Maple leaf-Sequel to Clover leaf

Chapter 1 Clover
The morning of the victory tour dawned white from fresh snow. I stretched and went over to the bathroom. I took a bath, still not used to the fact that we had running hot water, and washed my hair. Once I was finished I drained the water in the tub and brushed through my hair. Suddenly, my prep team bursted through the door in excitement. "Ohmigosh Clover, your legs, they're covered in hair." One of them cried in horror. "Oh you poor thing, We'll fix that right up" She said. I smiled. Just then, my escort tapped on the door impatiently. "Alright, We are leaving in one hour. You have until then to get her prettied up." She called through the door. The preps went right to work, waxing, polishing, and prettying me up for my stylist. Once I was up to standards, the preps left and my stylist, Corbin entered the room. "Hows my little star?" He asked. "Good." I replied. He dressed me in a pretty long green silk dress and touched up my make-up before starting on my hair. He put my hair into their signature ringlettes down my back and led me downstairs to where our escort waited impatiently. "Are you finished?" She asked impatiently. "One more thing" He replied reaching into his pocket. He produced my necklace with the clover and maple leaf on it and clasped it on me. "Perfect." He said in approval.

We walked outside to where Connor waited for me with a smile on his face. I ran into him and he wrapped his arms around me warmly. I kissed him softly and he kissed me back. The preps sighed. "Good morning." He whispered in my ear. "Morning." I whispered back. "Alright, you two, it's time to go. The train is leaving soon." Akiera said. We broke apart, but Connor kept a firm hold of my hand the entire trip to the train station. Once we boarded the train, I stayed at the window as the dreary station of my home became farther and farther away. Once it had disappeared, I went into my cabin and changed out of the dress. I washed the make-up from my face and put on a pretty blue dress. Then I went out to the dining hall where lunch was being served. the lunch was fish drizzled in red sauce that tasted very sweet and different types of fruits I had never seen before on the side. For dessert there was some sort of chocolate mouse drizzled in fudge, a favorite of mine.

"Clover, wake up" Connor said softly in my ear. I rolled over and faced him. He wore a light brown shirt and a pair of beige trousers. "Morning sleepyhead." He said. "No nightmares?" He asked. I shook my head. It was true. That night I hadn't had any nightmares at all for the first time since the games. "Get dressed, I want to show you something." He said. I nodded and quickly got changed into a soft green dress. I followed him down to the hall into a room that had windows from floor to ceiling, making it look like we were outside. "It's beautiful." I said, feeling awestruck. I noticed that there was no snow on the ground and briefly wondered how far south we'd come. The sun felt nice on my skin. "Akiera said that we can do whatever we want today because it's a travel day. We don't even have to go to meals if we don't want to." He said. I nodded.

We spent the day in the window room and ordered from a huge menu of food. No one disturbed us except to bring us food. We spent the day talking, laughing, and just enjoying each others company. I layed with my head on his lap, him braiding my hair, watching as the sun set, turning the sky beautiful shades of orange, red, pink, and purple. "I wish we could stay like this forever" I whispered. He smiled down at me and kissed me softly. "Maybe." He said. I fell asleep as he stroked my hair softly
Chapter 2 Connor
The first full day on the train was perfect. Completely and utterly perfect. The next day however wasn't so great. I woke to my prep team looming over me and I was quickly ushered into the bathroom and soaked in a bath of strong smelling oils. I was bathed in two more baths before my stylist came in and helped me get dressed into a nice pair of black dress pants and a red dress shirt. I walked out into the hallway just as Clover exited her room and I almost ran into her. She smiled up at me and fixed my tie. She was dressed in a pretty dark red silk dress with matching heals. She looked gorgeous. I took her hand as the train pulled up to the station. "Well, here goes nothing." She whispered in my ear.

District 11 was huge. Rolling fields as far as the eyes could see and orchards in the distance. We were escorted by peacekeepers through the district. Once we came to the justice building we were taken quickly through to the front of the building. Once there, we had a few moments to get ready and have a microphone attatched to us before we were forced out the door. The square was packed with people. More people than I had ever seen, even in the capitol. I smiled as we made our victory speeches and then two young girls came up with bouquets of flowers. We received a plaque each and then we were escorted into the justice building.

We were back on the train late that night. I headed to my compartment and stripped off the outfit. I took a hot shower and curled into the blankets. Clover knocked on the door and let herself in. "Couldn't sleep?" I asked. She nodded. "I don't like being alone in the dark." She replied. I nodded and scooched over. She curled up next to me and I wrapped my arms around her. She fell into a light sleep but was woken a few times by nightmares.
Chapter 3 Clover
I woke up the morning after the stop in district 11 to find that the world was once again covered in snow. We were farther north than we had been. I stretched and smiled when I heard Connors soft snores beside me. I got up, careful not to wake him, and went over to the bathroom. Today was a travel day again. I washed my face and put on a green t-shirt and matching trousers. Then I went into the dining hall and ordered some breakfast from one of the attendants. She smiled and walked away quickly to get my order. I sat down in one of the chairs and started to sing softly. It was a simple tune my mother had taught me when I was little.

Are you, are you
coming to the tree
where they strung up a man they say murdered three
strange things did happen here
no stranger would it be
if we met up at midnight
in the hanging tree

Are you, are you
coming to the tree
where the dead man called out for his love to flee
strange things did happen here
no stranger would it be
if we met up at midnight
in the hanging tree

I stopped singing as Akiera entered the dining hall and ordered some breakfast for herself. She wore an outfit that was unusually plain for her. A simple pink dress shirt and a black skirt. I looked at her with confusion. "I'm not going to be on film today so I decided I would wear something normal." She said. I nodded. If I was perfectly honest, Akiera actually wasn't that bad. I looked out the window as the train sped through the countryside.

