The Beginning of the End (Clove Kentwell)

Chapter 21

   They walked up to a small house a little older but still one of the nicer houses in the district. Mrs. Everdeen opened the door letting everyone in. "Come sit down." Prim said grabbing Iris's hand making her sit down. Prim went and got a wet rag and put it on Iris's bloody head. "Prim it's not that-" "I don't care. You don't need to go walking around looking like that." Iris sighed. Mrs. Everdeen took Clove and Max down a hallway, then she quickly came back. "I was just showing them their rooms, I can show you when Prim is done." Mrs. Everdeen said keeping that blank face. Iris nodded letting Prim continue what she was doing. Her mother walked back down the hallway leaving Prim and Iris alone.

"Ow!" Iris yelled jolting to the side. "If you could refrain from moving that would probably be best. Besides this will help." Iris didn't argue and stayed as still as she could. "Who's the boy you brought with you?" Prim asked while putting the wet rag back to Iris's head. "That's my brother...Max." "Max...." Prim repeated letting her voice trail off. "Earth to Prim." Iris said after she didn't hear Prim say anything for a minute. "Oh right sorry." Iris smiled, "It's okay." "I just have to clean it one more time to make sure it doesn't get infected." Iris hummed letting Prim know she heard her. Suddenly she felt the side of her head burn just like it did before but this time she didn't move around as much. "Wow better than I expected." "Ha ha." Iris said sarcastically. "Ok I'm all done so you can go get settled with the rest of them. Iris nodded and thanked her walking away but just before she got to the hallway she stopped, "Oh yeah Prim.." "Yeah?" Prim said looking up from the table she was cleaning up. "Don't be daydreaming about my brother now." Prim turned as red as a tomato and Iris walked away chuckling. On her way down the hallway Iris bumped into Mrs. Everdeen. "Oh your bedroom is right here." She stated opening the door. Iris smiled when she saw who was sitting in a chair next to the bed. Iris turned and thanked her then Mrs. Everdeen walked away. Iris went and sat on the bottom edge of the bed in front of the chair. "What's up?" Iris asked looking at Max who was staring at the ground. He shook his head, "Nothing." Iris narrowed her eyes at him. "Fine I may have a few things on my mind." "Ok well can you tell me one of them?" Iris asked trying to be nosy. Max looked up from the ground and at her, "Iris what are we going to do?" "What do you mean what are we going to do?" "What if we lose against the capital." Max sated as if he was already defeated. "We won't." "And how do you know that?" Max asked as a little spark of hope lit up in his eyes. Iris leaned toward, "I know that place from the inside to the outside and trust me we got a few friends here as well that can help." Max looked happy almost excited but all that disappeared in almost an instant. "Wait how?" Iris stumbled over her words as she tried to avoid to tell her own brother that the capital beat her. "Well....that's where I was the whole time I was gone and I couldn't come home." "Did.....did you get taken by the capital?" Max questioned looking down at the ground. Iris stayed silent assuming Max already knew what she was about to say. Max got up and headed for the door. "Wait where are you going?" Iris asked before he walked out. "Just outside to get fresh air." Iris nodded then he went on his way.

   Iris laid back on her bed and looked at the ceiling. What if they really did lose.... Iris and Clove would die first then anyone who had anything to do with the revolution next. If it meant all the districts had to be destroyed Snow might do it. Iris covered her face with her hands and sighed. "What's going on?" She heard a soft voice ask. Iris quickly removed her hands from her face and looked up to see Prim standing at the door. "Oh it's nothing I was just thinking." "May I?" Prim asked gesturing to the empty spot on the bed beside Iris. "Yeah, I don't mind." Iris said scooting over so Prim could sit down. "What do you do when you feel like you are on your own for everything?" Prim asked unexpectedly. Iris's eyes flicked up to Prims making eye contact. Prim instantly looked down at the bed looking anxious. Iris reached over and grabbed her hand, "Listen, there are many things people have to do themselves..... I have done a lot of things by myself and here I am.......but there are certain things some people should never have to do alone." Prims eyes slowly made their way up to Iris's. Iris brushed her thumb over Prims trying to be as comforting as possible. "I am here for you whenever you need it.....even if it's something stupid....if you don't want to do it alone I am here." Prim smiled, "Thanks Iris." "No problem kid." Iris cringed at herself for calling Prim kid when clearly she was at least 13. Mrs. Everdeen yelled Prims name from the kitchen, "Promise?" Prim said getting off of Iris's bed "Promise." Iris repeated back to prim as she headed out the door towards her mom.

