Panem High School {COMPLETED}

Chapter 61 - Cato

Sometimes, things happen that ruin your whole life. They make everything seem meaningless, and you don't know what to do.

It should have been me. Not her.

She looks so small, and defenseless in the hospital bed. One of the nurses put a small Christmas tree on the table by her bed, but I'm tempted to move it. The festive ornament seem to cheery. I'd rather everything was just as bleak and gray as my mood.

I should have protected her...I should have done something...anything...

Johanna keeps saying it's not my fault, there was nothing I could do. As logical as that is, I can't help but blame myself. I promised myself long ago that id never let anything hurt her. And now, here she is, hovering between life and death, and I'm helpless.

It's terrible.

Eventually, Johanna shifts in her chair on the other side of the bed. I pry my gaze away from Clove's face and glance at her.

"We should go get something to eat," she whispers.

Slowly, I nod, and let her pull me out of my chair and lead me down to the hospital cafeteria.

It's somewhat of a surprise to see Katniss, Madge, and Peeta eating. Johanna has me sit down next to Madge, and she starts crying. She's the only one who really understands. She was there. She's going through the same thing.

Katniss and Peeta talk quietly with Johanna as Madge wipes away her tears. "Is she any better?"

I shake my head. "Gale?" My voice sounds rough and I clear my throat.

Madge sighs and shakes her head.

I glance around, taking in my surroundings for the first time. The cafeteria is decked out with Christmas lights, miniature trees, and cut-outs of reindeer. I don't understand how people can be some happy when I'm so broken. How the world can just go on when mine has shattered.

"Cato?"

I glance back at Madge.

"Cato, we need to be hopeful, ok?" It looks like it's taking a lot for her to say that.

"Why?"

"Because...because would they really want us acting like this? Would Clove and Gale want us to think that they'd never recover? They might...and we have to believe that they will."

I stared at her. She was right, of course. A small smile flickered across my face. "Good idea."

Madge kindled a tiny fire of hope in me. It wasn't much, but it was something. Enough to light up the dark recesses of my gloom. And when I thought about it, it grew.

They'd get better.

Life would go on.

Clove would come back to me.

~~~~

Ta-da! That is the end of book 1!

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~Ellie