"Was that you singing earlier?" Akiera asked later that day. "Yes, Why?" I replied with a question. "Nothing, it's just that you're really good." She replied. I blushed. "Thank you" I said. She nodded in approval as Connor wrapped his arms around me. "So, what are we doing today?" He asked Akiera. She checked her schedule and then looked back at us. "Nothing today, tomorrow, though, we're stopping in district 10. I know you guys had allies from there, so today, if you want, you can write a small speech in their honor." She replied smiling. I nodded. We walked back to our compartments and I asked one of the attendants for a few pieces of paper. They were delivered and I began to write a small speech in Rose's honor, all the while, Rose's spirit watched over my shoulder.

The train stopped for refueling and Connor and I were allowed to go out and stretch our legs. I put on a pair of warm gloves and a scarf before heading out into the chilly air. I felt something hit me in the back and I turned to see Connor laughing. He had thrown a snowball. I gathered up some snow and threw it back at him. We threw snow at each other until Akiera came and ordered us back onto the train. We were soaked but that was alright because we had had a lot of fun. I changed out of my soaked clothes and went for a hot shower. The water smelled of vanilla, just the way I liked it. Once I was finished, I put on a pretty dress with clover leaves stitched into it and headed out for dinner.
Chapter 4 Connor
Our next stop was district 10, Rose’s district. I tried to write a speech in her honor but no words came to me. Instead, sadness crept into me as I remembered the sweet girl that I had failed to protect. As we pulled into the station, I stared down in dismay at the blank paper. I had nothing to say. I dressed in a pair of fur lined pants and put on a warm jacket before we were ushered off the train. A group of peacekeepers surrounded us and we were loaded onto a van. We rode in the van for a few moments before we were escorted into the justice building. The district was much smaller than district 11, the farms were much closer together. I walked through the hall of the building to a room that had been prepared for us. I changed into a dark green suit while Clover changed into a long Dark green dress and matching heels. She looked gorgeous. “Did you write anything to say to Rose’s family?” She asked quietly. I shook my head.

We were escorted out onto a verandah where we would make our speeches. I started the speech that Peeta had written and drilled into my head, then I stepped back and let Clover say her part of the speech. Once she was done, she began a small speech about how she and Rose met and how she had come to see her as a little sister. A few people in the crowd actually started crying. When she was done, we were escorted back into the justice building for a banquet. I hugged her as her tears fell onto my outfit.

The meal that was prepared for us was delicious. Roasted bull calf, chicken, almost every type of farm animal was cooked for that meal. I ate until I couldn’t eat any more, then we were loaded back onto the train and were off to district 9.
Chapter 5 Rose
The train sped away from district 11, off towards my home. We would be arriving soon. I walked silently towards Clover’s room to where she was preparing a small speech in my honour. I looked over her shoulder and saw a few of the words printed there. Love was the biggest. I loved Clover, she was like my older sister. She looked behind her and saw me. I saw that she had been crying and it made me want to cry. I looked around her compartment and saw the girl from district 1 also staring at Clover. I glanced at her and she smiled sadly. “This is what it’s like to be dead” The girl from district 1 said silently. I nodded. “I’m sorry” She said silently. “It’s alright, you had no choice.” I said silently. While this conversation went on, Clover continued to write. The words on her page seemed to transform her. “So this is her talent” I thought. Each victor is supposed to have a few talents that they can be interviewed on. I watched as she continued to write a beautiful and somewhat artful speech.

When the train arrived at my home district, tears threatened behind my eyelids. I followed Clover and Connor as they were put into a car and rode with them to the justice building. The sight of my old home was almost too much to handle. Clover kept her eye on me and gave me a sympathetic look. I wanted, more than anything in that moment, to give her a hug but I knew that if I tried, I would disappear back into that dark place of shadows and clouds. Instead, I gazed wistfully out the window. People were gathered in the streets, most wearing what we wore everyday. Lots of straw hats and riding boots. As well as some regular shoes. I followed as they were led into the justice building. When it was time for them to make their appearance, I was with them in front of the justice building. My sister stood next to my old boyfriend and tears once again threatened to fall. It was too much to bear when Clover gave her speech. I hugged her and disappeared into the realm of shadows and darkness.

I walked along the familiar path towards the fountain with no water. The girl from district 1 sat on the side of the fountain staring wistfully at the cement in the bottom. I sat down next to her and she looked up at me. “Rose, I’m sorry for the way I killed you. I never should have tortured you the way I did. I should have just killed you quickly. Your dieing screams still haunt me, even though I’m dead like you.” She said sadly. “I forgive you. You didn’t know any better and you had every right to hate me. I stole from you guys after all.” I said. She looked up at me and I met her hazel eyes. She was actually quite pretty with hazel eyes and coppery red hair. Definitely from district 1. “I never learned your name” I said suddenly. She smiled. “I’m Glitter. Sorry about that.” She said softly. I smiled. It was a pretty name. “Perhaps if circumstances had been different, we could have been friends.” I said quietly. She nodded. She faded away and I was left feeling a bit better than I had since I had died.
Chapter 6 Clover
By the time we reached the capitol, I was weary from all the traveling that we had done. The response in the districts weren’t nearly as welcoming as the one in the Capitol. To them, the Hunger games were just fun, no one they knew died or was sacrificed. That was only in the districts. Cheers filled the air as we drove through the streets of the Capitol towards the training center that would be our home for a few days while we stayed in the Capitol. We shot away from the ground as the elevator took us up to our old quarters from before the hunger games. I sat down on my old bed and waited for my stylist to come in. He entered carrying a canvas bag and a shoe box. “What am I wearing tonight?” I asked wearily. He unzipped the canvas bag to reveal a beautiful green gown with sequins and gems sewn into it and made the gown sparkle. He slipped the gown over my head and helped me into a pair of low green heels. “Twirl for me” He said. I twirled a few times and was amazed at the girl in the mirror. “Alright, lets go” He said.

