Cato's Life Book 1 (Watty Awards 2012)

Chapter 4

Clove and I went to training everyday. We didn't have enough time to go to the Meadow anymore though. Training usually lasted all day. I usually practiced hand-to-hand combat and sword training. Clove usually did the Knives and snares. She also practiced hand-to-hand combat also.

Sometimes the trainer would have us practice hand-to-hand combat against each other. When we would fight together, it was just a matter of how tired we were. Sometimes she would win and sometimes I would win. "Cato, I won that fair and square."

"No you didn't. The only reason you won was because I was really tired."

"NO! I won fair and square."

"No. I was tired."

"No you weren't."

"Yes I was."

"No you weren't."

"Yes I was."

"NO you weren't."

"YES I was."

"No you werent."

"No I wasn't."

"Yes you were."

"Ha you just said I was tired!" She crossed her arms and turned around clearly angry that I tricked her. "You're going to be left in the dark." She sighed and followed. "I hate it when your right."

"I know." She punched me in the arm and we continued walking.  I really don't know what was going to happen. I mean, I didn't want Clove to get hurt. I didn't want to get hurt either of course. You know what I mean! "Clove?"

"Ya?"

"That punch hurt."

"Oh grow up."

"I was joking. If you really want it to hurt, I can make that happen Clove."

"Nooo, I'm perfectly fine just how I am."

"Good." We talked all the way home.

                                                                   *Next Morning*

I woke up to screaming and crying. "Mom, Dad?"  There was more crying, but the screaming had stopped. "Mom, Dad?"

"Cato come here." I walked into the room, and my mom was laying on the bed holding two bundles of cloth. "Meet your new brother, and little sister. We didn't want to tell you, but your brother was born a year ago. Your sister was just born."

"Oh, can I hold her."

"Ya. Her name is Violet." I was holding her when the doorbell rang. I walked downstairs still holding her. I opened the door to see Clove. "Hey," I said quietly. "Awww whose this?"

"My new baby sister."

"She's so cute, what's her name?"

"Violet. I'm going to call her Vi for short."

"Hey my mom is here also. She wants to talk to your mom. Is that okay?"

"Ya. Come on." I led them upstairs. "Mom, Clove and her mom are here."

"Okay. Send them in." They came in and talked to my mom. I talked to Clove still holding Violet."Here hand me Violet." I handed my dad Violet. "We are going to the Meadow."

"Okay."

"We finally get  a free day from training."

"I know. Probably the last we will ever get."

"Cato you don't know that."

"Yes I do Clove! We hardly get a break. The only time we get a break is when we switch sections and for lunch. That's it."

 "Sorry for saying anything."  We walked to the Meadow in silence. Until Clove spoke up. "Cato?"

"Clove it's fine."

"Cato, it's not. I was the one who said it."

"Clove, it was my fault for yelling."

"Okay."  We saw a peackeeper over by the Meadow and we knew we were in trouble. We were still talking so we knew we should start talking about something else.  "So how's training going?"

"Good you?"

"Okay, the sword training is really hard." The peacekeeper stopped us when we arrived at the Meadow. "What are you doing here?"

"We use to come here as kids and we had a free day with no training and thought we should come here." I was so nervous talking to him. "Did you by any chance practice out here?"

"What do you mean?"

"We found pieces of a dummy."

"You did!?"

"Yes, do you know anything about that?"

"No. Clove do you?"

"No. I don't know who would have done that."

"Okay then."

"Can we go in?"

"No."

"Why? We want to go here. There is nowhere else to go to get away from everything."

"Fine. I'm still staying here."

"Okay."  We walked into the Meadow and sat on our special rock. "That was wierd."

"I know. Who would even think of practicing outside of the Training Arena."

"I don't get it at all." We talked till sundown. I left first because Clove wanted to stay behind. I walked out of the Meadow and when I was about 5 steps away from it, I heard Clove scream bloody murder.