The Beginning of the End (Clove Kentwell)

Chapter 25

   Iris set the puppy down outside the front of their house. "Could you go get Prim and tell her to come out here?" Iris asked Clove while slowly sitting down on the porch steps. Clove helped her sit down then nodded her head going inside. The puppy came running and jumped into Iris's lap licking her in the face. Iris chuckled while petting the dog but suddenly she heard the door open behind her. Iris turned her head to see Prim and Clove walking out of the house. Prims face lit up when she saw the puppy in Iris's arms. She instantly sat down next to Iris and the puppy jumped onto her lap. Prim started laughing as the puppy jumped onto her chest and started licking her. Iris smiled then looked up at Clove who had a small smile on her face. Iris flicked her eyes over to Clove as her smile grew a little bigger. Iris looked back at Prim who was playing with the puppy, "Where did you get him?" Prim asked still laughing. "Her name is lily.... I got him from an old man down the road." Prim shot her head up and looked at Iris shocked. "You talked to Mr. Broger?" "I didn't know his name-" "The old man sitting on his porch in a rocking chair." Prim said cutting Iris off. Iris nodded her head, "What's wrong?" "No one has been able to get him to talk since his wife died in the games." Prim said as her face turned from happy to sad within an instant. "Well I'm happy I could get a few words out of him."

The sun set very quickly and the peacekeepers started walking around making sure no one was out after curfew. Iris plopped down on her bed and stared at the ceiling as lily plopped down right beside her. "You have to get your pajamas on before you can get in bed you dork." Iris looked to see Clove walking into the door. Iris smiled then sat up, "Did you see if Max ever came back?" "No." Iris looked back at the ceiling. "What happened anyway?" Clove asked digging through her and Iris's stuff to find something to sleep in. Iris paused and looked back at Clove for a second before answering. "I decided to tell him about the whole capital thing and let's just say he didn't take it very well." Clove stopped digging through their bags and walked up to the bed setting down two pairs of pajamas. "Go ahead." Clove said gesturing towards the clothes. Iris looked down then grabbed the pajamas putting them on.

As Iris just finished putting her pants on she looked over and saw Clove just about to put her shirt on. Iris's eyes slowly went down her small perfect body, but it was suddenly covered up by her shirt dropping over it. Clove turned around and saw Iris staring. Clove smirked but decided not to say anything as Iris had already turned as red as a tomato.

  They both laid down and looked up at the ceiling as just a little bit of moonlight shown through the blinds of the windows. Suddenly she felt a cold draft but she didn't know where is was coming from. Iris decided to ignore it until she felt a body press against her own. Iris flinched away but quickly gave in as Clove put her hand on top of Iris's and started tracing her finger over it. Iris smiled as she felt Cloves warm touch on her body, then she slowly drifted to sleep.

Iris woke up with a weight on top of her making her unable to get up. Iris looked down and saw Clove resting her head on Iris's chest. Iris squeezed her eyes shut as Snow started beating on her head once again. Iris took a few deep breathes to calm herself and shut him out just as before. She opened her eyes once more and saw Clove sleeping on top of her. Iris admired her for a second without even realizing it, how Cloves breath was so calm and steady, how her hair fell perfectly, how her face was somehow even more perfect when she was sleeping, and how the morning sunlight hit her face just right so Iris could make out every imperfect perfect detail on her face. Iris quickly came out of her thoughts as Clove started to stir awake. Iris didn't know what to do and started freaking out as her breath quickened. Clove snuggled into the crook of Iris's neck as she took a deep breath. Her breath sent chills running down Iris's spine. Iris nervously put her hand on Cloves back feeling her hand go up and down with each of Cloves breaths. "Wow I didn't think you would get that comfortable." She heard a scratchy voice say. "Yeah well me neither." Iris said truthfully. "And how long have you been awake?" Clove questioned lifting her head up and putting it on Iris's chest looking at her. "Not-Not that long." Iris said tripping over her words as she looked into Cloves soft and loving brown eyes. Clove hummed sending a small vibration through her chest making Iris's heart leap. "Well I am going to get up and go see what's for breakfast." Clove said getting up and putting some clothes on. "Ok I will be out there in a second." Clove nodded then walked out closing the door behind her. Iris took a deep breath and looked at the ceiling. "How did all of this happen?" Iris asked herself as lily came and laid down next to her resting her head in her arm. Iris looks down and brought her other arm pet the top of Lilys head. Lily shot up as she ran to the edge of the bed unable to jump down yet. Iris put her hands over her face and rubbed her eyes, then decided to get up. She swung her feet over the side of the bed and slowly got up keeping her balance, then she grabbed lily and set her down on the cold floor. She slowly walked over to the door and opened it walking out of the room as lily followed.

Iris saw Clove, Prim, and Mrs. Everdeen all sitting at a table eating breakfast. They all looked up from their food at her before Mrs. Everdeen quickly stood up, "Oh please sit down dear I will bring your food right over." Iris nodded then sat down in a chair next to Clove "Lily!" Prim said excited as she got up and went outside as the dog followed her. Mrs. Everdeen walked over and set a plate down with two eggs and one piece of bread with some butter on it. "I know it's not what you're used to but it's all we have." Mrs. Everdeen said with a saddened tone. "No no this is great, and to be honest with you I don't really remember that last time I ate breakfast." Iris looked back down at her food then picked up her fork and started eating. "Have you guys by chance seen Max?" Iris asked starting to get concerned. "No." Both of them said almost in unison. Iris nodded then looked back down at her plate as everyone else started making conversation. Iris grabbed her napkin then wiped her mouth getting up. Iris went back to her room and got ready. She walked back out and everyone was still eating, she walked to the door then quickly turned around, "Oh wait before I go." Iris walked back over to the table then grabbed her piece of bread and walked out saying bye.

Iris finished her piece of bread as she walked down the path towards where she got beat by the peacekeepers. It was a little colder than usual as a light chilly wind blew making Iris put her hands into her pockets. She looked around the sad lonely town feeling bad for everyone. She was sitting great, she had everything back at district 5 and then got moved to even better things at district 13. She never really thought about everyone else who lived in states above her or how bad their living was. Iris got brought out of her thoughts when someone tapped her on the shoulder. Iris spun around and saw Finnick standing there with a sad look on his face. Iris smiled as she hugged him but he didn't hug her back, so Iris quickly got off of him. "What's wrong?" Finnick opened his mouth to speak but then she heard screaming coming from the town square. Iris looked at Finnick then ran in the direction of the screaming with Finnick right behind her. Iris got there and saw peacekeepers beating Max. Iris sprinted as fast as she could over to them but the peacekeepers just picked up Max and threw him into the back of their truck. Iris ran as fast as she could towards the truck but the two peacekeepers jumped in and sped off. Iris ran to the middle of the road and saw the truck making its way to most likely the capital. A tear fell down Iris's face as she stared at truck going down a dusty path. Iris wanted to scream, shout, do something but nothing came out of her. She suddenly felt a body collide with her own embracing her in a hug. Iris felt Finnicks arms around her as they slowly fell to the ground as Iris silently cried with Finnicks arms around her.
"What if they kill him?" Iris accidentally said out loud.