The dinner that was held for us wasn’t really a dinner, it was more like a buffet. All around the room, tables were layden with all sorts of food. Chicken drizzled in a creamy red sauce, vegetables smothered in butter. I took Connors hand and led him over to one of the tables. “I want to eat all that I can” I said. He nodded. I took a scoop of potatoes covered in cheese sauce and a few scoops of a few other dishes that I couldn’t even begin to name. It was all delicious. Before I knew it, I was full. We headed out onto the dance floor where couples danced to the music of floating musicians. Connor took my waist and we copied what other couples did. We were pretty good at it too. The dance was simple and you could literally do it on a pie plate. Many people showed me copies of my Clover leaf and Maple leaf. Some were stitched into scarves while others were tattooed in different places. Every so often, I caught glimpses of Rose and a few of the other tributes as the night wore on. By the time Akiera came to collect us, I was exhausted.

We boarded the train for the final time just in time. As soon as the door closed behind us, the train took off. I went into my room and flopped down onto the bed. Connor sat down next to me and I curled up beside him. “That was actually pretty fun, considering we were in the Capitol” He said after a moment. I nodded sleepily. “It was. Although I don’t think I ever want to eat that much food ever again” I said quietly. He nodded. “You should get some sleep. We’ve had a long night. In two days we’ll be home” He said soothingly. Finally, home. I closed my eyes and fell asleep instantly.

“Connor” I screamed as a huge mutt leapt out of the trees and attacked him from behind. He fell and the mutt began to transform into the girl from district 1. She cut him up as she had done to Rose. I woke screaming and found Connor beside me safe. He was awake and he pulled me into his arms. “It’s alright, Clover. It was just a nightmare.” He soothed as tears ran down my face. “Oh Connor, it was awful. It was worse than the others I’ve had before” I sobbed. He brushed through my hair with his hands soothingly until I fell back asleep.
Chapter 7 Connor
Clover’s scream woke me from a restless sleep and I looked over at her. Her eyes flew open and looked around fearfully. I wrapped my arms around her soothingly. “It’s alright Clover. It was just a nightmare.” I soothed. I looked down at her face, now streaked with tears. “Go back to sleep. I’ll keep the nightmares away.” I promised. She closed her eyes and fell back asleep. I watched her as her breathing became regular and her heartbeat slowed. I layed back against the pillow and stared up at the ornate carvings on the ceiling. They were strange patterns that I had never seen before. I fell asleep trying to figure out what they meant.

I awoke the next morning to the sound of the shower running. I got up and went over to the small window that overlooked the countryside. Snow fell thick and fast, forcing the train to go a bit slower than usual. “I hope we don’t get snowed in” I muttered. I heard the water turn off and waited until Clover came out of the bathroom in a robe and a pair of slippers. I went into the bathroom and took a quick shower. Once I was done, I went back outside to find Clover already dressed in a pair of beige trousers and a light green t-shirt. Her hair was pulled back in a braid and she looked beautiful. She always did. I put on a pair of dark brown pant and a light green t-shirt and we headed out to the dining hall. Breakfast was the usual eggs, toast, bacon, sausages, ham, hashbrowns, and orange juice. I filled my plate and sat down next to Clover.

The train stopped to refuel and I decided to take a walk along the tracks with Clover. We walked in silence for a few moments as snow fell lightly in our hair. After a few moments, she broke the silence. “Would you call me crazy if I told you that I can see the spirits of the dead tributes?” She asked wearily. I stared into her eyes to see if she was joking but her expression was completely serious. “No, I wouldn’t think you were crazy.” I replied. She sighed in relief. “I see them, Rose, Derrick, everyone that died in the arena. They visit me but I’m the only one that can see them.” She explained. I nodded. Her eyes became unfocused as they stared past me. I looked behind me and saw a faint outline of a figure that could only be Rose. I gasped. I hadn’t noticed it before. “Is that her behind me?” I asked. She nodded. “I can see a faint outline of her but that’s it.” I said. “Can you talk to them?” I asked. “No, they’re like Avoxes, they can’t talk.” She replied. I felt a stab of pity for her as I pictured sweet, chattery Rose as an Avox. I took her icy cold hand in mine and we made our way back to the train, where Peeta was calling us. We boarded the train and I followed her into her room.
Chapter 8 Rose
Clover told Connor her secret. I stared at Connor, knowing that now he would be able to see a faint outline of me whenever I came to visit. I followed them back onto the train and into Clovers room. She sat down on the bed and rested her head against Connors shoulder. I wanted, at that moment, to say something to her, to help mend her torn heart but I knew there was nothing I could do to help. Glitter watched beside me, her features contorted with sadness. “If I could say something to her, I would. I just wish I could go back in time and change fate.” She said silently. I nodded.

