Charles sat quietly on a polished wooden chair; his family was supposed to meet him soon.
Charles sighed, Erik Mellark? A metal bender versus a telepath, the odds are defiantly not in my favor. And I can’t kill him, I just…can’t.
Suddenly, the door opened and Katniss ran in, with Gale behind her.
Katniss buried her face in Charles’s chest, “No! You can’t leave!”
Charles controlled his tears, “Katniss you have to be strong.”
Katniss stood back and nodded her head, “I’ll try.”
Charles shook his head, “No you will.”
Katniss nodded again, “I will.”
Charles bit his lip, she needs to be strong.
Gale rushed to Charles, “I’m sorry.”
Charles said, “Don’t be sorry but listen to me, and don’t sign up for the tesserae. It’s no use putting your name in more times.”
Gale nodded but asked, “What about the Peacekeepers?”
Charles answered, “Scott will take care of you.”
Katniss cried “You have to win!”
Charles stood quiet; never in his life had he killed one soul.
Gale corrected, “You need to win!”
Charles was about to say something when a Peacekeeper dragged them out, “Time’s up!”
Katniss hollered, “No! Charles!”
Then the door slammed shut.
Charles last view of his family was them screaming and sobbing.
Charles fell back in the chair but soon Scott came in.
Charles jumped from the chair and embraced Scott tightly, “Don’t let them starve!”
Scott answered, “I’ll guard them with my life, Charles. But you need to win!”
Charles stood quiet, “But…Telepaths…”
Scott cut him off, “No Charles! You may think your power is useless but its not. You can control other people’s minds; you can prevent some mutants from killing you!”
Charles bit the inside of his cheek.
Scott finally said, “Win for Gale. Win for Katniss.”
Charles faced Scott and said “I’ll try for them.”
Scott shook his head, "No you will."
Then Scott hugged Charles one more time before the Peacekeepers came.
In the room next door…
“Erik!”
Prim embraced her brother tightly.
Erik whispered, “Oh Prim.”
Peeta followed next, “Erik you shouldn’t have done that!”
Erik let go of Prim, “And what? Let you go! I couldn't do that Peeta.”
Peeta controlled his tears, “I know but when the Club finds out they have a metal bender in their games, they’ll do everything in their power to kill you!”
Erik hugged Peeta and whispered, “Let them try.”
“Erik?” He looked up to see Aunt Eris, her worn blue eyes staring at him.
Erik walked to her, “You need to watch them! No more liquor, you hear me? You need to take care of them no matter what!”
Aunt Eris nodded, “I’m sorry for my behavior.”
Erik shook his head, “No time for apologizing. Just don’t let me down.”
Aunt Eris kissed Erik on the cheek and whispered, “Be strong.”
The door slammed open and the Peacekeepers came.
They took the family out but not before Peeta proclaimed, “Win!”
The door closed, and that was it.
No more visitors.
Erik sighed and looked at the window before Effie Trinket came to escort him to a car to a train leading to the Club.
YOU ARE READING
The X-Games
Fiksi PenggemarThe X-Games, the televised procession in which twenty-four mutants must fight to the death, until one lone victor stands, proving they have the more superior power. Twenty-four go in, only one comes out. [The Hunger Games/X-Men: First Class crossov...
