Clato: The Cost of a Broken Heart

Chapter 1

Blood streams over my hands in a metallic, sickening wave. It pools beneath my nails and drips in small beads off my fingertips. Still, I bring the knife down again and again, long after the bleeding heart in its path ceases beating. The blood clouds my thoughts, seeping into the edges of my vision.

I don't care about the blood on my hands, there is already so much. All that matters is Favian is finally dead. He can never hurt me again. I set the knife between his ribs and slide my gaze up to his cold, dead eyes. In the sea of red I am shocked to find a sliver of beautiful blue. Cato's eyes, not Favains. Cato's blood covering my hands.

"No!" I scream and shake Cato. "No!" He has to wake up, he has to live. I need him. But Cato never wakes.
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I come to in my new bed in the Victor's Village of District Two. It takes me a second to remember where I am, I've only lived here for a week. Curling up on my side, I choke and gasp, trying to stop the panic attacks that always come with these nightmares. Every night since the Games they have plagued me. Every night I watch Cato die by my hand.

Cato, who I haven't seen since we arrived home. He and I stood side by side in front of the Justice building, glaring angrily and avoiding each other's gaze. We did as President Snow asked, we pretended to be monsters. It wasn't hard considering I am one. The hard part was seeing Elise's crying face and Old Ella's smile and hearing Lisette cheer for the first time in months and not being able to run to them and tell them how much I missed them.

Maybe it's better I haven't seen them yet. I'm afraid they will find out I didn't think I would make it home alive, that I didn't want to. I'm terrified they will be able to see it in my eyes. Worst of all, I cannot let them know what happened between me and Cato and why we had to end it before it began. Elise, Lisette, Old Ella and the rest of the Meadows can never know President Snow is threatening their lives if I don't do as he says. I don't want them to live in fear, I don't want the people I love to see the world I do.

Giving up on sleep, I climb out of bed and walk onto the balcony. From here I can see the rest of the Victor's Village and the lights of the strip. Stars shine brightly and I am reminded of the kiss Cato and I shared beneath them. It feels so long ago. I shove the thought of Cato away and sag against the railing.

I don't sleep enough. I am afraid to sleep because of what I see in my nightmares. I thought things would be better after the Games. I may be rich now, but I have lost the parts of me that felt human, the ability to sleep, Marvel, and Cato. And I feel so alone, buried beneath my secrets. If I cannot be free from President Snow at least I am free from Favian.

I look up at the stars and wonder if they will keep my secrets.

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A/N Characters from this book belong to the wonderful Suzane Collins, as does the setting. This is the sequel to Clato: Cuts Beneath the Surface. If you haven't read it you may want to, as this story probably won't make sense without the background information it provides. I will try to update as often as possible and I'd love to hear comments on the story! Please vote!