"Honey, it will be alright," my mother manages to get out between her sobs.
"Mom, I'll be fine. Don't worry; you need to take care of Jeremiah and Jenna."
More sobs. "But Johanna! You'll die!" she screams at me in a sobbing rage.
My father comes into holding room and pulls her out as she kicks and screams. "I love you, Jo! Good luck!" he says restraining my mother.
He understands this isn't a matter to cry over, especially because I haven't even died yet. Calm down mother, I'm your least favorite child. I can't imagine what she'd do if Jenna was chosen.
Jeremiah walks in and gives me a hug, "Johanna, try to win. I've seen you with grandad's axe, you could win...maybe."
I kiss him on the top of his head and send him back to my crazed mother. She needs to chill out, I'm going to die, deal with it mom.
-0=HG=0-
I sit in the coach, waiting for Luna Lou Rivers to step out of the "powder room" as she calls it. She has enough makeup on as it is; she's going to look like a monster if she puts on anymore. Maybe that's what she's going for...
Timber is sitting next to me crying his eyes out. He stops and looks at me for a moment, "I can't believe I was chosen."
Yeah. Well me either.
I look over at him and try to smile, "I can't believe your mother named you Timber. We live in the lumber district. She couldn't think of any other name. It's a bit cliché, don't you think?"
He looks at me with disbelief. Not the thing he was expecting me to say. He opens his mouth to say something, but is interrupted by Luna and some man entering the coach.
"Hello my charming children. This is Blight Tanner. He will be your mentor for the games."
I look at him. He's in his late twenties or early thirties, shaved bald and has a wicked mustache. Not exactly what I was expecting; he actually looks like he could have won his Games.
He looks at Timber and me, sizing us up. He smiles when he looks at me, maybe he thinks I could win.
"Tell me, Blight, how did you win?" I ask leaning back into my seat.
He smiles as the happy memories of the arena flood back into his mind, "I was eighteen, the arena was...different, and he other tributes were dumb. It was the right conditions."
"But what about the career districts?" Timber asks.
He laughs, "They are strong and have many skills, but most of them are dumber than dirt, especially the tributes from 1. You just better hope and pray that all the stars line up in your favor."
I can survive, in any conditions. I can out smart them. I'm clever. I'm a winner.