The Beginning of the End (Clove Kentwell)

Chapter 35

Iris walked along the rough path to her house which was left untouched. Iris opened her door and looked into the empty house looking around and taking a deep breath feeling like she hadn't been home in years. "Hey move out of the way and let me in." Max said pushing Iris out of the way and running in laughing. A smile grew onto Iris's face as she watched him run up the stairs to his bedroom. Iris walked in and closed the door behind her. She went and sat down in her mother's favorite chair, it even smelled like her. Iris rocked back in forth in it for a second closing her eyes. Suddenly she heard Max come running back down the stairs, "I found it!" He yelled holding something in his hands. Iris furrowed her eyebrows then Max came over and set it in her hands. Iris looked down and saw a small locket with a picture of a lily on it that she could open. She opened it and saw a family picture with Iris, Max, her mother, and even her father standing there with a small smile on his face. Iris smiled painfully down at it then looked at the other picture where she saw a picture of her and Clove hugging. Iris looked at it for a second, "Where did you get this picture." "Oh someone took it at the end of the games showing who the victors were and mom somehow got her hands on it. Then we saved up enough money to buy this for you when you returned home but of course that wasn't for very long so we didn't know when to give it to you....then you left." Iris looked up at him quickly standing up and engulfing him into a hug, "Thank you Max." He hugged her back putting his face into the crook of her neck. "I'm happy to be home." Iris let go of Max, "That is another thing you never got to explain to me." Iris said looked into the boys eyes. Max rubbed the back of his neck then went and sat down on the couch. Iris sat back down in moms chair ready to hear is story on how he escaped the peacekeepers at such a young age. "Well..um" he cleared his throat, "When you left everything became a little bit more gloomier. Mom was more sad, us kids didn't really go play everyday like we used to, and since you were gone I had to help mom with the chores." He paused looking at the table in front of him before quickly continuing his story, "A few days after you left peacekeepers came into our house and took both me and mom. They took us to the town square and hooked us both up to pillars and got whips ready. They whipped me and mom until we were numb to it." Max paused standing up and turning around lifting up his shirt showing all the scars the whips had left. Iris put her hand over her mouth as tears formed in her eyes. "They unhooked us and stood us up in front of the pillars as everyone in town was forced to watch." He stopped talking for a moment looking at the walls in front of him like he was still able to see all the people watching them. "Some were crying, some just standing there because they had to. A guard stood in front of us and it was almost like he was playing a game as he said eeny, meeny, miny, moe, he landed his gun on my forehead and got ready to pull the trigger until mom started screaming for him to shoot her instead of me. The man looked at her for a second then quickly turned his gun to her shooting her." He had to pause for a second as he wiped tears from his eyes then he put his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together, "He told me to scram so I did....i ran and ran until I got back home, I lived off of all the food mom had in the house then when your troops came to our district I told them what happened and now here we are." Iris wiped the tears from her eyes but there was no point when more came pouring down, "I'm so sorry Max." He looked down for a second then back up at her and shrugged, "I mean if all that didn't happen then we wouldn't be where we are now." He gave her a weak smile which she returned. "Um I'm gonna head to bed it's getting pretty late." Max said Iris nodded then looked out a window to see darkness covering the land outside. After she heard Max's door close upstairs she stood up slowly walking upstairs and going to her room. She opened her door and saw that everything was exactly how she left it. Iris put the necklace that Max gave her on deciding right there and then that she was never going to take it off. As soon as she laid down her eyes couldn't seem to close as she stared at the ceiling. She took a few deep breaths as thoughts started coming into her mind but they got quickly interrupted by a knock at the front door. Iris lit a candle in her room and headed downstairs towards the front door. She unlocked the door and opened it seeing Clove standing there wrapped up in a thin coat trying to get warm. Iris quickly put her arm around her bringing her inside and shutting the door behind her. "What are you doing here?" Iris asked looking into Cloves brown eyes. "I couldn't sleep so I asked someone in town if they could drive me here and they said yes and here I am." "Oh yeah I forgot you live in a wealthy district." Iris said smiling as she connected their lips. Clove snaked her arms up and around Iris's neck as Iris wrapped her arms around Cloves waist. "Come on let's go to bed." Iris said pulling away from the kiss. Iris grabbed her hand leading her up the stairs and into her room. They both laid down in the twin bed as Clove got ontop of Iris resting her chin on Iris's chest. Iris wrapped her arms around Clove running her hands up and down her back. "You know even after all of this here we are still together." Iris looked down at her smiling, "Maybe some people would call it fate or true love." Clove rolled her eyes scooting closer to Iris's face. Clove pecked at her lips then she looked at her for a second. "I love you." Clove whispered making Iris's smile grow. "I think that's the first time you've really ever admitted that out loud." Iris whispered back as she connected their lips once more. "Actually I think it is." Clove said making Iris chuckle. "I love you too." Clove laid her head down where her ear was on Iris's chest. Her heart beat slowly lulled Clove to sleep. Iris falling asleep shortly after.

