The Capitol Games

Chapter 20- Precious

Zeke leaves early the next morning, and I remain shut in my room. Mom, Dad, Addie, Haymitch all tried to bring me out, using excuses that I needed to eat breakfast, that Gale came to see me, that they were going to the department building and if I wanted to come.

I know, and am pretty sure they know too, that there would be one way to get me out. It might or might not include a lie, and I knew they wouldn't dare to lie to me.

Addie tried that.

"Lian, someone's here to see you." she had said.

I looked up from the notepad and pencil (that I found in a drawer in my room), immediately, but then narrowed my eyes at the firmly shut door.

"Is it him?"

Addie hesitated. I smiled sourly, and looked back at my notepad.

"I-I don't...know," she had said. "Do you want to come out and see for yourself?" There was this completely naive hopefulness in her voice, which almost made me consider letting her in my room. But I shut it out quickly.

"No."

There was a sigh as she went away.

Now, as I almost complete my brunch, which consists of a banana, some spring rolls and a cup of milk with spices in it, I study my notepad. I'm not too pleased with the results.

Ask Plutarch to switch the tributesTry to hide ZekeFake Zeke's death and smuggle him to 12Try to get them to cancel the Capitol Games

As I looked at my list, my heart dropped further into my stomach at each point.

This is so stupid. None of this is going to work. A voice said in my head

I shook my head to clear it of the counter-productive voice . I mad a promise to myself. Zeke can't die. I won't let him die.

What in the world can you do, Lian? taunted the voice again.

I can do many things. Everyone says I'm Lilian Mellark, I have some influence, some reach.

Your reach just extends till, say, changing the colour scheme of some party. So tell me Lilian Mellark, what will it be? Indigo or something more greenish. Turquoise?

I take a deep breath. I can do this. I promised myself I will do something to protect Zeke.

That promise is, like, already broken. You can't do anything.

No! I can- I can talk to Plutarch. He likes me. He might-might-

Stop the Hunger Games? Keep dreaming, honey. Besides, Zeke can probably protect himself better that you ever can. What can you do to protect him?

I-I can shoot,

Rigghhtt. So, you're just going to shoot people and convince them to stop the Games? Don't be a fool, Lian-

"Shut up!" I scream.

My hands fly wildly as I scream, knocking the notepad and pencil from my bed. The pencil clatters on the floor. I drop down next to it.

That snickering, malicious voice is right. Maybe I won't be able to cancel the Games, but I can try to convince Plutarch to change the tributes. I can try. I need to try. I can't let Zeke just die.

So I pick up my notepad, give myself five deep breaths to calm down, and open my door.

Mom, Addie, Finnick and Haymitch, who have all seem to taken refuge on the couches in the hall in front of my room jump up.