Hey! Jolteon here! Last chapter of Bloodliness :( thank you all for the support, and I hope you enjoy this as much as I will :3
Fabian Rouvin, Victor of the 100th Hunger Games
Pain. Pain is the only thing I can feel when I close my eyes, remembering the poison going down my veins. I can't move, however all my body, all my organs can feel this mortal substance meshing with my blood and burning down each part of me. I want to scream, but I can't. I'm being hold by Wolf and Wren Wellows. Both are smiling. I can feel how they play with a knife down in my body while I'm dying in here.
That's my nightmare every night. When the knife hits my head, I jump out of my bed, screaming. The first few nights, Nikolas came to my room to check out that everything was ok. Now, now no one enters when I scream, waking up with my cold sweat all over my face and body. I put my face between my hands and sight heavily. Every night is the same. I dream with all of their faces, killing me in several ways. But the worst are the ones that includes Faustina.
I see the clock, it is 8 am, so I get up from bed and walk down the train to take a cup of water. Today my Victory tour will begin, so I will travel to each of the Districts to give some sort of speech about the fallen tributes. How am I suppose to look at the eyes of 12 parents, all grieving their children, while putting a fake smile on top of the stage. I wash my face when, in the mirror, I see my mentor in there, standing, with a serious face.
-You don't have a good look kid- He says to me. I stare at him and turn slowly -Are you calling me kid? Don't you have like...18 or something like that?- I say to him. He laughs a little and denies with his eyes close, before standing in front of me -Yes, but still I'm older kid. Are you ready for today?- I deny with my head, he just stares at me and smile once again. -Well, doesn't matter. Get ready, the next couple of weeks will be rough for you- And with this he left me alone in the bathroom. Rough couple of weeks, that's a way to put it down.
And he wasn't kidding...
First it was District 12. When we got there, everything was grey and actually, it was raining a little. I feel bad for this people, as the peacekeepers were obligating them to stay on the rain, to listen to a kid that survive this hellish games instead of one of their own tributes. Catrina and Henry Lundry. I remember that my sister was the one taking out Catrina, as she bragged about the first night in the Games. Henry, it was Cassie the one ending his life.
As I approach to the stage, and get up my eyes to the stage where their parents must be, but I only see Firoz Theodore in there. He is looking at me with deadly eyes as I throw my speech about how their deaths were not in vain. I feel nervous as he sees me, and I wonder why neither of their parents were in there. Not to long after I finish, my escort explain to me that their mother died a couple of years ago and that their father suicide after Henry's death. Well, another death over my shoulders...
District 11 was almost the same, with the exception that, in the stage, there were three little kids, with a young woman holding them. Also, there was Tomas, the past victor. He looked at me with tired eyes, like he knew what I was thinking. He gave me a smile and a nod, and actually it kind of made me feel warm inside. Amani and Brock most probable were smiling in the sky. At least their brothers and sister were in good hands.
District 10 was the home of Carol and Barret. I don't know what happened to her, only that she died on the second night of the Games, while he...it's other story. I still dream with his screams as he is being burn to death by Wren with that flamethrower. I looked at his uncle and his cousin, both of them with stared at me with hate as I spoke about the two of them. Is this what I am now? A person who is hated?
District 9 was the fastest, and weirdest, as they chant my name for me to win instead of one of their own tributes. Apparently the Wellows where not the favorites in their District, even though Wolf got to the final, they all wanted him and his sister dead. One guy even was crying for joy as I spoke that I will always remembered them, now that they were not longer with us.
District 8 confused me. For one point, they cheered that Bronson was no longer alive, specially the younger ones, that he seemed to bully a lot in school as they told me later that day. But, from the other hand, some of the parents were quit serious when I talked about Rashima and that she ended up being a strong contender. The mayor told something to Nikolas that until today, he haven't said to me what was it. He just told me that Rashima could have won this if she wasn't so lazy.
District 7 was a rough district for me. Orion was a good kid, he ended up being killed while sleeping, according to what Cassie and Ken told us. But Folia...she was my first kill in the Games. Seeing their family in there, her mother crying, her father staring at me with true hate, her little brothers crying as well. Broke my hearth. Broke my hearth in little pieces...and it was only half of the tour.
District 6 was the home of Cane and Finn. In the platform, there where over 20 men and women, all of them crying for their tributes. This was one of the two Districts where I didn't need speech cards, as I talked with my hearth, specially about Cane. I said sorry to their friends and family, and all of them just nod at me when I told them that Cane's death was one of the most difficult for me to watch.