I once again walked along the dark path that led to the empty fountain. A figure sat on the mouth of the fountain and I recognized Derrick, Clovers temporary district partner. He looked up as I approached and gave me a sad smile. “Hey, Rose. Long time no see” He said softly. “Hello.” I said. Derrick had been part of our little alliance in the arena, something that was very unusual for a district 2 person. He was actually a really nice guy who didn’t even want to go into the arena in the first place, but he had had no choice. I sat down next to him and he scooted over to give me some space. “How many other spirits are there in this world?” He asked. “Theres myself, Glitter and you I think. At least that’s all I’ve seen so far” I replied. He nodded, face dark. I looked down at my hands, my nails done perfectly like when my prep team did them in the Capitol. “Do you think that all the tributes are here?” Derrick asked suddenly. I looked up at him. “Maybe, why?” I replied. “Just wondering.” He said. I nodded.
Chapter 9 Clover
I sat down at the ornately carved desk and took out a sheet of paper and a pen. I began writing because I didn’t know what else to do. I let my mind wander as the paper began to fill with ink. When I looked down again I saw a poem written in neat handwriting.

Shattered glass
Lays in pieces
Broken mirrors
Falling fast
Sharp shards
Meant to harm
Stupid people
Losing charm
Bloody fingers
Drawing lines
But they say
I should be fine
I’m not
I’m hurt
I’m losing my mind
I’m seeing things
Other people can’t see
Like screaming children
Are following me
All their deaths
Are on my shoulders
Weighing me down
Like heavy boulders
Haunting my dreams
Calling my name
My family says
I’ll never be the same
They’re right
I’m changed
My minds
Disarranged
I can’t think straight
And I’m afraid of the dark
Because the arena
Left a permanent mark
The blood fingers
Keep drawing lines
It never stops
Til the end of time

I stared at the page in a mixture of satisfaction and fear. This was exactly how I felt. I felt a slight chill that usually accompanied the appearance of a spirit and looked behind me. I gasped when I saw an image of Mina. She smiled for a moment before disappearing. A chill ran down my spine. “No, she can’t be dead.” I said softly, scolding myself for worrying. I walked into the bathroom and splashed my face with cold water. I felt much better. I walked out of the room right into Connor. He smiled down at me. “Watch where you’re going” He said good naturedly. I smiled up at him. He wore a pair of sweat pants and a gray t-shirt. He looked very handsome as he almost always did. “We’ll be home soon” He said taking me into his arms. He felt warm like he always did, at least warmer than me. I nodded. Home, Mina, mother, everyone I loved. I would see them in the morning.

I awoke early the next morning to find Connor had slipped in beside me. He slept soundly, his soft snores soothing. Careful, so not to wake him, I got up and went over to the closet. I programed an outfit to my liking and decided to have a bit of fun. I grabbed one of the over-sized pillows and hit Connor with it. He opened his eyes and smiled at me. “Morning sleepy head.” I teased, hitting him lightly with the pillow. He sat up and grabbed a pillow. “Oh no you don’t” He said with mock ferocity. He hit me with a pillow and tackled me to the ground. I threw up my arms in defeat. “Okay, you win.” I cried. The door to our room opened and one of the servants peeked in. She turned beat red when she saw us and quickly closed the door. I looked up at Connor and giggled. “Well, I guess that came as a shock to her.”He said, looking down at me. I nodded.

The train stopped in district 12 and we were greeted by chearing crowds. Everyone in the district plus a few people from the Capitol wanted to see us when we arrived home. We were taken by car to the mayoresses home where a room was set up for us to get ready in. A beautiful green shimmery gown was layed out for me along with a pair of green flats. Connor helped me into the gown and together we headed to where the feast was being prepared.
Chapter 10 Connor
My sister threw her arms around me as I walked towards my family. My mother hugged me tightly and my brother Jared slapped me on the back. Clover ran into her mothers arms and was embraced tightly. Once all of our welcoming homes were done, we all walked towards the Victors village. Nothing had really changed here except that the flowers were starting to bloom. Spring would be here soon. I entered my house and it felt strange after a month of being on a train. I half expected the ground beneath my feat to start moving like it did on the train. After a moment, I realized the ground was stable and I began to adjust. “Where’s dad?” I asked my mom. “He’s working late tonight at the shop. He really wanted to be home but he couldn’t” She replied appolegetically. I nodded. “I’m going to see how Clover’s setteling in.” I said before walking out the door.

Clovers head rested on my lap while I painted. I let my mind wander to the events in the arena for a while before looking at the canvas. Painted on the canvas was Rose, crouched beside me right before the careers attacked us. I looked over to see Clover’s eyes were open and staring at the canvas. She gave me a sad smile as I put the canvas aside. “What’s on your mind?” I asked. “I was just thinking about the first time I met Rose. She was so sweet and innocent.” She said, smiling at the memory. I nodded. “I remember the second day we were all in the Capitol and Derrick came up behind you. Your face was priceless because you were absolutely shocked” I said, smiling. She smiled back. “I remember Roses face when you came up behind her. She was beat red.” She said, laughing. I saw a faint outline of Rose and knew she was listening.

