The New Games: A Hunger Games Story

Chapter 9: Home

Chapter 9:

I walk in the front door of my home.

"Hello?" I ask "Anyone home?"

I walk a little further inside.

"Mom? Dad?"

I walk over and hang up my jacket and put my boots and gloves away. Then I go upstairs and head to my room.

"Mom? Miya?"

Still no answer.

I walk into my room. It's not the biggest room, but I'm happy with it. I go into my drawers and take out some new clothes. I take them into the bathroom and set them down. I put my old clothes into a basket and then take a shower.

After I've finished I take all the bandages off, and rinse what's left of the wounds. Most of them are completely healed.

I step out of the shower, dry off and start brushing my hair. It takes a little bit to get through all the knots, but I got it. I braid my hair, and get dressed.

I walk downstairs and am greeted by my family.

"Kamela!" My mom yells. She comes up to me and hugs me. "Where have you been?"

"In the shower." I say

"No, I mean yesterday and this morning? Where were you?"

"Uhh...I um..."

"She was at the Victors Village." Miya steps in. "Remember, I told you last night."

"What were you doing there?" My mom asks me.

"I was doing something for school." I say.

"What?" My mom asks.

Miya saves my butt again.

"It's just something people are encouraged to do for school, to spend the night in the Victors Village to see what it's like. You don't have to but..."

"You didn't tell me you were going!" my mom yells at me.

"Yeah, cause I didn't know. It was a last minute thing, I..." I've never been good at lying.

My mom knows I'm lying. I can see it in her eyes. She plays along though, probably for Miya.

"Oh, okay. Just let me know next time, if you can. I'm just glad you're okay." She hugs me again.

"Where's dad and Malik?" I ask

"They just went out to the forest to practice with bows and arrows. Like what he did with you when you were Malik's age." my mom answers.

My dad would take me out into the forest and teach us survival and hunting skills. People would do that for the Hunger Games, but now dad just says that it's a good skill to have, so we're gonna learn it. Because of him I know how to properly use everything in the travel first aid kit, know how to hunt with snares, knives, and bow and arrows. I also know how to find water, food. What plants are edible and what plants aren't. And so on.

Every once in a while he'll take me back again to 'sharpen up' on my skills. I enjoy doing that with him.

"Oh, okay." I say to my mom.

"Miya, can you go pick up some dinner for tonight?" Mom asks.

Miya sighs. "Fine." She says and heads out the door.

"Kamela?" my mom asks.

"Yeah?" I say.

"Come over to the living room and we'll talk."

I follow her over to the couch and sit down.

"Yeah." I say

"What really happened?" She asks.

So I tell her the whole story, from me following Miya, to Talon bandaging me up. I tell her about the pond and the pancakes, and lastly about how close it actually is from our house. I don't tell her anything about Talon, except for his name and that he's 16.

"He sounds nice." my mom says. "Why don't you have him come over here."

"What? Really?" I say

"Yes, I would like to meet him."

I smile.

"Does he have a phone?" she asks.

Most homes in district 12 have at least one home phone, a way to easily be contacted for a meeting, gathering, emergency, or any other needs.

"No, I don't think so, maybe." I say. "I didn't see one."

"Okay, then tomorrow go over to his house, see if he has a phone, and invite him over."

"Okay, I will."

I get up and go upstairs.

"Thank you mom!" I yell on my way up.