Chapter 4: Cleansing
Allison Winters
"Oh I didn't mean to scare you." Kevin says, taking his hand off of my shoulder. "I just wanted to talk to you."
"Erm, it's alright." I shift my weight from one foot to another. "Uhm, so I'm Allison, in case you didn't know..."
"I'm Kevin, nice to semi formally meet you." He smiles. I hesitantly smile back.
"Nice to meet you too." Back in district twelve I had never really talked to anyone. I nervously fiddle with my charm bracelet.
"Bet you miss home." He says. I nod, my gaze still fixated on my bracelet. "Bet you miss your family as well." I think for a moment.
"Yes, I miss them a lot." My voice falters at the end of my reply.
"I miss my family too." He says. "I have two older brothers and a younger sister."
"I bet they miss you as much as you miss them."
"I'm guessing it's the same for you, volunteering was a really brave thing to do, I could never do something like that." I shrug. "It's true."
"No, just..." I know it was easier for me because there was really no one I was leaving, he has a family he's leaving. I know this, he doesn't. I shake my head. "Nothing." He raises his eyebrows. "Um, I think we should go to bed now." I look down. "Good night." I rush into my room before he can ask me anything else, shutting the door behind me.
Kevin Thorne
I walk into my room plopping down onto the bed, the conversation I just had with Allison still lingering in my thoughts. She seems nice, and quite shy. I wonder if we'll be allies in the arena, she doesn't seem strong enough to last on her own. She spoke in such a gentle tone... I shake my head, clearing my thoughts. I know I need to worry about myself, and getting home to my family right now, befriending the competition will only make it harder to kill them like I will eventually have to in the end. I pull the covers up to my chin, not bothering to change my clothes and fall asleep instantly.
Allison Winters
I lay on my bed, letting my thoughts run wild. I try to imagine what it would be like, having a family waiting eagerly for my return, having anything at all worth fighting for. That would be a lot of pressure, so it's probably better to accept my death now. I stare at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to take me away from the terrible position I'm in, even if only for a moment, I want to forget everything bad happening around me. I try to fall asleep with the small hope that I'll wake up back in district twelve on my old battered mattress, that none of this is more than a bad dream. Unfortunately, sleep does not come.