From the point of the reaping up until now, I've had nothing else other than terror fill me. My body is restricted from anything but simple movements, my arms glued to my side, my feet walking mechanically forward when required. But that's the thing about these games, They consume you before you even take part. I tried to keep a lid on my fear, for my families sake, I didn't want them to think I was a lost cause before I even left the district. I sit formally in the carriage of the train, my legs folded and my hands poised politely on my lap. My district partner, Chaim, seemed to be doing as I was, speaking only when necessary, holding in his tears. He'd tried to make friendly chat towards me, but considering it was merely a couple of hours after being basically sentenced to death I wasn't up to it. I'd known him briefly back in life in District Four, knowing him on the boats to nod and say hello to, but we weren't exactly close so I don't see why he wishes to further that relationship now, It can only lead to bad things. Still, it's nicer than having someone menacing at my side, quashing any hope of returning from these cursed games. You see that's the thing with being a career, your peers are trained to kill, they're stronger than the rest of the tributes, and although district four was part of that alliance we were far less invested in the Capitol's bullshit, unlike Districts 1 and 2 that swallowed it up without question, for an easy life perhaps.
Chaim and I sit in silence until our two mentors come in, Mags, a woman in her early thirties with salt and peppered hair, she looked older than she was, due to the stress of being personally involved with at least one tribute who dies each year most likely, She had a warm face though, laughter lines carved into her face gave the impression she wasn't the stern killer that she used to be. Our other mentor, Gabe, was a man slightly younger than Mags, his hair was blonde, too blonde to be natural, he had most likely been altered by the Capitol. Poor thing. Mags is the one who speaks first. "So, I'm not going to waste time congratulating you, This isn't a blessing, but our aim is to get one of you out of here, to do this, you're going to have to pay serious attention to Gabe and I." She pauses, her eyes flitting over our faces as if to check we're taking what she's saying in, When she's greeted with silence she proceeds on. "Good. Now, As part of the career pack, you're going to have to be strong, You might have to pretend to be something your not, but to get yourself out of here. You may not like it, but a noble death is still a death." Her words hang in the air like a bad smell as Chaim and I accept that these games might not cost us our lives, but who we are. I suppress a strangled cry and force it down my throat in a lump, to look on edge is better than to seem like I had lost total control. There's a long, suffocating silence as Chaim and I try to divulge what our mentors have told us, before Mags' speaks again. "Gabe and I are going to discuss something in the next carriage, You can stay here or go to your rooms. Dinner will be laid out in about an hour." She says softly, her voice carrying comforting tones that could almost make you forget you were about to fight til the death, with that she nods and they both exit the carriage, leaving Chaim and I glued to our seats in silence.
It's the first time I get a proper look at Chaim up close, I'd never really paid much attention to him before, Never had a reason to, but when I do now I see that his light green eyes are pale and have silver flecks around the iris, contrasting perfectly with the deep auburn shade of his thick hair. District characteristics dictate that we do look quite similar, but my eyes are a deeper hue of green, with golden brown flecks instead of the silver ones, and my hair is a darker brown, tumbling down my back in thick waves. "You think they'll be able to get us out of here?" He asks almost nervously, like he shouldn't be speaking to me.
"One of us." I correct him, I don't see why he should be under some delusion that we could both survive. "And maybe. They've done it before, perhaps they'll do it again." I say flatly, my voice desperately trying to seem bored, like I'm not trying to coax my true self out after it was scared to it's wits. "You don't have to pretend around me. I know you're scared. I am too." he mumbles under his breath. This pulls me up short. How had he deciphered that I was trying to put on a front for him? I hadn't exactly given anything away. This was worrying, Chaim was smarter than I thought he was, the competition just got a lot tougher.