Hunger Games (DNF)

Part 2, Chapter 35: District 7

Clay POV.

Nick, Charlie, and I walked silently through the streets in the early hours of the morning. We had our peacekeepers uniforms back on and followed the head peacekeeper of the District. Karl had been eager to come but we made him stay behind, since we were worried his voice would be recognised.

“This is it.” the head peacekeeper stated, “the house where the family of the tribute lives.”
“Thank you,” Nick said in an emotionless voice, giving a nod of gratitude. “President Schlatt will be pleased.” Charlie and I nodded alongside him.

The head peacekeeper turned and left without a word. He walked down the dirt road between the wooden houses of District 7. Trees towered on either side, but this was one of the more wealthy parts of the District despite how it looked.

When the peacekeeper was out of sight we turned and looked at the two story house. All of the lights were off and the thin curtains were all pulled closed. Nick led the way up to the steps and knocked on the door.

A few moments later a woman with dirty blond hair and grey eyes appeared at the door, she looked up at us with worry in her eyes. “H-how can I help you?” she stuttered as she watched us, probably scared that a trio of peacekeepers were at her house at 2 in the morning.

“You and your family have been requested to come to the train station immediately,” I informed her, “grab anything essential and then come with us.”
That made her look even more worried. “W-what for?”

“It is related to your son Karl,” Charlie responded, usually he would have made a joke or something but he must have known that we need to be in a rush.
“B-but I thought that Karl was dead,” the woman said in a whimper, “that is what the peacekeeper said anyway.

The Capitol would surely know that the tributes were gone by now, and they have probably sent the city into lockdown. I doubt they would have realised we went in the trains but it was only a matter of time.

Karl’s mother looked worried, and the 3 of us wanted to reassure them but didn’t want to do anything to make us, or them, blow our cover. She nervously shuffled inside and we followed inside without invitation, seeing as we wanted to act like the peacekeepers.

“Is there anyone else in the house?” Nick asked, and Karl’s mother nodded.
She looked worried but was complying, probably worried that we were working for the Capitol and of the punishments she would face if she didn’t listen.

“Go wake them up,” I instructed. The woman's grey eyes widened and she disappeared upstairs to go wake everyone else up.
The 3 of us stood awkwardly with the door shut behind us, waiting patiently for Karl’s mother to assemble her family.

A moment later Nick decided to follow the woman upstairs, make it seem that we were getting impatient, which we kind of were. They came downstairs a few moments later, Karl’s mother, with her blond hair and grey eyes, carrying a little boy with blond hair and grey eyes.

A man with brown fluffy looking hair followed and he was helping an elderly woman in her 60s or 70s down the stairs who had grey hair and sunken blue eyes like the man. Nick followed behind the group carrying his gun by his side.

“Is that everyone?” I asked, looking past the family and into the eyes, well helmet, of my best friend.
He nodded, “I checked all of the rooms, these 4 were the only people there.”

The small boy was hiding his face on his mothers shoulder, but he turned his head slightly to look at Charlie and I. “What’s happening?” he whispered to his mother, but she just signalled for him to be quiet.

“You are to come with us to the train station, by order of President Schlatt,” Charlie stated, before turning around and opening the door again. “Since your District is on curfew, if you make any noise you will be shot.” He, Nick, and I knew that was a lie but we didn’t want them to try anything for their own safety.

I took the lead and Nick moved to walk beside me as we headed onto the dirt street and began walking towards the train station we came from. From behind us I could hear the family coming out of the house followed by Charlie.

For about 10 minutes we walked in silence, passing dozens of peacekeepers as we led the 4 tired people to the train station. They looked both confused and worried, well besides the small child who seemed like he’d fallen back asleep.

Once we’d gotten them onto the train and it had left we directed Karl’s family through the halls to the barrack. Nick followed behind them and began pulling off the uniform again. They walked through the first 2 empty barracks and into the one that Karl was in.

I continued behind them and being a lot taller than the family from District 7 I looked over their shoulders as they walked into the room. Karl was sitting on the edge of the bed hugging Alex, probably feeling worried about us and his family.

“Karl?” the brunette man asked, seeming slightly surprised that his son was here.
“Dad?” Karl looked up from where his head was buried in Alex’s shirt and a small smile ghosted over his face,

He jumped up and ran at his parents, being engulfed in a family hug. When they had pulled themselves apart Karl was crying again, but for once it was happy tears, not sad tears. His mother pulled him back into a hug, being shorter than her son by a considerable amount.

“Thank god you are alive Karl.” she said while they held each other close. “The peacekeepers had told us that you were dead. I-I can’t believe…” she cut herself out as she let out a choked sob.
“I know mum,” he responded. “I missed you.”

After a few moments of silence the pair pulled away from each other, both of their cheeks stained with tears. “How did you get here?” Karl’s mother asked him, and I could see all of Karl’s family were wondering the same thing.

The tribute sat down on the edge of the bed with his mother and father sitting on one side, his grandmother on the other side, and the sleepy child sitting on his lap. He began telling them about what happened.

Charlie and I didn’t stick around, we turned out of the room and left to do other things, but Nick and Alex stayed to be with Karl, possibly to meet his family (since they are most definitely dating). I walked to the control room where Fundy and the 2 avoxes had been.

The red haired boy was looking over a map as the train began speeding along down the tracks under the control of the avox. I looked over Fundy’s shoulder and looked at where we were going next. My eyes widened and I immediately felt happy, seeing that we were heading to my District next.

“We’ll get there in about 2 hours,” Fundy explained when he noticed I was looking. “Then we’ll get your family and Nick’s.”
I gave a nod of thanks before leaving the room to find a place to relax for a couple of hours.
_________________________________________
1257 words.

If you guys didn't see, I made an announcement about the future of stories (mainly regarding smut) under my profile. I suggest you read it if you do read the smut chapters.