District 5 was sort of weird. Everyone was in silence while I talked about Jake and Sarah. Jake I didn't know him that well, only that he was a freak, and actually his parents were kind of relief that he was dead. Sarah, I told them that she was a special girl that was on the wrong place at the wrong time only. Their father remembered me at mine, with a cold face while I talked about their dead kids.
District 4 was the other district where I truly spoke with my hearth. Ken was one of my friends in the Arena, he saved me a couple of times, and he died for that. I remembered him falling down to the sea of bugs once again. Cassie on the other hand was my only friend when Faustina died. She ended up with me in the final 5 and she was my true friend all along. Her death, I didn't see it, but according to what I have heard, it was horrible. Their mother and brother were crying, but had a smile in their face when I told them that I really miss them both.
District 3, they all hated me. Not only because I had win the Games, but also because their own tribute got in to the final 2 with me. Lani Gadge was a strong, faithful and caring woman that fought until the end with her own personal demon. James on the other hand always made us laugh and his death I actually resent it. I made a pray with all the District, for them. I don't know what the district did, but I close my eyes and spoke to God for them. This was the last time I had a talk with him.
District 2 was going to be the last, so we head to District 1, where the Enfields were waiting. What crushed me wasn't the family from Sam or Alexandria. Was actually the dog. A large Golden Retriever was in there, crying while I did my speech, like knowing that, for me, his owners won't come back home. It was hard. That night I dreamed about all of the families I had seen.
Finally, District 2. I stare from the window of my room in the train to see my District. A crowd is there to congratulate me for my victory, and when I get out of the train, they all cheer for me. I just keep staring at the floor while my mentors drag me inside the Justice Building, where the mayor of the District is waiting for us, with no other than my parents.
At first I stare at them. My mother is about to cry, with a smile in her face, while my father stares at me with proud eyes. Neither of us says anything, but my mother comes to me and hugs me. I don't reply to the act of kindness, but instead, I follow my escort to the stage. My family comes with me as well, and I get out, to hear the crowd cheering for my name.
At first I put the fake smile I had put in all the other Districts, when the mayor presents me as the new Victor from District 2. I take the microphone and sight for a moment, before watching all my District, expecting to what I have to say.
-Thank you mayor! And thanks to all of you District 2. Second year in a row where District 2 is victorious in the Hunger Games- The crowd cheer louder at this, to what I giggle a little -I have to specially thanks Nikolas Martino, he was my mentor since day one and well, now I will take his place. And I promise you District 2, I will bring you a Victor!-
I smile at them while they chanted my name. I turn to smile at my mentors and both of them nod. I turn again to the crowd and ask them for silence for a moment -I will also like to thank all the twenty three tributes that gave their lives for me to be here today. Specially to Ken and Cassie Carr, from District 4, Lani Gadge from District 3, and my sister...Faustina- My voice crack a little, with two tears dropping down my cheeks.
I leave the microphone in there and turn to go to the Justice building, after another cheer from the crowd. After a quick lunch with my mentors, I head to my new home in the Victors Village, just across from where my mentors live whit their own families. My surprise is big when I see that, inside the house, my parents are already install. They ask me to come to the kitchen, and as I sit down, I think is for ask for my forgiveness or something like that.
I am so wrong..
-Ok, listen kid- My dad says, with his serious face -In my new home, you are just a guest, ok? We haven't forgive you for what you and your useless sister did. But I don't have other option that let you live in here since this is technichally your house- I could feel the blood getting warm and warm as he talk - So here are the rules. I will continue with my work, but all your money will be manage by your mother and only by her, do you-
-Shut up- I spit to him, he stares at me with mad eyes -Excuse me? How do you dare tal-
-I SAY, SHUT THE FUCK UP! I HATE YOU! BOTH OF YOU! DON'T YOU GET IT!? FOR YOUR FAULT FAUSTINA IS DEAD! DEAD AND WILL NEVER COME BACK! AND ALL YOU CARE IS SOME PROUD AND A FUCKING JAR THAT I BROKE!- I yell at them. My mother stares at me with fear in her eyes as my father is kind of shock. I have to take this opportunity, so I smack down the table before staring at them -Get the fuck out of my house! NOW!-
Half an hour later, I was alone, with a bottle of beer in my hand, looking at the fire, remembering my life before the Games. Now my life is miserable. Why have I ever volunteer for the Games? Why?
That's a question that no one can answer...
So here it is, not the greatest epilogue, but at least it's something. I'm sorry, I'm not good at all writing down this type of chapter. I hope you like the story, see you at Demon's Lair!
-J