Constellations | Cato Hadley

Chapter One

The Capital was not her home; it was her prison. She lied to the citizens that night during her interview. They weren't her family; her family was back in District Ten. Her family was her mentors and prep team, but in the Capital right now she was alone.

Four white walls surrounded the girl. Her hazel eyes often moved from the wall directly before her to the door and back to the wall. The silver door was her only escape. Her only chance at seeing him again.

It had been two weeks since she was allowed to see her fellow tributes of the 74th Hunger Games. Word spread that soon she would see them again. Nurses spoke in hushed voices of training the children, preparing them for the slaughterhouse like farm animals. It made Wren sick to her stomach to think about going back into the games. The possibility of dying once more.

A sharp pain in her stomach caused her to look down and scream. An arrow was sticking out of her abdomen. Red, sticky, blood flowed from the small wound as she pulled the weapon out. The arrowhead was darker than before as her eyes glazed over.

"It's okay Cato. I'll be okay. Shh, it doesn't hurt."

A scream left Wren's lips as she dropped the arrow.

"Look up to the stars, Cato. Aren't they beautiful?"

The silver door flew open as three nurses, dressed in the same white as the walls, entered. Their hands were at Wren's arms as they tried to lay her back down on the stiff bed. The brunette only choked out a sob as she held her stomach. The woman to her left said something inaudible to the girl. Wren looked down once more at the wound. Blood soaked through her shirt as she tried to cover the hole. A nurse snatched her hand away as Wren cried.

"The stars will guide me home."

A man wearing a white coat entered the room with a needle in hand. Clear liquid sat in the syringe. The older gentleman flicked the tube twice before holding up her arm. Wren shook her head back and forth out of protest.

"My stomach!" She wailed before letting out another strained sob.

"Wait! The arrow!" Wren screamed at the staff. Her eyes were wide as she watch the man easily stick the needle into her arm. The nurse at the end of her bed shook her head and clicked her tongue to the roof of her mouth. Wren's head felt hazy as the medicine slowly kicked in.

"Sweetheart, it's not real," the woman in white said as Wren looked down at her abdomen for a final time. There was no arrow, no blood. The brunette inhaled deeply before falling into a state of sleep. The Doctor and three nurses left the girl in the white prison. With a seal of the silver door, the girl was left alone once more.

...

A groan escaped her chapped lips as she woke up from her slumber. The stiff hospital bed was not the comfiest in the Capital. Wren's heartbeat accelerated at the presence of her Doctor.

"Good morning Ms. Eldrid. I take it you had a decent night of sleep for once, yeah?" he asked with a chuckle at the end. Wren bit her lip to stay quiet. "I want to run a few tests on you Ms. Eldrid. Mr. Heavensbee and I want to make sure you're okay to start training."

"Training?" she asked. Her voice was strained. She couldn't believe that the gossip was true. A nurse appeared just in time with a cart of medication and food. The tray consisted of chicken noodle soup, a slice of bread, and a cup of water. Wren's hand shakily went for the small glass of water as she brought it to her lips.

"Yes, training. We want you and the others to start training to regain your strength."

"Strength for what?" she asked even though she knew the answer.