The Tracker- The 43 Hunger Games

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Talon

"Talon, wake up!" Kari tells me. "It's time for your final interview."

"Can't I just play sick or something? I want to get to Althaea."

"Talon, come on. Get up. You will see her tonight. I promise." She assures me grabbing my hand.

"Fine, let's get this thing over with."

"Do you want something to eat?"

I shake my head no. I just want to be in District 13.

My prep team arrives and pulls me away to get me ready for my last interview. They carry on speaking in high pitched trills. Typical capitol accent. They talk about nonsense, which I tune out again.

Kari walks in and shoos them away. She pulls out my final outfit. It's a pair of white trousers and a light green shirt. Kari helps me into them.

"Just a few more hours Talon."

Seeder meets us in the sitting room as we wait for the time to head to the interview. I actually forgot about Seeder up until know.

"I'm sorry about Althaea. I know how much you must have loved her."

Seeder was the one who took me in after five years of being in the orphanage. She's strong still, even after going through the Games and mentoring year after year. She won the 15th Hunger Games which makes her the same age that my mother would be. Twenty-eight. She's acted as my mom for two years and I already love her like a mother.

"It's okay," I say nonchalantly.

Kari darts a look at me and I know that I've just acted too casually. Seeder must not know about Althaea. I have to fix this somehow. When Seeder looks at me with confusion, I know that now's my chance.

"I'm sorry. I'm just trying not to think about her or the fact that she's..." I let my voice trail off. I have to make myself believe that she's dead.

"Talon, I need to talk to you." Kari says pulling me into a different room.

"What?" I ask.

"About Althaea, she's actually dead. They couldn't save her." Kari's voice is wavering and tears threaten to spill out of her eyes.

"So all of that about District 13—"

"Yes, it was all a lie. I didn't want you to be upset the entire time. I know it was wrong—" She sobs.

"You think so? Well I'm glad you finally realize that what you did was wrong," I shout at her as tears stripe my face.

"Talon I'm sorry!" Kari shouts back.

I can feel anger and loss well up inside me. Why didn't she just tell me the truth from the start? Then the reality of it hits me.

"So she's really dead?" I whisper.

Kari nods her head and I slowly crouch on the ground not able to make a sound. My body is racking with sobs. I put my hands up to face as I start wailing with grief and ache. My breathing is painfully labored as I gasp for air.

I cry as if all of Panem, all of the rare beauty within it, has ended. And in my case it has. Life feels meaningless. Again, I've lost my rock, my sole meaning to go on.

Kari touches my back and tries to console me. I know it's pointless. I'm going to be a complete wreck for my interview.

"Come on Talon. It's time for your interview." Seeder says entering the room.