AS I GET CLOSER TO THE ZOO, THE MORE THAT THE CHANCE OF DELTA DYING TOMORROW KICKS IN.
It wasn't until now that I realized that I have grown attached to the district nine girl, even Kane too. From the nights I lay in bed wondering if she or him were cold, to making sure they were fed. I felt like me and Delta could've been good friends her and me. Maybe if our world wasn't the way it was. Maybe if the Hunger Games didn't exist.
Stepping into the zoo feeling that this would be one of the last times stopping by here to see Delta. Sadly Vespara couldn't make it since her parents found out about her discharge from the hospital and made her go home to rest. I approach the cage as all the tributes sat around. Walking up I noticed someone standing up to the bars taking to Lucy Gray. That someone being none other than Coriolanus Snow himself. Guess his recovery went smoothly.
Just behind the girl was Pricilla with Jessup. Jessup looked to be trying to sleep as his head laid on Pricilla's shoulder. But the boys eyes were wide open looking around, scared even, while Pricilla's were glued on the tribute and mentor duo.
By the rock that district six and seven made their place of rest, only had the two from six, and Lamina by it. Lamina leaned on one side of the rock while the cousins from six sat together in front, Babette fast asleep on Miles shoulder, while he played with a stick.
Treech was no where to be seen, but instead was over with Coral and her little pack. Treech sat wide awake, Tanner was asleep along with Mizzen. Coral and Pippa sat together as Pippa talked.
My eyes spot Delta at the bars before I even came up. She stood with her arms folded and standing looking around until her eyes land on me.
"Hey there Delta." I say stopping at the bars. "You did great tonight."
"Thank you Mentor." She says then looks at the ground.
"This is it isn't?" She says.
"I'm afraid it is." I say as I put my hand on the bar.
She looks up at me. "I just wanted to say that-"
She stops mid sentence as she takes a deep breath. "Thank you. thank you for taking care of me."
I just stare at her as she continues. "I just wanted to say if before you know.."
I knew what she meant. "Delta we're going to see each other again, you're going to see your father and Zea again, I'll make sure of it." I say to her.
"We don't know what's going to happen in that arena tomorrow." She says. "Anything could happen."
I think about her statement. I try to think of what to do. As I look to my feet my eye catches my brooch on my dress. It then dawns on me what i wanted to do. Right then I take both of my hands and un pin it from my dress.
I look up at Delta. "May I?"
She looks at me confused but nods her head. I reach my hands into the cage and pin the brooch to her dress. As I take my hands back she immediately touches the brooch.
"What is this?" She's says looking down at it and back up to me.
"It was my mom's before she passed, I want you to wear it in the arena for good luck." I say to her.
"No I can't." She says putting her hand on the bar. "This is too much it was your moms-"
"It's not too much for me to give you something for good luck," I say. "I want to make sure that you and I will meet again, and you can see your home again."
I then put my hand onto of hers on the bar. "Besides you can give to me when you get back."
She just looks at me while I still talk. "I'll be watching you guys in there the whole time, and I'll send you stuff too, I'm not going to let you die in there."
"You promise me?" Delta says.
"I promise." I say. "And I don't break my promises."
I hear footsteps coming up. I look behind Delta to see Kane walking up.
"Kane, hi." I say to him letting go of Delta's hand.
"Hi," he says to me. "Did I do good?"
Knowing he means the interviews. "Yes you did, I'm very proud of you."
I can see him basically beaming after I spoke. I smile back at him. I only knew the kid less than a week, but I had a feeling like I had to take care of him. He was a sweet boy. It saddens me that he's going into the arena.
"How are you feeling about tomorrow?" I ask him.
"Really nervous." He says.
As he speaks I start to play with the pearls on my wrist. I Look down at them and thought maybe I should give Kane one, like a good luck charm like I did for Delta.
"Hey Kane can I give you something?" I ask him.
"Sure." He says.
"Alright put out your wrist." I say to the boy, and he sticks his hand out to me.
I slip the bracelet off my wrist and slide it onto his. He is quick to observe it.
"Thought I could give you a little birthday present, something for good luck." I say to him.
He looks up at me. "I love it!" Then puts up his wrist so Delta could see it.
Delta laughs. "It looks nice on you."
"You really think?" Kane looks up at Delta, she gives him a little nod.
"Thank you so much Historia!" He says.
"Of course, you always need a gift for your birthday." I smile.
