District 4 Awakening: Undone
Undone by Haley Reinhart
Nothing but emptiness inside
Love leaves a black hole where it dies
How can I ever love again?
Undone…
Cameo Watters (20) D4 Victor of the 95th Games
"You need help, River?"
I watch as River struggles to keep up with me as we head to the District 4 Hospital. She's panting and clutching onto her belly as she speed walks several yards behind.
"So… humid…" she pants as she plops herself down on a bench. I can't help the smirk that begins to form on my face as I go to sit beside her. Her chestnut brown hair falls in damp tendrils down her chest and plasters to her round face.
"It hasn't been this humid in awhile…"
"Hmmpphh…"
"Listen River," I sigh as I turn to face her. "I know this past year has been hard for you."
"No shit," she growls.
"I'm just saying that I'm here to help and I'll be here as long as you want me to."
A brief moment of emotion flashes in her emerald green eyes and soon fades as she looks up at me, the corners of her lips quivering. "I'm sorry… stupid hormones."
"It's fine."
She nods quickly and stands, collecting her ocean blue bag and sunglasses. "We better go… we shouldn't be late…" she rasps as she begins to walk ahead on the stone pavement without me. After what seems like hours, we reach the large multi-structured building. The antique white bricks take shape the best hospital in District 4, Panem for that fact.
"Thanks for coming to my appointment." She turns towards me and smiles. "Calloway couldn't make it with the Games and all…"
"It's fine." I laugh and look down at the sand beneath our feet. "That's what friends are for."
"Right." I look up to see her nod and wave me towards the sea glass doors that open automatically. "Let's go." The small gust of wind awakens me as the smell of fish and beach disappears is replaced with a strong sterilization fluid and soap. The lobby is quiet, only a few people waiting patiently in the long rows of chairs in the large room, the seashell décor making the room seem more lively and welcoming.
"I'll check in with the receptionist," she whispers as she slowly makes her way across the room, the others in the room smiling or giving envious looks. I find a spot for us at the corner and pick up a magazine, 'The Capitolist'. I flip through the pages to see pictures of models who are either photo shopped to the max or are extremely ugly, until one catches my eye.
River.
She's wearing a beige cloth around her chest and abdomen and the main focus lies on her baby bump, round and full with a blue and pink heart drawn on both sides of her belly button. She sits on a black stool, the backdrop a subtle white and a soft glow illuminating from her, the 'pregnancy glow'.
"They photo shopped the stretch marks… and my face." Her soft voice startles me as I quickly close the magazine and look up to see her eyes begin to water, her lips slightly parted. "It's a nice photo though."
She sighs and plops down in the chair besides mine. "I just wish me being pregnant was in different circumstances…" Her voice trails off and she reaches for a magazine and opens it.
I nod and give up on reading, not wanting her to catch me finding yet another picture of her whether it be from a year ago or the wedding. "This is your first time here, right?"
"Yep. Seraphina said since I was coming here anyway I should visit the hospital for my monthly appointment." She fingers the page and lingers on a picture of herself during the Chariots, Leon staring at her as she waved to the crowd just a year ago. "It's funny. It's been a year, yet it feels like an eternity sin-since L-Leon." Her voice cracks when she says his name and tears begin to fall.
I sigh and wrap my arms around her. "River, please. Not now, not with everyone watching…" Her hair tickles my nose and scratches my cheek as I continue to hold her, her round stomach pressing up against me with enough force to suffocate me.
"I'm sorry." She sniffles and grabs for a tissue, blowing her nose. "I've just been thinking of him more often lately… I've tried forgetting, it hurts." She bites her lip and quickly wipes her eyes. "He's gone."
The harsh words send me aback and I open my mouth and shut it, not wanting to discuss the sensitive subject further. I change the subject. "So, do you know the twin's genders?"
Her face lights up. "No, Calloway and I decided to wait until the birth." Sensing my confusion with the picture she points to the magazine haphazardly thrown on the coffee table. "The Capitol was just making predications, most believe it'll be a boy and a girl…"
"It's a common thought. It could end up being two boys or two girls…"
"Nah. I feel they're different, a boy and a girl…" she trails off again and smiles, tracing patterns on her stomach.
"Mrs. River Seymour Echo."
River's eyes widen and her body jerks at the sound of her name. She quickly gathers her things and waves me to join her. I smile and head towards the small waiting room that the small petite woman guides us to. She quickly notes that the doctor will be here momentarily and quietly shuts the door.
