To Save a Victor

Chapter 2

The rest of the day crawled by like they always do. My mother was still making nets down by the docks, so I was left alone with my thoughts for longer than was probably healthy. When the memories got to be too much I would go to what I called my "book room" and delve into worlds beyond this one. I spent hours in there traveling without leaving. This was where I could be found on a bad day, like today. I had a copy of The Illiad clenched in my hands when someone knocked on the doorframe.

 I glanced up and met Hank's icy blue eyes.  He was leaning against one of my bookshelves, looking around at the other shelves that lined the room,

 "Can I come in?" He asked.

 I nodded and he came in and ran his hand across the spines of the books. His slender fingers plucked a book off the shelf. The Song of Achilles.

He held it up, "Have you read this one?" 

"Yeah." 

In reality, that book had been one of the hardest books to find. To my knowledge, it was one of the last copies. 

He flipped to a page and began to read, "We were like gods at the dawning of the world and our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but each other." 

He looked up, nodded, and walked over to me and plucked the book out of my hands,  "And overpowered by memory Both men gave way to grief. Priam wept freely, For man-killing Hector, throbbing, crouching,  Before Achilles' feet as Achilles wept himself, Now for his father, now for Patroclus once again, And their sobbing rose and fell throughout the house." He looked at me over the pages, "No wonder you are always sad! This is the stuff you read." 

He handed it back to me and flipped to another page in The Song of Achilles, "Perhaps it is the greatest grief, after all, to be left on earth when another is gone." 

He closed the book and came and sat on the arm of my chair. 

"I was sent to come get you for dinner, but this is a much more interesting discussion," He reached behind me and grabbed another book, The Fault in Our Stars. 

"I fell in love the way you fall asleep, slowly then all at once." He nodded, "This one isn't bad," 

(Spoiler alert!) 

"The boy dies in the end," I state and he throws his hands in the air. 

"Why, Beatty Why!" 

"Let's go," I stand up and leave the book room as he follows me out.

 "So where are we going?" I ask,

 "The Odair's, but we will discuss your questionable choice in Literature later," he says and we step out into the street. I scoff at his comment and we make our way to the Odair's. 

    Mrs. Odair made pasta with a cream sauce and a chocolate cake for dinner. The whole of Victor's Village was there. Annie Cresta came up and gave me a hug and a necklace that she had made. Finnick had found me some more books and a pair of earrings. By the time we had gotten to cake Mrs. Odair had run out of napkins, so Mother sent Hank and I to go grab them from the house. He had his hands shoved down in his pockets while we walked, 

"I feel bad, I didn't get you anything." He muttered. 

I brushed it off, "I don't need anything." 

"I still feel like I should have gotten you something." 

"Seriously Hank, it's fine, " 

We stepped through the door and into the kitchen, and I stop midsentence. The air was filled with a familiar sticky sweet smell that made me want to gag.  I flip the light on to reveal a long white box and a bouquet of white roses. I stepped towards the table carefully when Hank came in behind me. 

"Who's that from?" 

I looked at the small red card, picking it up gingerly,

 'Happy Birthday Miss Beatty, I hope you enjoy my gift to you. I think it would look nice hanging above the door. I look forward to seeing you on your Victory Tour. Tell Mr. Odair and your new friend Hank Bodie hello for me.

 Sincerely, 

President Snow.' 

I dropped the card and reached out with shaky hands to pull the white silk ribbon. It fell and I carefully removed the lid. Upon seeing what was inside I screamed. 

Hank was by my side in an instant and we both stared at the trident lying in the bed of red silk. It's three tines had been sharpened and polished so I could see my reflection in them. No doubt to get the bloodstains off, but there was still a faint red hue to the tines when I picked it up and held it up to the light. It felt the same way it had five months ago the last time I held it. I just stood there for a moment taking in the emotions that came with holding the damn thing again. The power that seemed to flow through my limbs. 

No.

 I dropped it back in the box like it was scalding hot, hating the feeling it gave me.  Hank took my small shaking hands in his. Then he wrapped his arms around me and I started shaking with sobs.

"I killed people with that thing. The blood is still on it, Her blood is still on it!" 

He just stoked my hair and rocked me back and forth trying to calm me. 

"Her blood. Her blood. His blood. His blood. Blood. There was so much blood." I whimpered into his shirt.

 I shed their blood, and Snow plans to shed more. Mine. 

 "He sent it to me," I said gravely

"Who?" 

"Snow."  

Hope you like this new chapter! Happy 4th of July! I don't own the Hunger Games or any of the other books that were mentioned, sadly. 

All the love,

❤Buckaroobelle