looking down at her fingers, which are moving quickly. My parents sit on either side of me, murmuring inaudible praise and suggestions.

Suddenly, everyone is silent as Bridget lifts her gaze. She stares me straight in the eye. "King, you'll win these games, right?"

I give her a sad smile. "Of course I will, Bridget."

Mykal Duncan, District 3

I sit quietly in the beautiful room in the Justice Building. I fiddle with the tassel on one of the plush pillows.

All the sudden, the Peacekeepers open the door, and Caroline burts into the room, tears are flowing down her beautiful face silently. She leaps into my arms, and I hug her long and tight, tears of my own threatening to make an appearance.

Mom joins our hug, but Caden pulls off to the side, pain written all over his face.

It's silent until Caden surprises us. "You have a chance, you know."

I look at him, confused. "I don't think I do, Caden." My voice is quiet and rough.

"You're incredibly smart, you are quiet, fast, you know what it takes to survive, and you're flexible."

I begin to protest, but Caden continues talking.

"In training you can learn a new weapon, and other survival skills you don't know. I know you won't kill, Mykal, but you can survive."

I frown, considering this. I suppose he's right…but what about Keldon? I could never go into an arena and kill him… I don't think I'd be able to stand if he dies either.

I wonder if he remembers that day, so many years ago…

"Mykal?" says Caden softly.

I sigh. "Okay, Caden. I'll try." I reply.

Keldon Peak, District 3

My parents rush into the room the moment the Peacekeepers open the door. Mother is in such an emotional state, she can't even talk, so I hug her, no words needed. Father joins us, and for a moment, we're all caught in a tight embrace.

Then Father stands and leave, a final kiss to my forehead. I stay in the room, murmuring reassuring words to Mother. It's ironic that I'm the one comforting her when I'm going to get slaughtered.

I think I'll be doing this until the Peacekeepers arrive, but instead she suddenly stops sobbing, as though remembering something of utter importance. She pulls out a beautifully crafted sharktooth necklace from her pocket. My throat tightens, and before I know it, tears come rolling down my cheeks.

"Wear it." She says quietly.

The Peacekeepers take her away, but I continue to stare at the necklace on my lap.

This was delivered in a simple brown box with Quentin's body. She knows me so well… she must know I don't plan to come back from that arena. This was to show me that I need to. For her.

A war begins inside of me. Love tugs at me from either side. Do I save the love of my life, or do I protect my family? Yet another struggle to deal with inside that arena.

Jade Cox, District 6

As I expect, Daniel is the only one to enter the room. He pulls me onto my lap, stroking my hair. I know there will be more cameras at the train station, but I find a few silent tears falling from my face and to his warm lap.

He kisses my hair, not saying anything.

Then he pushes me off him, staring at me with such sudden intensity that I'm startled.

"What?" I ask him carefully, wiping away the tears.

He opens my palm, takes something from his pocket, and presses it onto my supple skin.

As his hand draws away, a startled gasp comes from me. In my palm sits a beautiful wild flower. It's been in our family's possession forever. The beautiful aroma coming from it is entirely Capitol made. My father gave this to me when I was only three years old. He found it by accident when he went beyond the fence, just once.

"Keep it safe." Daniel murmurs.

Then he leaves, my heart going with him.

Sleighter Texlin, District 6

Mom is naturally the only one to appear to say goodbye to me. Her face is not filled with pride, but with fear.

"I'll be fine, Mom." I say as she sits by me.

She clenches my hand hard. "I know." She says quietly.

"I'll win, you know. For both of us. We'll be so stinking rich."

"I don't care about the money." She says hoarsely, capturing me in a hug. "I care about you coming back safe and well. And you will."

Right when is about to leave, she pressed a warm ring into my palm. Upon closer inspection, it is a simple gold ring with the words "Mister Ray Texlin" engraved on it. My throat tightens. My father's wedding ring.

"I will come back." I murmur quietly, glancing at the ring, and the last glimpse of my mother walking out of the door. "For both of you."

Forrest Asher, District 7

Maple is the only one to enter the small but luxurious room meant for goodbyes. She gives me a big bear hug, and sits beside me.

"I think you'll win." She says, as though she's already made up her mind and placed her bets.

I have to smile at her relentless obstinacy.

She sees my amused expression and frowns. "I mean it!" she says, a rough edge to her voice. "You're brilliant, you know that right?"

I resist the urge to punch her, as tears threaten to spill over. Instead, I hug her again.

"You could win," I mutter to her. "You're brilliant."

"Naw," she says. "You're wicked with axes, and I've seen your archery skills, and they aren't bad. Plus, you are a great tree climber, good at woodcrafts, you can build fires, and know about edible plants and trees and stuff." She begins to tick these things off on her fingers.

