I am sorry for the wait. I had relay today so I couldn't write much I was spending most of my time running then relaxing on the couch. Thank you so much for all the Birthday wishes! It really means a lot to me. Oh and thank you for reading the author's notes I know people like to skip them and get on with the story.
Cloves POV
I look down to see mist swirling around my feet and blackness everywhere else. I am dressed in starry yellow. With a yellow dress, yellow hunting boots and a yellow hunting jacket. I realize where I am with a pang; this must be heaven, or something in between. The mist swirls around me and figures appear around me. I turn to see all the dead tributes (so far) from the 74th Hunger Games. The games I died in the games I was forced to become a part of.
"I was cheering for you Clove, we both were. But you died by an evil boy who would not join us. Now we cheer for your love that currently seeks revenge". I look towards the voice and find myself looking at Marvel who has his arm draped over Glimmer and Rue. I look at Rue`s little face and feel horrible about what I said. "Rue...I ...I'm sorry" she cuts we off with a wave of her hand. 'I don't blame you for the capitols faults Clove; I blame the capitol for their evil creation of a game we are all never destined to come out of "she says with a nod of her head.
I look around at all the other faces. I look at the tributes that were killed at the blood bath, a lot of them at my hands. I look at Shimmer and Neptune, the guy who threatened Cato. I look at Rue and the district 7 girl. I look around at these faces and new hatred burns up and within me. I don't hate fire girl whose name I randomly know as Katniss. No I do not blame her for fighting for her life; I blame the capitol for putting her in that situation, for putting all of us in that situation. So now I wish I was alive so that I could start a riot and kill off the capitol, let's hope the winner does in for me.
Glimmer looks at me and opens her mouth "Remember Clove" she starts only to be finished off by Marvel "Death is only the beginning" and with that they all one by one start to fall. I notice in the order they died. I fall last, submerging into bright light scared of what comes next.
The blindness is replaced by images of my family, of my life. I find myself brought into a story of my life; it is like I am watching it from the side lines. I first see my mother holding me in her arms, caressing me and rubbing my little baby belly. I see my father leaning over the bed and peering down at my little baby face. Then with a pang I see my grandparents sitting on chairs in the sunny lit room where I was born. I recognize it as the infirmaries main birth room.
Everything suddenly goes blank and another picture appears. I see my parents with their peace keeper uniforms in a train. They are on the way home from their job. Coming home to see their family that now consists of me and Cecilia. I then realize something. I was wrong this is not a story of my life but replays of the most important things in them. I watch as a large jolt shakes the car and the lights go out. I can't see anything but all I hear is screaming and then a large crash and the sound of flames kicking up around me.
A picture then appears of Cecilia and me walking around on the streets, all alone with no one. We stop in front of a big house that I recognize as the big house I have been living in what feels like all my life. I am looking back to the day when Cato`s mom and dad found Cecilia and me on the streets and took us in. I watch as Mr. Skinner and Mrs. Skinner step out of their house, wearing their peace keeper uniforms; hand in hand. Mrs. Skinner`s gaze turns to me as I stare wonderingly up at their huge house. Mrs. Skinner whose name I finally found out as Mandy lets go of Toms hand and walks up to us. "What's your name dear" she asks me seeing as I am the oldest out of the 2 of us. "I`m Clove and this is my younger sister Cecilia" I say nervousness coating my voice. "Oh dear you are the kids of Drew and Kendra" she says "I worked with them when I was younger, I`m so sorry dear". She says before her face turns to look deep in though. "I have a son a year older then you dear" she says to me a funny look on her face. 'He has always wanted to have siblings even though I couldn't have any more" she says before turning to Tom who has the same look on his face.
"Sweetheart" she says while walking quickly to his side "We can take them in and send them to training, we owe Drew and Kendra that" she says and leans in to whisper into his ear. I listen hard, I never heard what she said when this happened "They did save our lives" she whispers before Tom slowly nods. "Okay" he says before turning to look at us. I have a frightened look on my face, I was such I wimp back then I think as I watch myself slowly back away with Cecilia as Tom steps forward. "Come and live with us?" he asks just as Mandy cuts him off "We would love to take you in. We will pay for your food and clothing and in return one of you will go to training and be in the Hunger Games" she says while looking in my direction. I always knew it was me she wanted in the games; I guess I will never get the chance to find out why. The image disappears just as I nod my head in a yes; I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
The next picture is the first time I met Cato. Very important, I think without him I wouldn't have loved the way I had always loved him. I am sitting on his living room couch, wearing a pretty yellow dress and light silver flats. Cecilia Mandy and I had gone clothing shopping that day right after I agreed to move in with them. Cato storms into the room after a talk with his father about us moving in with him. Cecilia is sitting on the ground eating a large chocolate bar. A younger version of Cato stops to scrutinize me. He is dressed for training covered in sweat. "You are what I am going to have to live with" he says laughing at me. I watch as I pull out a knife and twirl it between my fingers. Cato laughs then, a huge grin appears on his face "I guess you are going to be the girl training with me" he says before grabbing her arm and pulling her towards the training outfit that is lying on the fold out chair. "Let's go train" he says before everything turns black.
The next image is Cato and I lying beside each other in a meadow. I realize this as the night we first kissed, the night our relationship started. We are both starring up at the sky and I am going on about the constellations and names of stars. I notice the loving look in Cato`s eyes that I didn't catch the night this happened, I now realize he had always loved me he had always cared. I realize that I had spent half my life hiding my love for him when he loved me back the whole time. Cato mummers something then I nod and lean in. I watch as we kiss and all the feelings I felt that night come flooding back. Happiness, love, greatness and wildness, I felt like I could do anything. I long for that night when everything was so simple.
Blackness takes over again and I am showed me at the training gym. I look the same as I do know but this girl I look at looks happy, at least she did for a bit. I am looking at the day before the reaping this year, the day that changed my life. The day that I found out I was going into the arena, beside the boy I loved. Cenap approaches Clove or me I guess and Cato trails sadly behind him, he already knows. I can't hear this time but can only watch. Cenap`s mouth moves then I are going insane. I open my mouth, probably screaming and am about to throw a knife. Cato walks up and calms me down; just like always I don't throw the knife. An action I regret deeply.
Utter blackness then me standing on a platform near the cornucopia. I close my eyes not wanting to see the beginning of the end of my life. All the other imagines seem to come in a blur. Glimmer flirting with Cato. Marvel`s face appearing in the sky and lastly it ends on my death. I can't close my eyes this time I am forced to watch it all over again. This time I see everything. Cato bursting onto the plain, pain on his face. Him kneeling beside me spear in hand. Him begging me to stay with him. Cato singing me our song then the light slowly fading out of my eyes.
Next comes a bright light then nothingness, I guess I have to wait a bit longer for the next image to appear.
So this will be the last in Clove`s POV for a while. I will make it on her POV when Cato dies though!
~~~ Laura ~~~