Wishing on a star {JB blitz!} (Sahalie)

[Knuckles]

Sammy Gustav

Relief floods my veins knowing I'm safe from another reaping, but it doesn't mean that two children aren't safe. Two were reaped. Two are going into the games to fight in a bloody battle, and at least one is going to die. Every year I've watched the games wishing for someone in the district to return home, and last year it actually happened. Maybe it can happen this year as well. I don't know the people who were reaped, but I know June, and I know that May is her sister. It doesn't stop anything from happening though. Maybe I can talk to her and let her know that there's someone back in the district other than her family wanting her to return home. Maybe that's what she needs to stay strong in the games to return for her sisters. It's not easy knowing though because no words I speak will make up for the pain an anxiety she may be feeling. I have no idea what it feels like heading into the games, and hopefully I never find out, but the best thing I can do right now is be a friend to someone who is in need.

My feet carry me towards the justice center where the tributes have been taken. It's strange looking here because I've never been inside it before. Everything looks beautiful. The peacekeepers lead me to the room where she is staying, and I follow along as fast as possible dragging my foot behind me. I would never stand a chance in the games because I can't run away from anyone. I would be forced to fight to the death without the chance of fleeing. Perhaps things are different though. Maybe Colgate will bring a victor home with him. He's strong and brave and has to be a good mentor since he win the games, but that may not mean anything. The peacekeepers stop in front of the door telling me I have three minutes to talk to her. It's not much time but it's better than anything. I take a deep breath as the door opens, and I walk inside.

My heart races under my chest as the door shuts behind me. I look at May hoping she'll understand me, or at least talk to me. I take another deep breath before turning my gaze towards the ground. "I know you don't know me, and I don't know you, but I know June from school." My voice trails off unsure of what to say because no words will ever change what has happened. I allow another breath to flood my lungs before shifting my gaze towards her. "I just want you to know that I wish you luck."

[Deleted]

[presto] may rhodes. sixteen. female. district nine. [/presto] THE CIMARRON ROSES

Three minutes was not enough time in the world to say goodbye. May was horrible with goodbyes. When Bryce had been in this room waiting and talking with them, she had grabbed onto him and didn't want to let go. She hadn't cried because that wasn't something she was capable of doing. She had just clung on like a lost little child losing their favorite stuffed animal or blanket. She couldn't remember how many years it had been since his death but she could remember the death scene for him so vividly that it woke her up at night screaming and immediately look to his bed. Now it was her turn. May looked at her parents as they walked in. She wanted to say something but she couldn't, she couldn't get words to come out. It was her father who walked up to her and hugged her. "It'll be alright my darling May, Bryce will protect you. Come home to us for your mother's sake." May didn't know what to do. It took about forty seconds for her to hug the man back and then run over to her mother for the past eleven or so years. She hugged her tightly and then let go and looked at them both with a look of determination that might have scared people who didn't know May very well. "I...I can't promise I won't die. I can't promise things like that when...when I don't know what's going to happen. I can promise that I will do everything I can to come back home. I will fight until I can't fight anymore just...just please don't hate me if I get back. Please don't look at me any differently. I...I wouldn't be able to take it. No matter what I have to do you have to promise that." May looked at them her eyes shining and more alive then they'd ever seen them before. It was like something had breathed life back into the little girl that never seemed to be there much. All three hugged and then they were gone. May was left alone in the room. It was possible that others might come to see her but she doubted as much. She curled up with her back against the wall with the window that could look out if she wanted too. No windows were bad things. It was because of staring out a window that her sisters had been taken from her. The door opened again and May looked up slowly unsure of who it was that might have come in to see her. After all her sisters hadn't come to see but now she was truly going to have to become their father. She wasn't sure if they'd want her if she came back. The was however a boy standing in front of her that couldn't be much older than June. He began to speak and it took her a few moments to realize that he knew June. "H...How do you know my little sister...I mean to say what is she to you. I'm sorry I...I just have never had anyone other than those that are supposed to care, care." May had never really had a friend. Bryce was the closet thing she had to one really and well he was gone so she didn't have much but her sisters. The concept of friendship outside of those people didn't make since to the sixteen year old. "Umm thank you by the way. Its all a little new to me." She gave the boy a small smile. The truth from a thousand lies.

