I slept the whole way back to district 2. Randy wakes me up when we had pulled into the station. I run to the window and wave to everyone cheering at me. I go outside and they all cheer loudly, because they have to. I wave for a while and skim the crowd. I have no idea where Cole is. Finally I am permitted to go back to my house to pack up my things to move into Victor's Village.
I pull the key out from under the mat, the custom hiding spot and unlock the door. I walk into the empty foyer, dead silence.
"Cole?" I shout. It is so quiet that I can hear my breaths echoing off of the walls. No response. I walk into the kitchen and on the doorframe I see a bloody handprint. Oh god. I think. I walk into the kitchen, more blood. My breaths are short and crisp right now and the only sound in the entire house. I walk into the dining room and I see Cole in one on the chairs sitting, covered in his own blood, and then I see his head across the room.
"Oh god. Cole? Cole! COLE!" I am screaming now and crying. What am I supposed to do. And then I hear creaking footsteps coming down the stairs. I have never been more scared in my life. Not even when I was in the arena. I hide behind one of the counters, one that I know is just big enough to hide me from view.
It would have worked if only the attacker didn't know me so well. If only he didn't know exactly where I'd be. It would have worked if the attacker had not been my father. Yes, my father. The one that I had killed.
"Dad? But…. How?" I ask, stumbling over my words in pure confusion.
"You have got to be more careful when you leave a man for dead, Clover." He says, snickering at me, "Oh," His face lights up, "And congratulations." He says with a perky tone before he lunges his hidden dagger into my chest.