Our Burning Love-A Clato Love/Survival Story <3

Chapter 13: My sweet 16....not really

A girl's 16 birthday is huge in District 2 but for me... nah. My 16th is tomorrow, Izabelle, Ronnie and I must meet Cato, Bristle and Clarice at the river. I'm bringing Kalen, I don't trust her. We haven't spoken since Kalen made that nasty scar on his right hand. She has hit me though. A lot. But it always ends up with her crying and bleeding on the floor. Hayzelle is showing and morning sickness has arrived.

I stroke Kalen's hair once more, I then kiss it. 1 month and 5 days til the Capitol. I leave his room and shut his door. I pass Ronnie's room and then into mine. Where Izabelle has labeled my bed as her own. I grab a bag for game and climb out my window. I swiftly slide down the side of the house then landing on my feet.

It's about 11pm, my last 2 hours of being 15. And I'm spending them hunting. I sprint to the forest, checking to see if my knife is still attached to my black training pants. It is. Unfortunatley there is little game. So i take my anger out on some poor tree, slicing it over and over, while tears fog my eyes, I let them fall freely. "I'm dead in a month and a half. I will never see Kalen, Ronnie, Izabelle, Clarice or Bristle ever again. I will never see Hayzelle and her baby. I will never live in riches. I will never be with Cato. I will never have children or get married. I will never be a victor" I yell.

I slouch down the tree, hold my knees to my chest. Little pieces of hair stick to my face from my plait. I cry loudly. 'Is that true?' a female voice asks. She shuffle's slightly then sits next to me. Clarice. I nod. 'I'm dead in two months, i'll be back in my reaping clothes in a coffin. I wont have a chance at life.' I sob. That's when I jump up. 'What am I doing? stop feeling sorry for yourself Clove' I yell. "Ata girl' she smiles. 'Go home, we have a big day tomorrow, your 16 in about a half an hour.' I nod and run home.

I have known them over a year, and they have been the best thing to me, since Maysilee. What would happen if she was still here? But for my mother they have changed me to a slut, a filthy career. I was a mistake. Izabelle is now downstairs crying, clinging to her mother. Why couldn't do that when my father died. No my mother locked herself in her room for a full week. I had to hunt, cook, clean while she sat in her room. I was 9.

*flashback*

I collected Ronnie from school, It was her 2nd year, it was my 5th. Maysilee stood next to me a 7 year old Izabelle clung to her hand while 6 year old Ronnie clung to mine. Maysilee was also poor, we lived on the same street. We all walked into my house, My mother and Hayzelle greeted us. A loud bang on the door intrupted their endless chatter. My mother opened it to: Mason, my father's bestfriend who was a peacekeeper.

"Madge Rambin" he spoke. "yes sir" she replied. "I'm afraid your husband has been involved in a terrible accident." gasps filed the room and I took 1 month old Kalen from myaunt's arms. "I'm afraid while he was working at the quarries, a very large stone, no boulder fell on him." "what are you saying?" my mother answered. "he's dead" My mother ran up to her room and locked the door, Hayzelle burst into tears and ran home with Izabelle. Ronnie, Maysille an Kalen who was crying over the noise, were screaming. I didn't move. Maysille took Kalen and Mason gave us his sympathy.

I sat Ronnie on they old blue sofa, took her face in my hands and said the words she begged me not to say 'I'm volunteering for the 74th Hunger Games'

*End Of Flashback*

I can't take it. I pick up my lamp and smash it on the floor. I throw picture frames and clothes everywhere. I punch the wall. The pain course's though my knuckles but I like it, a lot. So i do it again. I hit the same spot over and over cursing. I don't stop until I see blood on my grey walls. I'm not satisfied. I rush to the mirror and hit it as hard as possible. It shatters into a thousand pieces. Some shards of glass hit the wall behind me, some fall to the floor, while the rest hit me.