Remembering Radiance
A moment that Augustus had been working a long time had was finally coming to fruition. Since the ending of 113 He, and Mrs. Radiance had been working hand in hand to accomplish all of this, and now here they were, standing at the ribbon cutting of the Lance Radiance Animal Hospital, in one of the prime spots of the Capitol.
Augustus was appreciative of everyone who showed up, Octavian was there with him, and Lance’s whole family had been able to get permission to be there. A considerable crowd had gathered for the event, mostly because it was a memorial to a tribute, and a Mentor and a Tribute’s family was going to be there. Augustus let his eyes fall on the building, finally there it was finished everything, literally everything that was standing before him came from Lance, and his dreams. Well Augustus and Mrs. Radiance made two alterations, they added a small section that featured as a better tribute to Lance, with photos of him throughout his life, and explaining his love for animals, and how that’s what drove him to get through the games, and then a bronze station of him that greeted you in the main entrance of the grand building.
When the reporters had gotten their fill of photos, and everyone was settled, The itinerary was that Augustus would be the first speaker, and then introduce Mrs. Radiance, who would speak and then together they’d cut the ribbon. Making his way up to the microphone, he smiled and gave a small wave.
“Hello, and thank you everyone for coming. As you all know, we’re here today to cut the ribbon on a project me, and Mrs. Lucindia Radiance have been working on for along time. That project? The Lance Radiance Animal Hospital.” Giving a short pause. “This entire project was actually thought up by Lance Radiance, I remember I went to visit with his family after bringing his body back, and Mrs. Radiance was kind enough to share this with me, and together we decided to make this a reality. To make his dream a reality. I’m proud to have gotten to know him, and work with him, and I feel guilty every day that I wasn’t able to bring him home. I’m glad I could do this for him though, and I hope he’s looking down at all of this, and smiling that his dream is coming true.” Wiping away a tear that had formed in his eye. “And now without further adieu, I present Lucindia Radiance.”
Clapping followed, when he approached, her and Augustus hugged, and she held his hand as she made her way to the microphone. She wasn’t smiling though, she was almost frowning.
“Thank you all for coming, I know Lance would appreciate it, I know he’d be very thankful for all of you being here. He’s not here though. And that is my fault. Mine, and my husband’s fault. We were given four beautiful sons, and selfishly me and my husband wanted one of them to be a Victor. My three older boys were passed by the academy and when they said Lance was to be One’s Tribute when he was eighteen we were ecstatic. We thought this was it, this was when we got our victor. Instead we watched our beautiful boy drag a knife across his throat and kill himself in order to avoid being drowned by monsters.” Wiping away a few tears from her face, before she smiled finally. “Although that’s not all I saw in that arena. I saw the baby boy I knew and loved. I saw him develop a friendship with a boy from Eight named Gwydion Spindle, I’ll be forever grateful that in that awful, awful arena he had a friend, and I know the two of them are somewhere together, happy again.”
Taking a pause again, she smiled a little more. “Lance didn’t have many friends, he was weird, I won’t lie he was was. He liked boys and girls, he didn’t believe in just being in a relationship with one person. He had a lot of love to give to people. He loved everyone he met. Yet, in One they didn’t love him for his love, or kindness, or large, giving heart. No they loved him because he was amazing at throwing knives at things. Which looking back was a shame, because he had so much more to give them. As I said he didn’t have a lot of friends, but he had a precious few, Greg, Maple, Cheryl, Peridot, Fluffers, and Eloise. None of them were humans, no.” Shaking her head she let out a laugh. “They were a a deer, two birds, and three rabbits. He was able to make friends with animals, and they trusted him. He’d often sneak off to feed them, he talk to them, they’d let him pet him, these wild animals, let my son feed and pet them. That’s the kind of person he was, he was so sweet animals befriended him. And that’s why he wanted this, so that all animals would be able to be his friend. He wanted to save them and now he can. Thank you.”
Together Augustus and Mrs. Radiance picked up the oversized scissors, and cut the ribbon in front of the doors. Smiling, she nodded to Aug to say it.
“The Lance Radiance Animal Hospital is now open.”