I blinked open my eyes to see harsh sunlight shining through my window. Today was the day I had been dreading for a few weeks now; the day of the reaping. This year Clover and I would have to be mentors to the two district 12 tributes. I got up and went over to the washroom. I took a quick shower and went back into my room. One of my outfits lay on a chair near my desk. I put it on and went downstairs to where my mom was making breakfast. Mina smiled sleepily at me as I gobbled down my breakfast. Clover and I were expected to be in the district square at 9 o’clock sharp to get ready for the reaping. I put my dishes away and walked out the door. I walked across the small stretch of grass that seperated our houses in the victors village and knocked on Clovers door. Her mom, Jane, answered the door. “She’s just finishing getting ready, Connor, if you want to go up and see her, you’re more than welcome.” She said, smiling. I entered the house and went up the stairs. I heard Clover curse and followed the sound towards her room. She had on a light green dress and appeared to be having issues doing it up in the back. “Need some help?” I asked. “Yes please” She replied. I did up her dress in the back and helped her with her hair. I loved her hair, it was so soft and pretty. Once we were done, we went back downstairs and made our way to the square.
Chapter 11 Clover
The square was empty except for the construction crew setting up the temporary stage where Akiera would pick two more tributes to go into the arena. I saw her standing, talking to Mayoress Undersee and walked over. She smiled at me warmly and looked us both over. “I see you two are still doing well.” She said in her capitol accent. I nodded. We followed her towards the stage and she ran us through the procedure. We would sit quietly and wait until she called out the names of the two tributes, then we would be expected to greet them and shake their hand. I listened carefully and nodded at all the right places. Once we were done, Connor led me over to the far side of the square. He reached into his pocket and produced my necklace, which I had forgotten to put on that morning. He clasped it on and the charms hung around my neck. I was reminded of our time in the arena and felt a silent tear fall over my cheek. Connor wiped it away with his thumb. “Don’t cry.” He said softly. I nodded.

I sat next to Connor as Akiera made her spiel about why we were here and all that. Then she got down to buisness. “Ladies first.” She said. She plucked a name out of the reaping ball and unfolded it. “Mina Everdeen” She said. No, I must have heard wrong, but sure enough Connors little sister took the stage. She met my gaze with grim determination as Akiera walked over to the other reaping ball. “Donathan Granger” She said. A large boy from the seam took the stage and shook Mina’s hand. I stood up shakily and shook both of their hands before they were escorted into the justice building. Then we were taken to a waiting car and driven to the train station. “I can’t mentor your sister” I said, feeling fresh tears drip down my face. “you have to. You have to do everything you can to help her win” He said fiercly. I nodded, feeling numb.

When we arrived at the train station, I boarded the train and waited for Mina and Donathan with Connor at my side. Once they had boarded, the train took off towards the capitol. “you two can do whatever you want until dinner which is in an hour.” Akiera said to them. I watched Mina’s light blonde hair disappear from view as she went into her room. I looked at Connor and saw all of my pain reflected back in his eyes. I leaned my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes. He stroked my hair soothingly until dinner was ready.
Chapter 12 Mina
I heard my name called and, for a moment, I couldn’t move. Then someone behind me shoved me forward and I put on a brave face. I walked up onto the stage and looked at my brother and Clover. Clovers eyes sparkled with tears and I knew she didn’t want to mentor me. I followed the Peacekeepers into the justice building and sat down in a room on my own. My brother, Jared, and my mother, were the first to visit me. I hugged my mom fiercly and Jared hugged me tightly. After a few moments, they were escorted out. Next came my best friend, Jenna. She had tears falling over her cheeks and I brushed them away. “You need to be strong, okay. No matter what happens to me, you’ll always be my best friend in the whole world.” I said to her. She nodded. “This is for you, it was Katniss’ when she went into the arena.” She said, placing something in my hand. I opened my hand to see a mockingjay pin. I looked up and gave her a hug. She hugged me back hard and I felt tears threaten behind my eyelids. I wiped them away as a group of peacekeepers came and escorted her out. “Good bye, Jenna.” I said softly. I knew in my gut that I wasn’t coming back.

After an hour, I was taken by car to the train station. There I boarded a train with Donnathan. He smiled kindly at me before the train took off at breathtaking speeds. I looked around to see Akiera sitting comfortably in one of the huge arm chairs. “You two may do whatever you want until dinner.” She said. I nodded and went into the first compartment I found. I layed down on the bed but found it too comfortable for my taste. I got up and went into the washroom. I found the most complicated thing ever invented; a capitol shower. I asked the little microphone for some directions and followed them. I set the shower for warm with no scents. My hair was shampooed and conditioned while my body was washed. When I got out of the shower, I placed my hand on a plate and an electric current ran through my scalp, undoing any knots in my hair. I put my hair in a braid like Clover had taught me and went back into my room.

Akiera tapped on my door to let me know it was time for dinner. I went outside and found a huge dining room with a large ornated wooden table. Everyone else was already there and were filling filling their plates. Over the last year, I had become accustomed to the rich Capitol food so it didn’t make my stomach sore when I ate too much of it. Unlike Donathan, who was from the seam and had barely ever had enough food to eat most of his life. I looked at the boy and imagined what it would be like in the arena. Would him and I be Allies? Somehow I highly doubted that. We didn’t even know each other so I couldn’t have expected him to be my ally. I finished eating and watched the recap of the reapings. The only ones I really noticed was a huge boy from district 1 and a girl my age from distrct 8. After the recaps, I went into my room and fell asleep on the soft bed.
Chapter 13 Rose
I watched Mina as she sat on the bed. Suddenly she looked up and stared at me. I stared at her, perplexed. “Can you see me?” I asked. She nodded. “Can you hear me?” I asked. She nodded. “You’re Rose, aren’t you?” She asked. I nodded. She smiled. “Clover and Connor have told me a lot about you. Are there others like you that are still here?” She asked. “Yeah, but the only ones I’ve seen so far are Glitter and Derrick. Glitters the girl from district 1 that killed me.” I replied. She nodded. It felt so good to be able to talk with someone who wasn’t dead. She smiled and patted the bed beside her. “Come sit, Rose” She said softly. I sat down next to her and she smiled. “Tell me all about yourself” She said.

