As soon as Dune and I arrived at the train station we were engulfed by a sea of cameras. Maya Kinley guided us to the train that would be taking us to the capital. I made sure to keep my expression blank and sneak in a sneer here and there trying to make it seem as if the games were nothing but a joke to me. I might as well try to seem tough. That would be hard to convince the other tributes of, though seeing as how I had a tiny frame and weighed no more than 115 pounds. Dune, Maya, and I weaved our way through the craziness and on to the train. I have never been on a train before. We all have to stay confined to our districts, no wandering outside of them is permitted.
When we hop aboard Maya shows Dune and I to our chambers for the ride. As I open my door I let out a gasp. This one room alone was more than half the size of my house. I walk over and plop on to the giant satin bed in the center of the room. I could just fall asleep right now…my eyes fly open as I hear a pounding at the door and Maya's voice reminding me to get ready for dinner in an hour. I get up and wander around the room. I open the bathroom door and see I even have my own shower. I have never taken a shower before, so I decide that's where I would start. I strip down and turn the water on hot. Hot water is a rarity in my district and my family never has it unless we boil it ourselves for our baths. It feels so good against my skin.
When I'm finished I hop out and dry myself off. Then I wander back in to the room and find a dresser full of clothes. So many choices and yet I decide to stick with a red long sleeved shirt and a pair of dark wash jeans. I have never seen so many clothes in one place.
I slip out the door on my way to the dining hall and run in to Dune. It seems like he had the same idea as me; shower and clean clothes. He was dressed in a navy blue tee shirt and black pants. He looked quite handsome in the dim lighting of the train corridor. As soon as the thought entered my head, I shook it off. Handsome? What am I thinking? For all I know he could be trying to kill me the second we enter the arena. The last thing I need is to be attracted to the boy. I have to keep my mind clear, head straight, like Max said. I won't have anything to do with this boy I decided. Dune was looking at me confusingly. He could obviously tell something was on my mind.
"Everything okay?" he asked.
"As fine as it can get. After all, we are on our ways to die aren't we?" I scoffed.
A smile briefly crossed his face.
"Well alright then. But before we go and as you like to say, die, how about we find that dining hall and get us a good meal first?"
"Sounds like a plan." I grinned.
"Stop it!" my mind screamed. You can't befriend him! I can't make friends in this game. I purse my lips and follow Dune down the corridor. As we entered the dining car, my senses started to tingle. I smelled all different delicious scents circling around me. I practically ran to my seat and sat down as fast as a person humanly can.
"Well it looks like someone's hungry."
I looked over to my left. It was Quill Neilson, my new mentor, watching me with an amused expression on her face.
"Of course she is! Its been a long day," shouted Harrick. He raised his glass of red wine and let out a long, deep laugh.
Him and I are not going to get along I thought. Harrick and I are not strangers. A couple years ago, on reaping day, I caught Harrick and Roy drinking behind one of the stables. Roy had been in a huge fight with our father earlier and Harrick offered him a drink. I ended up having to drag my very hung-over brother to the reaping, causing me to worry for hinm not being called more than I usually worried. He lucked out, but as soon as we got home, he threw up the whole rest of the day. Ever since then I had a grudge against the overly friendly drunkard who liked to hang near our stables. I shot him a nasty look and turned to see the Avoxes bring out the food.
Chicken, vegetables, soups, and fruits lined the table. I automatically dug in to the delicious fruit salad that was placed before me. The tastes danced across my mouth, inviting me for more. I looked across the table and saw Dune munching on a chicken wing. He obviously didn't have any issues with eating meat.
I continued to feast. The soups were incredible and so were these amazing stuffed peppers that were brought out. Finally, I decided I should try some of the meats. I steered clear of the beef and poultry seeing as how those were the animals I was with mostly. Instead I ate venison and some other meats I hadn't heard of before. How am I supposed to survive in the wilderness if I can't even get myself to eat meat? Fish, on the other hand, I had no problem eating. My father enjoyed it and naturally I followed in his footsteps. My father would have loved this meal.
Stop it Holly. You can't keep thinking of your family. It will only make you weaker, more homesick. I dismissed the thoughts of my family from my mind and continued to eat until I couldn't eat any more.
