A Victors Beginning

Chapter Four

                 Haymitch Pov
Silence. Those words that slipped out of his mouth stopped everything around me. The world seemed frozen. A million thoughts ran through my mind as my feet began to move on their own to the stage.

I can't go. The only thing I thought of was mom. If I leave who's going to protect her from dad? As this thought went through my mind I reached the rain beaten stairs

Alexander stood at the top of the stairs waiting for me. He grabbed my hand as he helped me up the stairs. We walked across the stage to the microphone. As he stood next to the microphone I choose to stand next to Grace. The girl from my childhood, my classmate, an acquaintance.

"And here are the tributes for District Twelve." Alexander's voice boomed as it brought me out of my thoughts. He turned around to face us he motioned for us to walk forward. "Now as tradition can you two shake hands. Go on."

Grace turned to me then we locked eyes. Her brown eyes bored into my own eyes. We took each other's hands and gave a small shake. Her soft hand let go as quickly. Alexander began pushing us into the departure rooms so we could say bye to our families.

"Come on you two. I pretty sure you want to see your families." He doesn't care. He just wants to leave already. Typical. He rushed us up some stairs inside town hall and pushes us both into two rooms.

"You both will have one minute with your family members once they come up." Once he said that he went downstairs quickly. We were left alone in front of our rooms.

I looked at Grace as she went into her room. I sighed and then I retreated into my room. I took in the interior of the room. Plain. Just a bed against the wall with a window overlooking the town plaza. I sat on the bed and thought for a while. It felt like a lifetime.

I hoped mom would come to say goodbye. But I waited and with each passing moment it felt like a little bit of my hope left. The hope dad hadn't taken her back home without even letting us say goodbye. The hope of seeing my mom before I die. But she never came.