" 𝐼 𝑠𝑎𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑛 "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~||~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BOOM

The Thunder roars outside, Rain leaks from the small crevasses in the roof line, Lighting sends a few seconds of bright light that aluminates off the walls of the house.

For hours upon hours nonstop storms surrounds us, my mother mourns and weeps as she watches the television from the living room. The cries of my parents echo through the   Walls of this house.

I on the other hand sit starring in the empty room. That was my brothers. You'd think a ten year old would be more emotional. But I on the other hand was not. My brother, my best friend died in the Hunger Games.

I glance over at his well made bed, that will never be used again, his clothes that will never be touched again. He volunteered for a boy, he was almost there. So close, but so far. My brothers bravery, he died for a purpose. He chose his fate when he volunteered. But I remember what he told me before he left.

~~~~~~
"𝑉𝑖𝑐 𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒."
𝐼 𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑢𝑝 𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝑒𝑦𝑒𝑠 𝑏𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑏𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑑 𝑢𝑝.

"𝑁𝑜 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠, 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑒. 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢'𝑙𝑙 𝑑𝑜 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡. 𝐷𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑠𝑛𝑜𝑤, 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒. 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑜 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡, 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑣𝑖𝑐. 𝑆ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑎𝑙𝑙."

𝑀𝑦 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐼 𝑛𝑜𝑑

"𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐼 𝑑𝑖𝑒, 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑏𝑜𝑦. 𝐼𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑚𝑦𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓. 𝐼 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑑𝑙𝑦, 𝐼 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑒."
~~~~~~

I look down at the memory and sigh. Curling my body into a ball against the wall. I don't cry, I don't mourn. I sit in silence as the memories of my brother flood back to me.

One day, one day I'll get my revenge. I'll show them, I'll show them all.

~

Distant yells can be heard,
"Set sail!"

The light pours into the room blinding my eyes as I open them partly.

I groan and turn over in annoyance as I shove my pillow over my head to block out the noise.

A few moments later I hear my door open.

"RISE AND SHINE BEAUTY"

I startle a bit as he laughs to himself, I uncover myself from the pillow to glare straight at Gage, Gage. The boy my older brother volunteered for a couple years ago.
Turns out we had similar classes, later that summer he came to me and offered me anything for the feeling of debt for the loss of my brother. Ever since we became inseparable, best friends. He was the complete opposite of me though, he had dark blackish hair and striking green eyes. I on the other hand had this rich blonde hair and piercing blue/gray eyes.

I'll admit though, Gage was quite handsome, even though he was 14 and I was 13 we looked pretty grown up already.

"Shut up gag"

He glared back at me, "it's Gage"

I rolled my eyes and threw my pillow at him as he gasps and threw it right back.

"You're on." I say as I grab my other pillow and he yanks it from me tackling me down onto the bed. I quickly wrap my leg around him and flip him over gripping his wrists tightly as I pin him on my bed. He tries to wiggle out but I'm fairly strong for being a girl and he can't seem to weaken me.

"Give up. We both know I always win." I say with a smirk

He tries a bit more then relaxes finally giving in, "alright I'll agree, you win." He mutters

I smile, "what?? What was that again??"

He rolls his eyes, "I said you wi-"
Before he could finish the districts alarm bells go off indicating that there is only a day til the reaping. Reaping. The one day a year a dread the most. I haven't watched it since my brothers games. I'd rather be in the waters of district four instead of sitting around watching people murder each other.

Gage and I look out the window then back at each other. He clears his throat, "Vic, I was thinking we could go out for a swim today?"

I try to act like everything's normal and simply smile and nod in reply, reaping doesn't terrify me, it's just. If I'm ever reaped, my parents have no one left. Since my brother they've practically shut down. They barley talk, I know they love me but. Losing a child. What if they lost the only child they had left? They couldn't and even if I was to be reaped I'd do anything I could for them. I'd make it out one way or another.

~

The salty air brushed against my sun kissed skin. I sighed as I dig my toes in the sand. Looking out at the waters, the yellow and orange sunset tips over the horizon. It's so calm, it's so 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙.

My hair flows against the breeze and my thoughts wonder freely. Hearing footsteps approach me I find Gage taking the spot next to me. Himself looking out at the horizon.

"It's breathtaking." He speaks as his voice mellows.

"It is isn't it. The only place I'm truly home."

We sit in silence for a few, "Vic, if I go in the arena will you promise-"

"You're not going in there" I say as I glance over at him. "No. Don't even talk like that."

He sighs and looks down then back at me, "but if I-"

"You won't." I say as my voice raises.

"Vic listen to me." His voice raises a bit as well, "if I do... please. Make sure my family is well."

I get very annoyed with the fact he'd even think he would but I nod, "you already know I would.."

He nods his head at me in approval and looks back at the ocean.
I stay starring at him, "and if I-"

There he goes interrupting himself, "your parents would die.. vic if you do you have a chance at winning.. I don't. You're strong, you're beautiful you'd get hella sponsors. You don't feel for anyone, you feel no pain and in fact sometimes I wonder if you have feelings. If you do you surely hide them well."

He leaves me a bit speechless as I gather my thoughts up

"Vic you would win. I just know it. Everyone does here. Did you know that many people hope to have you in the games just because they know they'd get another Victor, they'd get a show with you."

I furrow my eyebrows a bit, "what exactly are you saying?? That I'm some cold hearted person?"

He sighs, "no vic what I'm saying is that..I have no chance, if I go in there I wouldn't make it out alive. You can't be worried about yourself going in cause everyone knows you'll come back."

Everyone knows?? Then how come I don't even know that myself.

He notices my reaction, "you don't even realize that yourself vic, your strong, mentally and physically. Anyone would inspire to be like you, hell. I'd wanna be like you." His expression turns soft and I can't help but stare.

"Gage." I make out, I'm not good with emotions and I guess since my brothers passing I've never been good with it. I can't explain how I feel. Does everyone really think that? Is that even true?

I scoot closer and lean my head against his shoulder, "All along I thought you were the stronger one. I've looked up to you gage. Whether you realize or not, you are so strong. At least in my eyes." I close my eyes against his shoulder as I'm left with the sound of crashing waves.

If I'm going to make it through anything, even life it's self I'd wanna have him by my side. Doesn't he understand that he is my weakness, but he's also, my biggest 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ.

A/N

//okay so I low key had writers block with this and even though I know what I wanna do with this story I still had it so it's a kinda boring chapter bare with me it gets better. I just need the basic development ya know.//