I smile sadly. "Against the Career Tributes, Maple?"

She gives me a cocky smile. "I think so."

Then we stop joking. We both know where I'm going, and in no way will this irrelevant conversation ease the nervousness eating at my insides.

Then Maple surprises me with her quiet intensity. She hands me a small wooden cube, about the size of a die. On each side there's a fox, a bit of flame, rain, an ax, and bread.

"Where'd you get it?" I murmur, staring at it, admiring its beauty.
She shrugs. "I found it in the few belongings left from Mom and Pa."

I smile at her. "Thank you." I murmur quietly.

She nods quietly, tears beginning to make tracks in her dirt-streaked face. And then she leaves.

Annabelle Crest, District 8

Kira and Mom rush into the room, nearly pushing aside the Peacekeepers at the door.

Kira attacks me with a hug, Mom just stroking my hair.

"I love you guys," I murmur quietly, throat tight. Tears begin to glisten at the edge of my vision, and I feel their coolness against my skin as they trickle down my face.

Mom kisses my head. "You'll survive, Annabelle. You are amazing."

Kira then sits by me, clenching my hand. "I should have volunteered for you," she says, the pain in her voice palpable.

"We both know I would never forgive you." I say, the tears tumbling down as fast as my words now.

She sighs, then places something on my lap. She kisses me one last time, grabs my mother's hand, and goes.

In my lap is a beautiful silk ribbon. It is like blue, like the sky, and my eyes. A little diamond charm is on the end. It must have cost Kira a fortune.

I hold it close to my chest, tears wetting its smooth surface.

"I'll be back." I whisper.

Flint Mandrake, District 8

I push the Peacekeepers aside as we leave the podium, jumping, trying to see if I could look over them. Where was my mom? Did she live? What happened? Questions raced through my mind as the Peacekeepers push me back with firm fists.

"MOM!" I shout.

I'm literally shoved into a decorative room in the Justic Building. Beautiful District 8 tapestries line the walls, and there's lots of fur cushions and velvet. I sit in one of the chairs numbly. I can't blink. I just wait for my mom to come through that door.

But I know she won't. We've been so strongly connected over these years, that as soon as that bullet fired, it was over.

I don't have anything to win these games for, I realize as I leave the room with the Peacekeepers. I'll see you in heaven, Mama.

Collita Gra, District 9

I stare outside at the hot summer sun, watching the huge swarm of people scattering, running from that horrible concrete square. I try not to focus on the finery around me, but simply on the dust on the window.

I begin a process that helps me cope with the next few minutes, before my family arrives. I focus on my breathing, trying not to think about the Games, not about killing… and definitely not about my family. I suppose it's nice to have a chance to say goodbye—but I don't want to face them. Not when we all know I have little chance of winning. But I know I'll have to try for their sake.

I hear the door creak open, and my gaze is still down while my eyes drift to my family rushing through the door.

Ordi literally leaps towards me, surrounding me with his skinny arms. His tears soak my shirt. "You have to win, Col! You can do it! You're strong!" he goes on listing things I can do. I thought it wouldn't be much, but it's a bit comforting to know I'm not useless. I try my best to tune out the rest of what they're saying—out of fear of crying—but one thing comes to me. "We need you, Col." Says Ordi.

They need me. I think. I had to win. For my family. I realized then that I needed them too.

Jaryn Mine, District 10

I do my best not to cry as we exit the stage and go to the Justice Building. My face is turning many different hues, contorting in effort to remain calm. My palms sweat, and I try to rub them on my shirt, with no success. My breathing comes out in raggedy gasps.

I stagger down onto the couch, and with my head buried in a pillow, I weep. My ribs jerk back and forth rapidly as tears pour out of my eyes, soaking the fine pillow.

To my surprise, only one pair of footsteps enters the room first. I gingerly coax myself out of the pillow, and there she is. Azalea, my sister.

She runs towards me, and we collapse on the couch, sobbing, hugging, saying things, making promises we could never keep in that blasted arena.

Soon after our parents follow, along with the other two siblings, and we're all hugging and sobbing, kissing and wishing.

Holly's tiny body is wrapped around Azalea's, and Rae sits on a chair away from us a bit, tears flowing down his face.

We're all silent for a moment, and then Rae speaks. "I should have volunteered." He says.

We're all silent. We know what a sacrifice that would be, but it is such a burden.

"It'll be easier for me." My voice comes out hoarse and gravelly. "I'll die. Me and Zae together. You'll have to live with it."

There's silence.

Then Rae speaks again. "I'll never forget you." He says, as though he is already thinking about our funerals.