Ah! And so we finally go back to Johanna's POV. Thanks guys for all the reviews (but yes, I do hope for more!)
Hope you enjoy the chapter!
Johanna's POV
My family broke down when Bambi died. We had all made ourselves believe that she could win, that she would win. But she didn't win. She had died a terrible death. And it meant that I was now the oldest Mason child. I had to take her place. But I was still too young to become a lumberjack. Besides, if I wanted to, I guess I could've. But I didn't want to. Maybe I felt that it was her job. I couldn't just take it from her. Taking her position in the family was forced. Taking her job wasn't. Either way, I was busy enough already to take up a job.
Fortunately, Bambi's ally Finnick Odair won. The youngest winner of all time, that is. He's the one that has to return my locket to me. The last thing I'll have left of Bambi. And Finnick would be coming to district 7 tomorrow.
I didn't know if I could talk to him. I mean, he was the last person to see Bambi alive. And he did try to save her, but he couldn't. I don't blame him for leaving her, I knew that's what he had to do.
But at the same time, I felt like I needed to talk to him. I needed to tell him about her funeral, maybe how she couldn't have had a better ally. I'd have to talk to him, though.
I have nightmares about her death nearly every night. Her muffled scream underwater, the mutts tearing her apart. That's when I wake up, sweat soaking my body, and scream. But I instantly stop myself. I had to look over this family. I had to be the new Bambi. The one before the victory tour was the worst. The most vivid. It echoed through my mind all day. The worst part about my sister's death? She didn't die heroically. She didn't die defending herself or her ally. She died because of a stupid gamemaker's trick. A manmade mutt.
The next day, we all trudged to the justice building the same way we did for the reaping. Although that time, Bambi wasn't with us. There was a special place for the families of the fallen tributes. I bit my lip and waited for a certain victor to step up onto the stage.
Finnick Odair's POV
I sighed before I stepped onto the stage. It was Bambi's home district. And I made a very important promise to her. That I'd get her tribute token back to her sister, Johanna. My stylist had helped me with my outfit, a forest green suit. When she turned her head, I slipped the special heart locket around my neck and tucked it under my suit. Soon enough, A voiced boomed through the speakers: "District seven, please welcome Finnick Odair, winner of the sixty-fifth annual Hunger Games!" I walk out onto the stage, my now legendary smirk gleaming.
My eyes flicker over to Bamibi's family. I can make out a mother, father, a younger brother, and… ah, Johanna. Mostly hidden behind her brother, though he was a good four inches shorter than her. I manage a slight nod at her family and Johanna clutches to her mother's jacket. A slight glimmer from the locket was showing. I breathed in deeply and began my speech that had been written on my notecard. Reluctantly, I stop halfway through the speech and flip the notecard around. My eyes again flickered to the Masons. Johanna and her brother, Birch, I believed his name was, were both so young to have such a tragedy happen to their family.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save Bambi," I blurted out, looking ashamed, as I should be. "I know she is important to everybody around here. She fought for you and she lost. I partially blame myself. She's a sister." I look Johanna in the eyes. "A daughter. An ally. Heak, with her looks, probably even a girlfriend." My attempt at humor at a time like this has no one laughing. "But," I looked up, my sea green eyes glistening. "Most importantly, she was a friend. Anyone here who had the chance to be her friend is truly a lucky soul, for you will never find anybody else like her. And she was the one who truly deserved to win. I really, wish I could've saved her. I will never go a day without think about her. I owe it to her." I caught Johanna's gaze. Tears streamed from her eyes and she let go of her mother's coat to wipe them away.
I said some words about the district seven male, whom I did not know much about. That time, I stuck to the cards. What my escort had wrote about Bambi… sure, it was true, but it wasn't me really speaking. They weren't my thoughts, just some lady who probably writes all the same things for every fallen tribute on the victory tour.
I exited the stage and walked back into the justice building, where I was greeted by Mags, my mentor.
"Beautifully said," she says, the smile on her face showing how she felt.
I nodded. "I wanted something special for her. I just didn't want her to be another name on the dead tribute's list for the 65th games, you know?"
She nods. "Oh, I know," she says sadly. Mags probably had a similar experience with another tribute from her games, likely an ally. I didn't push it. Honestly, after what I just said, I wasn't in the mood for a heartbreaking story.
"I promised Bambi I would give this to her sister," I said, as I revealed the locket from under my suit.
Mags swallows hard. "You're not supposed to leave this building, but go. And be quick about it, boy," she says urgently, patting on my back as I sprint from the building to find Johanna Mason.
Johanna's POV
I slumped down on the large block where I had stood while Finnick talked about Bambi, my feet dangling over the edge. His eyes met mine several times during his speech and it made me slightly uncomfortable, though sometimes grateful. It's nice to know that somebody cared for Bambi when she was in the arena. And I'm glad Finnick won. I knew if he kept his promise, this is where I would receive the locket. I watched the people around me as they filed to leave. I told my family that I'd be home soon. They knew why I was waiting.
Finally, he shows with the locket around his neck. He popped out of the crowd with his dazzling suit to bring out his eyes, complete with a shimmering locket around his neck. I sighed.
"I have to be fast about this," he says quickly as he takes off the locket from around his neck.
I nodded, anxious to get my sister's tribute token back, the last thing she grasped before her cannon sounded.
Finnick hands me the locket and it dissolved into my hand. The cold feeling of metal on my hand, the same way Bambi felt when she first put it on.
"Thank you so much," I say, closing my hand around it. "And thank you, for what you said about my sister. That was amazing."
He slightly smirks. "My pleasure." He glanced back at the justice building where an older woman was waving for him to go over to her. He turns back around and sighed. "I have to go. I'm sorry. But it was very nice meeting you." He ran his fingers through my hair before turning around and sprinting away.
"Goodbye!" I yelled and I hopped down from the block, my feet hitting the hard concrete with a loud thud. I got a wave in reply, for he did glance behind him once and smirk. But he quickly turned back around and quickened his speed.
For the first time, I realized as I was walking home that maybe I shouldn't have taken the locket. Maybe Finnick wanted it. I brushed the though away. He made a promise. It wasn't a picture of his family inside the locket.
When I got home, I grabbed a pencil from the table. I walked to the backyard of our small wooden cottage and sat down with my legs outstretched and crossed. I fingered the locket as I gazed at the woods. Behind me, laid may house. A house I could barely return to if my sister were not in it, waiting for me. Anger fueled inside of me. I opened the locket and examined the picture. The picture no longer looked as it did before the games. I was no fool. I knew pictures didn't actually change. But the people in them could. It no longer had the happy, care free family ambiance to it. It looked hopeless, lost of meaning. We were all smiling, but I saw another side to it. Misery. We weren't genially. We were faking it, trying to find a good that doesn't exist in this terrible world. We used to have family, but it was slipping apart. One less person. Surely she realized the bad in the world in her games. Wiped that stupid grin off her face in the picture.
Fueled by anger, I raised the pencil and brought it down, jabbing it through my sister's face. A hole. A hole in my heart that I could never repair.
Sooo…. an intense chapter. Johanna's starting to show her aggressive side. Tell me what you think of that. How do you think it will affect her when she goes into her games?
Plus, you can finally understand why I called this story Holes In My Heart!
And I want to thank ElementalEvolution for reviewing! Guys, check out his story. It's truly wonderful. Just check it out. :)
I will update one I've gotten a few reviews ;) So tell me what you're thinking! I will accept whatever you have to offer. Until next time!