Tell The World I'm Coming Home [Marr]

On the train, reality truly hit me. I was going home, and it wasn't as a corpse in a casket. It wasn't as a victor, either, though. When I was in that arena, I'd been killed. I was struck in the head by that giant muttation shortly after it'd broken my knee, but they- the Capitol or the Gamemakers or whatever- they brought me back to life. Should I be grateful for that, seeing as that means I get to see everyone I love again, or should I be angered that they let me live, because I have to go on with the trauma and guilt of being in the arena forever trapped inside of my mind. Although, I suppose the victors have to live through that trauma, too, don't they? Except, the victors have to live with having killed people.

I never killed anyone.

Does that make me any better than the victors who've survived the Games? No.

Does it make me weaker? I don't like to think it does that, either.

---

The train, chugging along the tracks, away from the Capitol... it caused me to get lost in thought. When I'd woken up in what they had called the vault, I'd gotten to see them again: Fiona, Faux and Carmen. I'd only seen Carmen from a distance while I was in the vault, though. Had she been avoiding me? Now I feared that we'd never speak again if I didn't find her on this train before I got back to District Eight.

There were some people I didn't want to find again, when I thought about it, though.

Lex. Denali. Shy.

I didn't want to see any of them again. If anything, I was afraid that they would kill me. I'd told Denali that she deserved to feel pain, but now, I know that isn't true. She showed me mercy when she could've killed me easily. If anything, I needed to thank her, and to apologize. My father trained me to be a respectful young man, and I was far from that in the arena. Then again, when everyone is trying to kill one another, isn't it rather difficult to be respectful?

---

Looking out the windows, I could see things passing by so fast that it was in a way one could only fathom that Capitol technology would be able to achieve. I'd seen the intense speed of the train on my way to the Capitol in the first place, but I'd been so certain that I was going to die that I'd pushed the thoughts of anything having to do with Capitol luxury or other 'good things' out of my mind.

---

As the train slowed down, I could see where we were. It was District Eight, they'd announced on the loudspeaker. Peacekeepers would surely be coming to get me soon, but I already knew where I was. I was home.

---

When I finally stepped foot back on the ground of District Eight, I was greeted by one of my brothers, Reggie, who immediately enveloped me in a strong hug. I could tell he'd been crying, because, when he pressed his face into my shoulder, I felt his tears starting to soak my shirt just the slightest bit. When Reggie released me from the hug, I received even more hugs, these ones from my other brother and my two sisters. Henry, Josie, Miranda... then, my mother. She hugged me so tight that it was hard for me to breathe.

"Oliver..." she said to me softly. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Mom," I said to her, a smile crossing my face. Right then was the first genuine smile I'd had cross my lips since leaving the Vault. I may have smiled once or twice in seeing my allies in reunion, but other than that, I'd been lacking in expressions with positive connotation since quite a while before my 'death'.

I looked around for a brief moment, as there were three people I'd expected to greet me that I had yet to encounter: Jory, Alistina and my father.

"Where's Dad?" I asked of my mother. The smile that had been on her face dropped immediately, and I knew that that meant something bad.

"What happened to him?" Silently, I just prayed to Ripred that my father was okay.

My prayers, however, were not answered in a positive way. As my mother remained quiet, I looked to Reggie. His face was pale white, even more so than usual. He, however, seemed to be the only one who could speak in this moment.

"He's gone, Ol... he's gone." Reggie said in a low whisper that I could barely make out. My heart skipped a beat before then beating so fast that it felt as if it were going to burst out of my chest.

"What do you mean he's gone?" As I asked this, my voice cracked and tears started to well in my eyes. My question didn't matter, though. I already knew the answer. My father was dead. I could see it in the faces of my family. They were all silent.

"He's passed on, then?" I asked, my voice shaking uncontrollably as I said these words. I got a gently nod from Reggie. The silence broke, however, moments later, when my best friend Alistina approached the rest of us. When she saw the look on my face, however, I knew she could tell what was going on. Clearly, she already knew my father's fate.

"Olive... I'm so sorry. I don't... I don't know what to say." She said these words to me and I then tried to force a weak smile onto my face, approaching her and giving her a strong hug.

"It's okay, Alice. I'm home, and that's good, right?" I said this to her, hoping that I actually was right in thinking that that was a good thing. She nodded, hugging back tightly before pulling away from the embrace.

"Have you seen Jory?" I asked Alice. She shook her head no, but then told me that Jory's brother had been nearby. Therefore, I decided that I should look for the other Brontz boy.

---

When my eyes caught sight of Jacob Brontz, I walked over to him, Alice by my side, my family having said that they'd meet me back home when I was ready to head back. They told me not to rush.

"Jacob?" I said to him. "It's good to see you." I extended my hand for a handshake- I suppose that perhaps we weren't quite close enough to hug if I felt weird thinking about it right then.

"Where's Jory?" I then proceeded to question.

I just hoped Jory was okay. I missed him more than anything else in my life right now.