He pauses for a moment. "Did you hear anything about Gaius?"
I go quiet. "No not yet, but I hear that most of my classmates are ready to view the games tomorrow."
"Okay." He says. "I just want him to be there."
I feel my heart sink. "He's going to be there kid." Delta says patting him on the shoulder.
"If he isn't, your still going to be there right Historia?" He says to me.
"Of course." I say. "I'm going to be there the whole time."
Now I'm just thinking that Gaius better show up. For Kane's sake.
"I'm going to go show Reaper and Dill my bracelet." Kane says. "Bye Historia."
"Bye to you too Kane." I say to him as I watch him run over to Reaper and show him the bracelet.
"I swear I don't know how he still has compassion for that boy." Delta says.
I glance over and see Coriolanus giving something to Lucy Gray. I squint my eyes to see a compact in Lucy Gray's hand. "You better start going, before the peacekeepers yell at you to leave."
I look back at her. "I should."
"I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm going to miss you Historia." She says.
I start to smile. "I'm going to miss you too Delta."
(DELTA'S POV)
"COME ON, AT LEAST TAKE A SIP."
I say with a water bottle in my hand pointed at Dill. Me and Historia said our final goodbyes before tomorrows events over an hour ago. I was now sitting with Dill and Kane trying to get Dill to drink some water. After she coughed up blood a minute before. Kane had fallen a sleep shortly after Historia left. Reaper who always fallen asleep last, or if he ever does was still wide awake leaning against the tree.
"I'm alright Del, I don't need any water-" Dill manages to say before she coughs again, her hands covered her mouth and when pulled away were covered in blood.
I sigh as I take her handkerchief from the ground and proceed to clean her hands. My worries for the girl we're getting worse by the minute. Her symptoms were reminding me of tuberculosis. I learned it when my dad brought in our neighbors sick kid who had the same symptoms as Dill, and without the right medicine you could only imagine the worse.
"Can you do it for me Dill?" I say to her.
She gives me a look, her eyes looking tired. She finally gives in and takes the half filled bottle from my hands and takes a drink.
Shortly after taking sips of water and coughing a bit more, she fell asleep on my shoulder. I would have slept to but the constant thought of tomorrow kept me from shutting my eyes. Almost all the tributes by now have fallen asleep. The night gave me chills as it gotten colder, way colder than the previous nights.
"Are you Alright?" I feel the voice sit down next to me, there when I turn I am met with Reaper.
"Just really cold, but other than that I'm fine." I say. "Are you Alright?"
"Yeah." He then glances over to my shoulder where Dill laid her head, deep in her sleep. "Dill seems to like you very much."
I turn over and look at Dill. "Yeah But Kane's the same way with you, he was so excited to show you Historia's gift."
"Yeah he told me how Historia was the best mentor," He then Looks down at the brooch Historia lend me. "Like your new accessory."
"Historia gave me it for good luck, think it fits my outfit." I say.
He looks back up at me. "That capital girl isn't all that bad, Del." Reaper says.
"Del?" I say to him, questioning the new nickname i only heard Dill use for me. "You calling me Del now?" I laugh.
He shakes his head and laughs. "What you don't like it?"
Without me thinking I start to smile big. "No I like it."
I never really gotten a nickname before. My dad always called me Delta, but my sister was the one to call me Delly. I had little friends back home. Only two I had were Arista and Gari, but they always called me Delta. I couldn't help But like the little name the two from eleven gave me.
My eyes then feel on Kane who was sound asleep against the bars of the zoo. The boy who I never spoken to once in my life until the reaping, now a boy who I would rather let live than me. My happy demeanor goes away as thoughts of what could happen tomorrow play. From talking to him he had no experience with any weapon of any kind. Causing me to show him how to use a sickle with a stick I found in the zoo.
"Reaper will you promise me something?" I ask him.
Reaper looked at me confused. "Sure?"
I take a deep breath. "Can you promise me that if anything happens to me in there tomorrow, that you will look after Kane for me?"
"What makes you think you something's going to happen to you?" He says.
"We don't know anything, all I know is I would rather let something happen to me than let it happen to Kane." I say as I noticed my boot untied.
Reaper sighs. "I promise, but will you promise me you'll look after Dill for me if anything happens to me?"
"Deal." I say.
A/N
First of all my apologies for the in consist updates, School's been a little tough recently so I've been kinda focusing on that and my TikTok. 😭🙏
*not proof-read*