Chapter 25: returning home

I stare at the paneled ceiling anxiously waiting for a knock at the door. In a matter of hours, I'll be out of the Capitol's grasp for six months. I shake in excitement. I look to the clock on the wall, 7:30, my standard. I reach up and feel the paneled walls of the cabin; they're smooth like a man-made wood, nothing that's natural. But who am I to comment about them? I'm just the boy Victor from District 6.

Excited about going home I speed walk to the living car where Penelope is sitting with a paint set in her hands, and a brush. She paints her hand as she greets me, "Pax!" she sings, "Pax the," she pauses, "back!"

"Oh gosh not another morphling high!" the stylist says angrily, "I just did your makeup!"

"Oh get off, crazy lady!" she yells, still trying to sing my name with rhyming words, "Pax! Get her off of me!" she stops, "Pax, sack."

Oh jeez, does this happen when you're high on morphling? I've never seen Gear like this! Luis storms in the room in a white suit, "Lareina!" He yells to the stylist, "Leave her alone!"

"Gah! Fine!" She yells leaving Penelope who smiles wickedly, "But if SHE gets accused of morphling abuse don't come crying to me!"

She storms out of the room grabbing my hand and pulling me through the train, past my cabin and back to the make-up car. She strips me bare and her assistants wash what dirt was left on me off of my body they begin to talk, "So, how has life been only buying four pairs of shoes a week?" asks an assistant.

"Shut up Margo!" she yells back, shampooing my scalp, I feel her hand tense up as she does it.

"How has been changing your look every two weeks?" giggles another.

"Chari stop! I thought we were friends!?" she sounds hurt.

The assistants continue to laugh and whisper jokes to one another. The stylist brings in my outfit, an exact replica to Luis's down to the thread. But I have a cobalt blue tie and he has a red one. They comb my dirty blonde hair to look straight but with little curls, for a natural look. The suit was to show my purity. I don't know how I could be called "pure," I've killed five people. But my district won't care; since I won they get food and a huge celebration when I return from the Victory Tour.

"Ok Paxy-poo you're all done!" says the assistant Chari.

Paxy-poo? How many people are going to call me that? As they lower the chair I rush back to the living car. I notice the door is open to the station, I dare to peek through the door and I see a canvas that leads to the Hall of Justice a Peacekeeper comes from behind, "Ready to go Mr. Cronin?"

I glance back at the train car, "Of course."

The Peacekeeper calls over three more Peacekeepers, they encircle me. The first Peacekeeper flips open a communicator, "The Owl has left the train, I repeat the Owl has left the train."

I am the Owl. What a strange name, shouldn't I be "Victor," or something else of that nature? I don't mind, I'm actually very nervous for my spectacular return to six. I can't help but think of the possibilities, Rom standing off stage, my mother by his side, holding him back from running out and tackling me.

But not in my mind is Gear, why should I think of him? Probably off smoking somewhere, with his "friends." I remember the deal I made with him, while I was gone, he would stop doing morphling. Has he kept this promise? Has he just forgotten about it? All of this I will find out in a matter of minutes, seconds if I'm lucky.

The Peacekeepers form a square around me and they lead me through the canvased hall. As I get closer I can hear the cheers from the stage that has been set up for my return. They take a sharp turn to the left, off stage, the stylist quickly runs over with my Victor's Crown and replaces my top-hat with the crown, "What was I thinking!?" she yells to herself.

The Anthem beings to fill the town square, I feel my nerves creep up on me. In a minute, I will be in the arms of my family, once again. But then, in that minute, I'll learn of what happened to Gear. My heart pounds like it did before the Bloodbath, I shake violently. I see the stylist make her debut in District 6, she receives OK applause, next is Aphrodite, she receives less than OK applause, maybe because she is going to pick more tributes. My leg turns to jelly as Luis steps out, holding Penelope's hand, this is strange to me, they usually only let the mentor, then again, Penelope's been a mentor to me too. Someone grabs my arm and leads me to the curtain.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the beautiful District 6, your victor, Pax Cronin!" says Claudius Templesmith's voice as I walk out, waving to my District. The applause I get is deafening, I want to cover my ears but I can't. I happily cheer along with them, throwing my arms up in celebration: District 6 has her Victor, and it's me. I don't know where to go for a split second until I feel a small body with skinny arms wrap around me, almost tackling me to the ground. I smile and the crowd cheers as I find the black, haired Rom, his arms wrapped around my waist.

I begin to tear up as he buries his face into my side. My mom comes over from behind the curtain and begins to sob as she hugs me, the crowd cheers continuously and loudly as we embrace. I turn to her and mouth the words, "Where's Gear!?"

Her smile turns sour as she looks out into the crowd. I follow, Gear is nowhere to be seen.

End of Book 1

Wow I can't believe this is done! I have to say this is my FAVORITE story that I have writen on this site! It's a bitter sweet good-bye but as the ending says there WILL BE A SEQUEL! I'm already working on it!

Acknowlegments:

My sister, Lavendor Abalone who read the story before it was posted, and who stood by the story always! My loving Pax Pals: newbie11, nb1998, FireJayGames, and Cotix14! May the odds be ever in your favor for the Pax Games! Also to ALL of the authors of the Blood Dreams! I recommend checking it out, it's simply amazing. Also to EVERYONE reading this! That means you've stuck with me through the long updates and every now and then not even updating!

THank you so much for reading!

Please review!