Peacekeepers guard us from every angle as we are lead through a door and down a maze of corridors. I use this opportunity to take a glimpse at the other tributes.
I see Rodegen's head poking up above the group. He's at the front. Something about him makes me uneasy, but I'm not sure why. Scurrying next to me is a pudgey, stubby boy. He's short, but he's wearing a green wig the size of my shin so he levels out to be almost as tall as Rodegen. He stumbles into me every few yards, as if his wig is throwing him off balance.
Just ahead of me is a very small girl and a boy who's not much taller. The pair of them can't be more than 13. My chest aches for them, it's highly unlikely that they will make it far.
I'm close to the back of the group, but I crane my neck around anyway to see whoever is behind me. My eyes settle on Jasper. He smiles at me weakly and then shifts his gaze to the floor.
We are led down a very long corridor and then, one by one, are each directed into a room. The room I am put in is decorated very simply - by Capitol standards. There is a couch in the centre of the room and a desk by the wall. A single lamp stands in the corner of the room, casting an eerie glow on the furniture. Just as I take a seat on the couch, the door swings open.
It's my mother.
I'd practically forgotten that I am even given an opportunity to say goodbye. She wears the familiar smile that she always greets me with. It's too late to stop the tears. I run at her and she holds me in a tight embrace. I feel her chest rise and fall as she attempts to soothe me.
"I can't do it," is all I manage to choke out. My mother rests her chin on the top of my head and moves her hand gently over my hair.
"Listen to me," she says. "You are one of the strongest people I know, okay? You've been through a lot in your life, I know, and it isn't fair that you should have to go through this too. But, Ellie, you will go through this. You have it in you to win, I know you do."
I clutch to the back of her blouse with my fists and nod. I don't believe it, but I don't want my mother to think I've given up before I've begun.
She pulls away and reaches into the pocket of her skirt.
"Here," she says, passing me a silver ring. "It was my mother's before it was mine, and now, it's yours," she closes it in my palm. "Be brave, darling" she says, just as she did before she left me at the Reaping. I didn't even notice, but a peacekeeper now stands in the doorframe.
"Time's up," he says. My mother gives me one last kiss on the forehead before the peacekeeper comes to take her away from me.
"I love you," she says over her shoulder.
"I love you too," I whisper, but it's too late, the door closes and she's gone.
I'm still hiccuping when the same peacekeeper that took my mother from me returns. He leads me back into the corridor where I see the rest of the tributes doing the same. I'm sure that my face is still blotchy so I tilt my head to the floor and allow my hair to hang over my eyes. I don't want the other tributes to know I've been crying.
We're taken on another walk through the building until we reach a small corridor with a single door at the end. It's so narrow that we're forced to walk in single file.
We enter a room that is just large enough to hold all twenty-four tributes and the peacekeepers that accompany us. The walls are draped with red satin and a small chandelier hangs from the ceiling. Four benches that match the walls are set in rows, facing a large window that overlooks the Capitol. We're ordered to sit down. This is odd. Usually, the tributes go straight from saying their farewells to the train that takes them to the Capitol. Obviously, we don't need a train this year, but that doesn't explain why we're here.
Caesar enters the room and heads towards the window.
"I'm sure you are all curious as to why we have gathered you here," he says. "As everyone is well aware, there are no districts for these particular games. Therefore, we have decided to pair each of you together in order of that which you were reaped."
Murmurs spread through the room. Several tributes scan the room for their new partner, but I don't need to. I already know that I'm paired with Jasper.
"Why do we need to be paired off?" the stumpy boy demands.
Caesar presses his lips into a thin line and pulls a face like he's tasted something sour.
"You will find that out in due time."
My stomach drops. If Caesar is being evasive, it must mean that the rule change has been done for the arena, and if it's been done for the arena, it won't be pleasant.
When we arrive at the training centre, peacekeepers escort us to the elevators. Being paired with Jasper, and being the last two to be reaped, means that we are sharing the floor that originally accommodated district 12.
A peacekeeper with short blonde hair shows me to my room. It's amazing. The room is so spacious that I'm almost surprised that I can't hear my own echo. There is a bed that's twice the size of my own in the centre of the room. It is suspended from each corner by silky vines so that, when I leap onto it and lie flat on my back like a starfish, it swings back and forth. If I'm this impressed by my bedroom, I can't imagine what it must have been like for those from the districts.