"Do you have any names picked yet?"
She frowns and looks up from the chair centered in the middle of the room. "I have several in mind, I haven't discussed them with Calloway yet…"
"Are you going District 4 or District 7?" I smirk as I catch River blush and look down at her feet. "You know, name wise?"
"Both, most likely nature names." She nods and smiles. "I was thinking if there's a boy that we could have his middle name as Linden, you know, for Calloway's father."
I nod. "He'd like that."
My next thought is interrupted when a middle aged man with dark brown hair and blue eyes walks in and smiles. He wears a t shirt and khakis under his medical coat and a small nametag on his right breast.
'Dr. Kai Watters.'
Crap, I forg-
"I'm Dr. Kai Watters, also known as Cameo's father." He winks and opens River's manila folder and begins to scan through her files.
"Your Cameo's dad?!" She looks at me astonished and her eyes begin to narrow. "Why didn't you tell me?!"
My lips begin to fidget and form a nervous smile. "I honestly forgot he was here." She doesn't seem to buy it as he applies a clear jelly on her stomach. "I mean, I figured we were seeing a different doctor…"
"Hmmm…" She shakes her head and turns her attention away from me and towards the small monitor.
"Cameo often forgets things, he's quite forgetful." My dad chuckles and continues to move the device around River's belly. "Ah, the twins are as healthy as whales." He grins and prints several pictures and hands them to her. "Take care River, Cameo." He nods and opens the door and shows us to the lobby. "Cameo, can you please take these to your mother?" He hands me a bottle of prescription pills and waves the both of us out.
"Come back again."
River and I exit and the tension breaks as we head towards my family's bakery. "We need to make a quick stop on the way to the Justice Building."
She nods and continues her pace as the sidewalk curves and winds as the bustling streets of the District come alive. We pass by shops and stores with much stealth as we avoid the masses of people who long to meet the living Victors of District 4, especially River. We run down alleys and dash through small streets and finally rest at the end of one street. We're both panting and with heads down to help circulate our blood when high pitched laughter breaks my recharge.
"Hahahahahahaha! Cameo. What. The. Hell. Is. This?!" She's gasping in between words and continues to laugh hysterically.
I look up in horror and discover the source of River's laughter. It's an underwear ad that the Capitol made me do, I only agreed for the ad paid for my yearly rent for an apartment in the Capitol. I stare back in horror as I see myself in only a pair of grey boxers, a Career smirk plainly written on my face.
"Hey! I think I look pretty good!" I can't help the heat that makes its way towards my face, my smile faltering as River's laugh reduces itself to chuckles. "It's not photo shopped."
Her head snaps towards me and her mouth opens slightly. "What do you mean this isn't photo shopped?" She stares at the poster in confusion, noting the swimmers' body I've kept up since I was fourteen. "Show me."
"What?"
"Show me. Take your clothes off."
She's gone mad. "Whoa, whoa, whoa-"
"Just take your sweater and t-shirt off. Obviously it didn't bother you when you shot this ad…"
I groan and meet her emerald green eyes, shining with curiosity. I quickly unzip the sweater and peel it off, hesitating as my fingers clasp the bottom of my light blue shirt. She signals her impatience with a sigh and a glance of her watch. I slowly exhale and pull the thin material over my head and drop it to the ground. Her eyes widen and grow as I slowly as I make a 360 turn.
"Believe me now?"
She smirks. "Man, Cameo. You should walk around with your shirt off more often, if I wasn't married I'd be all over that." River's flirty side shocks me as I put both articles of clothing back on, she'd never say that if she weren't in her current state.
"Don't get so full of yourself. I think of you as… the older brother I never had." She laughs and looks up at me. "So don't think otherwise."
"Trust me, I don't. You're like a sister to me too."
She nods and gathers herself, looking back down at her watch. "Crap. We have twenty minutes until we're supposed to be at the Justice Building. You still need to make a stop, right?"
I quickly nod. "Yeah. Let's go." Lucky enough the bakery is just around the corner and I open the wooden door to the bakery and River is greeted to the warm scent of vanilla wafting through the small bakery that I had known to love growing up.
"Cameo, honey!" My mother appears from the kitchen and welcomes me with open arms, her long blonde hair that smells like ocean mist bringing back memories before my Games. "Ah, this must be River! It's very nice to meet you." My mom's olive green eyes shine as she embraces a startled River and takes a few steps back.
