Writers Games; Alliances

D10 Male - Tobias Haycraft - Task 2 [unobtrusive- ]

We had been trailing along behind Hestia, My Stylist, in silence, none of us really able to break it. Mum had her head hung low, arms dangling by her sides. Caira, whom I didn't really expect to show up today, walked with a stillness encasing her that made me wonder what exactly she had going through her head right now. Surprisingly, Max and Nash, who were quite honestly the loudest and the most talkative boys I knew, kept their words to themselves. Max walked with Becka, Nash beside my mother. Nobody spoke. That is, except for Hestia. He spoke nonstop. Perhaps this was the reason nobody else could break the stillness; perhaps they were all enthralled in his every word, captivated by his instructions. Then again, maybe it was just me who had been listening.
      Once we reached the Launch Room, Hestia shut up, and stepped off to the side a bit so my family could enter before him. They all did, Talon trailing at the very back, he smiled as he passed. I entered after, then Hestia came. All was silent.
     "Well," I spoke at long last. "This is it." Mother trembled, but didn't dare raise her eyes to look at me. I wanted so badly to tell her everything was going to be all right - but what proof did I have of that statement? How could I know for sure that I wasn't going to die tomorrow? Or worse, today?
     "Mum-" my trembling fingers reached out to comfort her with the simplest caress; but instead, they stopped halfway, my mind struggled to string words together in order to form sentences, but I couldn't. What does one say on the eve of their death?
   "-I-I love you." I managed to scrounge up enough words to raise her eyes so that I could look at them one more time. I didn't want to remember my mother like this - so torn apart by her son's departure - I wanted to remember her smiling, waving her thin hands as I ran off to school, casting those loving, chocolate eyes down at me when I was sad or had gotten hurt. I wanted to cherish every moment I had with this woman, this God-given woman who sacrificed eighteen years of her life to take care of me. To think that after today, I might not ever see her again was heartbreaking.
      "I love you too, son." She barely managed to force those few words out without breaking down in tears. I stepped forward and wrapped her in my arms, wanting to hold her for much longer than I was allowed.
    "Time is wasting, Mr Haycraft." Hestia informed me, his luminous eyebrows raising as his narrow arm lifted to show off his expensive watch.
    "Yes Sir," I sighed, releasing Mother from my grasp. Max came forward next, eyes watery though very strong. "Goodbye, old friend." Funny, he sounded almost sarcastic. Almost like he was still clinging to whatever humour he may have left, as if it could save him from these petrifying moments. I thought I could reassure him with a smile, the smallest, most meaningful smile I could muster, to encourage his coping mechanism. Without it, he might very well be mad.
    Nash took me into his arms next, those bear-like paws clapping my shoulder, sending my breath right out of my lungs. His voice never shook, in fact, he sounded stronger than ever, as he murmured his goodbye. Becka sent me a wink from behind Max, but she did not hug me or say goodbye, because we were strangers. Then, was Caira. Dearest Caira. She looked pale against the darkness of this room, the only light coming from an ominous wicker lamp, one whose shade bore holes as if from battle, sat behind Hestia. Her locks of blonde hair looked so refreshing now. Before, when we were nothing to the Capitol, her hair had been dirt-ridden and hardly looked any better than the pelt of a wild mink. Now, after the Capitol completely transformed not only hers, but all our appearances for the sake of fame or whatever their reasoning was, her hair glows like tiny ringlets of gold, trickling down her shoulders.
      She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't. Understanding, I wrapped her in my arms as quickly as I could. I couldn't stand to see that pained look in her eyes any longer. Once her face had been successfully buried in my chest, smearing whatever makeup they had put on her eyes, she began to cry. "I'm so sorry Tobias," she moaned right next to my heartbeat. "I-I didn't mean to cry. I promised myself I wouldn't, but-" now she completely broke down, soaking my weather-proof tee shirt in her tears.
"Shh, don't you worry one bit." I soothed. "I don't mind. We all get a little overwhelmed sometimes. You're in the company of those who love you right now, don't ever think you can't convey any kind of emotion around us. We're all here for you, we all love you." She sobbed some more, taking in what I had just said. I remained calm and collected as I stroked her hair and swore I'd try my very best to return to all of them.