Chapter 15: Rye Everdeen Mellark

"Watch her. Just keep talking to her, okay?" I tell Cliff as I walk towards the door, looking back for a moment as he leans his head on the glass trying to get Willow's attention.
He starts to mumble something as the guard closes the door behind me, shutting me out from the only people I have right now.
We start to walk along the dark hall passing what seems like thousands of doors.
What the hell is this place?
"Since when do people who get kidnapped get a phone call?" I ask him quizzically. "Surely that's beside the point...?"

"Decimus has his reasons." He grunts.
"He feels as if you both got off on the wrong foot." He looks back at me and snarls.
"How nice of him! You know what? I think I'm really warming to him. I can see why so many of you guys would do anything for him, even though he doesn't give a shit about you." I spit out.
"That's very noble of you, very loyal actually, I-"
"Shut your mouth, before I knock you out again." He growls.
"Ohhhh! That was you? Great job. I have a searing headache! Got any ibuprofen?" I reply, enjoying myself. A lot actually.

He doesn't reply though, he just stops mid step, and then spins around, grabbing my throat and slamming me up against the wall, choking me.
"Listen, smart ass, got any more insightful remarks? Cause I can kill you right here, right now. Decimus didn't say anything about that and-"
Just then, a door opposite us slides open gracefully.
"Speaking of the devil! Look who it is!"
Decimus steps through the door, putting on a delighted, surprised face.
How sweet.
"Alfon, why are you being so rude to our guest? I told you, I'd like to get to know him." He pauses, snarling as he spits out the next disgusting line.
"Just like I got to know his sister!"

I taste bile in my mouth and I automatically feel sick to my stomach. To say I went mental was an understatement.
"You twisted, sick, disgusting son of a bitch!" I spit out, or more like croak out as Alfon still has his hand clasped around my throat. I'm quite sure the bruising will be purple.
They both laugh together like pigs. I can't put my hatred into words.
"Alfon, enough now, step away." He says calmly, and Alfon follows his orders, releasing me from his grip as I gasp for oxygen.
"Come with me, Rye. You've got a phone call waiting!" He yells behind at me as he walks back into the opposite room and I follow obediently.

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"Why the sudden special treatment?" I ask, looking around the dimly lit room, as Decimus presses a button on the wall, sending two chairs and a table up from the floor. I take the seat opposite him once he brings the phone to the table, placing it neatly in front of me.
"Special treatment? Oh no no no, Cliff had a phone call too... To his mother, Annie." He places his hands together and smiles.
"Okay well, I guess you could say you're both our guests of honour. I mean, with such famous parents!" He glares at me, searching my face.
"What about Ara?" I ask.
"Oh, that's pretty young woman? She has no family now, as you know. She's a waste of space. She'll be dead by the morning."
Anger boils up inside of me but I remain calm.
"You need to tell me why I'm here." I say coldly, changing the subject.

He looks at me and leans back in his chair,
"Such déjà vu!" He laughs. "I had to tell your sister the exact same thing!" He senses the anger I have and sticks to my question.
"You may not know, but your parents killed my father, Peacekeeper Cray, when I was younger. Especially because of your mother, newer, stricter authorities were brought to the districts and they killed him and replaced him. I would like revenge, as you can imagine."
I scowl at him. "So you're taking kids and killing them, just like the hunger games. What a lovely man you are."

He laughs like I've just made a joke, but I find nothing funny. "You have your mother's wit. Brilliant trait."
He pushes the phone toward me and I take it.
"Call whomever you wish to. Tell them goodbye. I won't let anymore of you escape."
I glare at him, then I start dialling the home number. It takes only 2 rings before a familiar voice that breaks my heart picks up the receiving end.

"Hello? Hello? Who is this?" She breathes out.
I sigh. "Hi Mom, it's me. Rye."
"Rye?! Oh sweetheart you're okay! Oh my god..." I can hear my Mom crying quietly.
"Mom? Mom, listen to me. I'm just calling to say goodbye."
"Goodbye?" She cries. "What do you mean?"
I take a deep breath, holding my tears back. "I love you," I croak out, "and I'm so sorry for not protecting Willow. Tell Dad I love him."
"Rye, stop being stupid!" She laughs through her tears. "Who are you with?"
"Decimus Cray. I answer, looking up to see him snarling.
I can almost here her freeze on the other end of the line.

"That's impossible." She breathes. "I-I killed him." She says quietly.
"Well..." I say, looking Decimus up and down, "He seems pretty alive to me."
Decimus cackles, knowing what my mother has just said to me.
"Mom? Who is that?" I hear a familiar voice say in the background.
There is a shuffling noise as Mom hands the speaker the phone.
"Rye?" The voice says, and I know immediately who's said it.

"Willow?" I reply.