"Mom…"
"Oh, hush Cameo! You brought a guest, a mother to be at that!" She quickly brings a tray of cookies to a small booth and motions us to sit. "The Justice Building is right across the street so you have nothing to worry about!"
River shrugs and takes a seat, grabbing a chocolate chip cookie and stuffing one in her mouth. "Mhhhmmm… this is delicious, Mrs. Watters."
"Call me Cora. Cameo, relax." She motions towards River and I sigh complying with my overly excited mother. I grab a macadamia cookie and recount the small snippets of memories I had here, earlier memories gone from the trauma of the Games. I quickly hand my mother the pills and she stuffs them in her apron.
"Momma!"
I groan as the small trio emerges from the kitchen, small amounts of flour covering their clothes and hands. My mother grabs three cloths from the counter and hands one to each of the sprouts.
"Oh my gosh. These are the cutest set of children I've ever seen!" River bolts from the booth and crouches down to meet the small children's eyes. "Are these your children, Cora?"
"Ah, yes. My three year old triplets." My mother smiles and hands each a small box of animal cookies. "You wouldn't mind watching them for ten minutes while I sort some orders?"
"Sure."
River smiles and waves me over to join her and my siblings as my mother disappears around the corner to the kitchen. "Why don't you talk about your family?"
I shrug. "It's complicated, a long story for a later date." She nods and points to the trio, "So what are they're names."
I smile and point to the farthest on our right, a little girl with two dark brown ponytails and blue eyes. "That's Ariel." I point to the little tyke in the middle with short blonde hair and sea green eyes. "That's Portland." And finally the boy with dark brown hair and olive green eyes. "And that's Skylar."
"Awww! Skylar looks just like you!" She giggles as she opens each of their boxes, the trio giggling along with her. "They are so adorable. Do you come down often to help?"
"Yeah, after they were born especially. I'd help with the bakery while my mom stayed home, now she has a small playroom for them in the back." My mother returns with a large bag and a smile as she calls for the kids to the back. River and I collect our things and we gladly accept the bag of goods my mother offered us.
"Come home soon, Cameo. I wish you the best, River."
We exit the building and head towards the Justice Building, the walk quiet as we face yet another year of tragedy. Another year of anguish and terror as the lives of teenagers fall into our hands. My mind begins to fog as we head towards the room where our tributes wait, where they lie. River stops at the entrance to the lab and falls to her knees, her body quaking as she brings her hands to her face.
"H-Help me. Leon… help me." She grabs for her music player and fumbles with her ear buds, quickly standing and sitting in the blue accented love seat. She sits mesmerized as Leon's song calms her. I don't question her, or any Victor's sanity. Once you leave that Arena, a part of you dies there. Your past memories and self lost in the blood and misery seeped into that damned Earth.
"River asleep yet?" Leon asks as he starts up the music program on the Capitol laptop provided for him.
"Yeah."
He nods and grabs the guitar. "Cameo, I know I won't make it out-"
"Don't say that."
"I'll die protecting her."
"What if something happens?"
"Then you can dispose of this. I don't want the Capitol getting it."
I shake my head. "Please. Have faith."
His blue eyes meet mine. "I already have."
The memory is interrupted with a bloodcurdling scream. My instincts go on overload as I grab for the nearest weapon for me: a scapel. My eyes dart around the room and find a young girl with small, delicate features springs upward from the metal table and screams.
"AhhhhhHHHHHH!"
The other two awaken and begin to scream as well, the male heaving into a trash bin while the other female begins to claw at her throat. River dashes toward the three and injects them with the relaxant while I stand paralyzed in the corner of the room feeling stupid for not reacting fast enough. River heads back to the love seat and waits as the trio becomes to calm down.
"What the fuck is going on?!" The older girl screams like a banshee, her almost black hair covering her pale features.
"Hhhhhh…" The other female begins to relax, her screams reduced to mere hushed whispers. Her eyes droop and stature drags, on the verge of exhaustion.
The male is still heaving but not as violently and is calming down with each passing moment. His short, spiky black hair is drenched in sweat and beads away from his pale green eyes.
"I know you must all be concerned…" River starts to speak and brings her right hand to her bump. "… and both Cameo and I understand the circumstances of your awakenings. This is the 4th Quarter Quell, the year that past tributes are brought back from the grave to compete for a second opportunity." She spit the last couple of words out, but it was nicely put.
"I was in the 21st." The petite girl whispers as she eats the energy bar next to her table. "Are you trying to tell us that we were brought back from… the dead?"
