I am led towards the train station once the goodbyes are finished. Several people came to say goodbye: boys claiming to be in love saying this was their last chance to tell me, girls claiming to be my best friend. This whole town is wrapped around my slender fingers, but my parents didn't even show. This doesn't faze me they have been afraid of me since I was a young age. They were my practice dummies for my manipulative skills I have developed so well. I'm sure they are celebrating that they are free from my clutches.
I giggle and smile at the crowd as I make my way to the train station. Let them see me as nothing more than an innocent fairy like girl before the true me comes out in the arena.
This is where I want to be and nowhere else.
I watch Archer intently as he arrives at the station. He stands tall and strong, not showing any fear. I have seen him around school before, but he's different than most boys in this District. He keeps more to himself and is hostile towards anyone who tries to talk to him. But then again I've always loved a challenge.
As soon as we arrive on the train I walk over to him and place a dainty hand on his shoulder.
"So District partner care to discuss strategy," I flash him a sweet smile.
He shrugs my hand away and scowls, "No, I don't."
On the outside I appear unaffected by his harsh tone, but inside I am not impressed. Nobody speaks to me that way. I can just imagine all the ways I can use him to my advantage if I can just get him to listen. I have never had a problem with getting people to do my bidding for me, so this should be no different.
"Oh, come on Archie at least pretend to play nice; I mean we are going to be in an alliance," I say in my sweet seductive voice. No boy has the capacity to turn away from me.
His face contorts into a stone cold glare, "Nobody calls me that." He hisses through his teeth as he turns on his heels and walks off down the hall. Now as I focus on the way his muscles ripple through his shirt I can picture it; a knife soaring through the air; hitting him square in the back between his shoulder blades. I can almost see the scarlet slowly soaking his shirt and I lick my lips hungrily. I must have him.
I blink my eyes a few times and brought back to my reality. I sigh as Archer's figure vanishes from my view and I twirl down the hall in the opposite direction. My long blonde hair swirls around me in a cascade of golden hues. I giggle softly as I begin to sing,
"Far from home on a path unknown.
We are forced to play in their violent games.
The blood will fall glistening in the sun like ruby waterfalls.
The glint of steel; the pierce of a scream.
The tortured cries that will echo all around.
Sounding like sweet music to my ears.
In the arena no one is safe.
You can't hide from me; not even in your dreams.
We are the ones that are forgotten.
They want to fix the work you've undone.
But desperate cries will go unanswered.
Our lips are sealed as our ears are filled with the constant drone of screams.
As the sky slowly turns gray nobody will be safe.
You can't run from me.
We are the soon to be forgotten.
Nothing, but a part of history.
Twenty three shall fall.
Only one shall rise.
The one that won't be forgotten."
My haunting giggles bounce off the walls in perfect harmony as I skip into the main compartment. My eyes are wide with the excitement a young child would posses. Their lucky they can't see what I see. So, much blood; the slick metallic liquid obscuring my vision. I smile brightly at these visions and sit down at the dining table across from my mentor.
Lysander Blackburn is a large man in his late thirties. I remember watching the taping of his Games awhile back now. He went into the arena alone and he never left his victims in one piece. His insanity is in close step with my own, but mine is still one step ahead.
"I can see your playing up the innocent act. Something slightly uncommon for a career," Lysander states.
It really is all an act, but I can't allow anyone to know that. If anyone could see my true nature I would be cast aside; hidden from the world. Labeled as unfit to be presented to the world. My mind recoils at the thought of being seen as nothing, but a girl gone mad. The arena gives me an excuse to bring out my true insanity within. With my reasoning being the blood of the arena drove me mad nobody would suspect I was born this way.
I tilt my head to the side and look at him with eyes full of innocence, "You think I'm acting?"
"Nobody as innocent as you seem to be would volunteer willingly to be a part o the Games," He says this as he studies me closely.
"I have my reasons for being here," I stand up and wander over to the window not liking the way he was analyzing me.
What really are my reasons for being here? To gain power and to quench my undying thirst to spill blood? Maybe, I finally want the chance to embrace everything that I am capable of. I gaze out the window as we approach the Capitol. Hundreds of people line the streets waving madly at us as we pass them by. I wave in a manner that would be ladled as cute and even twirl a little bit. The crowd cheers loudly at my little act. By the end of these Games I will have all of Panem wrapped around my slender fingers. When I think about it this shouldn't be too difficult. Then my eyes fall onto Archer who is now talking to our mentor. He is a different story. I always loved a challenge, but there is something about him that I can't quite place my fingers on. Something about how he is able to resist my charm. That is something nobody has ever been able to achieve. There must be much more to him then my eyes allow me to see. I won't stop until I discover exactly what it is that makes him tick.
It may be dangerous for me to feel drawn to him, but I must know. I am the only one that should be able to hold so many secrets and keep them safely buried away from prying eyes. I watch him closely; observing each of his movements. He remains an unreadable mask; something which I don't like.
Archer and I are led by our escort off the train and out into the Capitol. Everything seems, so perfect on the surface. In contrast I am much the same way.
