"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor."
Effies voice rings out over the PA and despite her jovial tone, everybody standing waiting for the Tributes names to be called is chilled to the bone. Not least the two observers sat in their private room on that dreaded train, waiting to take two more children to their deaths. Katniss glares at the TV screen, her entire body tense as she watches the scene play out, remembering the events of one year ago like they were only yesterday. The fear she felt, an almost blinding terror that her little sister would be the name called. Its quite a thing to have your worst fear come to life and as Effies words had rang out then as they did today, it had taken a moment to sink in. Against all the odds never in her favor, Prim's name was the one called. So set about a chain of events that seemed more like a nightmare than a memory. All leading here, a year down the road. Her sister now immune to the reaping though it didn't make it a whole lot easier to cope with.
Katniss flinches a little as a pair of hands rest upon her shoulders, gently squeezing in a kind of reassurance. She glances upwards and sees his face, a ghost of a smile passing over hers. He always knew what to do, what to say, to help ease the twisted knots that set in her stomach. "Our families are safe." Peeta murmurs, continuing to squeeze his hands ever so gently along her shoulders and the base of her neck.
"That doesn't really make me feel a whole lot better."
"It should."
"It doesn't feel selfish to you?"
"We fought for this," He reminds, "if we cant put an end to the Hunger Games themselves, then we can protect the ones we love. It's better than nothing at all."
She shivers, her eyes flicking back to that screen as Effie dances about the stage promoting the Capitol and it's many mercies. Reminding them of the events of last year and how great Snow was for allowing the Star Crossed Lovers of District Twelve to live. Never forget the merciful Capitol and all it does for you. But don't forget to be afraid, or they'll crush you like a bug. Like they crushed Cinna. Crushed her prep team, those blessed people that had dared cast her a smile. Snow reminded them often, they escaped with their families, but a price was paid. A price that would double should they ever be seen to continue their rebellious ways.
It kept them somewhat locked in a box.
"I don't know if I can do it Peeta, I don't know if I can lead these children to their deaths." She stands suddenly, the shoulder rub not really having any effect, her stomach as knotted as ever as she darts over to one of the tables filled with food and grasps a glass, filling it with water and taking a shaky handed sip. It crosses her mind that there's far stronger medicines than water to be had on this train, a bottle filled with deep brown liquid sitting near by. A liquid that might dull this pain. Dull memories, dull fears. Take it away. She suddenly understands dear Haymitch more than she ever thought she could. As if it wasn't enough to survive the games knowing you'd taken a life or two. Now you have to lead these poor children into that same brutal world. How do you become okay with that? How do you deal with that? She wasn't sure she could. But as usual Peetas there to steady her hand when she feels she might lose her grip. "We have to be strong for them, Katniss." He reminds her, moving the crystal bottle out of her reach wordlessly. She sucks in a deep breath, clutching her glass of water to her so tightly she worried she might shatter it. She didn't care if she got glass shards in her hand, it would go with the scars on her heart. Be strong for them.
"These kids are going to be depending on us, we cant stop this, but we can make it better for them."
"Better how? They're probably going to die, how's that better?" She spits the words, suddenly furious with him. But he remains as stoic and calm as ever.
"You think if they come in to find their mentors a pair of crying wrecks they're going to feel any better? Remember how we felt when Haymitch introduced himself to us? Like hopeless just got a whole lot bleaker?"
She grits her teeth, looking down, remembering. Their Mentor was supposed to be their guide, the one person that could help them stand a shadow of a chance. He'd been useless and in those opening hours they'd been convinced they were lambs to the slaughter. A dreadful feeling.
"It isn't about us Katniss. It isn't about how we're feeling. It's about them and what we can do to help them stand a chance."
"I don't know if I can."
"You can because you have to, we owe it to them to be the people they saw win the Games last year. They'll be counting on us. We have to do this."
She looks back up and into his eyes, searching them for who knows what. Comfort, reassurance maybe. He simply gazes back at her in that mild mannered way of his. Its equal parts infuriating and settling. He always was.
