I agree with Kismatt! Glad to know you are feeling much better. Saturdays are not the same without reading the latest installment of Panem.
Conversation at breakfast had been strained. Someone would start to speak, realize where the comment was going, and fall silent. Clark didn’t want to discuss the arena he had left less than a week earlier, nor did he want to think about Snow’s threats. He wanted to talk about ordinary things and everyday life, but he’d been gone for three weeks, and in that time, his life had changed immensely.
There had been things he hadn’t wanted to discuss with his parents for years — he was growing up, after all, and had been pulling away from them and growing closer to his peers in preparation to live his own life. This new gulf between him and his parents was sudden and unexpected, though, and not something he was happy about.
As I noted before, this is very different from canon, Martha and Jonathan were supportive of Clark and helped him whenever possible. The Capitol with its harsh rules and laws have twisted this family. Clark's return from the games as victor has done even further damage. Now just when they need each other the most, bit by bit the family ties are being torn out of shape. He may be a victor, but there is very little to be victorious about.
Shaking his head, Clark pushed it back. “It’s not charity. When I told Caesar Flickerman that Becky was like a sister to me, I meant it. I never had a sister of my own, but Becky quickly became one to me. And like I told Caesar, the Kents do take care of their own. I would have protected Becky if I could have, but since I couldn’t, I’m going to help you. Had she been victor, I’m sure she would have provided for you and for my parents.”
Perfect.
Haver hesitated. “If it had been just one of his children, I would say yes, or if they had taken out a massive amount of tesserae. As a victor’s children, though, they never needed to take tesserae — they always had plenty to eat. One child might have been coincidence, but three … the odds against that are infinitesimal, especially since they were all Reaped at age seventeen, the same age as their father was when he won the Games in 10.”
All THREE of this man's children?
“It might be easier if you could forget, but I think you’ll remember them, too. Maybe the three of us will have more luck bringing kids home than Matilda and I did before.”
Will Clark change that dreadful equation in another way?
AnnieB, I'm having a wonderful time reading this enthralling tale, but now that Clark has returned as victor, what lays ahead for this young man? Will President Snow call him sooner, rather than later? Will Rachel ever speak to him again? Lex Luthor is also standing in the wings with perhaps an agenda that rivals Snow's.
Most of all, is Lois dead? If not, when will we see our favorite brunette again?
We all await your answer ....
