Hi! So because I haven't been updating that often, I decided to force myself and write chapter 4! I haven't been updating frequently because my best friend is a camp all week and I have no one to force me to write or compare ideas with! She always helps me out with my stories and she's not here right now! Ahhh! I miss you lilmisstalksalot1211! 3
Now Enjoy the chapter that I forced myself to write and actually got it done! lol :)
Dahlia's POV:
Aria is kneeling down while a peace keeper aims a gun towards her head. No! She tried to save me and now I have to save her! Why are they killing her? She didn't do anything!
Before I can do anything, I hear a crackle sound and I know it's all over. I keep my eyes on Aria, who is face down in the ground. As dead as can be. A tear slides down my cheek for Aria.
The peace keepers notice me looking at the scene in the courtyard and they escort me into the elevator. We go down to the next floor and the doors open up. Coltin and his guards enter the elevator. Coltin looks like he just seen a ghost. I can't blame him. I don't know if he saw the whole thing with Aria or not, or if he's still in shock about the games. I knew I was going to be picked so luckily, I'm not in shock and I can focus on what's happening. I have to find out why they killed Aria.
I try not to make contact with Coltin. The fact that soon, I will be trying to kill him in the arena. That is, if I actually survive the first few seconds.
The doors open to the lobby and I see my parents talking to the mayor. They see me and say good bye to the mayor and follows Coltin and I to the cars waiting outside to take us to the train. A peace keeper opens a door for me and I slide in. Effie sits next to me and on the other side of her, is Coltin. I look out my window to see my parents getting in the car behind me. I guess I will have to just wait to talk to them on the train.
The car ride is really short since district 12 isn't that big. The train station is only a few minutes away. When we get there, the station is crowded with reporters and cameras from the Capitol. Luckily, peace keepers push them back to way a walkway for us. Effie, Coltin and me get out of the car and board the train. I hesitate for a minute, looking back at my district which I will probably never see again. Then I walk through the door. In the room, there is nothing but luxury. Unending supply of glorious food. I look over my shoulder just to make sure my parents, or should I say my mentors, are right behind me, but they're not. Before I can question anything, Effie brings me into the room and sits Coltin and I in seats next to each other. Then she sits in the chair across from us.
"Isn't it wonderful?" Effie asks. "You get to enjoy all of this for a short while!" She squeaks in her ridiculous Capitol ascent. She is so lucky she doesn't have to worry about going into the games. "I will go get your mentors," She says and leaves the room. Coltin and I are in a room all alone now. I don't know what to say. Should I say something? He looks so frightened, I probably should say something.
"I guess the odds aren't exactly in our favor?" He says, breaking the silence. Good, now I don't have to break the silence.
"I guess not," I say. And we're back to silence. That didn't take long.
"Well at lease your parents are our mentors. I know there are not drunk like Haymitch," He finally says. I guess this is true. I get to spend more time with them before I died in the games.
"Yep..." I say. Since my parents aren't here yet to discuss mentoring business, I decide to take this time to ask Coltin if he saw what happened to Aria.
"You remember Aria, who volunteered for me?" I ask him, not knowing how to start this off.
"Yes… umm thanks for revolunteering," He says.
"What do you mean?" I ask him, not knowing why he wanted me to go into the games with him instead of Aria.
"Aria…. She was my cousin. We were really close and I know she volunteered for multiple reasons. One, her grandma died in the games when she was really young. Two, because she knew about your family and she had such a kind heart to help out. And three, to protect me. I know, if she could, she would volunteer for me and I would for her. So if she couldn't volunteer for me, then she would do it for the girl tribute," He finishes. Coltin and Aria were related? Wow, Aria did not tell me everything. Well, we only had 3 minutes and I kept asking her questions so she probably didn't have enough time to explain everything to me. But Coltin was talking about Aria in the past tense.
"My mom did that for my Aunt Prim," I say, trying to relate to his problem. "And do you know that Aria…" I begin but he finishes my sentence.
"That peace keepers shot her in the courtyard? Yeah, I know, I was watching in the window while we were waiting for the elevator," He says.
"I'm so sorry Coltin; I will try everything to find out why. She had no right to die," I tell him.
"Thank you Dahlia," He says. I feel the train begin to move and I look outside to watch district 12 blur in front of me.
Just then, the doors open and my parents walk into the room. They sit down across from us and my dad gives me a small, reinsuring smile.
"So, welcome to the 76th Hunger Games…" My dad starts but I know that he's just required to say that and he doesn't mean what he said.
"We will be your mentors. Follow our instructions and you will survive," My mom says. Coltin and I nod our heads.
"Effie will show you to your rooms. Freshen up, and meet us down for lunch at noon" My dad says. And on cue, Effie comes in. Coltin and I stand up and follow Effie. Before I walk through the door, I look back and they give me a nod, saying that they will meet me in my room before lunch. Its and exchange I have with my parents.
We walk to another cart which is a lot bigger than all the others. Effie points out that Coltin's room is on the left and further down the hall, mine is on the right. We go to our rooms and I open the door.
It's a small room with a bed, and a bathroom. A dresser full of clothes that I can wear if I want to change out of this dress. But I don't, It's the only thing I have to wear of m district.
A few minutes later, my parents walk in. My mom has tears in her eyes and I bet my dad has been trying to calm her down. Walk over to my bed and embrace me into a family hug. I start to cry and my dad whips my tears for me.
"I'm so sorry, Dahlia," My mom says while my dad kisses my forehead. I sit in his lap while my mother sits beside us on the bed.
"I knew it was going to happen," I tell them and they don't look shocked.
"Gale is just a terrible person," My dad says to comfort me. It's not the odds that I got picked. It's because of Gale. I nod my head and this is the time to ask them about Aria.
"I couldn't let Aria go into the games. This is my game to play. Gale wants me in the games and if I'm not in them, things can get a lot worse," I say and they look stunned.
"I know sweetheart, I know," My dad says.
"But why did they have to kill her?" I ask. I know that my parents know about Aria's death. My mom looks at my dad. "She was so brave. She volunteered for me. Because she knew about what our family has been through. She volunteered for her cousin, Coltin. To protect him." I say finally.
"She was brave, and unfortunately, that's the way Gale wants to play the game," My mom says. How does Gale have to do with Aria's death. I volunteered so she wouldn't be caught up in this mess.
"Gale?" I ask. There is a long pause and then my dad finally answers.
"Gale is going to kill anyone who tries to save you from the games. Even in the games."
I blame Gale. So hopefully I will be updating soon! That is if you guys review! You need some motivation... hmmm...If you review this chapter, then your name will be in my shout outs in the next chapter! PLEASE! You guys are the best! Everytime I get a new review, I do like this mini dance and it makes my day EVERY TIME! It also motivates me to write the next chatper. The more reviews, the more I feel a need to continue this story and update soon! So please, just review! :) lol
~GirlOnFire99