Power Over Me ↦ Cato Hadley

iii. promise to keep

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

── promise to keep

          𝕯espite the opulence of the room around me, I felt trapped. My breathing was unsteady, and I scrunched the dusty green velvet beneath my hands as I tried to keep myself calm. Thresh's words echoed in my head. We couldn't look weak.

He was right, so I bit back the tears, tilted my head to the ceiling and wondered who would come and visit me first. I only had an hour before I needed to get onto the train and head to the Capitol. 

Maybe no one would come and visit me.

I knew my parents would be upset, more so than anyone else. I was almost out but I had volunteered for a little girl who shouldn't be forced to confront death at an age so young. Hopefully, in time, they'd understand.

The doors slammed open and I shot up, looking at my parents, both of whom had tears in their eyes. They watched me for a moment, before wrapping their arms around me.

"What did you do?" My mother was clinging to me, stroking my hair as I took another deep breath. I couldn't cry. I had to stay strong. "Bunny, what did you do?"

My childhood nickname almost made my knees buckle again, but I stayed standing, clinging to them.

"I had to..." I murmured, shaking my head. "I had to. She's only twelve. She shouldn't have to do this..."

"You silly girl." My father chided, pulling away to glare at me. "You have to win, you hear me?"

"Da..."

"You have to win!" He reiterated again, eyes dark and determined. "Find a scythe or a spear, something that you're used to working with. Stay in the trees, like you used to do at the orchard, learn how to make snares, find clean water and shelter. If you have to kill, do it with no hesitation. You've killed animals before, it's exactly the same with humans."

I didn't even want to think of the possibility of having to watch someone's life leave their eyes. I didn't particularly like doing that with animals, though I knew it was a must, but humans were a whole different species.

"Your father's right. You know which plants are good to eat and what's not. Stick with Thresh for as long as possible, make a plan." My mother nodded her head, before smoothing my hair back and pulling her wedding ring off of her finger. "Take this. You bring it back when you come home. You understand, Mitzi? You bring it back when you come home."

"Ma..." I shook my head. "I can't..."

"Mitzi Kennedy, you listen to me and you listen good." My mother's rough hands grabbed onto my cheeks, forcing me to look her in the eyes. "You are going to come home to us. You are going to win. Do you understand?"