Forbearance • A Cato Hadley Story

2.14

It had taken a few days for Mark to get back on his feet but thanks to Chloe who, at the age of thirteen, had become fascinated in the medical field and made sure that he was getting better quickly. He hadn't talked much the past few days from the beating but no one was going to blame him. Most of the people who had seen the event agreed that they wouldn't even have the courage to leave their own home after such a thing. Even Cato had agreed on that matter.

Livia, Chloe and Mark all sat on the couch in their living room watching television. There had been an announcement that President Snow had a fun surprise for the Quarter Quell and everyone was required to tune in. After a few minutes of waiting the president finally entered the screen. Livia's heartbeat quickened when she saw the man. Even the mere sight of him frightened her, although she wouldn't admit it.

She casually brought the blanket she had covered her legs with over her entire body and used the fabric to cover her face like she was attempting to hide from him. Mark, who sat on the opposite side of the couch from Livia, hadn't noticed, being so focused on the television. Chloe on the other hand noticed her sister tense up and took a hold of her hand, hoping to comfort her. In a way Chloe understood her sister's feelings toward Snow. He was downright cruel in their opinion.

He had his usual deceiving smile plastered on his face as he waved to both the crowd and the camera as if he was waving to those at home. Once Panem's national anthem finished playing and Snow stopped waving at the Capitol's citizens he stood behind  a podium, staring out into the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the 75th year...of the Hunger Games." he started happily. The blonde didn't understand why a 'game' so brutal could make anyone happy.

It was simply disturbing. Nowadays the thought alone of the games heightened her anxiety. It was truly terrifying. Especially after experiencing such a thing first hand. "It was written in the charter of the games that every twenty-five years there will be a Quarter Quell. Now, on this the 75th anniversary of our defeat of the rebellion we celebrate the third Quarter Quell." Snow continued. The audience erupted into cheers at the mention of the Quarter Quell.

Mark sighed as the three waited for the applause to stop and the president to go on. But when the president spoke again, they all wished he hadn't. "As a reminder, that even the strongest cannot overcome the power of the Capitol. On this, the third Quarter Quell game, the male and female tributes are to be reaped from the existing pool of Victors in each district." he announced. Chloe, who held the remote in her free hand, shut off the television quickly as they all processed the president's words. Livia wasted no time storming out of her house as Chloe cried in distress.

She couldn't believe it. After everything she had been through she was being forced to possibly re enter the games two years in a row. So she ran. She ran into the woods behind her house, not stopping until she reached the electric fence that kept her from going any further. For thirty minutes to an hour Livia sat in the cold and thoughts ran through her head at what felt like a mile a minute. She considered for a moment staying in place and letting herself freeze to death in the cold. In her mind it was the quickest way out.

She could end it before Snow could. But she knew she couldn't do that. For the sake of her father and sister. For Cato. And that's when she remembered. "Cato..." she breathed. Cato also had a chance of going into the games. She couldn't let him go in. So with a new found motivation she ran back to Victor's village and stormed into Enobaria's home. Not only was Enobaria in her dining room, but so was Haymitch and Brutus. All three of them were sitting around the table discussing something that seemed suddenly unimportant when she walked in.