Alternative Ending/ I want my innocence back

Chapter 2: Corruption

Chapter 2: Corruption

Cato:

Clove and I just stared at each other. We just killed our two biggest competitions. We should be happy! We're supposed to be the confident, unstoppable, untouchable Careers! But I don't feel that way, I feel like a murderer, a monster.

Clove gave me a joyless grin. "Well." is all she said.

We wandered to the cornucopia.We opened the pack. Two sets of body armour. I don't really see what good it'll do, but we slip it on over our shirts and under our jackets.

Memories from earlier in the Games flashed through my mind. When we left Avdimi in charge of our supplies to hunt down the person who built the fire. I had gleefully murderous thoughts rush through my head. Then, when are supplies were blown sky high, I snapped Avdimi's neck without any hesitation. In the bloodbath, there wasn't any hesitation when I killed. I'm a murderer. A monster. Why do I deserve happiness?

Sure, I was trained for the Games for 10 years. The Capitol corrupted me. But if I truly didn't feel right about killing, wouldn't I have escaped to the woods instead of the cornucopia? I guess there's always been a murderous side to me. I didn't deserve Clove.

I looked into Clove's emotion-clattered eyes. She, unlike me, had... has... innocence in her. I remember the day we met. Her face, so full of terror when she learned her fate. Me, I just smirked. Maybe it was because I was... er... am cocky.

If it came down to Clove and me, what would I do? Sure, she deserves to live more than me. But in the spur of the moment ... wouldn't my murderous instincts take over? One mistake... one wrong move... one slice... would mean Clove's death. This broke my heart. I had to protect her, I can't let my evil side hurt the one I love.

"Cato...." Clove says softly.

"Yea?"

Clove looks at me, face cluttered with emotions. Sadness, confusion, abandonment, anger.... "I want my innocence back."

I take her hand and lead her over to a clump of rocks on which we sit. "What do you mean?" I know what she means. She feels as corrupted as I do.

"They took it. The Capitol. They stripped me of it. By turning into a killing machine." she says sorrowfully.

"Clove," I say slowly.

"They took it Cato! you know how you said that when you killed Avdimi, it didn't help stop your anger?" I nodded. "Well, I thought once I killed Katniss, I'd feel better! But I don't!"

Clove took a deep breath. I saw her brows knit together with pained confusion. "I was pretty pissed about our situation before we got here. I guess I was desperate to survive. An attention whore I guess. I wanted sponsors to help us! She kept showing me up... everyone up. I guess my anger was misdirected."

Clove started fixating her gaze on a patch of grass before continuing. "Now that the person who I thought I wanted to kill is dead, I see now.... I see that... I was mad at the Capitol. For taking my innocence. For bringing me here with you. Telling me that if I want to live, I'll have to kill. I'm a murderer. I can't believe it."

I tilted Clove's chin towards me, locking my eyes with hers. "Clove. You never lost your innocence. You still have it. Somewhere, crammed in between the lies the Capitol corrupted you with, lays your innocence. Now, for me, I never had innocence."

Clove tried to protest. I put a finger to her lips. "I was born into a line of murderers. My two older brothers has the same fate as me, you know that. I was born without innocence. My heart is full of anger, hatred and lies. I don't deserve you."

I grinned softly. "When I saw you for the first time, you were like a blossomed flower. Innocence shone from your smile, your eyes. The Capitol just took away the sun and now your flower stopped blossoming, entrapping your innocence somewhere within it. It's trapped in the lies the darkness brought. Once you get your sun back, you'll get your innocence back. And I promise, i'll get you your sun back."

Clove wrapped her arms around my neck and placed her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her waiste. I started feeling her tears soak through my shirt. I figured there were cameras on us right now. I tried to make the hug look like a casual friendly thing. I patted Clove's back gently. Hoping that would add to the friend factor.

Clove sat back up straight and hastily wiped the tears from her eyes. She gave me a small smile.

"Well, how are we supposed to get Ginger?" I saw her eyebrows knit together. It was as if these were lines she was be threatened to read.

"Well, we've really been dealing with the stronger tributes. Ginger is smart. We'll have to out con her... but how?" I wondered.

"Maybe we could just try tracking her down?" Clove suggested half heartidly.

I nodded thoughtfully. "I'm not 100% sure how that would work out, but it's the only plan we have, so let's give it a try."

I took my spear and Clove's hand. We then headed towards the woods. We didn't really have a clue on the direction Ginger was headed, probably not far. It was only us three. So, where do you go if it's you and two others? I'd say close to the cornucopia. So, we checked the whole boarderline of trees, no Ginger.

"Where would you go?" I asked Clove.

"Somewhere that has water, shelter and food. All together. So I wouldn't have to leave," she says.

"Is there a place like that?" I questioned.

"I think there was that place in the willow tree grove.... It's in that direction." Clove pointed west of the cornucopia.

"Okay, lets go." I agreed.