Clato : Till forever falls apart

Chapter 2 - the reaping

I look around I see Athena start moving out she knew someone else will take her place.

"I volunteer as tribute" I hear from the back of the crowd.

My attention snaps to a girl who looks like a grown women right from the back she must be 18. I couldn't believe she'd be any younger. Everybody's head turns to her. I look at the stage and look back at her walking with her head held in the air.
I could take her. She's too big to be fast, this is YOUR time.
No.I push the thoughts away. it will never be my time. But my heart is beating out of my chest and I think how proud my mother and father would be, I'd finally be the warrior they wanted.

I push myself through the sea of 15 year olds snapping their glances away from the volunteer untill reaching the end out exposed in a long corridor man made by children.

"No! I volunteer as tribute!" I shout

An audible gasp escapes from the audience. I scan the faces in complete shock before my attention in on the 18 year old grasping the front of my dress in a tight fist. Malice in her eyes. The anger of Being upstaged by a 15 year old.

"What the hell do you think your playing at" she whispers into my ear so close to my face I can feel her warm breath. Before I know what's happing I'm kicking the back of her knee caps and she falls on to her knees so we're face to face. She growls before throwing herself forward at me landing a hit on my jaw. I jump around the back of landing in several Kidney punches before she takes me to the floor. Bad move. I thrust my hips forward wrapping my legs around her waist. I can hear cheers erupting around me as she lands on her back. Before I can pin her down properly she headbutts me knocking me backwards as I stumble she punches me in the stomach. But I can feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins. I jump up twords her face wrapping my legs tightly around her neck which knocks her back on to the floor as I move to the back of her head constricting her air flow and making a final hit shoving my heal into her wind pipe.
I get up
Cheers erupt
I look down
She on the floor struggling for breath as peace keepers run over with the stretcher. It shocks me that not once did they try to break up the fight.
I look at her long enough that I see the 18 year old mouth the words

"I hope you die"

I don't care I flounce to the stage walking up the steps with a grin on my face, and eyebrows furrowed
Let this be a warning mess with me you end up like her
I reach the top of the stairs and grin with malice whilst the district applauds me. Near the back I see some death glares. Must be the girl I just destroyed friends but This will be my time.

"Well..."  Nimit stutters "I believe there is protocol where we ask for volunteers - but I guess this will have to do" she almost whispers the last part

"What's your name?" She asks

"Clove Kentwell" I look defiant and fierce, blooded fists clenched at my side well at least I hope I do look how I think I look.

Nimit looks me up and down and continues addressing the audience "I love to see the passion this district has for the games. I'm so lucky to be here" her voice is so shrill "and now for the boys"

She crosses the stage in front of me and reaches into the second glass bowl.

"Xander Acas-"

A boy cuts her off obviously eager for no one to cut in on his glory like I did to the other girl. He bounds forward a mountain of a boy and only from the group of 16 year olds, he looks much older . Wait his the one I saw throwing spears this morning. The face I couldn't quite put a name to. Suddenly it all comes back to me this the boy at last years reaping party. He carried me home after I had passed out from lack of food, I had wanted to look good for the cameras. Last year when I was 13 I had easily spotted myself in the crowd as being the only one without the sculpted body. I swore at 14 the same wouldn't happen. I was the laughing stock at the school But standing too long the world got a little hazy. But I remember him. He was caring, he carried me home he stayed with me as I screamed how I would never be good enough . He told me I was worth more. For the next month we would meet at noon and eat berries on the hill in silence . Maybe that's why I liked berries so much. All the days were a haze I could barely remember, maybe I choose not to remember. I never even knew his name. One day I just stopped showing up. So I guess he did too , maybe the only real kindness district 2 had ever shown me. I'm mortified that this boy will be my district partner.

But I see no kindness in his eyes today I see a merciless killer and when he stands next to me on the stage I look small I reach his shoulders, my head might only be as big as his bicep. He raises his fist like Brutus did, encouraging roars from the audience. He doesn't look at me once but I can't take my eyes off of him.

"No manners this year" Nimit sighs under her breath

This makes me stare back into the crowd. I can't show this boy intimidates me.

Nimit asks for his name

"Cato Hadley"

His smirk never breaks.

The mayor starts to read the treaty of treason like his required to do every year but I just focus on the audience and looking straight into cameras so I scare other tributes on the re-runs. But in my head I couldn't stop it running over the night last year . How is it possible I'm paired with the only guy who knows I'm actually weak. He knows a deep part of me which I share with no one. I try to show I have no insecurity. But the perfect blonde boy next to me knows. Perfect? Where did that word come from. His just a boy and can bleed like anyone else.

After the mayor finishes reading the treaty he motions for us to shake hands. We look each other in the eye and grip hands. I see his eyes for the first time and am taken aback they're  a piercing blue. Then I see something horrible. Realisation. He knows who I am. And I hate him for it.