This is my Fate: Minecraft Hunger Games

Chapter 15

Jerome's POV

I wake up, my entire body aching. My heart and head feel like they weigh 100 pounds each, and I look around.

I'm strapped to a metal table and my wounds are all healed up. The light in my eyes is blinding, so I can't really look up.

"Jerome! You're finally awake!" says my mentor (who is named Oak, by the way).

"Yeah, but I wish I wasn't," I grumble.

"Come on, Jerome. You get to see your family again!"

"I know, and I'm happy about that. But not about anything else," I whisper. I'm so quiet I can barely hear myself.

"Cheer up! You still get to go to all the districts and say speeches and everyone loves you!" Oak says. I know he's trying to help, but I can't find any happiness inside of me.

"Yay! All of Panem love me! But the two people I loved aren't here, so it doesn't really matter," I growl. Oak shakes his head and walks to the door.

"I'll come get you when we reach District 7." He closes the door and I'm alone again.

"Mitch... Skyler... why did this happen? Why was it us?" I ask into the air. I start bawling uncontrollably and I can't stop.

Eventually, I'm so exhausted from crying that I fall asleep.

I wake to Oak shaking my shoulder.

"Welcome home!" he says. My stylist comes in and brushes my fur and makes me look presentable. I walk out of the train we were riding in (I honestly don't know how I got into a train...) and step onto the platform in District 7. Everyone cheers and claps and I wave, but don't smile.

My parents run up to me and hug me.

"Oh Jerome! It's so good to have you back!" my mom cries. I nod and hug her and my dad before walking back to our house. My parents follow me and we go home together.

As soon as I enter the house, I make a mad dash to my room and lock the door. I don't need any visitors right now.

Time Skip

"Jerome, just stay calm and read the cards," Oak says. I walk out onto the stage in District 11. I'm on the tour of the Districts right now, and I hate it.

District 12 was hard enough, seeing Adam's family standing there. It was horrible.

Now Mitch's districts. Kill me now.

I step up to the microphone and look down at the cards for a second before tucking them into my pocket. I can see Mitch's parents and siblings standing under a banner with his face on it. It's animated, and in it he's grinning like he doesn't have a care in the world.

My heart in caving in on itself.

"I didn't know Willow very well. I had heard that she was a good girl with no bad intentions. I'm so sorry for your loss. Mitch, on the other hand, I did know. He was my best friend. The moment I saw the reaping and I saw his name get drawn, I knew it wasn't going to end happily. And it didn't. Mitch was killed by muttations, and if I could choose, he would be standing in front of you right now, saying this about me. I lost him, and I wish I hadn't. I don't want to live in a world without Mitch."

I finish and step away from the mic. As soon as I enter the building, I start to cry.

District 10: Skyler's District

This is the worst thing ever. This is going to be as hard as Mitch's district.

I step out to the mic and begin speaking.

"Jason was a good person, I was told. I didn't really know him, but I'm sorry for your loss. Skyler I knew. She was brave and selfless. She healed us and cared for us. When Mitch died, she kept me from the brink of insanity. Her presence was enough to keep me from taking my life. But then deathmatch came. She couldn't kill me, but I wish she had. She took her own life instead so I could live on. Without her, without Mitch... I'm missing half of my soul. Whether you knew her well or not at all, I am terribly sorry for your loss."

And again, I cried once out of sight.

The Capitol Speech

I stepped out in front of the Capitol people. They all looked like they were dressing up for a halloween party and their hair was outside of the range of natural.

I cleared my throat and began to speak. I would probably make some people angry, but I didn't care. They needed to know.

"This year, I was chosen for the Hunger Games. You take it as a show, as something to watch and enjoy. You live your lives in safety and wealth, never wondering whether you're going to get your next meal or go to bed hungry. In the arena, it's stressful. Will I live another day? Or will I die? I was allied with two friends in the arena, Mitch of District 11 and Skyler of District 10. We fought together, we cried together, we defended each other. We loved each other and cared about each other. And that was taken away when Mitch died. Skyler was the only one who held me away from insanity. When she took her life, I couldn't handle it. I mourned. I still am. But they told me something I will never forget.

Never give up. Live on. I am here, people of Panem, to tell you the legacy of Mitch and Skyler, two people who changed my life and died too young. I will remember them forever, and you should too."

With that, I walked off stage and never looked back.