Learning To Let Go

Too Heavy A Price To Pay

We were led into the most posh room any of had ever seen. It had red couches made of the finest velvet. The smooth marble floor was cool upon touch. There was a huge plasma TV which was showing the reaping of the male tributes. There were already two tributes standing at the side of the stage. I squinted at the screen, and unconsciously began walking towards the TV.

“Rene,” I said slowly, waving her towards me. “Who’s that? The one on the extreme right?” Rene got off the couch and walked over to me. “It looks like…” She said, trailing off as the names of the tributes chosen flashed on the screen. There were six names, now flashing white against the black screen. Aaron Johnson, Garreth Hugh, Bryan McStole, Cole Rogers, Shane Thomas and Jacob Sears. She shot me a worried look and placed her arm around me.

“Don’t worry,” she said, petting my head. “Don’t worry?!” I asked, losing my cool. “We’re going in there to die Rene. Only one person comes out. The chance of any of us surviving is slim. And if it really came down to it, would you kill me? I think we both know the answer is no. It doesn’t help that I know half the tributes and that Jacob’s a tribute too.” I sank down on one of the couches and noticed the whole room staring at me. I looked down at the floor, my cheeks red. Ashleigh sat down next to me and whispered softly into my ear, “I know you love him, and he’s someone you can’t have. But there are more important things to worry about now.” I looked into her giant orbs of brown and nodded, wiping away the tears that had flowed down my cheeks unknowingly.

Suddenly the door to the room flew open and James, our Head Peacekeeper walked into the room and said, “Sorry to breakup your little meeting but I’ve been instructed to lead you to your own private room.” There was a murmur of assent and everyone trooped out behind him. He led us down the narrow corridor and pointed individual doors for each tribute. He pointed to a sky-blue door and nodded in my direction. I melted away from the rest of the group and slipped silently inside my room. I closed the door behind me and took in the room. It was luxuriously furnished like the previous room, except there was a huge brass bed in the middle of the room. I collapsed on the bed and let the tears I’d been holding back all day fall freely down my face. My shoulders were shaking and I started hiccoughing. I let everything out of me, picking up a huge, fluffy pillow and threw it across the room. I slid down against the wall and slumped on the floor. The last thing I remember was seeing a shadow enter the room, and then everything went dark.