I feel sad. I only got two reviews for the beginning of this. I know that crossovers don't tend to be as popular as non-crossovers, but I hope that this becomes popular. Today's shout out goes out to Rutter66463, for being my first ever review on this!
"It is time to go to the train," a peace keeper rasped as he led Caroline out the door. He needs to stop smoking, I thought as he pushed me out of the room. That thought made me crack up. Maybe my nerves really had broken my sanity, or maybe it was the thought of something other than death, but a good laugh was what I needed, because I doubled over, stopping the peace keepers. Tears came to my eyes, which was good, because I needed to cry.
The peace keepers looked at each other in confusion. One of them mouthed, No wonder she wants this, to another, which made me laugh all the more, so much that I started wheezing. "Are you alright, ma'am?" The raspy one asked. I caught my breath, regained my composure, and said, "Let's go." But, I giggled all the way over to the station.
When we reached the train station, a small, dilapidated structure made out of rotten wood and on the verge of collapse, we stopped. Cameras were following us, so I turned around and gave a thumbs-up to it. Might as well carry this to the extreme, I thought, as we stood on a platform covered in fungi. Then, my vision blurred, and all of a sudden, a train had arrived. It was superfast, and unlike any other invention I'd seen. It was sleek and shiny and new, not the creaky, need-to-be oiled pitchforks and other contraptions. Indeed, the people of District 12 sometimes needed to be oiled too, and cleaned of the sadness that they carry with them, like a damp wipe cleans a dirty window.
These people, however, didn't need to be oiled at all. Effie bounced around like a rubber ball on concrete, and the people attending to me and my crazy self were bubbly and full of life. I assured the maids and butlers I was fine and quickly rushed to my sleeping car.
Inside was a waterbed with white new sheets, a large TV, a closet, a desk, and a vanity. I bounced on the bed, but not before spritzing some Capitol perfume on me.
I turned on the television, flipping through it until I got tired of pressing the button. I let it settle on some news program that was filming live from the Capitol.
"…Reaping today," the blue skinned, freakishly thin reporter said. "In honor of the very special day, let's take a look at the seventy third Hunger Games." I giggled silently, since they were skipping the Hunger Games were Katniss and Peeta won.
It showed all of the tributes, getting ready to get off their platforms. At the cornucopia, nine people got killed while the rest, except the careers, fled into the sanctuary of the woods. It did a close-up on the tributes. Both of the District 12 people died, and it showed their blank eyes, their still bodies.
Suddenly I became sick, and rushed to the toilet and retched violently. Breakfast came up, then mucus. I couldn't stop heaving, and found peace on the cool tiled floor.
They were pampering us, making us believe everything would be alright. Then, they were going to kill us, and take the last person standing and torture them some more. It was sick, totally sick. I hated the Capitol people; the way they made us give up our lives like it was nothing. Suddenly the perfume I spritzed stung my skin, clogged my nose, and made my pores disintegrate slowly. I stripped off my clothes quickly, and jumped into the shower. I scrubbed every inch of my body, yet I didn't use soap or shampoo. That would make me smell Capitol, make me believe they cared. I turned the water boiling hot, yet I didn't want to turn it down, for fear the sickly sweet scent would still be on me.
I finally got out, but instead of heading to supper, or going to the oh-so-comfy waterbed, or even turning off the TV, I made a bed out of towels and crept into it naked. I shivered, cold, but I wouldn't move, no, I wouldn't. I would just lay in the empty bathroom, my skin red hot, and the air cold. The only article of clothing I had on was my Eye of Horus necklace, and I grabbed onto it as I closed my eyes, wanting the comfort of sleep to overwhelm my other senses. I hoped I would never wake up, that I would die peacefully instead of bloodily, to defy the Capitol. I fell into in uneasy sleep, cursing President Snow's name.
When I woke up, I was in a bathrobe on my waterbed. A dark-skinned boy sat in a chair next to the desk, watching me as if I was a rabid animal. When he saw me open my eyes, he threw his hands up, as if surrendering. "What are you doing?" I asked sleepily, rubbing my eyes. He slowly lowered them down, and Alfie asked, "You aren't crazy?" I wanted to laugh. "No, of course I'm not. Why are you here, though?" "I found you on some towels, clutching your necklace and yelling cuss words in your sleep. I brought you here," he answered.
"Look, you can leave now," I said, annoyed, as I stood up carefully. He went to the door, but paused. Alfie turned around, and asked, "Why didn't you let her take your place?" I paused, considering how to answer. "I wanted to do the Hunger Games," I simply said. "No, really. I can tell in your eyes that you think it's disgusting, just like me. Why not let her?" "She was my best friend. I can't let her die for me," I told him. He nodded. "Why were you on a towel bed?" he inquired also.
"I hate the Capitol so much. I don't want to fight in their games, I don't want to accept that people, including you, might die before my eyes, maybe by my own hands, and I sure as hell won't accept their kindness. Anymore questions?" he just shook his head. "You know, they want to meet with you. Katniss and Peeta and Haymitch, I mean. I think that they know that you have a better chance than me." He said the last part so confidently I wanted to cry. A sixteen year old boy is accepting his death graciously. What was wrong with this stupid nation? "Alfie…if it comes down to the two of us, I'll kill myself. I have nothing to live for." He stared at me. "Are you sure you aren't crazy?" he asked. I laughed, and looped my arm around his. "Let's meet the last friendly people we'll ever see," I told him matter-of-factly.
So, how'd you guys like it? Tell me in your review!
~ChocoAwesomeness~