I remain on the bed for a while, but I'm woken up before I even realise I fell asleep. Jasper knocks on the door to let me know that dinner is ready. I change out of my dress and put on a pair of cotton trousers that I find in the bottom drawer of a closet along with a plain white top and a thick, wooly cardigan.
I pull the sleeves of my cardigan over my hands as I walk to the table. I'm not cold, but it calms me to be wrapped up. The table is laid with countless amounts of Capitol delicacies and my eyes find the soup before I've even reached my chair.
I sit down across from Jasper and begin to pour some of the soup into a bowl. There's just the two of us. It was decided that not only do we not have escorts, we do not have mentors. It's been done as a way to punish the Capitol for their ignorance. We didn't help the districts, so the districts won't help us. Part of a mentor's duty is to try and gain sponsors for their tributes. A system has been set up so that, if people wish to sponsor us, it does not have to be done through the mentors. Nevertheless, a lack of mentors will likely decrease the amount of sponsors as there is nobody to advertise us to the Capitol.
"I don't know about you," Jasper says lightly, "but I was glad to find that I at least recognised the food. It's pretty overwhelming being here," I nod in agreement. I know that we've been paired together, but I'm still uncomfortable with the thought of getting to know him. One, or both of us won't make it through the arena and I'd rather not become friends with someone that I'll just have to watch die in a week.
The soup makes me feel warm inside, but it's an artificial warmth. It's tomato with bits of dumpling in it. My mother would always make it for me when I was sick, except she would add pasta to it as well. A pain goes through me. I guess I am sick, in a way. Home sick at least, and sick from fear.
After dinner I go back to my room. The Reaping is being replayed on the TV, but the thought of watching it makes me feel queasy. I change into a soft, flannel night gown and get into bed. It's only half past eight, but I'm completely drained and no doubt it will take me hours to fall asleep. I stare at the ceiling which has a swirly texture molded into it. I feel like I should be thinking up as many possible tactics and strategies as I can, but I don't even know where to start. Instead, I just lie still, letting the motions of the bed soothe me until, eventually, my eyes close.
I jolt awake. My dreams were filled only of muttations and psychotic tributes. I get up and walk towards the window; it's still dark outside. The clock beside my bed reads 5:08. I'm too shaken up to attempt sleeping again, so I leave my room and sit at the table. A peacekeeper with buzzed hair comes over with a tray holding hot chocolate and cookies and sets it down in front of me. I smile appreciatively. After the rebellion, it became the job of the peacekeepers to serve the tributes rather than the Avox's. I'm glad. Cutting out someone's tongue and forcing them to live a life of silent slavery is cruel - but that's just my opinion. At least peacekeepers choose their career; usually.
I tuck my legs up to my chest and sit in the quiet, contemplating what the day might hold for me. It is the first day of training and I am totally and completely unprepared. The children of the districts tend to learn some survival skills in their day to day life because they are often forced to work from a young age. Being a child of the Capitol, I never had to do this and now I almost wish I had. I can't tie ropes, I can't make a fire, I can't climb trees, I can't hunt, I'm weak so I can't fight in hand to hand combat, I can't camouflage...
My thoughts are interrupted when Jasper comes out of his room. He's still weary eyed from sleep and his hair is sticking up at the back. He rubs his eyes and sits opposite me. "Morning," he says, gruffly. I reply with a small smile.
"There's hot chocolate if you want it. It's good," I say, and almost immediately, the same peacekeeper that brought me mine comes over with a tray for Jasper. He mutters a thank you and continues to address me.
"Are you ready for training?"
"I don't think I'll ever be," I reply. "I'm pretty much useless at everything."
He frowns and grabs an apple. "I'm sure you're not, we'll find something you're good at." He's trying to be friendly and reassuring. I should be appreciative, but I wish that he'd just leave me alone. The more he talks to me, the harder it is for me to pretend that he didn't exist. I don't reply and keep my eyes fixed on my hot chocolate. Jasper clears his throat before getting up.
"Think I'll go get changed," he says. "Training starts in half an hour, but I think it's best if we go a bit earlier." I nod, but don't look up.