   Iris swung her legs over the side of the bed and started taking off her boots. She had forgotten all about her metal foot. Iris slipped the boot off and placed her metal foot on the ground with a light clank sound. Iris crossed her leg and inspected the foot a little more closely. She saw a tiny red dot flashing and beside it it had a few numbers. Iris's eyes got wide...... it was a tracker, but then she narrowed her eyes and got confused. If they knew she was on the hovercraft before it left then why didn't they try to stop her or come get her. There was a soft knock on her door making Iris jump then quickly put her foot down. "Is your foot any better?" She heard Clove ask. "Yeah......it's going to take some getting used to but it's better." "How about your head." "It's okay...well better than it was before Prim helped me." Iris slipped her boot back on and stood up. "I think I am going to go walk around outside." Iris said trying to avoid Clove. Iris walked towards the doorway but Clove didn't move. As soon as Iris tired to get past her Clove put her arm out making her stop. Iris stepped back and looked at her. "You can't go anywhere with an untied shoe." Clove said as she kneeled down in front of Iris. Iris's face got red as she quickly looked away. Once clove was done tying her shoe she stood up, but Clove was a lot closer than Iris thought so as she looked down her breath hitched. Iris looked at Clove for a second then felt Cloves hand slowly move up her arm. Iris could feel her breathing quicken and her heartbeat get faster. Cloves eyes flickered from Iris's eyes and lips. Snows voice pounded through her head but Iris wasn't going to step back like she has done time and time before. Iris looked at Clove almost feeling her breath on her lips. Cloves hand found it's way up her arm and to her chin. Clove put on finger on the bottom her her chin then she put her thumb over Iris's bottom lip. Iris knew her face got red as she felt it get hotter. Clove smirked for a second as her eyes flickered from Iris's eyes to her lips. Snows voice got louder and louder it was practically screaming at her to step away from Clove. Iris ignored him as best as she could as she looked into those passionate brown eyes that Iris could almost get lost in. Iris felt Clove grab her other hand and place it on her hip. Iris looked down at her lips, they looked so soft and gentle. Iris looked back up at her eyes as she felt almost some sort of magnetic pull towards Clove. Clove slowly started leaning in as she closed her eyes. Iris felt almost panicked as she didn't know what to do. Snows creaming eventually got to her as Iris dropped her hand from Cloves waist and stepped back walking around her and out the door.

   Iris stepped off the porch taking a deep breath of the fresh air. She decided that walking around 12 would perhaps clear her mind. As she walked through the oddly quiet town she looked at some of the houses along the edge of the dirt path she was on. Some of the houses had holes in their roofs others didn't even have roofs. Iris felt a pang of sadness as she looked down at the path in front of her. She heard some sort of squeaking making her look up. She looked around and saw an old man in the porch of his house sitting on a rocking chair squeaking every time he moved backwards. He gave her a weak smile that was barely visible from where she was standing. Iris was going to keep walking but her soft heart got the best of her as she started walking towards the man. She stepped up onto his porch and smiled at him, "Sir, is there anything you would like me to to for you?" Iris asked trying to be as nice as possible. He gave her a pained smile as he looked up at her with saddened eyes then shook his head no. "Sir please, I would love to help." "D-d-do you b-by ch-cha-chance have an-an-any f-food to s-s-spe-spear?" The man asked though he stuttered over his words so badly and his voice was so weak and quiet that it was hard to understand him. "Food?" Iris questioned. The man nodded still giving her a pained smile. Iris nodded then stepped of his porch speed walking back to the Everdeens house.

Iris walked through the door to see Mrs. Everdeen and Clove sitting on the couch talking. "Do you know where prim is?" Iris asked Mrs. Everdeen. "Yes, she should just be out back." Mrs. Everdeen said pointing to the back door. Iris made her way to the door feeling Cloves eyes on her the whole way. Iris stepped outside once more and saw Prim playing with a cat. Iris walked up to them as Prim looked up then quickly stood up. Iris laughed then looked down at the cat, "You know I'm not a Sargent or anything, you don't have to stand up as soon as you see me." Iris said still chuckling. Prim laughed with her then knelt back down in front of the cat. "Iris meet Buttercup." Prim said picking her up and showing her to Iris. "I would let you hold her but Buttercup doesn't like other people very much." Iris smiled then put her hand up letting the cat sniff her hand. The cat instantly pushed her head against her hand wanting to be pet. "Woah.....that's new." Prim said looking at Buttercup. Iris's hand grazed over the cats soft fur. "Um not to interrupt but why did you come out her again." "Oh yes I almost completely forgot." "Do you guys have a forest anywhere near here?" "We have one across the border but Katniss and Gale were the only ones that ever went there." Iris nodded dropping her hand from Buttercups head and walking back towards the door. "Oh yeah and do you by chance have a axe?" Iris asked.