Disclaimer: I do not own Hunger Games or Lord of the Rings; they belong to their owners respectively. I do own my OCs that come in later. Feel free to comment and review.
Chapter 1: Watched
I stood underneath the Training Center for the Tributes' Parade. My nerves warred with my courage even more than at the reaping, but I would do what I had to do. Cinna, my stylist, promised the fire for my custom would be synthetic, but I feared being burned alive.
I sensed someone was watching me. When I looked around the room, no one seemed to be paying attention to me. Peeta walked up to our chariot in a matching outfit. Cinna and Peeta's stylist followed him. I spied the flames in Cinna's hands.
"As I had said, you have nothing to worry about," he said.
I stepped up onto the chariot still thinking about what would happen when something warm touched my back. Cinna ignited me. I pushed my fear down because I did not want to look weak. Weakness would get me killed in the games, and I have to survive for Prim. The cheering crowd roared as the chariot from District One exited starting the Tributes' Parade. It would not be long till we joined the others on the way to the City Circle for the Presidential Welcome.
"Are you ready?" Peeta asked.
"I hope that the suits hold up," I whispered as we left the room.
The crowds bubbled over with excitement as we rode out. After all, a tribute on fire has never been seen before in the Tributes' Parade. I didn't know what to do at this point. I felt Peeta trying to reach for my hand, but I sprung free before it could fully wrap around my hand.
"Trust me, they will love it," he whispered to me.
I gave in, and our interlocked hands flung into the air as we continued moving. This single gesture signified that we were one and a team. Peeta singled us out because none of the other tributes did this.
I spied President Snow standing up to walk to his podium as we arrived at the City Center. He was still the same old man that I had seen through these games since I was little. I used to be frightened of him, but now I am terrified of him.
"Welcome," he greeted us. "Welcome, to the Tributes' Parade for the Seventy-Fourth Annual Hunger Games. To commemorate this occasion, I will read the charter of the games."
The charter is not new to me, or to anyone who grew up here. I caught Snow looking at me near the end of the reading. When he finished, the chariots turned to go back to the Tribute's Center. What could I have done to gain his attention? It couldn't have been illegally poaching in the woods, or he would have arrested me by now.
Effie was ecstatic over the parade. Haymitch stood silent. I looked around again. This time, I could see who was watching me. The tributes from Districts One, Two, and Four, overwise known as the Careers, haunted my every move. I swore that they weren't the only ones watching me.
Haymitch saw this also, and as a result, he led us to our floor in the Training Center. I continued to sense that someone was watching me. I buried my concerns, not wanting to look weak.
Every night since my father died, I slowly lost sleep. Every night, I would sleep less and less until tonight when every little noise kept me awake. The strange part is that I never felt tired. As I leaned on the balcony, a summer morning breeze rustled through the few trees that they had. My thoughts turned to my sister and my mother. What did they think about all of this? Knowing Prim, she is curled up next to Mom right now after the nightmares she must have had of me dying.
I had to tell someone what was going on, but I did not know who to turn to for help. Back home I would have discussed it with my best friend, Gale, but he isn't here. My mentor and Peeta both seemed reasonable, but I couldn't decide. I knew I should not tell Effie because she would not understand. I heard footsteps behind me.
"Early bird," griped Haymitch as he walked up. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"It is nothing," I answered.
"You're distracted, sweetheart. Are you going to tell me why or not?"
"Why?" I asked.
"If you want to stay alive in the games, you have to decide to trust me," he said.
"What makes you think something is bothering me?" I asked him.
"You are smart, I will give you that, but after you have been around tributes for years you start to pick up on the slightest things," he answered as he poured himself a glass of some alcoholic beverage, the smell burned my eyes.
"I think Snow is watching me," I answered.
"Well, that's certainly creepy," he said setting his glass down. "What makes you think that?"
"I just think someone is watching me."
"Well kiddo, I don't know how strong your intuition is. Maybe it is a bad case of the nerves, or someone is watching you. Just in case, you need to be extra careful."
"Why?" I asked.
"The last time Snow felt threatened by a tribute, he arranged with the Gamemakers to kill him in the arena. You need to do what I tell you. During training, seem average at whatever you do, and stay clear of any weapons."