Mina and I spent the next few hours chatting about everything. She was absolutely terrified about going into the games but she wouldn’t let Clover know because she was already unstable enough. I stood up and waved good-bye to her as I transported back to the spirit world. I walked along the path towards the fountain, feeling a little more relaxed than I had in a long time. “You seam happier” Derrick said from behind me. I turned and smiled at him. “Looks like there’s someone else who can see us, only she can hear us too.” I said happily. He smiled back. “Are you going to help her in the arena?” He asked. I nodded. I had to help her or else Clovers heart would be shattered. I stared at the district 2 boy with grim determination and walked away from the fountain.
Chapter 14 Clover
I sat in my compartment of the train as the countryside sped past. I looked up as someone knocked on the door and Akieras head appeared. “Time for breakfast” She chirped. I sighed and went outside. The only ones at the table were Donathan and Connor. I sat down in the seet next to Connor and a large breakfast was served. I picked at my breakfast, not feeling very hungry. After a few moments, Mina and Akiera joined us. “Alright, this morning we’re going to talk strategy.” I said. “What can you both do?” I asked. Donathan looked up. “I can throw knives and I can find my own food.” He replied. I nodded. “I can heal and I know the different plants. Nothing too spectacular though” Mina replied. “That’s alright, I’m sure you’ll pick up some skills in training.”I said, giving her a small smile. She smiled back.

When we arrived in the capitol, we were greeted by hundreds of people all wanting to take our photos. I smiled and waved to the crowd but kept one hand firmly clamped on Connors hand. He smiled along with me as we were escorted towards the remake center. Once there, we were dismissed to get ready and just wait until they were finished. I led Connor over to the training center and we took the elevator up to the 12th floor. Once there, I changed out of my dress and put on one of the dresses in my room. It was a pretty green silk dress with a dark green belt around the waist. I applied some eye make-up but not too much as to appear grotesque. Once I was finished, I went back outside to find Connor had changed into a suit and looked very handsome. Together we headed outside to where the tribute parade would take place.
Chapter 15 Mina
Rrrriiiiip. All the hair on my body was removed, bit by bit by my prep team. One woman with light green skin smiled at me. “Well, you don’t complain very much or move when we wax you. Thank you” She said in her odd capitol accent. I winced as another piece of hair was removed from my body. “All done. I’m Flanaria, that’s Mira, and the man is Nico. Sorry we didn’t introduce ourselves earlier.” She said, pointing to a young looking woman with flames framing her face and an older man with blue corkscrew curls. I smiled at them. Once they were finished with me, they left and in their place came a young woman with violet eyes and pretty violet tattoos on her face. She smiled at me and handed me a robe. “I’m your stylist for this year. My name is Violet. I think that your costume will make quite a splash in the opening ceremonies” She said. A million thoughts raced through my mind. She unzipped a long canvas bag to reveal a beautiful red gown with hundreds of sequins sewn onto it to make it sparkle. She slipped the fabric over my head and zipped it up in the back. Then she applied a little bit of red eye shadow and some dark lipstick. I felt the urge to lick it off but I held back. I followed her towards the elevator that led us down to the stable. I walked over to the one with a twelve painted into the side. I stroked the horse, feeling very scared of the other tributes. I looked over and jumped. Donathan had appeared out of nowhere. I smiled at him and looked around. I saw the other tributes standing around near their horses, most of them were talking to each other quietly. “Hello” A voice behind me said. I turned to see a girl with dark brown hair and big brown eyes. “Hello” I said. “I’m Mia, district 11. Who are you?” She asked. “I’m Mina. It’s nice to meet you.” I said. She smiled. Just then, Donathan appeared beside me. He smiled warmly at Mia and the other girl went back to her carriage.

