James McCoy D3 [Done]

James McCoy
Age: 15 16 as of the 68th
District Three
Odair

It's hard to believe what the Capitol has done to me. They took my brother, Jim, away, and there wasn't anything I could do to save him. One day we were laughing together, and then the quell was released. I was safe from the games, but my younger brother and sister wasn't. See, going through life the older siblings were always supposed to watch out for the younger ones, but against the cruel Capitol, I am powerless. Saving them isn't possible if their names are called, especially in the quell that took away Jim. Normally, I would have volunteered for him, to save him, but I was too old for the first time. It was rough being around the family as I fought to keep emotions from going wild because the tension was running high. Tempers were snapping like crazy, and I had all the hope in the world that my family would be safe, but the Capitol had different plans.

"Jim McCoy." Jim McCoy. My brother, Jim McCoy, was reaped among all the other reapable people standing here. I wanted to volunteer for him, to take him out of the games, and place myself in harms way, but I was too old. I fought against the crowd of people begging for them to let me go, to try to save him, to place myself in his shoes, but it was impossible. The words stuck on the tip of my tongue waiting for the moment to shout into the air for everyone here in the district to hear. I wanted them to know that I cared enough to save my brother, but the moment the words were about to be brought to life, reality slapped me hard across the face. I'm too old. I can't save him even though it's my job. Watching him walk towards the stage was one of the hardest moments of my entire life. Watching him walk towards his doom, and all I wanted to do was call out to help him, but even if I shouted I volunteer, it wouldn't have happened.

The next few days went by in a blur. All I wanted was to take Jim's place in the games, to make sure he was safe, but it was impossible. He was whisked away before anything could change. My eyes stayed fixed to the screen sitting beside Jane watching as he made is way through the games. The pre games wasn't bad. He made me proud when the seven showed beside his name. His interview was well. He made a friend, and that's what he needed throughout the games, someone he trusted at least for as long as he could. The night before the games began, I couldn't sleep. I couldn't close my eyes knowing it's the last night I could possibly see my brother alive. I didn't want to close my eyes because every time I did, I would only dream of Jim being dead. He couldn't die. He's so strong, so brave, and I needed him to return home alive. I knew the odds weren't in his favor; they're not in anyone's favor, but I held onto the small piece of hope because Jim needed me to be strong. He needed me now more than ever.

The next morning, my eyes fixed on the screen watching as they all rose into the arena. My heart leaped under my chest as they all stood around the cornucopia prepared to run as fast as they could into the horrible arena which would soon be bathed with blood. I found Jim standing there looking around waiting to run. My heart broke for him, and longed for me to be in his place, but it wasn't possible. He's so far away. Nothing could bring him closer to me now. The moment the gong sounded, I watched as he ran towards the cornucopia against his will, but he ran to fight. Ran to get the things he needed because this was his home until he was free. I watched as he fought and as he fought hard. I couldn't take my eyes away as he ran away from the bloodbath. He found one of his allies and they worked together to kill someone. My heart dropped into my chest as he turned on the other guy there. They were kids, his age, but it didn't matter because his ultimate goal was to return home alive.

He survived the night as tears poured down my face. He met up with his alliance and another person. I didn't know what to except, but the morning rose and they were being charged by mutts created by the Capitol to kill them. One of those stupid things took his thumb away from him, but it didn't stop Jim from fighting. He fought well and brave. Every second he was alive, he made me proud. I loved standing in the square telling people he's my brother. I wanted the entire world to know he's my brother because of everything he's doing. He's fighting much longer, and harder than anyone anticipated. I thought for sure the other, stronger, tributes would have mobbed him, killing him in the blood bath, but he survived. He survived into the night and into the morning. The end of the second day couldn't have come soon enough. Blood not belonging to him was caked against him, but it's a battle scar showing how strong he is.

The next morning he ran into another alliance. It was a huge bloody fight. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen as I watched him fighting with his friends as they took out one of the guys, and how his friend almost died too. His arm was missing, and most people would have left him behind and took the chance to kill the injured tribute because he was useless after that, but I started crying when Jim took the time to help him, to save him from the fight. He's always done things I couldn't do, and watching how much he cared about the people he was in the arena with showed me how amazing my brother is. I watched as the one guy from ten was killed and they all ran away mending the guy up, but it wasn't enough because he died the next day along with the other girl. Seeing how bad they're deaths hurt Jim shattered my heart. I wanted to crawl through the screen and hug him, and tell him everything was going to be alright, but I didn't know if everything was going to be alright because he was still in the games and anything was possible.

The next day when I woke up another one of his allies was dead leaving him all alone with six other people in the arena. He's so close to victory and returning home, that the hope was growing stronger inside me each and every day. He hadn't received any damage, and he was strong and he kept fighting no matter what the Capitol threw at him, but the next day was worse. A giant mutt controlled by the Capitol was thrown against them pinning the other tributes against one another. I watched in horror as they hacked away at my brother. I called out his name many times begging them to stop, but they just kept attacking him over and over. They cut his arm off his body, and they finally killed him ending his life forever. They took his life away from him before anything could be done. "Jim! Jim! Jim! Get up! Move! Please! Please!" The moment his cannon sounded they ran away from him forever. My life changed forever. He's gone. He's actually gone, and nothing would save him. Nothing would change it. My brother was gone.

Life hasn't been the same without him. Everything has changed. Pain lives inside my body every single day. Bags lay under my dark brown eyes from lack of sleep. My dark brown, almost black, hair stands in every direction because caring what I look like is the last thing on my mind. Red stains the white of my eyes from all the tears that have been shed. I can't smile anymore because there's nothing worth smiling about. Yeah, my sister, Jane is still here, but Jim is gone. My lips are always turned down and it always looks like tears could flow from my eyes at any possible second, but it's impossible for me to cry anymore. Tears aren't anywhere inside me. Nightmares haunt my every dream making me relive the death of Jim over and over. Screams erupt from my lips filling the night air. My heart prances under my chest as my body becomes drenched in sweat. I tell myself all the time it's just a dream, but it's not just a dream because I watched it. I watched his death happen.

My feet drag through the ground everyday fighting to keep myself going. It's amazing my knees and ankles can hold the weight of my fragile body anymore. Day after day I leave the house heading towards the cemetery. My long arms swing by my side keeping my body stable. My eyes glance around the area watching for anyone who may be following me. Nobody can disturb me in my alone time when I escape from the world that I'm trapped within. My head stays pointed towards the ground afraid to show my face to anyone out of fear the tears will finally break through. My stomach twists into knots the closer I get to his grave. It's a daily routine out of a promise I made him the moment his body returned home. The hairs on my arms stand straight up as chills run up and down my spine. The path is the same as always, and my feet stop in front of his grave. I turn my gaze up, throw my shoulders back and place the biggest smile on my face I possibly can like I have a purpose in life, not for me, but for Jim as the words fall from my lips steadily. "Jim, you made me proud. I am proud to say that I am your brother. I love and miss you so much more than any words can say."