Chad Simmons

I had been out hunting all morning and finally decided to head in. There was light flickering from the cabin so it looked like Chad was home. How in the hell we ended up living together we would never know but here it is. I went in and closed the door "Got some decent sized foxes today, think your mom will want the skin and fur?"

"Yeah she would. Thanks man," I said and went to start a fire.

"No problem." I told him "I'll get them ready and you can take them to her."

I nodded a little. "Okay. I know she's been wanting to see me."

"You should go see them, your sister too. I'll hold the fort down while you're gone."

"I'll think about it. Maybe after we eat."

"Alright, then." I told him and stepped outside to skin the foxes.

I got the pot and put it over the stove, then grabbed the buckets and took then down to the stream so I could fill it with water. It took me a couple of trips before I had it filled, then a couple minutes to start a fire. I was sitting in front of it, staring into the flames, when Owen came back in.

"Are you ready to eat? We'll get these cooking, the skins and furs are hanging outside."

"Huh?" I said, turning to look at him. "Oh. Yeah, sure. Sounds good," I said and moved away from the fire so he could put them in.

I got everything ready and cooking then had a seat, looking out one of the cabin windows "I dream about them every night." I said randomly.

"You do? I thought it was just me."

"No...it's not just you."

"What do you dream about?" I asked, looking back into the fire.

"I keep dreaming the same nightmare over and over...but it's never just a dream...it was reality."

I nodded. "Same here. I keep... seeing them die... over and over again."

"They're both my fault, Chad. I should have never arranged for Trinity to stay in District Two. I was just trying to help her and I did the complete opposite." I sighed "I never could do much right."

"They weren't your fault Owen, they were mine. I mean... I was standing right there... and I couldn't protect them. I was supposed to protect them... and I failed."

"You had just got the shit whipped out of you and thrown into the games. You guys were my responsibility until you got somewhat better and I fucked up. It wasn't you, at all."

"You didn't fuck up Owen. It was my own fault I got whipped. I was never your responsibility. Feather was my cousin and Trinity was my girlfriend. I was supposed to take care of them. If anyone's at fault here it's me."

"I'm sorry, I just don't see it that way." I told him and then got up to check the food "It's almost finished." I said, not really that hungry anymore.

"Good," I said, the thought of food right now making me sick.

"Yeah, I'll probably have to force it down like always."

"I don't really feel like forcing it down tonight. I think I'll just skip dinner. Thanks for making it though."