I heard the music for the opening ceremonies beginning and I stepped into my carriage. The coal black horses began moving and I turned on the biggest smile I could. Bright lights blinded me as we rolled out onto the tribute avenue. Cameras flashed as the audience went wild. I smiled and waved as the crowd began cheering our names and throwing flowers. I caught a few of them and sniffed them delicately. We had definitely made quite the splash. As we rolled onto the tributes circle, our horses did a loop once before coming to a stop in the center of the group. President Snow greeted us from his balcony and gave his speech as to why we were here. Once he was done, we were taken into the training center that would be our home for the next several days. Clover gave me a hug when I walked into the training center. “You did amazing Mina” She said in my ear. I smiled as we rode up to the twelfth floor. The ground shot away from us as the elevator sped up to our floor. I was breathtaken. When we got to our rooms, I immediately stripped off the dress carefully and went for a shower. That was when I came across one of the most complicated things ever invented; a Capitol shower. Hundreds of buttons were installed to choose from and it took a few moments for me to finally figure it out. Once I had, the water smelled like maple syrup, a new favourite of mine ever since we had moved into the victors village. I let the warm water soothe my tired body as I was washed and shampooed with sweet smelling soaps. My hair was then dried by a machine that you put your hand onto and it sent an electrical current through your scalp, drying and detangling your hair. I put on a pair of soft, fuzzy pjs and went back into the dining room. I was starving, having not eaten anything since that morning on the train. I filled my plate and sat with Clover and Connor on the couch as they played the recaps of the opening ceremonies. “You two did an amazing job” Connor said, smiling at me. I smiled at my brother and ate my food. That was when I noticed that Donathan wasn’t there. “Where’s my partner?” I asked. Clover shrugged. “I think he’s with his stylist.” She said sweetly. I nodded.
Chapter 16 Rose
I watched silently as Mina made her debut. She looked stunning in a red sequined dress that sparkled in the fading light. I followed her as she went into her room and stripped out of her dress. I looked away and faded into the wall only to come to Donathans room. I cursed silently and looked away from him. He didn’t see me but I was there. I waited until he was gone to go back into Mina’s room. She was finished in the shower and was dressed in a plain outfit that was far from spectacular when compared to her earlier costume. I smiled at her. “Nice debut” I said, making her jump. “Oh my gosh Rose, don’t do that, you scared me half to death and I’m not even in the arena yet.” She said, startled. I giggled. “Sorry” I said, trying to hold in the laughter that was bubbling up inside. She smiled before someone knocked on her door and I disappeared back into the dark world.

The air was hot and muggy as I walked towards the fountain. I could see a small figure seated there beside the fountain and as I got closer I saw that it was the girl from district 5. She looked up as I approached and smiled at me. “Hello, Rose” she said softly. I smiled. “Hello Haysel” I said. “What are you here for?” I asked. She shrugged. “I don’t know, one minute I was sitting with my brother and the next thing I know I’m here sitting beside this fountain, whats even the point of this fountain if theres not even water in it.?” She asked. I shrugged. “Its been like that since I died.” I said softly. She nodded. “I guess I’m here for a reason” she said softly. I nodded.
Chapter 17 Clover
I sat at the table with Connor and Mina, playing with the meatball on my plate and not feeling very hungry. Connor looked at me with concern in his gray eyes. “You okay,Clover?” He asked. I shook my head. “I’ll talk to you about it when we’re alone” I replied. He nodded. There was no way I was letting Mina know how worried I was about her. She was to be protected and I would do whatever it took to keep it that way. After a few more minutes I got up and handed my plate to one of the Avoxes, then I walked into my room. I sat down on the bed and pulled the blanket up around me. I wouldn’t cry. I had to be strong for Mina’s sake. I laid my head down on one of the feather-filled pillows and let my eyes close. The moment they closed I saw visions of Mina and all the possible ways she could die in the arena. These visions frightened me terribly. I got up and splashed my face with cold water from the bathroom before returning to the bed. I sat down again and found my mind wandering to my personal experiences in the arena.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by a soft knock on the door. I put on a bathrobe and answered the door. Connor leaned against my door casually. “Come on in.” I said, stepping out of the way so that he could walk into my room. He sat down on my bed and patted the spot beside him. I walked over to him and sat down next to him. He put his arm around me and I curled into his side. “Tell me whats on your mind, Clover” He said. “I’m worried about Mina, I don’t want her to die and be unable to do anything about it.” I said. “Mina’s a lot stronger than she looks. I know you’re worried about her, I am too but you have to trust that she’ll make it and that she’ll win.” He said, putting a finger under my chin and lifting it so that I could look into his gray eyes. They were full of love and concern. “I know she will. I’m just worried about whether I want her to win or not.” I said. He looked at me in shock. “I mean, I don’t want her to live like we are, I don’t her to be scarred the way we are, maybe it’s better if she dies that way she won’t have to live with the memories of all those people who will die in the arena” I continued before he could say anything. He nodded slowly. “I still want her to come home” He said. I nodded. “She won’t be the same” I said softly. He nodded, understanding flickering behind his eyes.

I woke the next morning alone. Connor must have gone back to his room. I thought. I got up and went into the washroom. A quick shower woke me up before I went to breakfast and ate until I couldn’t eat anymore. Mina, dressed for training, sat across from me and started chatting about her strategy for training. “I met a girl last night, Mia, I wonder if she wants to team up with me” She said. I nodded in approval. “Get a few ally’s, they’ll help get you farther” Connor said, sliding in beside me. Mina nodded. She ate quickly and grabbed Donathan’s arm before heading to the elevator that would take them down to training. I watched them go, feeling anxiety claw at my stomach. Donathan wasn’t someone I was comfortable with Mina hanging around with. He seemed like a bit of a troubled boy who hadn’t had much to eat for most of his life. Connor sat back and put an arm around my shoulder. I curled into his side for a few moments before remembering that we had to start getting them sponsors. I sat up and looked at Connor. “We should probably start interacting with the sponsors to see what sor of supplies we can get Mina and Donathan.”I said. He nodded. “Good idea.” He said. I smiled.
Chapter 18 Mina
I grabbed Donathans arm and we headed down to training for the first day. I looked around the huge gym in awe because there were so many stations set up. The other tributes were already gathered in a big circle around a stern woman in a track suit. She was explaining the rules of training which were no fighting with other tributes and if we wanted to fight a human target, there were people who could help us. Once we were dismissed, I went in search of the girl Mia from the day before and found her on her own at the archery table. She was practicing shooting at the dummies and she was okay at it. I walked up to her and picked up one of the bows. “Hey, you’re Mia right?” I asked. She looked over and nodded, smiling at me. “Yeah, we met last night, Mina right” She said. I nodded. “Want to join me?” She asked. I nodded and loaded the bow I had picked up. I aimed at the test dummies head and shot. The arrow went cleanly through the eye of the dummy. “Nice shot.” Mia said. I blushed slightly. “Thanks” I said. “Wanna team up?” she asked. “Sure” I said. She smiled.

