𝖙𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖗𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖚𝖘 | THE HUNGER GAMES

one

One

Kamari✵

"On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors." The president's husky voice roared through her empty house. For a second, her mind is empty, seeming to forget who she is or where she is. Relief fills her and her muscles relax. Before she can let out a sigh Claudius Templesmith's voice sounds through. It fills her ears and echoes through the empty house.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the young victor ever, Kamari Grey."

I am a victor. The brunette thinks.

1 male and 1 female tribute from each district.

From the existing pool of victors.

I am a victor.

Another bout of relief fills her veins as she remembers that she is not the only victor. She had two others. The fierce Meera and the sweet Leena. Her mothers, after her own died. No. She thinks. She was killed. My mother was killed. And Meera and Leena raised me. They both treat her like the daughter they would never have. Her mind was playing with her. They won't let me go back in. Just as the relief fills her brain, memories blind her. The bomb. The fire. Meera, Leena and Valour's body being dragged out. Meera clutching a torn piece of her mother's dress. The funeral.

I am alone.

I am all alone.

And no one can save me.

In the blink of an eye, she is out in the street, pounding on her neighbour's door. "Keith." The sound rips from her throat accompanying the pounding fist on the door. She takes 2 steps away from the door. And seconds later the door swings open, hitting the wall behind it. The brunette runs in, tears blurring her eyes as she trips over her own feet, meeting the royal red carpet.

He sits there. The mop of black hair. The hollow black eyes staring at the TV. "Keith" she calls out, like one would approach a wounded animal. His hollow black meets her glistening silver. In a second, he is at her side. Her eyes slid in and out of focus as he took her face in his hands, making her look at him. "Hey, hey. Look at me. You are Kamari Grey. You got this. Okay. You can do this. Stay here. Stay with me." She nodded before sobs rocked her body. "I don't wanna die, Keith. I don't wanna die." She said, tears streaming down her face in a fall now. He pulls her in, her cheek pressed against the material of his white shirt. "I can't do this. Not again." Her tears soaked his t-shirt as she repeated the same sentence again and again. I don't wanna die. In her sorrow, with her head on his chest and his chin resting on her head. He allowed himself to cry. Realizing what was to come.

They were going back in the arena. Keith pulled away from her, making the young girl look at him. "We're gonna make it out, Kami. After all this is over. After we win. We're all gonna live together. Like a happy family. All of us. Together. Okay?" She just nodded her head in response trying her best to believe him.

Another empty promise.

---

Across Panem, a young man lay on a familiar couch with his head in the lap of the old woman. Tear tracks still printed on his cheeks; he fiddles with the frayed rope as she ran her fingers through his sandy blonde hair. "What will we do Mags?" He looks up at the old woman, Mags, through red eyes. She leaned down, her hair a silver curtain around them, as she pressed a motherly kiss to his hairline. "We'll be fine." She whispered in her broken voice. "What about Annie," he said looking at the girl on the couch across from him, who had cried herself to sleep. "And what about Haymitch, and Johanna and Keith?" He murmurs. She raised her eyes at him, waiting for the one name she knew he wanted to say.

"What about Kami?" His voice dipped as the image of the girl flashed in front of him. He couldn't imagine how she would be taking it. He could only hope that Keith was there. Hugging her. Holding her. Consoling her. When he couldn't.

She'll be fine, Finnick. Mags signed to him.

What if she isn't? What if she's breaking down right now? He signed back.

She's stronger than you think, Nick. Don't forget, she was younger than you when she won. Mags angrily signed to him.

"I know." He whispered before looking away from her wishing he could be holding the fiery girl in his arms.

He got up from her lap and approached the red head slowly. He softly shook her shoulder as she gasped awake. She wrapped her arms around his neck and once again started weeping. "I don't wanna die, Finnick. I don't wanna go back in." She choked out.

"Hey, look at me." He said making her pull away. "You're not gonna die." He spoke. But deep down he knew that was a lie. He made her look at him before saying, "I promise you Annie."

Another empty promise.

---

The man with the long blonde hair sat on the sofa in the empty house, thinking back on the promises he made. He knew, even now, that he would at some point have to break them. From the window, he could see the two, the star-crossed lovers, talking. He could tell they were arguing, about what, he didn't. And quite honestly, he didn't care. Turning the sharp metal over and over in his hands again.

The phone in the study rang again, louder this time. With a frustrated grunt, the blond man stomped to the table next to the door. "Who the fuck is this?" The blonde man shouted into the phone ready to slam the receiver down when he heard a sniffle from the other side. "Haymitch?" A soft voice questioned from the other side as Haymitch's drunken heart softed a bit. "Sweetheart?" Haymitch as questioned as Kami took a shaky breath to try to control herself.

"What are we gonna do, Mitch?" And Haymitch could hear the determination forming in her Grey eyes. "I'm gonna do whatever it takes to protect you." The older man exclaimed through the reciver as Kami unconsciously shook her head in disapproval. "No." she said and he started but she cut him off. "No, Haymitch." She repeated herself. "No. We need to do it. You need to protect her. You know that. For all of us." She said, silencing the blonde man. "Please. Not again, Kami." He said, his voice breaking. Something solidified deep in Kamari as she took a deep breath. "I'm not gonna die." She said. "Don't lie to me. Kami, I can't lose more family." Haymitch said. "I promise, Mitch. I'll be safe."

Another Empty promise.