They Say Quitters Never Win

Give me a boost over heaven's gate

Joe POV

Just when I was happy that I had a neighbor that didn't last long, it's been 6 month since they took Patrick after he stabbed Pete, I wonder if I made the right decision when I carried him back home the day he sneaked out, he was screaming my name many times from the window to get him out, but I can't not after Pete made a clear point about me getting to close.

I tried to talk with his family but the look in their faces was like they were grieving as he died in the hunger games, I couldn't ask his parents so I went to his brother Kevin.
Joe: "Hi Kevin, is everything alright?"
Kevin: "as you can see, not really"
Joe: "is it regarding Patrick?"
Kevin: "yes, I wish he died so no one has to see him like this"
Joe: "the way he turned?"
Kevin: "yea, and you will see him soon, they will discharge him next week and he will return to the victor village"
Joe: "but he and Pete agreed that he will live with him, why he is coming back alone?"
Kevin: "yes but considering how he is now it's not possible, you will understand when you see him"
Joe: "then why the victor village?! not here with his family if he is that bad"
Kevin: "listen, Patrick is dead okay, this what we want to tell our self since we can't kill him even its out of mercy, and he won't be alone there Pete hired one of the avox to be personal servant that will take care of him"
Joe: "you know he scared of them!"
Kevin: "it's not like he can see or understand what's around him anymore, and I would appreciate it if you stop visiting and stop asking about him or us".
How bad can he be if His family and Pete abandon him?!

After couple of days and while I was smoking at my mansion terrace, I saw a black car stopped and an avox stepped out of it to help the other person out of the car.
She was holding Patrick arm to guide him inside his house, from far he already look smaller than before.

I rushed down stairs and went to his house to find him sitting in the sofa looking straight and mumbling.
I remember when I saw him before I thought he can't look any worse, but now he proved me wrong he have very thin hair and looked like he aged 10 years more, not to mention he looked like a skeleton from the weight loss.

I tried to talk to him but he wasn't looking at me and kept staring quietly while making mumbling sound from time to time, it was just like before only this time it's not a morphling side effect to blame.
I think all the electric therapy that his family informed me about didn't work as they please, now I understand why his brother thought it's more merciful to kill him
Watching him how he turned made me wonder if I would've ended up same as him if I killed someone in the hunger games.
Even though I was chosen by the mentor to be our district tribute and volunteered, I didn't want to allow the capital change me and chose not to join the alliance or attack anyone, even if that kills me then at least I will die as myself.
And looking how Patrick ended up had confirmed to me I was right, I can't help but to think as his family said that he is dead but the only reason that make it hard to ignore that he is still breathing and I start to wonder if I should kill him out of mercy.
Even though I promised that I won't kill, this time is different am doing this for his sake.

So in next days I kept observing his house and I can see that he can't do anything and the avox is the one that feeds him and change his cloth and even shower him, and in the night she take him to his bedroom and lock the door.
From all the observing I found that the only time I can sneak in the house and take him is when she is doing the laundry on Saturday morning.
So when Saturday came and she left I ran to his house and found him in his usual spot, I carried him and starts running to the lake I found in the middle of the forest, he was so light almost like a baby and still he didn't act in any way.
When we reached the lake I put him down: "Forgive me, my friend, not for what I have done but for what I am about to do" ¹
I start to pat his cheek but he didn't say anything, I couldn't help but to start crying: "am doing this for you okay, I can't stand seeing you like this, but promise the capital will pay for this, I won't stand still anymore, I had enough being helpless and watch them take people to slaughter every year, I will join the rebellion, and just like the capital wanted I will kill, but it will be them who will die".
I hugged him tightly then carried him toward the water, and start drowning him, he was too weak to resist so he just hold my hand while am pushing under the water, and when his hands let go of me I left him and went back home.

When I arrived I found the avox running around the village looking for Patrick, she came to me and kept pointing to the house, she can't talk as the capital cut their tongues.
I act as I don't know what she is talking about and just shrugged and moved past her as she started crying.
After a couple of hours I saw a lot of peacekeepers cars parking in front of Patrick mansion, there was a lot of soldiers and dogs wondering around.
Later they came and ring the bell to investigate, about when the last time I saw him, or did I see which why he went when he left the house, I lied to them saying I was sleep as I kept drinking last night.
While we were talking another group of them came and said that they found him so they left.
I checked from the window watching them move Patrick while he is inside the body bag to the car, they also handcuffed the avox and pushed her inside the car, I felt guilty as I know that the capital will punish her for losing him, but I couldn't stand watching him like this.

The next day Caesar announced Patrick death, but they lied about what happen, they said he drowns while he was enjoying his everyday swim at beach, and that they are sad about it.
Of course they would lie, they always cover about what happens to the victors, and force them to look like they are so happy and enjoying their life as victors.
They completely hide the truth about him becoming a morphling addict as way to cope with the hunger games horror and that he ended up losing his mind and locked in a mental hospital only to look no further than a Dead Shell.
He is not the first who ended up that way, but the first one who meant something to me, I won't allow that to happen again not to anyone, not anymore.

I went to Patrick's funeral and saw his family, its true they are sad but also relived that there son can rest in peace, Pete was there too he was looking at the casket with anger then he turned and saw me pointing to meet him outside.
After we went out far from people he started.
Pete: "you know that I wanted to protect him at all cost right? But nothing worked, most of the victors become the same way, but they meant nothing to me but him, he didn't deserve that" he start looking in his pocket for a cigar and lighter
Joe: "no one does"
Pete: "this whole thing about the hunger games is just a reminder to all the districts about the capital domination and they think twice before attempt another revolution like district thirteen, but honestly I think it lost its meaning, rather that choosing randomly they should pick anyone who got caught supporting the revolution, I did suggest that but they refused and look there a still some attempts to take out the capital"
Joe: "yea I keep seeing them in the news"
Pete: "can I trust you Joe? You're Patrick friend too so I bet you want revenge as much as me, the capital should pay for their mistakes"
Joe: "what are you suggesting?" as much as I want to agree with him, am worried that this is just an act, I can't trust him fully yet.
Pete: "I know that Patrick was killed, someone drowned him and I think it's the capital, you saw how he became and they had to hide him because if people saw how he ended then there will be more rebels so they killed him to avoid that"
Joe: "so what you have in mind?" I had to hide my relief that he thinks the capital killed Patrick
He kept looking at me while smoking then turned back to his car and said "maybe later, until I know I can trust you"

After I returned home I start my research to look for the rebellions and join them to be there spy inside the capital, and do whatever it takes to crush that city.
I start to look around the black market for the weapon traders as they can inform me who bought the most weapons, luckily they know me very will so when I informed them I want to Join there group they lead me there right away as they know am not lying, as they saw the way I played the hunger games .

Finally I went to their leader, and just like I wanted, I've become there spy, even if it cost my life I will make sure to put an end to the Capital for Patrick and everyone sake.

Notes:

so this is how the story ends ^^
in the story Joe joined the revolution and Pete too, I was thinking that Pete will be the game maker for the 75 hunger games known as the third Quarter Quell, and he will be as Plutarch Heavensbee in that story , while Joe will be one of the main and acting members in rebel Council and just like as Haymitch Abernathy

for "Forgive me, my friend, not for what I have done but for what I am about to do" is my favorite my quote from Viking series