The train had special blinds that distorted the world outside. During the day they simply showed a slideshow of various landscapes whizzing past the windows and at night they turned pitch black. If it weren't for the slightly fluorescent lamp by his bed, Ghali would be in complete darkness. He prefered not to switch it off when he slept. The blank canvas of darkness allowed itself to be painted with the horrific images he dreaded to face.

Sleep had never come easy to Ghali, even back at district nine. He lived directly next to a large factory that had workers on night shifts. The clattering of the machinery, the sounds of tired men going to and fro through the night and on to the morning, was too noisy to sleep through. His family and his neighbours had eventually got used to the disruptions, but Ghali never did.

He would be grateful for that cacophany now. The smooth train didn't make a sound as it shot along the track at two-hundred miles an hour. Some Capitol wizardry he thought.

He was gazing at the ceiling, his eyes sliding over the wood panels, when he first heard the screams.

They were muffled, but screams unmistakenly they were. Ghali's hands tightened on the covers as he drew them closer over himself. Maybe this was some kind of Capitol trick, to psyche him out, or a twist and they were now already pitted against each other.

The screams dulled down replaced by sobbing. Whoever is was obviously had their pillow pressed close to their face which provided the muffled sound. Had Ghali not been so close they would be missed, they were too quiet to wake someone.

Once he had confirmed to himself that the distress was coming from the room next to him, Ghali decided it would be safe to investigate. Slipping out of bed he put on some Capitol issued slippers that made him feel like he was walking on air. Wrapping a dressing gown round himself he opened the door to his compartment as quietly as he could.

The corridor was dark and silent the only light coming from a row of dim orbs that lined the wall. The room next to his was the last carriage on this side of the train. Even if the screams had been louder and had travelled through Ghali's room, he doubted anyone else would have been roused by them.

The carriage was marked with 'Connor McKinley', the first tribute chosen and the only one he had exchanged words with. Without knocking he pushed the door open. It was dark inside and the dim light from the corridor didn't reveal very much.

"Um...excuse me?"

The occupent of the bed had curled themselves into a tight ball, the sheets clutched around them, shaking almost violently. Ghali shut the door behind him and turned the small lamp by the bed on. He was surprised to see that Connor had been asleep, the light waking him.

"Night terrors?"

Connor looked around him confused, wiping the tears from his eyes, rubbed red raw. He pulled the creased and sweaty sheets closely around him.

"Worse," He murmured, his eyes darting left and right as he panted heavily. "Sorry, people aren't meant to see."

"That's ok."

Connor nodded, sniffing and taking deep breaths to calm down. Ghali perched himself on the end of the bed watching Connor for a moment.

"Don't go to sleep in the arena, if someone hears you screaming like that you'll be dead within a minute."

Connor laughed nervously. "I think I'll manage that even without the screaming."

"You've got a better chance than some of them."

"Really?"

Ghali didn't answer soon enough. Connor bit his lip and sunk further back into the headboard, the truth of his assumption coming over him. "I might as well be dead already."

"Don't say that."

"It's true, I'll die during the bloodbath."

"Sometimes the people you think are going to die first, don't."

"Yeah, they just die later instead."

Ghali sighed and shifted on the bed. He wasn't sure why he was trying to comfort a fellow tribute. He glanced at Connor and realised he was probably right. There was no way someone like him could keep up the fight until the end. Even he had a better shot.

"These dreams," Ghali began, changing the subject. "How long have they been going on for?"

"Since I was about ten. I can't really remember not having them."

"What happens in them?"

"I see...things."

"You sound like a crazy person." Ghali couldn't help laughing. "Sorry…What do you see?"

"Hell."

"Well you won't have to dream about that for much longer."

"Why?"

"Soon you'll be able to see it for real."