Hunger Games (DNF)

Part 2, Chapter 40: getting Clay's mother

Karl POV.

Drista tried to have a solemn face as I walked in front of her and Charlie walked behind her. Alex and Fundy had gone in a different direction to Nick’s house. I was desperate to ask Clay’s sister more questions about George.

I held the peacekeeper rifle which wasn’t loaded with bullets as we walked through the streets towards the Victor’s village at the edge of the District. Every so often I wasn’t sure where to go so Drista leaned forward and whispered directions for me before Charlie pulled her back (only to keep our cover).

A lot of people around recognised the blond teenager and she waved playfully at them, as though she wasn’t being led through the streets of her home by peacekeepers. They all seemed confused or concerned but none of them did anything because they were worried we’d shoot them.

Once we made our way out of the main streets and began walking through a meadow towards the village. We stopped acting except for Charlie sending the occasional glance back towards the main buildings of the District to see if anyone was watching.

Drista had started laughing, she was finding the whole situation utterly hilarious. When she managed to calm down she looked over to me. “So on our way back to the train station I know there is a way you can go directly there from the village but can we go by my school first?”

“Why would you want to do that?” Charlie asked from behind her. “We are kind of on a tight schedule and the Capitol probably are already on their way in their own train or a hovercraft.”
The blond smirked. “I just think it will be funny for all my friends and teachers to see me getting escorted by peacekeepers.”

“Is escorted really the right word when we are acting like we’re arresting you?” I asked her, and she nodded.
So I rolled my eyes. She was honestly more crazy then her brother and I couldn’t be bothered listing all of the reasons why we couldn’t take detours and it seems Charlie couldn’t be bothered either.

By now we had reached the gates of the village and walked inside. Drista had obviously been here several times since she ran ahead of us and up to the door of one of the dozen houses. Both Charlie and I ran to catch up with her.

“You know this isn’t too believable if you run off from a pair of peacekeepers with guns as though they wouldn’t shoot you,” I stated as I stood up on the steps in between the blond girl and the door.

“Well I know you two wouldn’t shoot me,” she responded with a smug grin that looked identical to the one her brother had.
“If you blow our cover I probably would,” Charlie grumbled. I was going to laugh but resisted the urge to as I knocked on the door of the house.

A woman with white hair and blue eyes in a red coat was standing there. She looked like she was about to ask us a question before she spotted Drista and her eyes widened. “Hi mum,” Drista said in the tone a toddler would use after breaking something and trying to cover it up.

“Drista… what..? Why are...?” She couldn’t seem to manage a sentence as she watched her daughter standing between a pair of armed peacekeepers. Behind her I could see a man with his hair dyed pink, his red eyes staring into mine from through the helmet.

“Mum I can explain everything,” Drista stated, looking up at the woman with a slight smirk which confused her and the victor. “But first we need to go to the train station.”
“Really?” Drista’s mother asked, still looking confused. “Right now? And with the peacekeepers?”

The blond girl nodded at her mother before stepping forward and grabbing her hand. “Please trust me.”
After a moment of consideration, the woman nodded and let out a huff. “Fine, I’ll go but I want an explanation the moment I get there.”

Her daughter nodded back at her, and then she looked over to the victor. “Techno you can come too.” She stated.
The victor looked surprised but he nodded. “Fine. On the condition I get to bring weapons.”

The pinkette looked past Drista and over at me as I nodded. He seemed suspicious as to why a peacekeeper would allow a random person (or not random person because he was a victor) to come with them with a weapon.

He didn’t say anything though as he disappeared into the house and reappeared with some knives in his belt which you couldn’t see around the cloak-like cape he pulled over his shoulders. Without even looking at us he shut the door and began leading the way towards the train station.

Charlie and I exchanged a glance through our masks before he ran to stand in front of Techno and signalled for him to slow down. The pinkette grimaced and looked ready to stab Charlie but Drista walked up to him and whispered something which made him stop.

After a while we reached the train station and the train was still there on the tracks closest to the station platform. I walked past the group and up to the door and it slid open silently. Then I beckoned for the group to go inside and they hesitantly did.

When the door slid shut behind me I called out to the control room, signalling to Fundy that we could go now. Sure enough the train began moving along the tracks a few moments later. When we felt safe enough Charlie and I pulled off our helmets and we felt the eyes of Drista’s mother and Techno burning into the side of our faces as we did.

Clay POV.

I sat in front of the avoxes and began practicing the newest word the Davidson’s managed to teach me. A few minutes later I heard the door of the train opening. “We are here Fundy. Start the train!” Karl called out from the corridor.

When he said that I knew what that meant. Karl and Charlie were back with my family. Quickly I thanked the pair of avoxes and then ran out of the room, feeling eager to be reunited with my family.

I ran through the corridor, being careful not to run over Karl’s little brother who had been exploring for most of the morning before reaching my family. “Mum! Drista!” I couldn’t help but call out excitedly.

They both spun around and smiled, as I pretty much crashed into them with a bone crushing hug. We stood in silence for a few minutes as we hugged and I saw that Techno was standing there too so I gave him a smile.

“Clay, there is something I need to tell you.” Drista said once our reunion was done.
I looked at her with my brows furrowed. “What do you need to tell me?” I asked.
From around me I could tell the rest of the group was being quiet so they could listen.
_________________________________________
1194 words.