Spell: The First Games

Chapter 3: Memory

On the train, I didn't talk to anyone. The moment we boarded, I found a place to stay and remained there for the whole time. When they called for lunch, I ignored them. When they were watching the live coverage of the tributes from other districts, I didn't join them. I hate these people. Well, not Dakota, but everyone else.

I just laid on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, thinking about my district. We focus a lot about being fair and just. Is it fair I have to be in the Hunger Games? No. 

But now that I'm in the Hunger Games, what will I do? I tried to steer away from the question, but I just kept coming back to it. Like...when you tell yourself to not think about something -- it's all you think about.

I guess I'll just have to wing it.

My mind jumped and I started to think about my family. My dead father, the guy who left me when I was little.  I don't really remember him all that well. Except that he had a loving smile that lit up his eyes. I wish I had knew him better. When my brother had yelled, "You don't know him like I do!", what did he mean?

At least my mother had always been there for me. No matter what I did, she always thought I was perfect. Until I learned why she acted like that...that one day. The day I'll never forget. Don't think about it! Too late, I was already falling into the memory. 

I was back in 5th grade, my teacher rambling on about things I already knew. My friends and I were all drawing our dream boyfriends. Then, out of the blue, the intercom came on.

Once the static had cleared, the speaker had said, "Teachers and students, please excuse this interruption. Holly Zeres, please report to the front office. Holly Zeres, please report to the front office. Thank you."

My teacher glanced at me. "Grab your things, you won't be coming back. The day is almost over."

All eyes were on me -- until my teacher got their attention and resumed her lecture. I collected my books and slung my backpack over my shoulder, and walked out the door.

 I was the only one in the hallway. I shuffled towards the office. Did they find it strange I got 100% on my tests but never did my homework? Did they notice that I ditch Tuesdays and Thursdays? What am I in trouble for?

I had already reached the menacing black door. Someone had scraped Help me! by the door nob. I'm surprised none the staff have done anything about it. Maybe they found it funny. Do they even have a sense of humor?

They were probably wondering what was taking so long. I pushed open the door and walked in. Our office had faded gray wallpaper with a worn gray carpet. On the left wall, someone had put a monocle and unibrow on the smiley face, giving it a evil teacher look. On the right wall, there were several paintings of cats -- all of them staring directly at me. Freaky decor.

The vice principal looked up from his desk. "Ah...Holly, Mrs. Haunt has been waiting for you." He stood up and lead me to the princepal's office. "Be on your best behavavior."

I opened this door and stopped. The first thing that hit me was the stench. The revolting odor of uncleaned human and dead something filled the room. There were cages of spiders and bats, all munching on live bugs. Why Mrs. Haunt wants these in her office, I'll never understand.

That's when I noticed her. Only the top of her head had hair, she had shaved the sides. Her eyebrows had been singed off and her cheeks had been burned. Mrs. Haunt's eyes were the weirdest part of her -- they were blood red.

"Miss Holly," she croaked, "I'll get right to the point: you're a magic. Never come back to the school. Never leave your home. You must remain hidden."

"What?" I had questioned.

Mrs. Haunt ignored me. Then, without warning, her eyes had this greedy/insane look and she opened a cage, snatched a bat, and popped it into her mouth. The little bat had shrieked as it was crunched apart by Mrs. Haunt's teeth. If only I had looked away and covered my ears.

Mrs. Haunt licked her lips and reached for another one. I ran out of the office before I could watch that one die. Mr. Ver had tried to stop me, but I pushed him aside and jumped over the school wall.

I ran until my legs were about to collapse. I was pretty close to home by now. My brother would still be at school, but my mother would be home. 

When I entered, my mother was making cookie dough. She turned to me and said, "She told you, didn't she?"

I simply nodded my head.

She washed off her hands. "Oh, baby." She sat down and lifted me onto her lap. Brushing the hair from my face, she said, "It's tough."

"Mrs. Haunt told me I was a magic. But what's a magic?"

 "Well, she was supposed to explain the whole thing to you, but I guess in her failing age, it must of slipped her mind. So I'll tell you about it the best I can," Mother paused, "There were some scientists that were trying to create super humans. They took a group of expecting women and their families and made them District 14. Certain women were given the real thing, others had a placebo. Some of the children had powers, others didn't. I was given the real pill, hence your  magical powers."

"So we're all just lab rats?" I asked.

"If you want to put it that way..." she started.

"But why does that keep me from leaving home?" I inquired.

"We want to live normal lives. It's just that certain people were born with magic skills. To keep the scientists from knowing there's any difference, everyone must act usual. Sometimes, the children do some out of the ordinary things, so they have to stay home so no one else sees. When children had tried to learn these abilities on their own, there were deaths. Mrs. Haunt went insane after her own daughter had been killed when trying to practice magic."

"Well, if I have these powers, shouldn't I learn how to control them?"

"That's the problem: when someone tried to master it, they died. And I don't want you to die because of this. I want you to live a long, happy life. Please, do not attempt magic." she begged.

"But what if it just happens? What if I just perform it?"

"Well, based on other children, they willed themselves to do it. Or an extreme emotion activated it. So that shouldn't happen. But do not try it." she repeated.

"I won't." I had promised.

"Good. Now, how about you help me make cookies?" she asked. I smiled. She always knew how to lighten the mood.

 Dakota snapped me out of my memory.