I've come outside, out of the house. I couldn't stand watching anymore. Dad's drunk again, and he's beating Clove for coming home late again, and Mum's yelling at her. Felix, our brother, is just standing in the corner smirking, as usual. He knows he's the favourite, and he just laps it up. My parents love him, tolerate me, but hate Clove. Suddenly the noise stops from inside, and I hear a door slam and someone crunching through the gravel towards me. I walk towards her and wrap my arms around her waist and look up at her face.
"Are you alright? What did he do to you?" I ask.
"I'm fine Sas, I'm fine." She assures me.
"No you're not Clove, he hurt you!" I say firmly.
"Saskia" She starts.
"Clove, come inside. I'll make sure he doesn't do anything to you." I tell her. She's trying to be independent like a Career, but they still help each other.
"OK." She finally agrees. She knows I won't hurt her. It's not like I haven't had to clean her up before.
I lead her inside. Our parents are nowhere in sight, so I quickly take her to her room and sit her on her bed so I can look at her properly. She has a bruise on her left cheek accompanied by a tiny cut, so he hit her, hard, that's obvious, and her left wrist is red and slightly swollen, which means she tried to get away, but he wouldn't let her. Her left ankle also has a pale purple tinge to it, and she sat down carefully, so I reckon he tripped her and she fell to the ground. She had a bad run tonight, but I can fix it. I look in the cupboard in the corner and find what I need. I grab some bandages, tape, and towels, as well as a large bowl. First I fill the bowl with boiling water and add some Pimento, Laurel and Lavender, stir it around, and let it sit to cool down. After fifteen minutes it's cool enough, but still warm. I put the towels in the bowl to soak, and then pull them out. I make her lay down, and then wrap one around her wrist, one around her ankle, and carefully place one on her face.
"Now you're fine." I tell her teasingly.
"Thanks Sas." She says, smiling.
"Now you've just got to make sure no-one bashes me up at training tomorrow!" I laugh.
"Oh my gosh, I nearly forgot! Look in the drawer!" She says, her voice filled with excitement. I walk over to the drawer and pull out a heavy paper bag, and open it.
Inside is a sturdy, black leather belt, with a small sheath attached to it. I grab the handle that's sticking out of the sheath and pull out a shiny, silver throwing knife. The handle's perfectly contoured to fit my hand, and perfectly weighted. The blade itself is perfectly straight, and razor sharp, with a small ridge up the middle. It's about 20cm long in total. The perfect length for me. It's all perfect.
"Thankyou." Is all I can manage to say.
"It was nothing," she replied, "Now go and get some sleep, or you will get bashed at training tomorrow!"
So I kiss her forehead, and leave her room, to go up to the attic.
We used to share that room, but when she started training at the Academy, our parents told her that she had to sleep in the attic. When they left, I made her keep the room, and I took my things up to the attic and I have slept there ever since. So as I make my way up the ladder, I remember this. I was only five, and Clove had just started training for the Hunger Games. I knew she could win, and I wanted her to have a proper place to sleep. So as I crawled onto my mat, and pulled my blanket over me, I remembered her first day of training, and wondered what was going to happen during mine. Everyone in District Two starts training for the Games the day they turn ten. Tomorrow I turn ten, and start my training. I visited the training centre when I was five, to watch Clove at her first day of training. I saw her throwing knives, and when she stopped and saw me, the first thing I said was "Teach me." She agreed, and that night, she took me to buy me a small, second-hand knife and taught me. I'm worried about tomorrow, but Clove will be there. We love each other and look after each other, so I know I will be fine. With that thought in my head, I fall asleep, and wait until morning.
Before I know it, Clove is sitting beside my mat, gently stroking my face.
"Happy birthday Saskia. Lets get you down to training."
And with that she hands me her first training outfit for me to dress in, and leads me down to the kitchen, where we quickly have some bread and milk for breakfast, then walk out of the house to go to the Academy. Soon enough, we reach the giant doors that will be my life for the next thirteen years.
"Ready Sas?" .
"I'm ready Clove"
So she takes my hand, and we walk through the doors.
Together.