So, you reviewed, so here's your chapter! I'll put in a footnote :) Enjoy!
-November 1st, Year of the 44th Hunger Games-
I'm standing on the stage, frozen on the spot.
I look out onto the crowds of District 8 citizens but none of them catch my attention. My gaze is focused purely on the two boxed off areas in front of me. They are slightly raised platforms, which house a few seats and are guarded by a Peacekeeper on each side.
On the right hand platform sits a man and woman, both in their forties, with dark skin. To the side of them is a younger boy – maybe thirteen years old, with the same dark features. This must be Cam's family, because I immediately recognise the residents of the other box. There is a middle aged man, and he is surrounded by three girls. The youngest is twelve and there is no doubt that she's Melissa's sister. The next girl is about fifteen, and the other is nineteen – I remember Melissa talking about her. She had trained her whole life in case she needed to volunteer for her sisters, but when she needed to, she was a year too old.
I can't look any of them in the eye, but yet my eyes keep reverting back to their box like some forbidden treasure that keeps tempting me. Suppressing my nerves, I say my speech. It's prewritten, but after I have to give a personal comment. I'd been working out what to say all day, but nothing had seemed right, and now I regret being so choosy. The speech comes to a close too quickly, and I have to speak from the heart now.
'Well-' I begin, biding time. 'Uh-'
What do I say? What can I possibly say?
Okay, I need to say something.
Nothing.
My throat has closed up. Words are trying to swim to the surface, but are being repeatedly pushed down by the utter terror that is brewing inside of me. I feel an ice cold bead of sweat travel from my forehead to my cheek, carving a chilling valley as it does so.
Right, it doesn't have to be perfect, just say something.
Anything.
Behind the plinth, I feel a hand lock into mine. I turn and see Tyga smiling at me. A warm smile. She nods, as if to say you can do this. I turn back to the audience and swallow dryly.
'The time in the arena wasn't easy.' I begin, sweating and breathing in and out slowly, 'But I can guarantee that I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Melissa. Not just Melissa actually, Cam too. The arena is one of the loneliest experiences a person can go through, and to have just someone there to talk to, to assure you that you're not going crazy – well, that can keep you alive on its own.'
I squeeze onto Tyga's hand and, with a deep breath, I look right at Melissa's family.
'Without Melissa, I would have died in that arena. And not just literally – mentally too. She reminded me what I was living for, and that is something I will never forget. So, to Melissa,' I look to the sky. 'Thank you, and I'm sorry.'
I stand back from the plinth that holds the microphone. The applause is a respectful one. I'm not sure if what I said was perfect, but it felt right. I turn back to Melissa's family, and all four of them share similar expressions – cold, lost faces, but their eyes are soft with acceptance, and it breaks my heart to look at. With the exception of Melissa's eldest sibling, they each have tears rolling out of the dark shadows of their eyes. I feel a choke in my throat. I've done enough. I thought I was done with crying but I have to purse my lips to keep the emotion in.
The Mayor presents me with an inappropriately bright bouquet of flowers, and we leave the stage. It is only after we have left the stage that I notice that I'm still tightly clutching onto Tyga's hand. I quickly let it go, embarrassed that she's only a few years older than me and yet I'm holding on to her like she can protect me from all the evil of the world.
We leave to get to the train, but before I can get on, I feel someone grab my shoulder. I turn to see a woman in her mid-twenties. She seems familiar, but I can't quite place her. She has chocolate skin, and dark brown hair. She's too well-dressed to be a regular resident of the District, and I suddenly recognise her.
'Glynn?' I ask, recognising Melissa's mentor.
'I just want you to know that-' she swallows hard, 'that it wasn't her fault.'
I look at Glynn, somewhat confused.
'Melissa. It wasn't her fault. She didn't want to, but she just wanted to be home. I don't know how to put it.' She sighs, looking deep into my eyes. 'Just, don't remember her as the girl who tried to poison you. Please.'
'I won't' I reply.
Glynn smiles a sad smile, and nods. 'Thank you.'
I clamber back onto the train after Tyga and, within a few minutes, we are leaving the station on our way to District 7. We all meet for dinner soon after leaving, and Decimus sits next to me, placing his hand, with its icy blue nails, on my knee.
'You did very well' he says reassuringly.
Decimus is a creation of the Capitol through and through, there's no doubt about that, but since I've won, he's become a much more likeable character. For one thing, he's like a personal assistant to all of us, and is very competent when it comes to making sure we are all satisfied with everything. Yet, he's also shown a more sensitive side – caring and nurturing. Something I wouldn't typically associate with a Capitol citizen. Though, he is just that – a citizen of the Capitol, the machine that forces 23 tributes to their death each year, so I find it hard to get too attached to him.
The meal is delicious, and Cassia and the prep team join us, creating a lively conversational atmosphere. I ask about District 7, and they tell me it's one of the biggest Districts but also, and they can't seem to emphasise this enough, the coldest of the Districts. Apparently Decimus has chills just thinking about it. It's fairly late, and I'm told we won't arrive until morning, so I excuse myself from dinner and head to bed.
When I wake, the train is gliding through a snow-covered region, full of pine forests. I can see tiny figures on the landscape hacking at some of the trees with axes or machinery. The axes send flashes of Ace's attack on me running through my head, and I quickly turn away. I throw on some clothes and have a shower, before leaving to the breakfast carriage. We don't have breakfast particularly formally – it's just a buffet of cereals, croissants and fruit salads, and we help ourselves whenever we want. There is a table to sit at, but most mornings I sit on the plush seating, gazing out the window, which is what I see Tyga doing now. When she hears me arrive, she nods her head at me, before looking back out the window, her eyes becoming lost in the snow.
'Beautiful, isn't it?' she says in awe.
'Yeah' I say, sitting opposite her. 'Shame about the axes.'
'Oh.' Her voice quietens, but she continues to gaze out the window. 'This was my favourite part of the Victory Tour. There's not much to cheer you up in a situation like this, but I remember staring out onto the mountains, and feeling like everything was fine again.'
'It is beautiful' I reply. The area we're passing has no signs of labour, so I'm fine to look out on the natural landscape.
'Tobi likes District 4' she adds, her tone soft, 'It's the complete opposite of this – lots of beaches and sparkling lakes. But, the arena kinda ruined lakes for me.'
Tyga's arena had regular floods that wiped out a fair portion of the tributes that year. She looks to me, her face tightening with memories.
'Everyone has something the arena ruined for them. Miami from District 1's not good with fire. Woof can't handle tunnels. But they're fine. It's the smaller things you've got to look out for. I can't deal with large amounts of water – fine. It's obvious, and I'm learning to deal with it. But, if it's something small – something that doesn't come to light often – that's when it's tricky. Like, I know of a Victor who won ten years ago, and has never had a problem since, but a few months ago he saw a building get demolished, and just like that – he was gone. He just lost it.' Her eyes return to the window. 'It's a sick game the Capitol play, and for most, it's never over.'
A cold shiver runs through me. I haven't found anything that has reminded me of the arena so much it terrifies me. What will it be? How will I react? But most importantly, when will I find out?
With a grimace, I brush this off, and my eyes find the snow again. Turning back to the window, I let the white landscape take me away from the life I despise.
So, you like? :) Usually I only do this once a week, but seen as you all reviewed so quickly, I've decided to do another '3 reviews = new chapter early' thing this time. So, get reviewing!
Also, I'd just like to point out, if you see any flaws in plot or lack of continuity in either the fanfic, or in reference to the actual Hunger Games books, please don't hesitate to let me know as I really appreciate this :)
