Catching Fire: Clove (Completed)

Chapter One: Slightly Mad

I started the sequence again. The dummy lit up. I started throwing the spears. One two three four five! Thud thud thud thud thud. All of them hit the dummy. Each and every spear I threw hit the target. After the games were over, the victors were all supposed to have a talent. I decided the my talent would remain weaponry. I still excelled at knife throwing, but I quickly picked up several other weapons as well. Spears, swords, tridents, and even the bow and arrow. I soon was great at all of these, but my main talent still remained with knives.

Today was the day where the Victory Tour would go to District 2. I would have to see Cato's family. To give a speech. Whenever I still felt sad about Cato, or worried about what was to happen, I went to my weapons.

When the games were over, I had received a house in the Victor's Village of District 2. I got a house near the back of the village, right next to Enobaria's. She was my only friend now. She understood me. In my house, I didn't need all of the rooms, so I changed the layout. I got the master bedroom, and there was a kitchen, dining room, and living room. My family was already rich, so they stayed in their own house. I turned the other bedroom, which was gigantic, into a weapons room. It was much like the training center from the games, only smaller. I kept all of the weapons that I picked up in there, along with a lot of dummies. There were targets and practice machines that were capitol made. Only the finest for a victor.

Of course, I hadn't actually been to my house yet. I just designed it from the train that was always moving for the tour. I had seen images of it, but not the real thing in person. Right now, I was throwing spears in the practice room on the train. It was much less grand as my house had looked, but it would have to do for now.

I felt a lurch as the train stopped. We were in District 2. I ran out into the train's main car, and I saw Enobaria, Katniss, Haymitch, Evulus, and Effie, Katniss' escort, waiting. Katniss and I were wearing the same traditional tour outfit, a back shirt with tight black pants. The only difference was that my shirt had a 2 on the back of it, and Katniss' had a 12. We stepped out into the light, and the crowds awaited. I plastered on a fake smile, but inside I was screaming. Katniss smiled too, and from what I could tell both of us looked genuine. We stepped onto the podium up to two microphones with the cards that Evulus and Effie had given us for our speeches about Cato. 

I gulped as I looked up, and I saw Cato's moving picture on the screen. He swayed back and forth with confidence, and his soft blue eyes looked into mine. He gave a half smile, as if he had really seen me. A single tear ran down my cheek, but I wiped it away before anyone could notice. I stared at the image until Katniss nudged me. I was shaken back to reality and I begun to speak.

I choked through my speech quickly, and soon it was Katniss' turn. Once she was done, the Peacekeepers ushered us back inside the Justice Building. I stole one last look at Cato, before he was gone forever.

A few more tears stop away, and I couldn't stop them. I quickly recollected myself and headed back to Evulus. He told me how wonderful I had done, and congratulated me on how wonderful the whole tour had gone. It was finally over. I could finally move in to my house, and get back to normal. 

The tour had gone in a strange order. We started at 12 as usual, and went down the line. When we got to my district we skipped it and went to one. Then we headed back for the final stop. Now it was finally over.

As the days in my new house passed, I spent every spare moment in my weapons room. I learned where everything was and how to use it, and it became my sanctuary. In District 2, all the victors knew that I had gone a little crazy out of hatred of Katniss, and I had to agree with them. I had gone slightly mad.