"Yes." River whispers and clears her throat. "Your name is…" She gathers the files and scans through the information with her index finger tapping the lower right corner. "Brielle Marina."
"Yes." The girl's voice quivers and she shudders. The older female stands at the corner of the room, her blue eyes dark as she plays with her long fingernails.
"You're Ashton Finnow of the 59th Games?" I ask to the male who simply nods and lowers his head. "Your sister, Billie, is here to see you. Down the hall and to the left." He slowly stands and nods, his pupils dilating in and out of focus as he exits the room.
"And you in the corner, Eccentricity Elm." River states as she looks the older female in the eye.
"It's Tricity." The girl's voice is low and sultry, a bit seductive. She slowly makes her way to River, her hips swaying and lips in an innocent pout. "District 4 Career of the 90th Games." She curtsies and stares at me, her eyes darkening.
"I'm not surprised they'd bring me back, I was an amazing opponent in my time…" she purrs. I'm taken aback when Tricity sits on my lap and face me, her dark blue and my green eyes centimeters away from each other as she begins to dance on me, her hips grinding into mine. Heat flashes to my face and soon my lower body. I jerk my body back in the love seat and grab her arms.
"This is not appropriate." I feel the corners of my mouth twitch and form into a nervous smile as River merely stands several feet away smirking.
"Boohoo." Tricity gets up and pats herself down, the thin gown accenting her curves.
"As much as I enjoyed watching Cameo squirm, that wasn't really appropriate." River gives Tricity a serious look, much to her reaction while I was given a lap dance.
"Shut up. Looks like one of us went a little too far with him." River's lips turn up in a snarl and she looks about ready to pounce. The tension in the room thickens as the two females' gazes rise sharply into deathly glares.
"We-We're not-"
"Yes. Me and Cameo here are lovers. He's my baby daddy."
I stare at her, stupefied. "What are you doing," I whisper to her.
She ignores me. "So don't touch him, or I'll make sure you don't came out of that Arena alive." Her threat sends Tricity aback and several seconds later she smirks.
"Fine."
The older girl retreats to talk with Brielle and the two talk in hushed voices as the four of us wait for Ashton to finish with his goodbye. I turn to River who grins and looks up at me.
"Why'd you say that?!" I'm sure to be quiet so the two girls won't hear us.
River waves my comment over and stares at the monitors. "She's not good for you, remember I'm the annoying little sister that gets in the way of your love life." Tricity looks up from the conversation and River smacks my arm playfully. "Oh Cameo, you're so funny!"
"Hahaha, right." I'm going with what she says, playing along.
Tricity goes back to the conversation and River's expression turns dark, her eyes darkening and lips thinning. "She reminds me of myself a year ago, minus the sexual prowl."
I laugh. "Yeah, she's pretty confident."
"I'll take her, you take Brielle and Ashton."
"Okay."
Ashton returns with bloodshot eyes and a grim smile, the truth hitting him like a Capitol bullet train. The girls join him and the three make their way to the train, River and I behind them. I help River onto the train's metal step and make our way to our rooms. I plop down on my bed and feel my eyelids droop as Leon's song sounds from River's room. The dark shapes and nightmares take hold and never let go…
We'll make our agreements
About when to meet
And I'll leave you in the doorway
The cold evening aches
As it leaves in its wake
All the memories left by the day
And I'm questioning why
As you look to the sky
That it's cloudless up above our heads
And thoughts come to mind
That our short little lives
Haven't left the path that they will tread
They will tread…
I'll come back to haunt you
Memories will taunt you
And I will try to love
It's not like I'm above you…
The wisdom we learn as our minds
They do burn'll
Entice the naivety in youth
As adults will grow and maturity shows
The terrifying rarity of truth
As you turn to your mind
And your thoughts they rewind
To old happenings and things that are done
You can't find what's passed
Make that happiness last
Seeing from those eyes what you become
What you become…
I'll come back to haunt you
Memories will taunt you
And I will try to love you
It's not like I'm above you…
I will see you there
See you there
See you there
I'll come back to haunt
Memories will taunt you
And I will try to love you
It's not like I'm above you…
A/N: Here are your District 4 tributes: Brielle Marina, Ashton Finnow, and Eccentricity "Tricity" Elm with mentors Cameo Watters and River Seymour Echo.
Disclaimer: Do not own the amazing song "Haunt" by Bastille.
1. Favorite and least favorite tribute. Why?
2. What do you think of Cameo?
3. What do you think of River?
4. Which District would you like to see next?
Love Always, Domi