Unbreakable

1.1

As soon as I realize, I am down on the cobblestone, my hands the only thing keeping me from face planting into the dirt.

Not Rye. It can't be Rye

I look up towards the stage, and I can barely see through the tears that have sprung their way into my eyes. I blink them away furiously. I am not going to cry.

At least not in public anyways.

I haul myself to my feet, screaming Rye's name over and over again as he is ushered into the Justice Building. My throat feels like tiny knives are being pushed into my vocal chords as I scream. But I can't stop. There are people around me: voices trying to calm me, but there is nothing anyone can do to help me. My twin brother is going to die. My brother.....who's protected me my entire life; who found me after I broke my arm in the forest and brought me back home when we were ten, my shoulder to cry on....and now he's going to die.

My voice breaks, and I would have collapsed back down to the street for not a crowd of people waiting to catch me. I feel arms around me as I whimper my brothers name. My heart is breaking. It is physically painful, and I wish more then anything that I was going inside of the arena as opposed to him.

"All right now dearie....he'll be just fine ya hear? Our boy 's a fighter that one." An elderly woman next to me croons into my ear, patting my back comfortingly.

That's true. Rye is a fighter. And a fairly good one too. One time last year, Fyne came home from school with a black eye and a busted lip. While I cleaned Fyne up, Rye hunted down the older boys that beat our kid brother up, and returned the favour. When I next saw them, the bullies certainly looked worse for wear.

I take several deep, calming breathes as I try to regain a fraction of my composure. I need to be strong to see Rye. I can't let his last memory of me be my tears.

Pulling myself together, I shake my head vigorously several times, shaking the weakness out of my body. I need to be strong.

I stand up a little straighter, toss my hair back over my shoulder, and wordlessly leave the square, making a beeline for the Justice Building. There is already a line of people waiting to say goodbye to Rye outside of the door to his holding room, but they all let me pass. I am grateful to them for that....they know that Rye and I need each other. They are willing to let me go to the front of the line, even if that means that they do not get the chance to say their farewells. I can not thank them enough for giving me that gift.

I lean against the wall beside the door, and rest my head in my hands. An hour ago I was making breakfast for my brothers. I didn't know what was coming. If I had known that Rye was going to be Reaped, I would have done more. Spent more time with him. I wouldn't have picked fights with him. I would have cherished the time that I had with him so much more. How I wish that I could turn back the clock....even just one day back, and redo the last 24 hours.

The door suddenly swings open, and Fyne is pushed out. He is screaming: his big blue eyes wild with tears. I catch him, and he falls into me, wailing.

"Fyne. Fyne!" I reassure, forcing him to look at me. "Go home. I'll see you there in a minute."

I squeeze his emancipated frame tightly, and close my eyes, holding my brother in my arms. For a moment, we cling to each other: sharing in the grief that the other one carries. Then, a masked Peacekeeper grabs my shoulder and roughly shove me into the room, closing the door behind me.

Momentarily, I glare at the door, rubbing my shoulder angrily. That Peacekeeper had no right to treat me that way. And then I hear Rye call my name, and the gravity of the situation comes crashing down upon me.

I turn around, and there he is. Looking tall, strong, and utterly terrified. He says my name again, and wraps his arms around me: resting his head against my shoulder. He is shaking. I hold him tightly, and for a few minutes we don't speak.

"Ari," he murmurs against my shoulder, using his childhood nickname for me, "I'm so scared."

Tears once again threaten to sting my eyes as I squeeze him tighter.

"Me too." My voice catches as I pull back, and look him directly in the eye.

"But Rye....you can win. You can. I know you can." I say, almost pleading with him. I need him to win.

Rye draws away from me slightly, his grey eyes sad.

"But then I have to kill people! I don't know if I can just kill somebody Aris! I'm not a murderer!" His voice raises as he strides to the window, breathing heavily. I've never seen him so wound up in my life before. And I know, in my heart of hearts, that Rye would rather die himself, then murder another human being.

I walk up behind him, and place a hand on his shaking shoulder.

"You're not a murderer. The Capitol is the real murderer here." I whisper. Rye is silent for a moment, as we both stare out of the window. It would have been a beautiful day outside: perfect to go to the beach. There is not a cloud to be seen, and the sky is a brilliant bright blue. If the Reaping had gone differently, Rye and I would have been home right now. We probably would have gone to the beach this afternoon, relieved that we made it through another year.

Instead, he'll be on a train to his death.

Rye turns to face me once more as a sharp knock sounds on the door. Time's almost up.

"I'll try. I will. Whatever happens though, I love you. Don't ever forget that."

I nod, the lump in my throat so large that I can hardly speak.

"I believe in you." I whisper back to him. He wraps my tightly in his arms one last time as the knocking at the door grows more insistent.

"Don't let Fyne watch. He needs you. Be strong Ari. No matter what you see on the screen, be strong." He mutters as the door swings open. I nod frantically as I cling to him. I'm not ready to let him go. Not yet.

There are hands on my back, ripping me away from my brother. I am shouting 'I love you' over and over, and he is saying it back, and then the door slams in both of our faces.

And just like that, my twin brother is gone.

.......

I am not sure how I get home, but all of a sudden I am at my front door, my fingertips lingering on the wooden knob. What happens when I go in and Rye is not there? How do I carry on without him?

He'll only be gone for a few weeks. You can make it a few weeks.

I know that I am telling myself lies, but to keep the shreds of my sanity intact, I believe it. I can manage for three weeks without my brother. I'll worry about what comes next later.

I push open the door, and Fyne launches himself into my arms. His face is swollen and red as he lets out a heart wrenching sob. The poor kid. Rye was his hero. He used to follow Rye around: lapping up every piece of affection he received like a dog. It will break his heart if Rye doesn't come home.

As I clutch Fyne tightly to my chest, Ryes last words to me bounce around my brain. "Be strong Ari. No matter what you see on the screen, be strong."  Like it or not, I've got to be strong now. Fyne needs me to. And so does Rye. Because if.....when he comes home, he is going to need all the support he can get.