Star Crossed Lovers (Clove And Cato Book 2)

16. The Game Of Victors

16.

PRIM'S P.O.V

I can't sleep; nightmares keep squirming into my brain. One terrifying image of my Mother and Katniss (if she was still alive) screaming as they watch me in the arena. I wish Katniss won; I wouldn't be here. But she would be here, and that would be worse. No one should be going into that Arena twice.

"Up, up, up Prim!" I hear Effie's high pitched scream out loudly. I also hear her knuckles bang on my door. As I move around in my bed, I groan incredibly. Clothes sit at the end of my bed; some of our Arena clothes. I pull on the linen t-shirt, and the matching leggings pants.

"Hurry!" she calls still scratching on my door. I unlock my door and nearly fall into Effie. She straightens her cork-screw curls.

"Finally, Haymitch and I have been waiting. The Games begin at 10:30, it's 10." she says snarkly.

"Umm..." I say my face flushing red. I always look embarrassed.

Effie leads the way to the large dining room, where I will eat my last Capitol meal. A warm, steamed bowl of mushroom soup is sitting alone at a plush blue chair. I take it gingerly, my appetite bulging. I scrape the offered eggs, bacon, pudding, tomatoes and toast onto my plate along with the soup, some soft rolls, a bittersweet cup of coffee and some fresh juice. Effie's plate consist of some fat sausages, a fried egg and a bright tomato. She doesn't have to fill up; a new meal will be ready for her in no time. I dig in, not caring about anything. Just the rich, indulging food. I let a small satisfactory sigh escape from my lips, before Haymitch brings me back.

"Good luck, please don't die." he says and for once I don't notice his spirit bottles on the table. He can't be drunk now. Too risky; he would be dead in a heartbeat. I take his offering hand and shake it.

"May the odds be ever in your favour," I say and grin up at his serious face.

"Yeah."

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The walk to the platform where the hovercraft is takes seconds. Haymitch to my left, Effie to my right. Two of us look nervous and terrified, while one walks with a broad smile on HER face.

"Here we are, I say farewell here my dears!" Effie announces as we stand just inside the glass doors. Once we open them, it's the flight. And then the Games. I gulp. I can feel the terror rise in my lungs, causing my breath to shorten.

Effie wraps me in a hug.

"Take it, for good luck." she whispers placing a cold metal object in my palm. I pull back to examine it. The Mockingjay pin; Katniss' pin. I clasp it in my hands, honour and praise upon me.

"Thank you," I croak out, tears suddenly springing from my eyes. Effie sniffs.

"You're sister would want you to have it," she says sweetly and gives me one final squeeze. Now, she turns to Haymitch. I watch as she stands awkwardly apart from him, not able to speak. I fold my arms across my fragile chest.

"I'm going to get aboard," I say excusing myself from the two. As I turn on my heel and walk slowly away, I glance behind and see Haymitch plant a delicate kiss on Effie's lips.

Why now? Falling in love now is too hard. I know I would do anything to ser Katniss, Mother or Rory right now. To feel Rory's lips kiss mine. To feel Katniss' voice and Mother's contagious laugh. Buttercups soft lanky fur. Anything. I would kill all these people too, but I'm not the only one. Everyone has someone they cherish and love. Even if they don't know it.

"Come in Prim," a soft voice says and I realize I have been standing at the hovercraft entrance for a couple of minutes.

"You're last." the woman says pursing her lips into a line. I give a fake smile and climb up the steep steps. Haymitch was quick. I walk cautiously to my appointed seat and look at the victors. Gloss and Cashmere are talking quietly, the one's from 7 chew their nails and Clove and Cato sit clutching another. I remember them in the Games. Cato sang Katniss' song to Clove. It was beautiful and I wonder how he knew it. I know deep down, underneath that brutal killer look he's sweet. Clove trusts him, but should I?

A woman with aqua hair approaches me, a syringe in hand.

"Give me your arm." she instructs and I hold out my right arm dumbly to her. She lets the syringe inject into my skin, I flinch. I hate injections.

"It's your tracker," she says clearly unaware that I knew. What else could it be? Now the Game-Makers will know my exact location. Hell ya.

The lights dim and we begin to fly.

Next stop death.

********

CLOVE'S P.O.V

"Renn it's going to be okay." I say softly, my voice trembling with lies. Renn rests her head against my shoulders and sobs. I stroke her hair, I don't exactly know what to do.

"It's not fair!" she yells at me as we stand awkwardly beside the metal chairs. I look down at my blue wetsuit clothing and my fat belt. The material on the clothing is terrible, it doesn't keep me warm, and I saw the reluctant glance Renn handed me the thing. I like the way Renn styled my hair; an elaborate fish tail braid. I asked especially. My mind keeps thinking back to my Games, was I this scared? I don't know, just that I want to run away and scream. I want justice. I want to be like Poppy.

"30 seconds." the robotic voice says emotionlessly. Renn cries harder.

"Don't *sob* go!" she says her sobs getting the better of her. I push her away gently.

"Don't worry, I'll be...okay." I say twisting the words around my tongue. I can lie so easily now, I have nothing to loose. I imagine Geoff right now, his fingers hovering over his controls conducting either that I live or die. Either way I can never repay him. That little....

"20 seconds."

The seconds are my life sentence. I stand up, and brush myself down. Now or never.

"Good luck." Renn chokes out curling into a tight ball. My fingers run to my neck; sure enough my red and black necklace is safe.

"Thank you. For everything." I say walking quickly to the glass tube. It's open and ready and I step in cautiously. Renn stands up and places her hand on the glass.

"Be strong for me."

Before I let my mouth speak the door cracks open and several guards appear guns at the ready. Renn backs away from me a frown mixed with a smile on her face.

"10 seconds."

They advance on her like flies and wrestle her to the floor.

My fists bang angrily on the glass and I scream, tears staining my face.

They hoist the now cuffed Renn and another man swings his fist at her face.

5 seconds I count as they wait for her eyes to roll. Her eyes give way and they all disappear. In the space of 15 seconds I have watched my stylist, my friend being cuffed and knocked out. Not a good start for the Games. I yell louder this time, my fists nearly breaking the glass. But they can't hear me now, they are long gone.

My chute begins to rise, the surroundings fading. I gasp as light illuminates my face. After what I just saw nothing can scare me. Or so I thought. Water. Lots of it. I hate water. Call me a cat.

And the worst part of it all. I'm not fighting amateurs. We're all past victors and one of us will be again.

"Ladies and gentlemen let the 75th Hunger Games begin!"

~~~~~

AAA. I updated on my phone so sorry for now bold, spell check...etc...etc.

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