Oh, look. I remembered to update. I'm just gonna say that 8th grade is a bitch and move on with the chapter.
Kathryn Maibelle, District Five Female
She couldn't help but notice how oddly quiet the waiting room was, as the emtick tick tick/em of the analog clock on the wall announced every passing second. The silence was agonizing, chipping away at her patience until she had almost none left.
Her mother violently threw open the door, and Kathryn flinched as it hit the wooden walls with a loud bang. Before she could comprehend what was happening, her mother threw her arms around her and pulled her close, sobbing into her shoulder.
At last, the tears that Kathryn had been awaiting started to fall, coupled with loud, ugly sobs that rang throughout the room. The tears streamed down her face and soaked into the newly washed fabric of her mother's dress.
"Katie..." her mother breathed into her ear, saying her name as if the word itself was dangerous. "I don't have much time."
Kathryn was confused. True, her mother wasn't exactly a fan of the Capitol, but the words 'I don't have much time' led her to believe that she was about to suggest something dangerous.
"M-mom," she stuttered through uneven breaths, "what's going on?"
Her mother broke from the embrace and clamped a hand over her daughter's mouth, two pairs of icy blue eyes flickering back and forth around the room. "Goodness, keep it down! You never know who's listening."
The room was bugged. Kathryn realized this and nodded in understanding, removing her mother's hand from her mouth. "Mom, I'll ask you one more time," she said quietly, faking a smile for whatever cameras happened to be hidden around the room, "What's. Going. On?"
With a deep breath, her mother began in a hushed tone. "The Head Gamemaker is psychotic. There's something off about her, and I don't know if she has mental issues or if she's just crazy. But please, Katie... Fight it. I know you can, you're a smart girl... Don't let her be the death of you."
What a funny thing to say before I go into the Hunger Games, Kathryn thought, because surely something else would be the death of her. Like another Tribute, or maybe starvation or thirst or some mutt.
But then again, everything went back to the Gamemakers, didn't it? Wasn't everything that happened in the Arena their fault, like pawns in a game of chess?
Kathryn smiled through her tears; an actual, genuine smile not designed to fool cameras or watching authorities. "I... I won't."
Her mother sobbed in relief, pulling Kathryn close once again and burying her nose in her daughter's black hair. Kathryn didn't hesitate to return the embrace, her smile vanishing as thoughts of the inevitable flooded her mind.
She took a silver necklace from around her neck and fastened it around Kathryn's. "For luck. Wear it in the Arena, and think of home once and a while, okay?" she said with a sad smile, almost immediately pulling Kathryn back into a hug after finishing with the necklace.
The Arena. Kathryn suddenly remembered what often happened in the Arena, and why she'd been terrified in the first place.
I'll be okay, she told herself, breathing deeply. There's nobody in those Games who's smarter than me; it's basically guaranteed. I can win. I'll be okay.
She kept reminding herself of that over and over; three simple words that calmed her down. How it was possible to be calm in her situation, Kathryn didn't know, but the sensation was odd.
The Peacekeeper entered the room so silently that neither of them heard him entering. It came as quite the shock when he called "Time's up!" and roughly pulled Kathryn's mother out of the room.
""You can make it, Katie! You can—"
The door was slammed shut. Kathryn was left sitting on the couch, frozen in shock as all her fears rushed back into her mind at once.
I'll be okay, she thought. I'm going to be okay.
As she awaited her next visitors (because surely her friends would come bursting through the door screaming and crying), her mind began to wander, as it often did. What would her District partner, Eliseo, be like? What would her mentor be like? How would the Capitolites react to her?
She didn't have time to answer any of her questions, for Jillian and Kennedy, her best friends, came bursting through the door, both emotional wrecks, exactly as Kathryn had predicted.
Her moments spent with them were just as they always were, plus a few more tears; casual chatter, laughter, and an overwhelming sense of normality that made Kathryn feel right at home.
She could stay in that moment forever, despite her tear-stained cheeks and her mother's haunting opening words. Everything was normal. Everything was perfectly fine.
And then the Peacekeeper reentered the room, grabbing Jillian roughly by the arm. Taking the signal, Kennedy followed, turning around with a sad smile.
"Try not to die, Katie."
The door closed on both of them, leaving Kathryn behind with her thoughts once again.
Her hands went to her necklace, and her mind went to her mother's words. "Don't let her be the death of you."
From what she'd seen on television, the Head Gamemaker was... unusual. She had a murderous look in her eyes, and an excitement to her voice that was quite unsettling when she talked about the Games. She would make the Arena even more of a living hell than it was originally designed to be.
So, with those thoughts in mind, Kathryn stood and walked to the door, three words running through her head yet again.
I'll be okay.
Yeah, the chapter seems odd in terms of character's actions. But it'll be explained in due time. Trust me.
Kathryn comes from the mind of SYOT legend Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived, and, seriously, go check out her stories, because wow, are they amazing.
I have a poll up on my profile about the character's we've met so far. If you could go and vote, I'd appreciate it.