Vivid Dreams | {Caitir and Jamie Oneshot}

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CAITIR & JAMIE BOWMAN The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it.

T he Bowman family was always at a high stress level after the reaping. The reaping had been just a few days before, and that meant that everyone was still high strung from it. Caitir and Jamie were cousins, and they were both of reaping age. With Caitir at age seventeen and Jamie at age eighteen, that meant that either one of them could have been chosen for that terrible death match. Instead, there were others. Other innocent people were taking the terrible position of District Eight's tributes. Caitir felt guilt, knowing that she was too frightened to volunteer in their place. Jamie was glad that he and Caitir were both safe, however, he was still terrified that she could get picked next year. As someone who was very protective of his friends, he didn't want to see them have to go into such a dangerous circumstance as fighting to the death would be. The two of them were cousins, as well as neighbors, and decided to spend some time together that day to get their minds off of the fact that they'd have to be forced to watch the Games as they unfolded. When Jamie exited the house that morning, he took with him his three plush horses. They would comfort him while he was out, and he kept them in a drawstring bag that he carried with him. Heading over next door to Caitir's house, he waited for her to come outside. She exited the small residence with her blonde, wavy hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her clothes looked rather neat and put together that day. Jamie, however, was in jeans and a t-shirt, as when he was feeling upset or depressed, he didn't feel the want or need to dress as nicely. Although, it didn't really matter if the two of them were dressed nicely the rest of that day, as the reaping had already passed, and they'd just be going around the District with no one to impress. They certainly had no need to impress each other, at least. The cousins walked for a while, passing others as they went down the street and talking as they went. They were talking about anything that they could to keep their minds off of the reaping, and they eventually got down to the market in the District Square. They each browsed around, looking at different items that were being sold by the vendors. In the end, Jamie ended up purchasing a plush eagle, which he in turn decided to name Judy, and Caitir ended up purchasing a small figurine of a hawk for herself. It was beautiful, and carved out of wood. The hawk figurine made her smile. It was something that reminded her of the strength of friendship. Had she not gone out for a walk with Jamie that day, she never would have found it. When they arrived back home, the two talked for hours while sitting in Jamie's living room. They talked about life, and anything positive that they could think of to keep their minds off of the Games until Jamie dozed off, falling asleep soundly. Then, Caitir left and went back next door to her house again. She entered, greeting her parents and then getting herself something to eat before going to her room, placing the wooden hawk on her nightstand next to her bed, and collapsing onto her comfortable bed. She fell asleep immediately, despite it only being seven o'clock at night. Her dreams were vivid. In the dream, she and Jamie had both been selected for the Hunger Games. That was when it turned into a nightmare. The two of them were sent into an arena that resembled a volcanic wasteland. They couldn't find food, nor water, and had to protect each other from being killed. In the end, it was just the two of them left, and Jamie wanted to sacrifice himself for her. Caitir, however, refused, forcefully stabbing her own knife into her chest. That was when Caitir awoke, around midnight, breathing heavily. She peered out her window where she could see Jamie's window open. He wasn't in bed, so she assumed he was still on his couch. She had to, however, reassure herself. She went next door, went into the house quietly, as the door was unlocked, and saw Jamie sleeping on the couch. She lied down on the floor beside the couch to comfort herself and be assured that he was safe. 739 WORDS caitir and Jamie Oneshot

credit to nat of adoxography.