Back to Normal: The 35th Hunger Games

Chapter 12

Calanthe "Calley" Green POV

Amber was all I had. The children at the community home were all looking out for themselves. There wasn't enough food for half of us and anyone who couldn't keep up was left behind. I was a friendly and trusting child when I first came. The others saw my weakness and targeted me right away. If I hadn't met Amber, I probably would have starved. We bonded inseparably and became like one person, with our own habits and even our own language. I couldn't understand why she needed Jon. Wasn't I enough?

I woke up long after lights out. Amber always slept next to me, but she wasn't in her bed. Tomorrow was Reaping day. Maybe she's scared. She might be crying somewhere. Why didn't she wake me? I wouldn't have minded. I crept out of bed and peeked into the tiny closet we all shared. Amber was kneeling on the floor stuffing something into a bag.

"What are you doing?" I asked. She jumped at my voice and shoved the bag behind her. I realized what must be happening and shut the door behind us.

"Are you running away?" I whispered. "They'll catch you."

"Why would anyone look for me?" she asked.

"Because of the Reaping. The Peacekeepers will find you," I said. She fiddled with her fingers.

"Oh, them. I'm not running away from the Reaping," she said.

"Then why? And why didn't you tell me?" I asked. She looked away.

"I'll go with you," I said. Of course I'd go with her. I didn't care how dangerous it was.

"I didn't want you to find out until I was gone," she said.

"Why?" I asked. I couldn't imagine any possible answer.

"I'm running away with Jon," she said. It was like she reached right in and broke my heart. Everything I knew and my only best friend was gone. She saw my face and rushed to continue.

"He says we can work together in the mines and make a life. I can't stay here any longer. I'm sorry," she said. She stood up and yanked the door open. I ran after her until she ran out the front door of the home. She looked around and her eyes fell on Jon peeking out from behind a tree.

"Wait! Don't go!" I yelled. She shushed me and looked at the quiet building.

"I'm sorry," she said again. Jon came toward us and stood beside her. He looked at me like I was an insect.

"Please. You're all I have," I said. I felt the tears coming, but they hardened into rage when I looked at Jon waiting for my only friend to abandon me.

"How could you do this? We've been friends for years. You meet a cheap d**k and you're just going to throw it all away?" I asked.

"He's not like that," she snapped.

"Then what is he like?" I asked, my voice rising with each sentence. "Was this all just a joke to you? Did you ever care about me?"

Amber's eyes flashed. "If I'm such a terrible friend, why do you care if I go?"

"Because I love you!" I yelled. Amber's mouth fell open and everything was silent. Then Jon broke the spell with a horrible laugh.

"Is that it? You thought you had a chance with her? You're disgusting. She was trying to sneak away so she didn't have to tell you. She hates you," he said.

"Stop it," Amber said. She looked back at me like she regretted everything. I was too hurt to even move. If Amber didn't love me, no one ever could. There was nothing to live for. There was no good in the world and I couldn't bear it.

I only snapped out of my trance when Amber and Jon started to walk away. I saw him walking off with the girl I loved and I broke. I wanted to jump on him and strangle the life out of him. I had to hurt him. I picked up a rock the size of a large potato and drew back my arm.

"Give her back!" I cried. I threw the rock as he turned at my voice. It smashed into his head just above his ear and I saw the bone crack under the skin. He dropped to the ground and twitched.

"Jon!" Amber cried. She knelt by him and tried to turn him over. I helped her move him and we saw blood leaking from his ear. His eyes were glazed.

"You killed him," Amber said. She went pale and started to shake. I was scared too, but not because he died. I couldn't care less about that. I was only afraid she'd never forgive me. She was all I had.

Kronk Wickersly POV

In the Seam, accidents are a way of life. Hardly anyone dies of old age around here. If a mining accident doesn't take you, you can look forward to a long life of maybe fifty years before miner's lung or starvation gets you. It almost made the accidents seem exciting, and I ran outside when the siren rang again.

There was already a crowd when I reached the mine. They didn't come to point and stare. The Peacekeepers don't care if another bunch of coal rats gets crushed. We're on our own when it comes to rescues, and everyone does what they can. There was coal dust everywhere, and I could hardly see the victims. Someone was screaming and people were running every which way, shouting and carrying things.

I peered into the half-collapsed mine entrance and saw two men staggering out carrying a third between them. They were so covered in soot they were almost solid black, but the man in the middle had a red streak on his leg where the blood was washing off the grime. I ran to them and helped them lay the injured man on the ground.

"He's gonna die," one of the men who had carried him out moaned. He was plainly hysterical, and I sent him away. It was important to have people like me at disasters like this. I handled pressure better than most people. I was rational and controlled, and I found that most people weren't as competent as I was when it came to emergencies.

The man on the ground was bleeding out fast. Blood was spurting all over his leg and it seeped into my pants as I kneeled over him. I searched the wound for the point of entry and found the end of the broken artery. I pinched it shut and the blood flow started to slow.

"What are you doing?" the second man said.

"I need to stop the blood," I said.

"You're pinching his...?" the man said. He bent over and vomited. Some people are so squeamish. It was just flesh. It just happened to be ripped. Someone came up behind me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Excuse me, son," he said. I recognized one of the local medics, or what passed for medics in Twelve. He tried to shoo me away, but I hung around. He might need my help eventually. I left after the man was stabilized.

"How is he? Is he going to die?" the hysterical man from earlier said.

"I don't know," I said. I saw his distress and tried to help.

"Don't worry. He'll be okay," I said. The man shook my hand.

"Thank you so much. You're a hero," he said. I smiled.

"It was nothing. Anyone would have done it. Half of us have at some point. I was just trying to help."

Calley's was long because it was very complicated scene. It actually had more I couldn't fit and will have to address in later chapters. Also, she volunteered, which will be explained later.

I think I'm missing the Seven boy's form. I might just have buried in my files, but if you submitted him and think you might have forgotten, please send him again so I can write the Seven reaping.