The night after my Reaping was spent in the Justice Building, and it was a terribly sleepless night, drifting in and out of transient sleep. I thought and thought, my head hurt so much from thinking obsessively...damn it, I knew I would have a headache from all of this.
The first thing I thought about was the matron at the orphanage. I could almost hear her scrutinizing me, 'WHAT? How could you just get reaped? I told you not to get reaped! I kindly raised you up by hand, and what do you do? Get reaped! Who's gonna bring in the cows at sundown? Well, at least there will be more food for the younger orphans. You weren't much of anything, anyway...you ate too much, Harvey. Those are my last words to you.'
I know she probably won't be there when I say my goodbyes the next day.
Other than her, I don't know who else would come to see me off...maybe the older orphan kids? Nah, they are too busy to be kind to a death-bound man...it would be in vain to waste time for him.
None of the other kids in school, either. I was not liked among my age group...I've beaten up and choked some kids my age already out of anger. I don't need them, anyway. I can take care of myself.
I've learned that there will be no one to ease your pain in your time of death...the world is too cruel for that.
As I could see the sun rising through my window, I had one last wistful thought: I want Maggie to be at my goodbyes. If only, if only. If only it were so...someway, somehow. She is the only one in this world that brings me comfort.
Preparing for the goodbyes and later, the departure for the Capitol, was uneventful. I had nothing to prepare for, and no belongings to take with me; I left with the clothes on my back. With servants' directions, I made it to the room where the goodbyes were to be held, and I stepped inside.
Not surprisingly, there was no one here to see me. Not even Maggie. My heart sank and crashed at the bottom.
And also not surprisingly, Serah and her mother were in an embrace. Her mother's face was shining wet with tears. It almost makes me angry that Serah has someone that cares about her so much. This is the kind of anger that made me commit acts of violence against those kids in my class. I know I should be happy for her...but...I can't. I owe nothing to her.
There were muddy footprints tracked in the room, indicating it had rained last night. Did I even hear it? I was so lost in my thoughts I probably didn't even notice.
That also means there were many more people earlier, saying their goodbyes to Serah. How many people were here? Is there that many people that would love you if you were a normal person?
I tried to be a good sport, but I felt my throat burn up at the thought, and my eyes began to water. I can't do this, I have to kick or punch something. Maybe vandalizing Justice Building property will get me killed, and I can finally be rid of this. Ha! That's it! I'm gonna go wreak some havoc.
I started walking the way I came, going back to my room, but then there was a woman's voice.
"Harvey! Where are you going?!"
I spun around on my heel and saw who it was. The matron of the orphanage, with her honey-gold hair back in a bun, and also wearing her finest dress, was standing in the threshold of the doorway to the outside. My heart lifted itself up again, like a balloon that was getting inflated.
"Matron, I-" I started, but she put her finger on my mouth.
"Hush! There's not much time left, since you had to wake up so late, you lazy bum. Look who I brought to see you." she stepped out of the way.
It was Maggie, the orphanage dog! My heart now soared like it was riding on a paraglider. She yapped happily, with her tongue hanging out, and I knelt down and held her in my arms. With her tongue, she coated my face with slobber.
"Yeah, I know, you goofball." I smiled and pat her black-and-white coat; she was a Border Collie, like most herding dogs in District 10.
The matron, for once, had a smile on her cracked face. Although she wasn't very old, her face was ridden with wrinkles before her time, all from years of outdoors hard work involved in keeping farm animals.
"Come here, Harvey." she said. I stood up, and she wrapped her arms around me. I guess I was supposed to do the same, so I did.
"I know I've been somewhat hard on you all these years, but that was for a reason, you know. You've become a fine young man. I think you are the most hardworking boy in this District." she broke the embrace, but put her hands on my cheeks, and looked into my soul.
"If you forget everything I've taught you, then so be it. But if you had to remember one single thing, remember this: no matter how many people are against you, no matter how many disappointments you may have come across, you are still yourself; so still work towards your goal like there is nothing else to live for. Hard work toughens your mind and your body, and so shall it be that you are the one most fit for this job. The one most fit to win." she had tears coating her face, as did I. She continued, "Remember this, and you will be victorious, Harvey."
