Real or Not Real?

Chapter 6

Immediately after the anthem ends, Peacekeepers retrieve us and take us into the justice building. I consider my escape options, but all of them seemed stupid and unrealistic. I wonder what Peeta's thinking right now.

Finally, we reach a door, and they shove me inside. The room is beautiful and luxurious. I've never seen anything quite like it. I walk around the room and run my fingers over this soft fabric I couldn't quite recognize. For a minute, everything seems alright. The world around me was forgotten and I felt, almost happy.

A knock on the door pulled me back into reality. My mother, Gale, Rory, Vick, and Posy slowly open the door. All three of my brothers' eyes are red and puffy. Rory and Vick lead my mother, who seems practically in a trance, into the room to sit down. Gale holds Posy in his arms. I always tried to be close to her. I wanted her to feel comfortable with me, since I was her only big sister. Posy looks frightened and confused, she doesn't quite understand the reaping yet, and I doubt the rest of my family was in the condition to explain it to her after I volunteered.

I go up to my mother first. I pull up a chair in front of her and take both of her hands in mine. She refuses to look into my eyes as she stares emotionless at the floor.

"Mama?" I look at her expectedly as a single tear slides down her cheek. "Mama please talk to me, I don't have much time."

Nothing. I don't even think she blinked. Looks like, once again, I'm left to give her encouragement. But, no. I can't deal with that right now. 

I let out a loud grunt and stand up so that I'm looking down on her. "You're kidding right? I'm about to be led to my death and I would really like if my mama could comfort me right now. But once again, I have to be the adult. Mother, look at me." She slowly lifts her head and meets my eyes. "I'm sick and tired of this. I really don't have the energy to tell you everything's going to be okay right now, because it's not. In a matter of weeks, I'll be dead. I'm trying to accept that." 

"(Y/N)-" Gale interrupts, but I stop him before he continues.

"No, Gale. Stop, please." My voice breaks and I take a deep breath. "It's true." I looked back at my mother, tears filling my eyes. "When you walked in, all I wanted was a hug. I wanted you to lie and tell me it will be ok. But you wouldn't even look me in the eye." I barely finished my last sentence before tears burst out. So much for staying calm.

After about two minutes of silence. Gale speaks up again.

"We don't have much time and I'd really like to say goodbye to my sister."  I look up, puffy eyed. He takes a second to get his thoughts together and to choke back a few sobs. "I'm going to miss my best friend. I don't know what I'll do without you." 

I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his chest. "At least you'll have Katniss." Is all I manage to say.

"I want my sister." We continue to hug for a few moments before he pulls away. "I'm so stupid, I should've volunteered for that baker kid."

"You know you couldn't do that." I say.

He sobs. "But I could protect you." 

I looked over to the rest of our family, all cuddled up on the velvet couch. Gale's gaze follows mine, "Protect them."

 "I will." He looks back at me. "But promise me something?" I nod. "Never stop trying. Please. Just try to come home. "

"I promise." We break away and I go over to Vick and Rory. I may not have been as close to them as Gale, but I love them so much. 

I ran my fingers through their hair and told them how much I'll miss them, and how they need to help Gale with the hunting now that I'm gone. We cried and embraced for a few minutes, and I move over to pick up Posy.

"Hello there, pretty girl." 

"Why is everyone crying, Sisa?" She asks as she twirls my hair in her little fingers. Posy has called me Sisa since she was 1. She couldn't pronounce 'sister' properly then, and it just kind of stuck. I'll miss her sweet voice every day till I die.

"Well, I'm have to leave for a while, and none of us like to say goodbye."

"When will you be back?" She asks, looking even more confused than before.

"I don't know, but it could be a long time."

"Oh." Her bottom lip starts to quiver, breaking my heart into thousands of pieces.

"No, no Posy it'll be okay." I can feel the tears coming back. "Gale, and mommy, and Vick, and Rory are all going to take good care of you." I attempt a smile, but I'm not sure how convincing it was.

She starts crying and squeezes me as tight as her little hands can. A close my eyes, trying to savor the moment. When I open them. My mother is staring right at me.

She starts, "(Y/N), I'm-" Just then, the peacekeepers swing open the door and quickly try to herd my family out. The moment is a blur of commotion. Everyone yelling and struggling.

"No! Stop!" I scream. Trying to hang on to my family as if they were my last bit of hope. "Gale! Mama!" The peacekeepers grab my wrists. I can hear Gale yelling at them to let go, and to give them a few more minutes. I hear Posy and the little boys screaming and crying. I faintly hear my mother yelling something I can't quite make out. "Vick! Posy! Rory! Please don't take my family!" I'm fighting the peacekeepers, yelling, and sobbing.

The door is just about to close when I finally catch what my mom was saying.

"I'm so sorry (Y/N)!"

And with that, the door shuts. Leaving me alone with the muffled cries of my broken family.

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sorry it was a short chapter! hope you enjoyed <3