Power Over Me ↦ Cato Hadley

xxviii. the dairy farm

My mother is laughing when the gunshot rings out. It reminds me on the canon. The cows startle, mooing and bellowing as I'm up on my feet in an instant. Turning to my mother, both of us drag the milk pails out of the way, clambering over the gate as we hurry outside.

"Cato!" I call, shouting as loud as I can. There's nothing, but the machinery has stopped whirring and my mother and I take off for the hay barn. As we pass the entrance gate, I spot the peacekeeper's van in the yard, and my fears heighten. My run turns to a sprint, breath coming out in pants as I remember the Games. 

All I can think about is that someone's dead.

When we round the corner, both of us come to a stop. There's five peacekeepers in the barn, one is holding a smoking gun. Cato is there, holding onto both of our dogs who are barking and growling, my father is by the farmhand, holding onto his stomach that's bleeding.

"Hugo!" My mother is shouting as the peacekeepers turn. Four of them have batons in their hands, the other one is still holding the gun and they're raised at us as I grab hold on my mother, putting myself in between her and the gun. They can't shoot me, I'm a victor and they need me alive.

"What is going on?" I cry, looking at Cato. His eyes are wild, the dogs snarling and barking to try and get at the men. 

"This man was being uncooperative. Are there any more personnel on your farm?"

"No, this is a family farm. It's just us. Whatever it is that seemed to have been the matter, you do not have the right to shoot my father!" I'm not sure how my voice is strong, but it is. 

"He has over the prescribed amount of machinery and there are guns on this yard, get that dog to stop barking, boy!" Cato reaches down, grabbing Cas' muzzle and holding it shut as the dog twists and turns. Mick is still lunging forwards, and Cato's starting to panic.

"We have the authorisation for those in the house. Let me chain the dogs up and sort out my father, and I'll show them to you."

"Get them now!"

"Let me bandage my father." I plead. 

"Get the papers!" Is the only response I get.

"Ma, go and get the papers." I urge her, pushing her gently towards the house. She's crying, looking at my father's paling face as she stumbles towards the house. "Let me bandage my father. He's bleeding out."

I go to move, and the gun is raised at me. The dogs go feral in Cato's hands, and he's barely holding onto Mick's collar. I raise my arms, stepping back as I catch the farmhand, Raike's, eyes. He's looking between everyone, hands covered in blood as he tries to stop the bleeding. My own breathing picks up, remembering the death and gore of the arena, and I can see that Cato's eyes are unfocused. 

"Cato?" I call, but he doesn't answer, looking down at the dogs as they thrash and just managing to hold on. "Let me chain the dogs up, please. Let me chain them up."

"Fine." I hurry over, grabbing both dogs from Cato's hands, grabbing onto him in the process. 

"Cato, we're at the farm. We're at the farm." I whisper, seeing the horror in his eyes as he watches the dogs. I'm not sure if he can differentiate them from the mutts. Still, nothing is said and I drag Mick and Cas away, though it takes all of my strength. They're big dogs, defensive dogs and they don't like the peacekeepers being here on their property. One of the guards follows me out, watching as I drag them to the machinery barn. I chain Mick on the long lead, before dragging Cas to the kennel and chaining him inside. Both dogs bark and howl, stirring up a racket and as I come back out, I see my mother locking their retired dog back into the house, hurrying over with the papers in hands.