Before she can say anything more, their attention is drawn to the screen. That video package over, Effies voice cuts through the air. "As always, Ladies first!" She says brightly, hurrying over to the big glass ball. They hold their breaths, watching intently. Would it be a name they recognized? Someone they were friendly with? She realizes only after she's drawn blood, that she's biting her lip. Effie shuffles in impossibly high heels back to the podium and unfurls the piece of paper, clearing her throat.
"Aneka Ashe."
There's a rumble within the crowd, a sort of intake of breath that sucks the oxygen out of them all, all eyes turning toward the young woman in question. Katniss furrows her brow, moving a step closer to the screen to try and get a better look at the girl they'd soon be responsible for. It seems to take a while for the cameras to find her, until eventually they fix upon straight dark hair hanging over a pale face. She's looking downward at her feet like she hasn't heard her name called.
"Do you know her?" Peeta asks quietly, suddenly by her side again. She glances at him and shakes her head.
"No, I remember the surname, I think her father died in the mines a few years ago." She murmurs, looking back to the screen. Eventually Aneka looks up, finally fixing her gaze on the camera and Effie standing with a bright smile up on the podium. "Why are they all whispering like that?"
"I don't know." Peeta replies quietly. She feels his fingertips brush over the back of her hand. Soon enough they're linking fingers. For strength. They'd be leading this child to her likely death, this was real, it was about to happen. Katniss feels her throat dry up, suddenly needing that water again but she was too fixated on the events unfolding on the screen. The girl walking emotionless up to join Effie. Answering the few questions in a numb tone. Was she just in shock, unable to believe it was her? She seemed almost indifferent.
"Nobody cares for her." Katniss murmurs.
"What makes you say that?"
"Nobody is crying."
She was right. The crowd was quiet, staring, muttering. But nobody stood up for the girl, nobody was screaming or crying or mourning in any way. Just a sea of blank faces.
Aneka Ashe. Sixteen years old. District 12's first entry in the Quarter Quell. The 75th Anniversary of the Hunger Games.
Effies on the move again, even she looks a little perturbed by the reaction or lack of from the young girl. Still she shakes it off in true Effie style and soon she's pulling the boys name from the globe. Clearing her throat, announcing. "Bryn Marwood."
Both Katniss and Peeta release breaths they were holding. They knew this kid, he was fourteen years old and the son of the towns only Taylor. Somewhere, the sound of his parents wailing rings out as Effie beckons the boy to the stage. He moves, numb, people are upset. He has tears in his eyes too. Unlike Aneka, who stands perfectly still, her eyes fixed on him already as he moves up to join Effie and answer those questions. Katniss narrows her eyes, not looking at the boy any more, instead she's already captivated by the girl. The way she was looking at Bryn, like a viper eyeing it's prey. It made her feel uneasy, something about her. Something.. wicked. "She knows." she mutters. Peeta glancing at her with a frown.
"Knows what?"
"That she has to kill him. She knows and she doesn't care."
"How do you know?"
"I feel it." She runs her tongue over the small hole she'd made in her lip earlier, tasting the still metallic tang of blood gathered there, beginning to form a small scab. "Don't you feel it?"
They both stare at the screen. Watch the two brand new Tributes as they shake hands. Never once does Aneka take her eyes from the boy. They're soon ushered off of the stage and into the huge gray building. Time to prepare. The children would have a chance to say goodbye to their loved ones and then they'd be brought to the train along with Effie. It was a long journey to the Capitol so they'd have time to get to know their charges some. Both of them adamant they'd be nothing like Haymitch. A new resolve set in Katniss along with a kind of curiosity. She'd never seen anybody look so utterly impassive about being chosen for the games, not unless they were a Career from the first districts, but even they showed more pleasure than they did indifference. A sick kind of keenness. There was nothing, this girl was hollow and not in the hungry sense.
May the Games begin.