After a while of shooting we moved on to another station with edible plants and berries. I listened to the instructor as he told us about the different plants. We both took the test and I passed with flying colors. Mia on the other hand, was having a few issues with identifying different plants. “I thought you would be good at this considering you’re from district 11” I said. She nodded. “I am usually but today my brain just isn’t cooperating.” She said. I nodded. We practiced with the edible plants and berries for a little longer before heading off to another station.

“It would appear that we have a follower” Mia said. I looked over and spotted a girl with ashen blond hair and hazel eyes watching us. She smiled at us before walking over to us. “Hi” she said. “Hey” I said, smiling. “I’m Evie” She said, smiling back at me. “Nice to meet you, I’m Mina. That’s Mia” I said, extending my hand. She shook it. “Nice to meet you too.” She said. I caught Mia’s eye and she narrowed them at someone behind me. I looked back to see a taller boy with ashen hair like Evies walking towards us. “Who’s that?” I asked Evie. “That’s my district partner, Barley” She said. “I see” I said. Barley surveyed Mia and I before walking away, looking bored. “Whats up with him?” I asked. Evie shrugged. I looked around the training center to see the careers all milled around the sword fighting station. All, that is, except one. A medium sized guy with dark red hair and mysterious green eyes. Seeming to sense that I was watching him, he looked over at me and smiled. His teeth were perfect white and the smile itself was dazzling. I returned his smile before Mia’s voice pulled me back into reality. “Don’t get caught up with him, I’ve heard he’s a trouble maker” She said, raising her eyebrows at me. I stared at her innocently and she smiled. The boy started to walk over to us and I felt a blush creep into my cheeks. “Hello, ladies.” He said politely. I smiled at him and he grinned. “Hi.” I said. “Am I going to be honoured with knowing your names?” He asked, smiling still. I blushed. “Oh, of course.” I said. “I’m Mina, that’s Evie and that’s Mia” I said, gesturing at each of my companions in turn. He nodded and smiled at each of them in turn. “You’re Connor’s sister aren’t you?” He asked unexpectedly. I blushed bright red and nodded. “I recognize you from last year.” He said softly. I nodded. “I’m gonna go train, would you like to join me, perhaps we can talk while we train” He invited. I looked at my companions who nodded for me to go ahead. Mia smiled at me encouragingly. “Sure” I said, following him towards one of the stations which happened to be the obstacle course. “I’ll race you to the other side” I challenged. He smiled mischievously and I dove into the course, crawling as fast as I could so that he wouldn’t be able to keep up. “So, what do you like to do in your free time?” He asked. “I don’t have a lot of free time usually. Between going to school and helping my mom unpack I don’t have a lot of time to myself but I do love to sing.” I said. I could hear his knees as they shuffled along the ground through the obstacle course. “What about you?” I asked. “I like to swim and fish” He said, huffing for breath. “You’re fast” He said, panting. I giggled as he caught up to me. We were sitting in the middle of the obstacle course, both of us trying to catch our breaths. “Try to catch me” I said before dashing deeper into the obstacle course. His feet ran after me as I ducked and dodged the obstacles in my way. A few grunts told me that he hadn’t been so fortunate. “Whats your favourite color?” He asked. “Purple” I replied. “What about you?” I asked. “Green, not bright green but more of an oceany green” He replied. His footsteps grew nearer and after a moment he tackled me to the ground. “Hey” I cried as he landed on me. “Got you” He whispered in my ear. “Okay, you win” I said, admitting defeat. He smiled and let me get up. “Come on, I want to show you the swimming pool they have here, not a lot of people know about it but my brother discovered it a few years ago.” He said. I nodded and followed him outside. Sure enough there was a medium sized swimming pool with towels and everything on the side for us to swim. “you know what I just realized. I don’t even know your name” I said, smacking my head at my stupidity. “Aquarius, but everyone just calls me Arius.” He said. I nodded.

I changed into a bathing suit quickly and jumped into the water behind Arius. He smiled at my willingness to get wet. “You like the water?” He asked. I nodded. “Connor taught me how to swim a little bit” I replied. He nodded. I splashed him playfully. “I’ll get you for that” He said with mock ferocity, lunging at me. I swam out of the way and he landed with a giant splash. I giggled as the water splashed me. He dived under the water and his head came up right beside me. I squeaked when he scared me. I stuck out my tongue causing him to laugh. I swam in circles around him, trying to make him dizzy but he wasn’t fooled. “I wonder how Mia and Evie are getting along” I said. He came up behind me and I turned towards him, that was when I smacked right into his chest and he caught me. “Careful Mina” He said, smiling down at me. For a moment I was caught in his mysterious green eyes and couldn’t look away. They were the same color as emeralds with a hint of gold in them that you could only notice if you really looked into his eyes. Heat flamed behind my cheeks and I knew I was blushing bright red. He smiled at me and I broke away from him. “I should go and check on the others” I said, towelling myself off. He nodded and got out of the pool. I changed into my training gear and went back into the gym, with Arius close at my heals.