[Knuckles]

Sammy Gustav

Year after year people are reaped, and people die. Step by step they walk onto the stage serving a sentence that's been placed before them. It's beyond my wildest imagination why anyone would want to be in the games, yet year after year people volunteer for the games. Maybe one day I'll be strong enough to volunteer for the games, but that's something my mom would never let me live down. She'd hate me for all eternity, but what's the purpose of hating me when I could possibly die? Dying would set me free, but here is someone who was chosen for the games. She didn't have a choice. Her life is being taken away from her in t he blink of an eye, and nobody can stop it.

"H...How do you know my little sister..I mean to say what is she to you. I'm sorry I...I just never had anyone other than those that are supposed to care, care."

Her words strike me hard slamming an iron fist into my stomach because the feeling of having nobody care hits home. Most people don't care about me because of my foot. Most will stand around laughing at me no matter how many times I beg for them to stop; begging only makes them laugh harder. June is a girl at my school. She's one that talked to me without judging me. She never made fun of me; she cared about me. Right now, May needs someone who won't judge her, someone who won't beg for false hope wanting her return, or someone that will just listen. Yeah, I don't know her, but I know of her, and I know these next few weeks are going to be rough for everyone.

"Umm thank you by the way. Its all a little new to me."

Then she smiles. It's hard not to contain the smile that slowly spreads across my face. My eyes turn towards the ground again though not knowing what to say. Words never come easy to me especially when I'm trying to speak. "June and I are in school together. She's one of the only people who doesn't treat me like I'm nothing." My voice starts out shaking, but slowly starts growing stronger. It's strange talking to her because I've never spoken to her before, but right now it's the least I can do. Nothing can change the outcome of the games, but letting someone know I'm here for them is always something on my mind. It's hard seeing people hurting, but if my mom knew I ran here to say goodbye to someone I didn't really know, she'd flip her lid, yet I honestly don't care. I take a deep breath before turning back towards May. Maybe she can return home, but nothing is set in stone. 

"It's the least I can do for the sister of a friend."

[Deleted]

[presto] may rhodes. sixteen. female. district nine. [/presto] THE CIMARRON ROSES

The silence felt rather peaceful for the few moments that there was silence between the two. May was happy to know that June was making friends and it would seem that this boy had a good head on his shoulders. She knew that she was supposed to be over protective of her little sister but her little sister needed everyone she could get in her life. June was sweet and pure regardless of how she and April had turned out. June was hope in May's eyes and so long as June was happy and had people who cared about around her May could be happy as well. That was all May ever wanted for April or for June. Their happiness above her own. She had to make it home for that reason. She didn't want to see either of them suffer because of her. The capitol was cruel and there just wasn't any other way to say it. She had been given the death sentence and she had never done anything wrong. She was product of a messed up past. The least she could do was bring back money and glory to her district. That was of course if she could get home. She knew now that survival was the most important thing. She knew that Bryce had lived as long as he did because he'd gotten sponsors. Sure that didn't help him in the end but she knew it was important. She would have to learn to make friends, because an alliance would be helpful. All the thoughts racing through her head stopped for a moment when the boy spoke to her again. "I feel silly for asking this...what's your name?" She couldn't help but chuckle softly at the way she had asked the other for his name. She wanted to thank him with his name not just give him a thank you that wasn't personal. He meant something to June and it was the least that she could do. She was after all going to ask him to watch after June too. She couldn't do that while she was gone in the capitol now could she. And she wasn't even sure she'd be able to watch over June if she died in the games. She needed her sisters to be alright. She would take the punishment for all the awful things her father had done because after all she looked like him in girl form. The games would make her just like him but in an entirely different way. She was being forced to kill, he seemed to have killed their mother for no reason at all. She shook the thoughts out of her head and waited. After all the boy knew her name at least. "The truth from a thousand lies."

[Knuckles]

Sammy Gustav

They love us, at least, that's what they've always said, yet the Capitol rules us with an iron fist. In school, they teach us that the Capitol loves us all, and the provide for us all, but there's times when they sit back and watch us starve. They watch as we fight for survival, yet they love us. Love doesn't work like that. Love wouldn't take away children from families to fight to the death in the bloody games. They wouldn't laugh as each death took place, yet that' what they do. They don't love us; they never loved us, and it's sad that it's taking this moment for me to realize that.

They never loved us. They will never love us. I hate them. I really hate them.

It's hard standing here in front of her right now. She's about to be sent to the Capitol to fight for the death in front of everyone to watch, and there's nothing that can change her fate. Nobody tried to save her, and honestly, I don't blame them. Who would want to place their life on the line for someone? Colgate did, and he won. Masybe that's whats needed to winning the games - volunteering for a complete stranger. She seems like she's strong enough to fight for her survival, but it's hard not giving out the false hope that she'll return home when we both know the odds of that aren't in her favor.