"Thank you, mother." I said as we locked in one more embrace. Why did I call her mother? I never have before.
She stepped back and smiled. The matron always had something to say about everything, and this time, it was for the good.
Maggie licked my hand, wanting more attention. I bent down to pat her head and scratch her ears and said, "I'll miss you too, Maggie." I laid a kiss on top of her wet nose and stood back up.
"All right, everybody, the tributes are boarding the train soon, so if you have any more goodbyes or tokens to give, give them now. Last call for goodbyes and tokens." a Peacekeeper announced over the intercom.
"Oh, the token! Here, Harvey." the matron bent down and snapped the silver heart off Maggie's collar, and put it in my hands. When I looked at it closer, it looked like it used to be just a silver heart pendant with the name 'Magdalene' inscribed on it. A hole was drilled into it for the pink ribbon around Maggie's neck to make a makeshift dog collar.
"Time's up for farewells. Tributes and all Capitol personnell to the boarding platforms immediately." the matter-of-factly intercom voice said.
Another, different, familiar voice came over the intercom. Of course, it was Nero.
"-Oh! And don't let the cows trample you on your way out! They have a habit of doing that too." and the intercom buzzed out. He must've wrestled control of the intercom with the Peacekeeper...picturing the scene almost made me laugh. But I had better things to worry about.
"See you back here in a few weeks." the matron smiled at me.
Quickly, I tried to say what I had to say before they took me to the platform.
"Why did you give me this? It's just Maggie's tag." I hurriedly asked the matron. Serah's mother had already left, and Serah herself was making her way to the platform.
"Wrong Magdalene, Harvey. This was your mother's. Before you were born, before the War and the Hunger Games when people could travel freely between the Districts, your father made this himself in District 1. He was from District 1, you see. When he moved to District 10 and they got married, he gave this to her as a gift. She's who Maggie-canine Maggie-was named after." the matron explained. Maggie tilted her head, could she have understood her name being spoken?
"Let's go, kid." a Peacekeeper took my arm, but I didn't care. I was lost in the matron's words.
I half-shouted as I was being led down a hallway, "My mother's name was Magdalene? You knew her?!"
The matron shouted something back, but I couldn't discern what it was. I was too far away to hear.
When the Peacekeeper dropped me off at the platform, Serah was quietly waiting there for the train to come. As was Nero, with his brightly-decorated suitcase. Today, he wore a sparkling orange and black suit, and his dreadlocks as poofy and wild as ever. What a strange one.
"Are you kids ready? For the best week of your life?!" Nero stood between us and put his hands on both of our shoulders. He was at least a foot taller than me, and I am a tall young man. He resembled a skeleton, with his bony hands and pale skin.
"What do you mean?" Serah looked at him.
"What I mean is, you both will be fed like the pigs you feed in your home District. You will have the life on the train and in the Capitol. You will be absolutely loved, because YOU are the tributes."
"Might as well give us as much as they can, since we won't be around much longer. Good thinking." I said pessimistically.
"That's no way to think, my boy. You have a lot to learn before you're ready for the arena. See, this week is the week to fill up, but it is also a training week. You will be mentally and physically trained for the hardships you will face in the arena. And since the only Games victor is from District 1, there are no victors from your District to mentor you; I will be your mentor. Sound good?"
"What hardships? They can't be all that bad, in the First Games last year, it seemed like they were on vacation." Serah added her two cents.
"Believe me, kiddies, this year's Games will be much...different. Very different. Almost impossibly different. But the first thing to remember is: if you believe you will win, then you shall. It's all in your attitude."
Exactly what the matron said to me. These people know what they're talking about.
The chug-chug-chug of the train became louder as it drew nearer, and eventually screeched to a stop in front of us.
"Welcome to the Second Hunger Games, kids." Nero said as Serah and I filed into the train, him following behind us.
Author's Notes
End of Chapter 2. :D
Oh and by the way, I obviously do not own the wonderful Hunger Games Series, Suzanne Collins does. I wouldn't have the incredible imagination to have thought the original idea up.
Nero: "...and don't let the cows trample you on your way out. They do that, you know."