Iris woke up but Clove was no where to be found. She quickly sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed quickly getting up hearing her metal foot softly clank against the ground. She opened the door and a sweet aroma filled her nose. Iris smiled as she walked down the stairs seeing Clove in the kitchen. Iris quietly walked up to her hearing her humming a song. Iris listened for a second then went and wrapped her arms around Cloves waist resting her head on her shoulder. "Hey sleepyhead." Clove said smiling while flipping another pancake. Iris pecked her on the cheek, "You need help." Nope I'm almost done go sit down and I will bring you a plate." Clove said while smiling. Iris picked up her head off her chin and took her arms off her waist and turned around to walk away but Clove grabbed her hand turning her around and giving her a kiss on the lips before quickly pulling away and going back to the pancakes. Iris's smile grew wider as she looked at her for a second then went and sat down at the table.

Max quickly came downstairs after smelling the sweet aroma for himself. He looked into the kitchen and saw Clove cooking he looked from Clove to Iris then smiled sitting down next to Iris. "I think you got yourself a good one." Max said looking back over at Clove cooking. "Really you think?" Iris asked looking back over at Clove. Max nodded his head giving Iris a teasing smile. "Hey don't even, I think someone has a crush on you." Max looked at her for a second with wide eyes then there was a knock on the door. Iris got up and answered it and Mrs. Everdeen and Prim walked in greeting everyone then sitting down at the table. Max and Prim sat next to each other making conversation quickly. Iris looked over at them and chuckled to herself. Mrs. Everdeen held out her hand with a letter in it. Iris cocked her head then took it opening it and reading it.

Iris I'm sorry I couldn't be there this morning as much as I wanted to I stayed here with Finnick and Annie helping them get through all of this. I can't express how grateful I am in words so I am writing this letter to tell you. When I first met you I knew right then and there there was something different about you. And here we are you saved us all even the people who didn't know they needed saving. Iris I want you to know that I have much love for you and you hold a big place in my heart. I am here for you whenever now I may not be able to talk to you in person but I will happily write letters to you to express my voice. I hope you and Clove live a happy life along with not so little Max as well. Feel free to visit at any time. I love you with all my heart.

Love,
Mags

Iris looked down at the letter for a second feeling like she was finally able to hear what Mags has to say for the first time. She smiled heading upstairs and putting the letter in her drawer along with a picture of her dad. "Iris!" She heard a Clove shout downstairs. Iris quickly headed downstairs sitting next to Clove. "Alright everyone dig in." Clove said as everyone picked up their forks ready to eat. Iris looked around at everyone laughing and making conversation and just faintly she could see her mother and father along with everyone she has ever lost standing around the table with a smile. Iris smiled at her mother and father as they blew her a kiss. Her smile grew bigger as tears formed in her eyes. "What's wrong?" Clove asked worried. "Nothing absolutely nothing." Iris said smiling and looking down at her food feeling tons of love touch every part of her. She smiled and grabbed Cloves hand finally feeling at peace but never forgetting all the nightmares she had to overcome to get there.