"Stay with the survival stations," I finished.
"Yes," he answered.
"Why?" I asked.
"The Gamemakers report directly to Snow. If they report that you are average in everything, then he will ease off you."
"That is a great plan, but what if he figures out that I know?"
"How good are you at avoiding traps?"
"I am a hunter," I answered shaking my head."Traps are my life. Is there anything else?"
"Don't tell Peeta any of this. I want you to follow the instructions that I give both of you also."
"Is it to keep Peeta from finding out?"
"Yes," he answered. "Let's get something to eat. We are going to have a long day. You training, and me keeping you alive. Meet me on the roof garden after supper tonight."
I loaded my plate with food. I had almost finished when Effie walked in with Peeta. I kept everything that Haymitch had told me to myself.
"So is there any advice that we might need before we go to training?" asked Peeta trying to get some help.
"In training be mediocre at everything. Peeta, stay away from weights and Katniss, stay away from archery. Stick together and keep clear of the other tributes, especially the Careers," he said. I nodded my head in acknowledgment.
"Come along," said Effie.
We walked to the elevator. Hopefully, Snow's overseeing gaze would not follow me into the training room because it was starting to become uncomfortable. There had to be another way to deal with this rather than trying to prove that I am nothing, but until Haymitch gets any better ideas, this will have to do. As I walked off the elevator, I saw the Gamemakers. A woman stood in the middle of a ring of tributes. We all looked at her as she talked about things in the arena.
My mind wondered as she went through everything. I took in the other tributes. Some of them were scared while other had already accepted their deaths. When she finished, we were dismissed to go to the different training stations as we wished. Peeta and I stayed more to the survival skills as Haymitch had told me. I carefully looked up to the Gamemakers to see that they were watching me. After several minutes, the Head Gamemaker got bored with me and moved onto the careers which caused me to relax.
When the training was over for the day, the Gamemakers dismissed us to our respective floors. Dinner was on the table when Peeta and I arrived at our level. All four of us ate in silence. When I finished, I slipped out to go to the roof garden followed by Haymitch.
"How did it go, sweetheart?" he asked.
"I had the Gamemaker's attention in the beginning, but they got bored and watched some of the other tributes. So, I spent the rest of the time working on camouflage and survival skills such as building a fire."
"You had a good day in training then," he answered with a sly grin.
"How am I supposed to make it two more days in training?" I asked. "Tomorrow, Peeta is going to be suspicious of my actions. We have to tell him."
"Katniss, don't worry about it. I will talk to Peeta about it tonight. He could help you get through the next few days."
"When it is time to present our chosen skill to them, what do you want me to do?"
"Risk it by doing archery," he answered, "just don't do anything stupid."
"Yes sir," I responded.
Training had gone well yesterday, but I didn't want to press my luck by thinking about it. I am almost sure that Snow knows that I am on to him. My hands became clammy at the thought of Snow knowing. I did not doubt that he was something in store for me in the games.
I dismissed these thoughts as I went to get a shower before breakfast. As I turned it on, the warm water sprayed me, washing away my worries. I lost focus on what I had been thinking. I knew it wouldn't be long before I remembered, but I was glad for whatever relief I could get.
I got dressed. I shot up straight. Something did not feel right. I closed my eyes as the room spun around me. I cupped my hands over my ears as something exploded in my ears. Usually, when this happens to the miners, they go deaf, but the opposite happened to me. I could hear better. I could listen to everything that went on in the apartment. I heard staff walking around cleaning the floor and getting breakfast ready. I heard Haymitch pacing in his room.
I walked out of my room to get away from the ruckus, but it didn't help. What was going on with me? I didn't understand. I was not like everyone else in Twelve. I was different. I wanted to go outside the fence and see what is out there while most people sneaked beyond the gates every here and then, but they came back. I volunteered for my sister even though tribute is a synonym for corpse. Since I was eleven, I would lose seconds of sleep. The seconds would add up till now I was insomniac. Mom tried everything. I can't count the number of glasses of warm milk that she has made me drink, but nothing worked. Now, I can hear everything that goes on around me. What will happen next?
