"What are you doing here Clove? It's one in the morning; shouldn't you be at home, in bed, sleeping?" I ask, sitting down next to her.
"And I could say the same to you." She retorts.
"Fine, you win. I'm not that bot-"
"They're gone, Cato. Killed in a fire." She says in a dead voice, "Mum, Dad, Kyla. Gone." I can see tears starting to appear in her eyes, but I know Clove. She doesn't show emotion. She doesn't like being comforted, she says it shows weakness, but everyone needs someone to go to. So I pull her onto my lap, she buries her head in my chest and I hold her as the tears fall silently down her face and onto my top.
"I'm sorry Clove. I really am." I tell her, but she doesn't listen, instead she moves away from me and says,
"Well, that enough emotion for one day."
"Clove, are you sure you're alright?" I ask.
"I'm fine Cato. Do you mind if we talk about something else?" I nod my head and she carries on, "Why are you out here this late, Cato? I thought you had to look after Lucy while your Mum is in the Capitol and while your Dad's away 'working '." She says the last word sarcastically. Clove is the only one who knows what my Dad is like and how he treats me.
"Dad's back." I say, and she immediately jumps on me, pinning me to the ground. I could easily push her off, but I don't. Instead I let her pull up the sleeves of my jumper and examine the cuts Dad had made a few hours previously. She looks at my face, only just noticing the cuts there.
"Why do you let him treat you like this?" She says, pain slip out with her words.
"Because he is a lot older and heavier than me, the more I fight back the more he cuts and beats me. And if he stops cutting and beating me he will look for a new target, someone else he can take his anger out on, and I'm sure you know who it would be." I tell her.
"Lucy."
"Lucy, and I can't let that happen to her. I've grown up with him taking his anger out on me and I'm used to it. I know how to deal with the pain. But Lucy, Lucy has never had to experience it and I don't want her to. Did you know Dad tried to cut her tonight? He walked towards her, knife in hand, and asked if she was weak. He was going to see going to see if she was weak by cutting her open. I couldn't let him hurt her. She's my sister and if I hadn't stepped in front of her this," I say, gesturing to my body, "Would have happened to her."
"But you're strong."
"He's stronger."
"You're smart."
"He's cunning."
"You've got motivation."
"He does to."
"You've got something worth fighting for."
"He doesn't need something to fight for."
After opening and closing her mouth a few times she sighs, "I don't know what else to say."
"You don't have say anything. Just, let me deal with this on my own please. I don't want you to get involved with my battles." I ask her.
"Ok." She reluctantly says. She then mutters under her breath something that sounds like, "You would help me though." Then louder she continues, "But I'm always willing to throw a knife if needs be."
"Yeah, I know that all to well." I say, rubbing my arm where one of Clove's knives had once pierced it.
"Hey! It's not my fault you got in the way of one of my shots."
"You threw it at me, and if I recall it properly you were at the opposite end of the gym to me."
"Technicalities." Clove says with a wave of her hand, "You weren't listening to me and I needed to get your attention."
"So? It doesn't mean you can throw a knife at me." I say before pouncing and pinning her to the floor. She starts trying to push me off of her, but it's not working.
"What are you doing?" She finally shouts.
"Getting revenge. I think thi-"
I suddenly wake up to screaming. I am up, out of my bed and making my way to fire girl's room within seconds. When I open the door I see her tangled up in her bed sheets, breathing heavily with her eyes glued shut. I slowly make my way over to her and sit down in the chair next to her bed. She doesn't notice me, instead she starts thrashing around in bed while screaming Peeta and Prim's names.
"Ash! Ash! Wake up, it's only a dream. It's not real." I say while shaking her shoulders. But she doesn't respond, she just continues thrashing and screaming.
"No, please...Don't…I'll do anything," She begs, "Stop…Please…Peeta…No, Prim!"
"Ash please, please wake up. It's not real. Please." And thankfully she stirs. Opening her eyes slowly she stares at me. For what seems like hours, but in reality she just stares into my eyes. Blue meeting grey, until her eyes fill with tears. "Ash, your ok now. Your ok it was just a dream." I assure her as she buries her head in my shoulder.
"S-Snow was t-torturing them, Peeta and Prim. He had t-them and was slowly killing them. A-and I was there watching, not moving, just watching. I wanted to help them, b-but I couldn't move. Y-You have to believe me. I-I wanted to help!" she wails.
"Ash, I believe you. I really do. Don't worry, it's not real. He hasn't hu-"But I quickly stop what I am saying. Yes, yes he has hurt them. He is the one that sent Peeta into the Games. The Games that caused his death. As for Prim, well, she was hurt. Badly hurt. Tortured so that Ash would do what Snow told her. She came home the other day, same with Lucy. Snow sent them back to us, but not before he had scarred every inch of their bodies, physically and mentally.
I hear a creak from behind me and turn to see the two bravest girls ever standing in the door way, concerned looks on their faces. As soon as Prim sees Ash crying into my shoulder she is at the bed squeezing her sister tightly. "Katniss, are you ok?" She asks in small, tired voice. But she doesn't reply, instead she lifts her head off of my shoulder and shrieks,
"Prim! You're alright." And Ash immediately throws her arms around Primroses neck.
