Power Over Me ↦ Cato Hadley

iii. promise to keep

"Yes." They nodded, taking deep breaths as the door opened once more.

"Time's up." A peacekeeper appeared, pulling my parents from the room and slamming the door again. I almost sat down when someone else entered the room. Rue's eyes were wide and fearful as she lunged for me.

"Why...? You promised." She muttered, as I clung onto her just as tightly.

"I wasn't going to let that happen to you. You've only just turned twelve." I muttered, looking down at her. Even for twelve, she was small for her age. "Stay safe, don't provoke the peacekeepers and don't accept any of the tesserae. You understand?"

"You're going to win, right?" Rue looked up at me, brown eyes wide as I sent her a smile. "You are, aren't you?"

"Of course." I smiled, though I wasn't sure if I meant it. "I'll win and I'll come back. I can do that."

"Please come back." The peacekeeper opened the doors again and Rue looked like she wanted to cling onto me but I stood and nodded to her. "Mitzi? Mitzi!"

"It's alright, Rue. It's alright." I sent her another smile as they grabbed onto my arm and dragged me out of the room. I shot the little girl one final look, before turning back to the front. Thresh shared a look with me, both of us still trying to be as stoic as we could.

"Come, you two." Aurelia appeared, a wide grin on her face as a car pulled up to the front of the Justice Building, something that I had never been in before. It was a rather tight fit, with Thresh's muscular figure and the wide shoulders of Aurelia's dress and I wondered whether all cars were like this. 

The journey was smooth and as we drew closer to the station, I began to notice just how many reporters were buzzing around with cameras trained on our faces. I took a deep breath, reminding myself to keep the fear from my face and eyes and tried to relax, as much as I could.

I took one last look at my home, trying to take it all in as Thresh and I had to pose for a few moments in the doorway of the train, allowing the cameras to take photos of us from all angles. I kept my face stoic, as best as I could, before we were finally allowed inside and away from the flashing lights.

The train was unlike anything that I had ever seen before. Everything inside of it was made from velvet or silk, with plush carpets and diamond chandeliers. Candied fruits, and other delicacies lay in platters on expensive wooden tables. Precious metals were inlaid into everything and I didn't feel comfortable touching anything, feeling like I was not rich enough to do so.

Thresh and I were both given our own chambers with a bedroom, a dressing area and a private bathroom with both hot and cold running water. Something like this was practically unheard of back at home.

Aurelia told us to get changed before we met our mentors at supper and that we had less than an hour. 

I had never had a shower before, so the entire experience was rather bizarre though I supposed I enjoyed it. It was like standing beneath the dark skies of spring storms, tasting the rain on your lips and it made me miss home. I almost didn't want to leave, but I knew we had to meet our mentors.

When I stepped out, I dried myself swiftly, before pulling on a pair of loose pants and a golden shirt that reminded me of the corn fields. Spinning my mother's wedding ring around my finger, I padded out and found that Thresh was waiting for me.

"Thought we could go together." He muttered as I breathed a sigh of relief. At least I hadn't been forced to go alone. 

"Thank you. I fear that even if we are on one train, I would get lost." I joked, drawing a small laugh out of him. We took off down the wobbling corridor, before emerging into the dining carriage and looking around. Aurelia sat on one side of the table, already dressed in a different dress and at the head and side of the table sat, who I supposed, would be our two mentors.