This is more like backstory for you
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(y/n) Warner's POV:
I open my eyes in a panic and stare at the ceiling of my room, *shit, another nightmare about him, another restless night* I take a deep breath in and out to try and calm my breathing. Calming down, I finally get out of bed and look out of my window; the sun is barely rising over the mountains. That means you have about two hours before you have to get to class.
*I suppose I could go for a walk before*, make my way to my bathroom, and as I brush my (H/C) hair, I find myself caught off guard by my appearance in the mirror. Baggy eyes, dilated pupils, and a blank stare is all I see looking back at me. Putting the brush down, I wash my face with some cold water to try and look less like a beaten-down homeless woman and more like the "proud" District 2 girl I am.
I finish brushing my teeth and get my clothes out of the closet. Putting on my black leggings, a sports bra, and my (F/C= fav color) tank top. I then open my window to see if I need my jacket, as it turns out I do. Putting on my shoes and Black zip-up jacket, I finally leave my room and head downstairs, where my mom greets me.
"Good morning (Y/N), your up early today,...... would you like some breakfast?" she says
"Morning mom, I appreciate the offer, but I'm not too hungry; plus, I have a lot to do at the academy in a few hours, so you can just give Dad my share."
I try to smile halfway, but her face drops, and she turns back towards the stove.
"Your father already went to work, so I will give it to Randell next door for the boys, have a good day today, sweetheart"
"Thanks, you too"
I then walk out of the house and close the door. Thinking about the conversation between me and my mom just now, I sigh. Anytime Dad was mentioned, she always got upset, so I probably shouldn't have even suggested what I did.
Truthfully I think they should have split up a long time ago; when Dad is home, they are either fighting, or everyone sits in silence so deafening It hurts. I sigh at the thought of their relationship and that they were not always like this. Everything changed when my William died; my dad threw himself to work and now leads one of the biggest peacekeeper squadrons going back and forth between the capital. My mom worked as a training instructor at the academy previously. She quit a few weeks after Will died. She said it was too painful for her to be in a place that took part in killing her son and spread vile rumors about him.
I don't blame her for leaving; I respect it. William was my older brother; he was smart, cunning, respected, and funny but could be arrogant at times. He was at the top of his class in the academy when he volunteered for the 71st Annual Hunger Games. I was just turned 16 at the time. Everyone including my family, was so proud the mentors chose him; he was a Career in every sense. I remember all of District 2 watching his game, cheering him and our Female tribute on.
He lasted a long time in the games. He killed about 6 other tributes, as most careers do. He was teamed up with the other career tributes. It was down to four people him, our female tribute, the girl from 7, and a boy from 8. Will told his career partner it was time to split up because he didn't want to have to be the one to kill her. She agreed and ran off another day or two, went buy, and the game makers started pushing everyone towards the middle with whatever tactics they could. I remember hearing a female tribute screaming and watching the broadcast as Will ran over to that area.
The girl from two lying on the ground bleeding. He let his guard down and tried to help her up as the boy from 8 jumped out and cut his stomach deep with a dagger. Causing him to fall to the ground, I remember the girl from two crying, screaming out once more, then *boom* the sound of the cannon went off, the Boy from 8 broke her spine, but before he could do anything else despite being injured, William stabbed him straight through the heart with a spear. *boom* the sound of the cannon went off as the boy from eight fell to the ground.
It was down to just him and the girl from 7. William ran away from the area to try and stay hidden to at least catch his breath. Watching him on screen run through the woods and straight to the cornucopia. Knowing the way he thinks I knew he was going to try and find something to heal his stab wound or at least close it. *Idiot* you thought she could definitely be there and he is in no shape to fight he is about to pass out from losing so much blood.
Watching as he got closer to the remains of supplies, I was no longer cheering I was...scared. Scared of losing my brother. He reached for what looked like a silver container, but before he could open it, he heard a loud scream and dodged as the girl from 7 swung an axe at him. He quickly countered, tackling her to the ground, and they fought. She tried to get up, but he pulled her back down by her hair. She hit the ground so hard I thought she was dead, but I heard no cannon he pinned her there. As he winced in pain, he reached for his spear next to him to stab her, then she kneed him so hard in the stomach where he was stabbed earlier he fell off of her onto his back.
The girl from 7 quickly stood, grabbed her axe, and swung it down as hard as she could before he could move out of the way. And it hit him, the sound it made, it made me sick to my stomach, his scream, she lifted the axe again and swung again, his screams worsened as he begged her to stop. She kept going; she did this over and over as she herself was screaming in a fit of rage. It was a nightmare to watch. *Boom* the final cannon went off, but she didn't stop swinging at him until the announcement called Joanna Mason the victor of the 71st Hunger Games.
It was watching my brother die that caused a shift in me. I was no longer the proud girl from District 2 who couldn't wait to volunteer when she turned 18. I was scared, sad, angry, but most of all, lonely. My mom was crying and took us back to the house. As soon as we were inside, she had a breakdown and started throwing anything she could find. She was crying and screaming for Will to come home. When Dad finally arrived, he ordered me to my room I remember going to the top of the stairs as they were screaming at each other.
"BRING HIM BACK. DAMN THE CAPITAL; YOU BRING MY SON HOME,"
"HE IS GONE. DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS DEAD? THERE IS NO BRINGING HIM BACK!!!!! ......HE fought with everything he had, and it still wasn't enough...he let his guard down over that stupid girl from his class, and he paid the price for being too arrogant thinking he could save her."
SILENCE
then she screamed at him
"YOU'RE BLAMING HIM FOR DYING?!?!? WHY ARE YOU NOT SEEING THE REAL ISSUE THESE GAMES ARE THE......" *slap*
"If you don't want to lose your life too I suggest you don't finish that sentence since you work at the academy, you would be putting all of us in danger, and they would execute you for even being upset instead of honored at your son's sacrifice this is just how the games work people die..."
I didn't stick around for the rest of the conversation. I went into my room after hearing my dad talk about his son like that; I felt even sicker to my stomach. The next few weeks were worse. My parents couldn't even look at me, Dad was never home, and classes at the academy were even worse. The first week or two I had a few people say he fought well and left it at that. As time passed, though, I started hearing people badmouthing William, saying things like "he was too weak, too compassionate a coward who begged for mercy, it's his fault he died, if he had just let the girl die he would probably still be here..."
The rumors got worse until the other students in the academy treated me like a bad omen. Anytime I was around or teamed up with people in my class, I would hear comments like "You expect me to train with cowards sister," or "Your brother made a fool of himself in the games, making us all look bad" the worst one was "I'm glad your brother died in that arena someone weak like him didn't deserve to win anyways." That comment alone caused me to send the Boy who said it to the infirmary for two weeks, and I was given a leave of absence for the rest of the semester at the academy.
Things calmed down when I returned to train again. I started with a different group of trainees, but they stayed silent around me. To say I didn't like the games would be an understatement, but if I ever said that aloud or admitted it to anyone, it would be equivalent to treason in my district. It's been two years since that happened, well almost three in a few days & thankfully, this was the last year I had to train because it's the last year I qualified for the games. Not that I'm really worried. I know the top two students are going to volunteer anyways. They were hand-picked by the victors of District 2 earlier this year.
I just have to get through the rest of today at the academy and tomorrow during the reaping, and I can put the games behind me for good.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry but not sorry for the long chapters I like to write lolol