She asks me what my name is. It's the most simple question, but I can't help but laugh slightly. It doesn't seem very important right now since she may not never walk through the district again, but it's important to her otherwise she wouldn't have asked me. My eyes meet her's as a huge grin appears on my face. Maybe I can do something for her. Maybe I can give her a feeling of hope that someone will help take care of her family while she's gone, and that's what I'm going for. I'm going to do whatever I can to help her be at peace while she's gone, but I doubt she'll be at peace at all because of what she' facing.

"I'm Sammy Gustav."

My voice quiet as the words flow gently from my lips. Talking to strangers has never been something I'm good at, but she's no stranger. Strangers aren't very many around here, and it's hard knowing that I'm about to watch one or two people from home die.

[Deleted]

[presto] may rhodes. sixteen. female. district nine. [/presto] THE ROSES OF THE CIMARRON

There was so much hate in May that if she wasn't careful it would cloud all her judgements. She was being sent to the slaughter and yet she had to try to get back home. She had to try because she wanted to learn to not hate. It was hard because she hated the orphanage, she hated her father for betraying, and now she hated the capitol far more than she did before. How could they take two children away from their family to die. In her case one had already died and if she didn't make her home her parents had no children to look after. No one to give their love to accept each other. It was sad to think about or at least that's how she should have been feeling but she was angry. So angry that if it hadn't been for Bryce soothing her in her mind she would be breaking things right now. At least she had a fighting chance because once she lost it she was a force to be reckoned with. She wasn't sure how to deal with these feelings and she was starting to realize that she truly did feel something for the parents that had raised her. She'd always been so distant with them but if she made it home she would find some way to bridge the gap, they deserved that much for putting up with her. Her hate for the capitol spurred out of the fact that they were forcing her to be exactly what she feared being. They were going to turn her into her father and that thought was the scariest thing in the world to her. She didn't want to murder and yet that's exactly what she was going to have to do. Bryce was there again telling her that it was different. Still she felt like going into the games was the price she had to pay because she looked so much like her father. Her own death would drive April up the wall she was sure. She couldn't die but she also knew that it was a high possibility. All of this was new to her and when Sammy finally gave her his name she snapped out of it resolved to have at least someone look after the two of them. Their three minute time limit was coming to an end she could hear the peacekeepers outside so she had to make this quick. "Thank you so much Sammy, Please...Please look after June for me. Keep her safe and look after my big sister for me. Tell her its not her fault. And tell them both I love them." She was getting the words out quickly and she looked at the door as it slowly began to open. "Thank you". "From the truth of a thousand lies"

[Knuckles]

Sammy Gustav

Time is running out. It's almost time for the peacekeepers to open the door and yank me out of the room like I'm a rag doll. It would be nice if time could stop moving for so long. There's so many words I want to speak to May, but there's not much time. My hands shake by my side as I lower my gaze towards the ground. What can I do? I can't make her feel better. I can't change her future. I can't do anything. I can't save her. I'm useless. My heart races under my chest as my eyes turn back towards her. Be strong, for her. Just be strong.

"Thank you so much Sammy, Please...Please look after June for me. Keep her safe and look after my big sister for me. Tell her its not her fault. And tell them both I love them."

My heart splits in half. She's trusting me to look after her family, and her sisters. Hopefully her family understands. Nothing can be their fault. It can't change. They weren't the ones that reached in and drew her name out of the stupid bucket. They aren't the ones sending her to the bloody Capitol. It's not their fault, and hopefully I can help them understand that. Hopefully they'll understand. "I will! I promise! I'll watch out for June and your older sister. I'll keep them safe. I promise. I promise. I'll let you know you love them, and that you care for them. I'm sure they already know though, but I'll let them know."

It's hard now. I can feel the tears forming in my eyes as I look at her. June is lucky to have her as a sister. I grip the side of my pants as the footsteps of the peacekeepers get closer. I have a few more moments to say something before anything changes. "May, stay strong, be brave, and never give up."

The door flies open and the peacekeepers walk in shouting time's up. "Thank you." "I promise to protect them with my life. I promise to watch out for them." The peacekeeper places a hand on my arm as I turn to walk away from the room. The door slams behind me and my heart skips a beat.

I promise you, May, I will watch over your family. I will. I promise.