Dead Survivor

Here We Go

I tried to fall asleep but couldn't. Clove had to be in pain. Snow wouldn't just let her at around or anything. An awful thought jumped into my mind. What if she was getting beaten just like me? Except it would be worse. Snow was going to make sure that she was not going to get out of there, even if it meant killing her. I couldn't take my thoughts anymore and I got up and looked through the window at the stars. I remember the day she got reaped into the games. Nobody would volunteer for her because they knew she was the best girl in the academy. I remember I had two choices. Volunteer or go into the games with her. I remembered the day of the reaping, I had planned to fight the person who wanted to go up there, and I would have volunteered for two reasons. One, so Clove would think of me as her hero, while she watched me fight in the arena. Two, so I could remain Top Man, which was a title meaning "I will hurt you and don't you forget it". But all of my mindset changed when they spoke Clove's name, her precious name, her name that was reaped.

I knew I would kill anyone who got reaped on the boys side, and I would volunteer. But, as they drew the name out, I got that feeling, my fate had been decided.

"Cato Hadley." I remember them calling out. The shriek from Cathy and my mother couldn't be louder than the expression on Clove's face as I walked up next to her. I am going to have to watch her die in the hands of an unmerciful person, or kill her myself. I thought, before the Games began. That priceless face I made to the audience, they knew exactly what I was thinking.

Then, my mind traveled back to the moment I heard the cannon go off, and I saw Clove's angelic face wallowing in the sky. I knew. I knew I had to win. I lost her. And I was determined not to lose her again.

"Hey, waitress?" I said, walking to the couch to sit down. Cathy was asleep in the other car.

The waitress scurried in with a tray of food. "Want anything sir?"

"Yes, I would like a drink." I said, short breathed.

"What kind of drink?" She asked, fiddling with her ruby red hair. "We have lemonade, medi-redi-drinks, energy drinks, milk and just about anything-"

I stared at her, trying not to be harsh, but I answered coldly, "Whiskey, and strong. "

"Yes sir, be right out with it." She said, and within a matter of moments, she was back. Her ruby hair bounced up and down, elegantly.

"Thank you." I said, sipping it.

"Mind if I stay a while?" She asked, sitting herself down on the chair next to me.

"Yea, sure, why not?" I chuckled. I took another sip, and I let it slide down my throat. I felt a strange emotion I hadn't felt before, an emotion that somehow was beginning to control me, but I tried to tame it silently. It had been a few moments, where nobody spoke, and we just listened to the sound of the train whispering through air.

"Well," she began, "I am Claire Bronzeforth."

"I am Cato. Cato Hadley." I said, sipping the drink again. She scooted closer to me, and I began to get uncomfortable. Taking another sip, I relaxed myself and didn't let it bother me.

"I saw you fight." She stammered. "I watched you."

Alright. Stalker on my hands. Creepy.I thought, but I smiled generously. "Yes ma'am, fought alright." I put my arm around the base line of the chair.

"You are really brave." She said.

I laughed, "Thanks. I do try." To me, that was hysterical, but to her, her expression showed more frightened than laughable. I cleared my throat, "Would you mind getting me some more?" I handed her the empty cup, and she walked out, without saying a word. When she came back, I was fiddling with the ice cubes in the icecube tray.

"I find these cubes very funny looking." I said, showing Claire one with my finger. It had a strange shape, and she giggled. Just then, the car door opened, and Cathy looked at me, with her big eyes.

"Hi Cato." she said. She turned her focus to Claire, "Can I have some orange juice?"

"Sure thing sugar-cube." She said, as she walked out of the room again. I took a sip of my drink again, and Claire looked at it ceriously.

"Cato, what kind of juice is that?" She asked.

"Umm..." I stammered. " It's my juice, and you can't have any. It's my apple juice." She frowned, and sat back in the chair. When Claire came back in, I quickly shooed Cathy away into another car, telling her to get ready for the day.

"Where's little Cathy?" Claire asked.

"She's-getting ready. I'll drink that orange juice though." I said, grabbing it from her. She smiled.

"You know Claire, I like you a lot better when you smile." I said, craning my head back and forth.

"We've only met about twenty minutes ago, Mr. Hadley." she said.

"Huh? Oh I guess we have." I said. I played with the cup, watching the liquid almost spill out. "Well, I suppose time flies." What was I saying? I made no sense. But, I kept going, "I guess knives are a good weapon, huh?" Knives always brought my mind back to Clove.

"Cato, are you feeling alright?" Claire asked me, and I looked up at her, smiling.

"Of course doll, of course." I said, waving my hand around, "I am always fine." Cathy entered the room, and her eyes widened, as she stepped backward. Claire looked to me, then walked to Cathy, who was eyeing me. Claire whispered something to Cathy, and Cathy protested, but was hushed by more whispering.

"Oh," Cathy said eventually, "So he drinks apple juice when he is stressed out?" Claire nodded, then chuckled. Was I really that stressed out? I guess I was, because when I went to take another sip, the glass was empty.

"Dadgummit." I thought miserably to myself. "Hey Claire, will you-" She was by my side in a matter of seconds.

"Yes Cato dear, I will get you some more." She said, hesitating. I looked at Cathy, who smiled, somewhat sympathetically. My head started to feel heavy, and I rubbed it intensely. It wasn't another flashback, it was something different. I ran my hands through my blonde hair, and I sat on the lounging couch again.

"Cato," Cathy said, holding a little container in her hands, "Cato, look at your arm." Her words were kind, yet demanding. I did, and I was very surprised at what I saw. There was blood all over my arm, and I looked at it, intensely.

Wow, when I stress, I really stress. I thought, as I covered it up. Cathy came and put some ointment on it, which came out of that little container. Claire came back into the room, and she had my apple juice in her hand.

"I am limited to give you only three Cato." She said, looking at the glass. I knew what she meant, but for some reason, I couldn't comprehend it.

"Hmm?" I said, feeling a bit drowsy. I pushed the glass away from me, and Claire set it down, on the table. Out of nowhere, I began to remember Clove. Clove. Clove. Clove. My head began to hurt, and the images began to control me again. Then, it happened.