The life of a victor: Cloves story

Chapter 10

Chapter 10: The reaping

Without thinking I run out of Cato's house and across the victors village, I go to the bench next to the training centre. I sit down and start to cry, this can't be happening I think.

Cato quickly finds me and comforts me. "Don't worry" he says softly.

"We could be going into the arena" I say.

"I know but district 2 has 9 victors" he says.

"I guess your right but there is 5 males but only 4 female victors" I say.

"I know but think about other districts, district 7 has only one female victor and district 12 had only one male" he says. This makes me feel better, but then something comes to my mind.

"Brutus and Enobaria!" I shout.

"Clove.." he trails off.

"Cato I know what you are going to say , please just promise me that you won't volunteer if Brutus is picked" I say.

"I won't, but if you volunteer I will as well to protect you" he says.

"Ok" I say quietly. We walk back to my house, before I go in I say "When is the reaping?"

"Tomorrow, we won't have a chance to talk to Brutus or Enobaria" he says.

"Ok I will meet you tomorrow" I say .

The next morning I feel so nervous that I don't eat breakfast, I just get dressed and go to meet Cato. The streets are empty which indicates that we are late for the reaping.

When I meet Cato he tells me it is almost 10 the reaping starts in 3 minutes. We run over to the square, we get weird looks about how late we are. We take our place on the stage, Cato on the boys side and me on the girls side. Indigo steps up to the microphone and begins "Welcome, welcome to the 75th hunger games reaping"

"As usual ladies first!" she pipes.

She walks over and picks out a slip, she walks back to the microphone and reads out the name "Clove Hadley" she says quietly. No this can't be! I think.

I glance over at Cato he has a tear running down his cheek, I know now that he will volunteer. But as I walk up to the microphone I hear someone behind me shout "I volunteer!"

I turn around and see Enobaria push though the other victors. "No!" I cry.

Enobaria comes forward "Clove it is ok" she says. I walk back to the place where the other victors stand.

"Well a change of events here in district 2, but there is more excitement to come" she says.

She walks back over to the male reaping bowl and carefully picks out a slip. Please don't be Cato I think. It is not Cato that is picked it is another male victor who won the games 20 years ago. I know what is going to happen before it actually happens, Brutus jumps forward to volunteer, of course he is to protect Enobaria.

"Well another volunteer....umm..." Indigo is holding back tears. But she pulls it together and says "Happy hunger games and may the odds be ever in your favour" The peacekeepers leads Brutus and Enobaria into the justice building and me and Cato follow.

As soon as the door closes I hug Cato tightly. "What are we going to do?" I whisper. "I don't know" he replies. We go straight to the train this year there is no saying any goodbyes, the station is packed with cameras, as usual. We get on the train and the minuet the door closes, the train takes off at full speed.

All 5 of us sit in silence until Indigo speaks "now everything will be different because it is a quarter quell, new training centre, new living quarters...." Enobaria quickly walks out of the dining compartment and runs towards her room. The rest of us look at each other until Cato says "Maybe you should go and speak to her"

"Why me?" I ask.

"Because you are basically one of her friends" says Brutus.

"Fine" I sigh, I get up and follow her to her room.

Authors note:

Hey everyone what do you think about brutus and Enobaria going back into the arena? let me know what you think by commenting :p

-Aimee xo