I quietly walk away from them and towards Lucy. Once the door is closed behind us I grab Lucy and swing her onto my hip. "Now, what does my little princess want for breakfast?" She giggles at the nickname and replies,
"I don't know, what does my big brother want?"
"Umm, how about pancakes."
"Yeah!" she sequels excitedly. Sometimes I forget that Lucy is still just a little girl. She has had to grow up so fast because of Dad, the Hunger games and Snow taking her. Snow. How does he live with himself knowing that he has destroyed so many lives and ripped apart so many families? How can he live with the knowledge that he sends 24 innocent children into an arena to fight to the death? Well, mostly innocent children. I volunteered for the games. I volunteered to kill other children, for what…fun? Fame and glory? No, I am far from what the other kids are when sent into the games. I was not a child; children are meant to be kind and caring, not vicious and cruel. Children are meant to be looked after and cared for, not beaten and put down. Children are meant to be like Lucy, not like me, a monster.
"Cato, are you alright?" I hear a voice say, I snap my head up to find myself in the kitchen, holding onto the edge of the counter so hard that my knuckles have turned white. I immediately let go and turn to face Lucy.
"Yes. I'm fine, just…thinking."
"OK. Why aren't you making my pancakes then?" She playfully shouts at me, "I want pancakes!"
"Pancakes? Could I have some too?" Lucy and I both spin around to find Prim and Ash walking in to the kitchen and sitting down at the table.
"I'll have pancakes too." Ash says.
"God, I'm not a cook. Get up and make your own." I say throwing the mixture to her.
"Yes, true. But we are the guests, and the guests always come first." And she throws the mixture back at me.
"Not if that guest has lived in my house for eight months now."
"God, you two are so childish. Give me it, I'll do it." Prim says walking over to pour the mixture into the pan. I try to avoid Ash's eyes but eventually they meet and both of start laughing immediately.
Later that day when both Lucy and Prim are in bed and I am sitting on the couch watching some boring Capitol programme, Ash comes into the living room and shyly sits down next to me. For a while she just sits and stares at the floor, then she says, "Umm, thanks for this morning. I'm sorry you had to see me like that. It's just that I'm really worried that she will get taken again and I'll never get her back. She's too young to be dragged into something that doesn't involve her." By now there are streams of tears pouring from Ash's eyes. I quickly move over and embrace her.
"I know Ash, I know." I don't bother saying that everything will be alright, because it won't and Ash knows that too. "We just have to do our best to protect them."
"P-promise me something?" Ash whispers into my ear.
"What?"
"Promise that if something happens to me and-"
But I cut her off not wanting to hear wants she is going to say, "Nothing will happen to you. I won't let anything thing happen to you Ash."
"I know, but just say something did happen, promise me that you would take care of Prim and that you would protect her and Lucy at any cost."
I don't even need to think about my answer and without hesitation I reply, "Always."
"Always, it's such a strong word. It's a word that is said all the time but one that people forget so easily. Are you sure you can keep that promise, Cato?"
And again I answer without delay, "Always."
All five of us are sitting in my living room. I am squeezed into the corner of the couch while Lucy, Prim, and Ash take up the rest and Tors is sitting in a chair across the room from us. We are all here because today is the day that the twist for the quarter quell is released.
Snow has just walked onto the stage and is about to take an envelope marked 75 out of a box when I turn my head to see Ash shaking with nerves. Not scared for herself of course, but for the little girl sitting next to her. I lean forward and place my hand onto her smaller one. She looks up at me with her big, grey eyes, asking silently for reassurance, reassurance that I cannot give. So I sadly shake my head and turn back to the T.V.
I watch as Snow slowly opens the yellow envelope and reads "On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from the existing pool of victors along with their loved ones." Snow gives what most would call a smile at the camera but as he says his next words I can see the smirk of joy that slithers through his mask, "And may the odds be ever in your favour."
I am still; frozen to my seat. Not wanting to believe what I had just heard. Wanting to rewind time and tear out this moment. But I can't. I am going back into the games.
There must be plenty of other victors from district two celebrating the news. The chance to go back into the games is an honour to most of them. But to the three victors sitting in this room it is a curse.
Ash is the only female victor from District twelve which means that she is going back into the arena. And the only person that she truly loves- who is sitting next to her- is going in with her.
I, on the other hand have about thirty other victors from my District, but I know that it is me that will be sent back into the arena. After all, I am the one who defied the Capitol. I am the one who tried to give the Capitol no victor. I am the one who needs to be punished. And what better way to punish me than by sending me back into the arena with the person I have tried to protect my whole life, Lucy
My sweet, little sister Lucy. Tribute of the 75th annual Hunger Games.
Hey, I am sorry this chapter took so long but I have been given loads of homework and I already have a test I have to revise for.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I found it really hard to write and I hate it so I can understand if you guys do too.
Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed or favourite this. I really appreciate them. My happiness grows every time I see one, so please try to make me burst with happiness!
SafeEyesOpen: I am really pleased you like this story and my writing. I am sorry this chapter took so long to update, but here it is. Thank you for the review.
Guest: No, you don't need a doctor. This is the Hunger games, its normal (I think). I hope you liked this chapter thank you for the review.
Phoenix Retribution: I'm glad you liked the chapter. Thank you for the review and I hope this chapter is ok.
CountryGeek: Thank you for the review. I'm glad you like how Cato is protective of Lucy.
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