My stomach ached and I felt drowsy, but Maya kept insisting that we watch the recaps of the reapings on television. All five of us crowded into a smaller room with a television hanging on the wall. I sat in the far left next to Quill, trying to avoid Dune, who, luckily, sat across the room. The anthem played and each reaping was shone. I watched intently, focusing on everyone's eyes.
There was a gorgeous blonde girl who volunteered from District 1. Her beauty didn't fool me. You could tell from the fire in her eyes she was one to watch out for.
The two volunteer tributes from District 2 looked almost excited as they hopped on stage. The boy in District 3 looked as if he would cry. Easy target.
Then I got to see myself take the stage. Harrick let out a big guffaw as they showed the footage of me winking at the camera.
"Good work," Quill whispered in my ear, "makes you look ready, almost excited. The other tributes will worry for sure." She gave me a reassuring squeeze on the shoulders.
Well at least I did one thing right.
I fixed my eyes back on to the screen. Only a couple others stood out to me. There was a crippled boy from District 10. His District was definitely not too pleased when his name was called. Both the tributes from 11 struck a cord. The boy was humongous and very muscular. I won't want to mess with him. As for the girl, she was only twelve. There was a mix of fear and shock stricken on her dark-skinned face. Last, was District 12. As their escort was speaking, a very drunk man, the tributes' soon to be mentor, drunkenly fell across the stage. I couldn't help but feel a slight ping of relief that Harrick wasn't as bad as this fool. Then Harrick started laughing uncontrollably like an idiot and I went right back to despising the man.
Quill leaned over and whispered gently in my ear.
"Try to excuse Harrick. He isn't usually like this, just on reaping day ever since he won the Games. He had a pretty nasty season."
I just whispered okay and tried to resume watching. A nasty thought played around in my mind, though. If Harrick is this messed up after his year, what would happen to me if I won? I close my eyes and forget the thought.
As I hear a name called, I open my eyes again to watch. Yet another young girl was called to the stage, but within seconds, you saw another girl run up screaming her name.
"What's she doing?" Dune whispered.
Suddenly she did the unthinkable, she volunteered.
"Well I'll be!" Harrick laughed, "this is probably the first volunteer District 12 has had in decades!"
He was right. In all the years of the Hunger Games I had seen, District 12 had never had a volunteer. This girl had heart. I had to look out for her. The nice ones are the most dangerous. I knew that if it came down to it, I wouldn't be able to kill this girl. She made me think of Max, and how he would have taken my place if given the chance. All I can do is hope that she gets eliminated at the Cornucopia. The boy tribute is then called. He was a good-looking guy. Blonde hair, good build. But the fear was obvious in his eyes. He definitely wasn't going to be as much an opponent as the girl. The video ended and the anthem played. As I sat and collected my thoughts, Maya announced that we should all get a good night sleep because tomorrow will be "A very exciting day!"
Harrick was out the door within seconds, obviously not passing up the opportunity for some sleep. Quill and Maya followed shortly after. That left only me and Dune. As I rose up from the chair, he still sat there, still as a statue, staring at the blank television screen.
I was about to leave when he whispered, "One against twenty-three. The odds are definitely not in our favor, huh?"
"No, I suppose they're not," I whispered back solemnly.
We remained still, him sitting staring at the blank screen, and me standing staring at the wall. It all occurred to me that this was real. I couldn't keep blocking the thoughts, I had to face reality. I would be entering the arena in a matter of days. Faces across the Capitol would probably be anticipating my death, betting on how I would die, who would kill me. My blood became ice. This is wrong, all of it. The Capitol and their Games were sick.
My thoughts were interrupted by Dune's stirring.
"Maya's probably right, we should go to sleep, if that's possible."
I just looked at him and nodded. I didn't really feel like talking.
We both walked quietly to our chambers, sneaking past the others' rooms so we wouldn't wake anyone. As we arrived at my door, Dune stopped for a moment and whispered, "Goodnight Holly."
"Goodnight Dune."
I opened my door and he whispered back "See you tomorrow for another exciting day!" in the best impression of Maya I had heard yet. Without trying, I let out a quick laugh, but silenced it almost as soon as it left my lips.
Remember Holly, he isn't your friend, you can't make friends, my mind was screaming at me.
And yet, I couldn't help but watch as he disappeared down the dark corridor.
