Control | P. Mellark

Chapter Four

Waiting next to the tubes was always the worst part for Seriea, lightly nibbling on the food next to the stiff couch where she sat in silence next to Maroa.
"I have something for you," Maroa smiled, grabbing her clam shell purse that matched her shell decorated dress.
"What?" Seriea looked at her, shifting in her seat to face the girl.
She pulled out a thin golden bracelet with engraved flowers and leaves.
"It's beautiful."
"Wear it as your token." She smiled, putting it over the sleeve of the suit the tan girl was wearing, "your brother gave it to me, before going into the games."
She gently rubbed her thumb over the shimmering gold with a fond look. She looked normal, like a girl from the districts who was just having lunch with a friend, despite her bright hair and excentrique outfit.
"I rember when he got it. He had spent our entire time here sneaking around and always carving away at the band. He kept saying he'd tell me later." Seriea stared at it, remembering her brothers odd behavior.

"Milo, what are you doing?" Seriea asked, walking in to the kitchen rubbing her red eyes as she made her way in to the dimly lit room.
"Nothing," He quickly shoved whatever it was into his pocket and looked up at her from his spot on the counter, "what are you doing up?"
A sniffle was all that was heard as she stood across the island from him. His face softened and he jumped down from his spot moving quickly to hug his little sister.
"Just tell me about what you were doing, make me forget what she said." Seriea whispered into his chest wipping her nose on her sleep shirt, not caring about how gross it was at the moment.
"I'll tell you about that later, for now let's talk about tomorrow." He rubbed her arms gently and led her into the living room where he held her in his arms, sitting on his lap, just like when she was a child. She would climb into his lap at any chance she got, they would fall asleep or end in tickle fights but always with smiles. They talked for hours until she fell asleep, clinging onto her big brother, her safe space.

"I want you to bring it back to me." Maroa whispered, taking her hand with a comforting grip.
Seriea looked into her eyes, a small smile as tears gathered in her eyes.
She nodded getting up and entering the tube with her breath held tight as the air lock sealed her in.
She watched Maroa for as long as she could, with tears in her eyes as the floor lifted her into the arena.
"Let the 75th annual hunger games begin." The voice from the cornucopia speakers echoed through the arena.
The timer glowed above the center and Seriea officially knew her life was over. She tried looking around for anyone she knee, to her left was the girl from district five and to her right was Ennobaria and just past her was Katniss. When they made eye contact Katniss nodded ever so slightly, Seriea returned the motion with a deep breath. She faced forward and stared at the water.
"10"
       "9"
            "8"
The jungle beyond the center was thick and looked to go on for miles, it made her nervous to be in such a similar environment to her games. The jungle was still all to familiar to her.

Footsteps is what woke her from the uneasy sleep Milo had forced her into. Keeping her breathing even she glanced around from their hiding spot. Milo was still, with his back pressed against hers. She was facing the entrance to the cave under their handmade blanket that looked like the floor of the cave, camouflageing them as well as they could. Outside the cave someone stood facing away, talking so low she almost couldn't hear him.
"They have to be here somewhere." He sounded frustrated, like he was being personally inconvenienced by them.
"Maybe they've been moving just as much as us." A girl whispered back, obviously annoyed by her companion, "we'll find them eventually."
Soon their footsteps grew farther and farther until she couldn't hear them at all, which is when she moved to shake her brother awake. He had heard everything just as she had and nodded when she suggested they move again.
"They keep getting too close, we'll have to do something soon." Milo whispered as they packed their backpacks full again, leaving the cave floor blanket.
"I know." Her voice was low, strained with unshead tears.
"Seriea, I'm sorry, I wish I could have protected you more, done something to keep you from this." He sighed, leading her down a makeshift path as he hacked at the overgrown vines.
"It's not your fault, you couldn't have done anything." She sniffled following his each step.
Seriea was so interested in her steps and not falling that she didn't notice Milo stop in his tracks. She hit his back and stumbled back a few steps.