Clato: The Cost of a Broken Heart

Chapter 17

Scarlett's funeral is two days later. Old Ella does not get a funeral. It is as if she never existed. I try to hold out hope that she is somehow alive, that the sculpture she has been building for years will someday be finished. But it has been abandoned, just like the rest of us.

I dress in black. Cato and I may be done but I knew Scarlet, I loved her too. Not as fiercely, not as deeply, but I loved her all the same. That is why I attend her funeral. Not for Cato, but for me.

In District two we hold our funerals near the quarries. The looming mechanical mountain can be seen over the horizon. Its where they train peacekeepers, some from the Capitol, some from here. Even in death, Scarlet cannot escape the watchful eyes of the mechanical mountain. She will be burned and her ashes scattered into the empty zones of the quarry. In a thousand years perhaps Scarlet will be compressed into a rock and others will mine her, bring her back to the surface, back to the light.

The ceremony is short. Chairs are set overlooking the cliff where Scarlet's remains will be scattered. I sit in the far back with Brutus and Enobaria. I'm surprised they came but don't say anything about it. Cato doesn't see me, but I watch him shake in the first row as the Lifeteller speaks. In Two, we have a stranger tell the story of the person's life as impartially as they can. After, the closest friends and relatives share their own stories.

Cato stands up and speaks. There are only a few tears and he makes an effort to wipe them away. His parents stare on coldly. They do not get up to speak. They do not hug their remaining son as he falls apart. I find myself tuning out the ceremony because I cannot stand to see Cato in so much pain and know I cannot do a thing about it.

Cato is designated to scatter the ashes. His mother takes a phone call in the middle of it and misses her son break apart with the dust. Brutus comes to Cato's aid when no one else will or can. As Scarlet's ashes are flung into the mouth of the quarry, I see Cato take a step towards the edge, as if he means to follow her. Brutus is there in time to pull Cato away from the cliff. The two of them disappear and I make my way through the crowd to the cliff to pay my own respects. It's slow going with all the people.

There are many people here I recognize. The Meadows, Cato's friends Chase and Roni. On top of that are many figureheads. The manager of one of the quarries, the head peacekeeper. As people mull around, expressing their grief, I notice Cato's parents speak only to those of importance, as if they are gaining political power through their daughter's death. This is the final straw.

I march up to face both pairs of icy blue eyes. Cato's parents smirk at me but continue their conversation with the mayor.

"We just don't know what to do. We've lost all our children," Cato's mother says.

"You haven't," I interrupt, "You still have Cato although God knows you don't deserve him. How dare you stand here and let him suffer and pretend to grieve." I am yelling now.

"Insolent girl, don't pretend to know what we are going through. Cato is a disappointment. And you are the same. Both of you should have died in that arena." I launch myself at Cato's mother but before I can claw out her eyes a familiar pair of arms has grabbed hold of me. Cato drags me away from the rest of the funeral. He's covered in bruises from who knows where, eyes red and bloodshot, barely standing upright.

"What are you doing here?" He yells at me.

"I just came to say goodbye. I didn't mean for you to see me."

"How could I not see you, you attacked my parents! I told you not to come here, I told you we were done! I never wanted to see you again, especially not here!" Cato comes closer, too angry and heartbroken to see what his words are doing to me. "Leave me the hell alone before we end up getting another person I love killed! This is all our fault! This is all your fault," I reach forward to apologize and comfort him. Cato roughly shoves me away. But he pushes harder than he intended to.

I hit the cement hard. My head bangs into the ground and I lose my vision for a split second. My elbows have bloody scrapes along them. Cato stands above me, a horrified look on his face. In that moment I know I was right not to trust him years ago in the training academy. I should never have let him get under my skin. He's just like the rest of them. He's just like Favian.

"Clover, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that, I didn't want to hurt you." Cato leans down to help me up but I scramble away in fear. My head rings. Climbing to my feet, I face Cato. "I'm sorry. I promised I'd never hurt you, I'm so sorry." He pleads with me desperately. Cato doesn't move towards me again, though he'd clearly like to.

"There's nothing left," I say to myself. Nothing good left. I face Cato, "If you ever touch me again I will kill you." There's just enough time to see the shattered look on Cato's face before I am running away again--for the very last time.

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