A Collection of my Writer's Games Entries

When in Rome: Task 6 (Tyber Mitango) D1

"I couldn't tell you," I smiled at her but she seemed worried, "What's wrong?"

"Mum and Dad, are they okay?" she asked with intensity. Her mind had obviously got rid of the fuzziness - unlike mine.

"I don't know Jewel, just calm down..." I thought I had my eyes opened: apparently not, because when I did - I realised that it was just a dream.

**

"Tyber? Tyber, are you awake?" I heard a familiar voice. It wasn't Jewel's soft voice either. This voice, I hadn't heard it in a long time. Not since I had ran around playing with him. I opened my eyes to confirm my suspicions. Dione.

"Nice of you to come in, but I have some killing to do." I thought that if I blocked him out, it would make this unwelcome reunion easier. But I had missed him. Things with my earlier hallucination hadn't made things easier. What about Jewel? My head screamed at me.

"You don't get it do you," Dione scoffed, "I knew you wouldn't. You've changed to much, brother."

"Go f*ck yourself," I snarled at him. "Where are my parents? Where's Jewel?"

"I'm still family Tyber. We were best friends,"

"Answer my questions." I said through gritted teeth. I could see the forcefield shimmering between us. Any attempts to harm him would be useless. Jewel! My mind kept singing to me.

"Be nice Tyber," he shook his head, but I could see the tears forming from my place on the ground.

"Where are they!?" I shouted. My voice echoing off the walls.

"They're gone!" he shouted back, "Mum and Dad are dead, and Jewel..." he trailed off with tears running down his face.

Jewel! Jewel! "Shut up!" I told the voices. My parents were dead. I knew that this was just a trick, how could they be dead? My happy mother and father, who loved the Capitol and was kind to everyone, could not have been dead.

"And Jewel?" I whispered. Dione suddenly became more valuable to me. Deep down, I always knew I had missed him. That's why I changed. He was the bad boy with all the girls wrapped around his finger and I was the little brother nerd who had no friends. I gradually changed once he had gone, so I could have part of him with me - part of me never wanted to forget him.

"After the accident, she disappeared. I haven't seen her in four days. I've searched all of 1, I don't know Tyber."

"You lost her!" I shouted. I couldn't stop myself, I lunged for his throat. The forcefield sizzled me on contact and threw me back against the white walls. I screamed and clutched my arms that had taken the blow and cried out. How were they gone? Was this a sick trick that they were playing on me?

"You're lying to me!" I shouted, "They're alive. You just don't want them to be." I was talking to myself as I cradled my arms and rocked back and forth. Voices screamed at me in my head. Tyber come with us! I squeezed my eyes shut and told them to go away. They only stopped when I began crying.

"It was a freak accident Tyber. No one saw it coming." Dione's voice was soft. Just like Dad's was when I was upset. But I wasn't the old Tyber anymore. I was the Tyber who got into trouble and flirted with girls - even though he would much rather read a book. I was the Tyber who got expelled and argued with his parents - only to leave them apologies on little hand-written notes. I was a new Tyber who only cared about himself and didn't show who he really was.

"It's not real. You're not real," I whispered at him. I stared into his dark blue eyes that matched my own. But I saw myself from his point of view. My hair was messy, my face was dirty and my body was stained with other people's blood and muck. My eyes reflected his emotions. We both held fear. Fear because I didn't know the fate of my parents or Jewel. Maybe because I've lost who I really am.

I was no longer the boy who played with Dione out in the backyard. Who wrestled him to the ground then gazed up at the starry sky and thought of the endless possibilities of travelling in space. Who was I now?

"What happened?" I asked. I didn't recognize my own voice. It was shaky and quiet. Scared.

"No one knows. An explosion destroyed the perfume factory, I think," he trailed off. He didn't know!?

"They are dead and you don't give a shit about how they died?" I yelled at him.

"Don't talk to me like that!" he yelled back,

"I'll talk however I want you bastard!" I shouted with tears, "I don't want to talk to you."

"That's how you want it," Dione's body shook with - I don't know - anger, sadness or both.

"Get me out of here!" I yelled, knowing the Capitol would be in control.

"Don't leave me Tyber. Jewel needs both of us, and you know it." He gazed into me.

Well, that shut me up. Because I knew Jewel needed both of us. I couldn't take care of her on my own - nor could Dione, I would never let him anyway. If I didn't win, Jewel needed Dione more than life.

When I was younger, I thought Dione was the best thing. Maybe that's why I masked myself. So I didn't have to face what actually happened. The pressure of my parents - who were now gone - made me think he was bad. But why did we even hate him for not volunteering. His best friend did anyways and what happened to him: he got killed and placed 10th out of 24. Not a good spot for a Career. I have changed myself too much. I didn't even know why.

"I miss my brother, you know." Dione said, putting on his charming smile. It was the smile he used after he cracked a joke or after he teased me.

"Me too," I sighed to myself. Suddenly, his body started fading. "Dione?" I questioned. His eyes darted around.

"Make it out. Try for me and Jewel!" he said desperately, "I'll be waiting!"

"Don't leave!" I shouted but my head was beginning to feel woozy. Just a few minutes ago I wanted him to leave, now he was my lifeline. But his body disappeared and once again, the blackness consumed me and the coldness seeped through my body. I've lost who I was meant to be already. And I've just lost the people who I love most.