Author's Game Entries

Quarterfinals: A Family

 It's three o'clock in the morning and I still haven't gotten to sleep.

Why can't I get to sleep? No idea. Probably something to do with being in a foreign bed wearing a nice nightgown that doesn't even belong to me, along with the fact that I'm not smelling like I live in a barn for once.

Or it could possibly just be the reason why I'm here in the first place.

With a frustrated groan, I roll over onto my side and shift my gaze from the bed's canopy above me to the nightstand beside the bed. It's dark enough that the only light in the room is coming from the little blue holo clock floating next to the lamp, which read exactly 3:23.

"Come on Valentine... Just close your eyes and sleep, it's not that hard." I grumble to myself like a crazy person, my voice luckily muffled by my arm.

For whatever reason as I look away from the flickering clock my eyes fall onto the small folded piece of paper that is laying below it. A wave of what could only be described as guilt washes over me and I have to look away. I don't know why I feel guilty though, he was probably in this same room when he wrote it.

The piece of paper is of course Willis' letter, being the adoring older sister I am I kept it. Ha, not. I kept it because what else was I supposed to do? Throw it away? I remember when I first got it, it'd been the morning Will and all the other tributes had first gotten into the arena....

Eugh, I remember watching it on the big screen in the town, I was so afraid of him dying I can still remember the sickening taste of the fear in the back of my throat. It's funny what watching your least favorite brother -not to mention only brother- almost die; what it does to you. I've been worrying almost as much as mom now. Which is saying something.

Sighing again, I finally sit up and pick up the paper, running my fingers over the worn page as I unfold it. It's kind of sad to think of how many times I've read this stupid letter, it's not even a good one at that. But I've still memorized every single stupid line of it...

'Hugs from your favorite baby brother...'

My breath hitches in my throat as I recall that sarcastic line and I clench the paper in my hand, crumpling it further. "Computer." I speak up, looking to the wall across from me.

"How may I help you?" A monotone voice seemingly responds from nowhere. I still haven't gotten over how cool it is actually, that I can just ask anything of this invisible machine and it'll reply. But the computer's cool factor isn't what I wanted to talk to it about.

I clear my throat. "Can you show me the live feed from the current Hunger Games competition?"

"Of course ma'am, is there any specific tribute you would like to see?" It asks, and a few of the stones in the wall light up with the images of the eight tributes remaining alive.

I ignore all the pictures but one.

"Willis Dale." I tell the computer in a voice almost as monotone as it's own. It makes a whirring sound for a moment before the images disappear and are replaced with a dim video of a dark haired boy laying on his back in a plain stone room, staring up at the ceiling blankly.

My heart aches slightly as I look at my little brother, he looks so... Broken. Why is he alone? Where are his allies? Why isn't he asleep? He should... My thoughts pause a I realize how hypocritical that is, I'm not even asleep and I have nothing life threatening to worry about.

He mumbles something to himself inaudibly, before slinging an arm over his eyes tiredly. There is a split second when I think he'd been talking to me, but I have to remind myself that he doesn't even know I'm in the castle, let alone watching him at the moment.

I am still watching him creepily when sudden soft knock on the door startles me out of my concentration on spying on my little brother. I instantly look over to the door, and who I find there surprises me so much that I almost let out an embarrassing squeak.

Of all the people, it's Queen Isobel. The woman is wearing a simple robe over her nightgown, and she seems almost as tired as I do. Glancing to me, her eyebrows raise just slightly as if she is surprised to find me awake.

"Ah, I hope you don't mind me coming in, I had just seen the light from under the door and I assumed the computer was malfunctioning again." She quickly explains, seeming somewhat embarrassed. "I was actually under the impression it was only me who was suffering from insomnia tonight."

I clear my throat again awkwardly before smiling and motioning that it's alright. "It's okay, it's probably just the moon or something, haha...." I have to quickly backtrack to cover up the cringe-worthy attempt at a joke.

"Uh, and it's your castle anyway, madame, you should be able to go where you please." I add with an awkward laugh, which earns me a small smile from her.

"True, but this is still your room for now, dear." She responds as she makes her way over to sit down on the bed next to me. Glancing to the wall which was still playing the live feed of Willis, her awkward expression fades into one of empathy.

Surprisingly, when the Queen looks back to me she smiles again softly. "Let me guess... You can't sleep because you're worrying about him..?" She asks in a kind voice, and my shoulders stiffen just slightly. It's only at this moment that I realize that that was exactly what I'd been doing. Forget the guilt, this is just plain worry.

"Y...Yeah... I didn't realize how much I'd miss him when he was gone..." I admit quietly, my eyes falling down to my lap. I wasn't expecting the gentle hand on the shoulder that comes and I instantly look back up to the Queen as she speaks again.

"I can see you care about your brother very much, but you're acting like he's already dead. He's made it this far already... He's a clever boy, Valentine, he can survive." Even in the dark I can see how kind her gaze is, and for a moment I feel like a little kid again, weak and unknowing of the world.

Her words reassure me in a way I hadn't expected them to, even if she seemed like she was making an effort not to say things that would give me too much hope. While I'm not an idiot -I know my brother's chances of survival- I still find the slimmer of hope comforting.

"Thank you... I.. really appreciate it." I manage to stammer out, unable to find other words to express my feeling of catharsis. This time my smile is genuine, all traces of awkwardness gone by now.

"Mhmm, of course, dear." The Queen responds softly, seeming content as well. Her posture is more relaxed than before, though it partly seems attributed to weariness. "You should probably get some sleep though, you're not helping anyone by staying up watching him."

She gives a small half laugh at the muffed sound I make at this comment. My eyes inevitably dart to the wall then at the mention of Willis, confirming he hadn't moved from his spot on the floor. His chest rises and falls in a slow steady rhythm now, indicating that he'd finally fallen asleep.

Isobel seems to have noticed this as well and she stands up from her seat on the bed. "Computer, end feed." She speaks up, her attention still directed to the wall. There is a small clicking sound as the video shuts off, abruptly pitching the room into relative darkness.

I refrain from protesting, not particularly interested in sleeping yet, but the Queen herself is telling me to go to bed, what am I supposed to do? I have to blink my eyes to let them adjust again, allowing me to see her soft smile lit blue by the luminescent glow of the clock. She moves over again, gently pushing me back so I had to lay down into the soft pillows of the bed before she pulls the covers up to my chin in a motherly way.

"Good night miss Dale." She murmurs as she stands up straight again. As she drifts back to the door she glances back for just a moment, long enough it was almost sad.

"G'night your majesty." I respond quietly, and I can see her blue smile flash faintly again before she closes the door with a soft click. The holo clock now read 3:51, lying next to it the crinkled sheet of paper I don't recall replacing there.

Regardless, it might be Isobel's kind words or it might be that I am at last content with my worries, but it isn't long before I finally, finally manage to fall asleep.