It would be an advantage in the games. I could go almost a full night without sleep and not face exhaustion. I could almost be on the other side of the arena from the others by morning. I heard something faint behind me. When it stopped a few feet away from me, I knew who it was.
"Haymitch, I know you are there," I said as a servant put food on the table.
"How did you know that it was me?" he asked.
"I could hear you," I snapped. "Sorry I snapped, something happened to me this morning."
"What happened?" he asked.
"Something happened, and I started hearing things that people don't typically hear. The maid just dropped an apple in the kitchen, and I heard it."
"I do believe it," he said. "Sometimes I saw you back home, and you didn't seem like everyone else. Your attention was always outside the fence of District Twelve."
What he said shocked me. I never realized that anyone paid attention to or noticed me. I had felt invisible. I had wanted to be invisible. I never knew that my desire to leave was readable. I tried to hide it when I was younger, but Gale always knew I wanted to escape. He suggested that I go with him, but somehow I knew that if he went with me, I would never be able to satisfy the desire. I had to go alone to quench the thirst, or at least take Prim with me.
I sat down at the table as Peeta came into the room. He was angry at me. I understood why. I would be mad, too.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked me as he sat down.
"To Snow, Katniss is a threat," Haymitch answered as he sat down at the table. "I thought it was best to keep you out of it to increase your own chance of survival."
We ended the conversation when Effie walked into the room. She looked at us as we ate our food. She knew we had been discussing something.
"Oh Katniss," she said. I could see that some tears were starting to form in her eyes. She had eavesdropped and heard and Haymitch and Peeta.
"It will be alright," I said.
The next day, an awkwardness hung over us. Neither of us could forget our situation, and at the same time, none of us wanted to talk about it. The silence was deafening.
I now sat in the empty room of the Training Area. Peeta had gone in a few minutes ago for individual assessment. I assumed he would be going straight back to the apartment since none of the other tributes came back out this way.
"Will Miss Everdeen, please report to Individual Assessment," blared over the intercom.
I stood up to go into the room. I calmed my breathing. My footsteps were silent even to my new hearing. The Gamemakers were the only ones in there. I wanted to cringe as their steely eyes pierced through me.
I closed my eyes to relax as I walked over to the archery station. I finally got my hands on the bow. Using the bow now would cause me to get killed, but I intended to outlive Snow's traps in the arena. I strung the arrow onto the bow.
"Katniss Everdeen," I announced myself.
The Gamemakers gave me their attention. I aimed it at the target as I breathed to release it. I missed the mark. The Gamemakers lost interest. I tried again. This time, I hit the bullseye of the goal, but the Gamemakers weren't watching anymore. Angerly, I shot a third time. The arrow shot the apple out of the pig's mouth that was on their buffet table pinning it to the wall. They decided to pay attention again.
A Capitol Offical walked into the Gamemaker's platform. I was in trouble. Snow sent him to arrest me. But why is he doing it now? Couldn't he kill me in the arena? He would have to explain to the country why he is arresting me. It wouldn't make sense.
I looked up at the official. He wore a typical Capital suit. I watched him as he whispered something into the Head Gamemaker's ear. I closed my eyes to focus my hearing on what they were saying. Sure enough, I picked up what was going on.
"President Snow wishes to see Miss Everdeen," he whispered.
"Why?"
"He did not disclose that information to me. And I will remind you that President Snow does not have to explain his wishes to anyone. If you have a problem with that, you can take it up with President Snow, yourself.""
"Of course," the Head Gamemaker said apologetically.
"Miss Everdeen, I was ordered to bring you to meet President Snow," he said.
Two peacekeepers flanked me and grabbed hold of my arms. Then roughly, the peacekeepers pulled me out of the room and into a hallway. Every few corridors, my escort turned into a new hall until we arrived in a large room where a car was waiting. Something cold snapped around my wrists. I understood what it was. They were in handcuffs. The official stepped into the room behind me as one of the peacekeepers opened the door of the car. The sound bounced against the walls of the hall.
"Miss Everdeen," the official said, "after you."
I stepped into the car and sat down. The door slammed shut, and I could hear the echoes of his footsteps as he walked around to the other side of the vehicle. The door popped open as he sat down.