When Factions Collide
Chapter 26: Adam
I couldn't believe this, getting picked. I wasn't ready for this. How did I get to become a tribute, against Wren and Caroline? I would rather die. Hell, I probably would die. This wasn't fair. But we were boarded onto the train anyway, fair or not, with the crowd seeing us off the last thing we saw, and the Ambassador's smiling face the first thing when we turned around.
"You'll find your rooms two cars to the left, stocked with everything you might find yourself needing. Once you get settled, come back to the main car, here, and we'll see your fellow tributes." she said. She was too cheery to belong to Erudite. I blamed that on the capitol. I had made a series of unfortunate mistakes, but how did I end up here?
I went to my room and sat on the bed. Caroline changed in her room into a blue top and jeans, and sat with me in bed. I just really wanted to talk to Wren, honestly. She was the only person I actually trusted, who I could actually talk to.
"I'm scared." Caroline tried to get closer. I pushed her away. I didn't want her near me. I felt disgusted by her for some reason. "What's with you?" she sneered.
"What's wrong?" I snapped, standing up. "We've just been sentenced to die, and you're asking me what's wrong?"
"There are four victors, and we're Dauntless. We'll make it back."
I went to the door. "We were the last two in. And this is our fourth games. There are the other cities who have been doing this for one hundred years. Twenty two other better people, who know what to expect from a Quell. We're going to die. I hope you know that." I stormed out, going to the main car, grabbing a drink and sinking into the sofa that was there. Wren and Theo were sitting together, his arm around her, stroking her side, looking sullen. They had a happy ending in front of them, even if they didn't believe it. They would win.
Caroline came out a couple minutes later and sat down across from me. We all looked as the door on the right opened. Anita walked out into the room.
"Alright, time to meet your other tributes." she turned on the television there. The first city, Annapolis, the four tributes all looked different. The crowd stood on steps overlooking the water there. It made sense, they were a fairly pescatarian society, also responsible for jewels and pearls. But none of the others had factions like us, we were very self sufficient that way.
The two girls were both blonde, a darker shade for the one on the right, and one had tanner skin than the other with lighter hair. Both were tall and thin, but they also didn't look breakable. Their names were Aeryn and Cali. Aeryn had blue eyes and Cali with green.
"They're pretty." Caroline said, fishing for a compliment. She would be doing that at a time like this. I rolled my eyes. I looked at Wren. She was paying more attention than Theo was, who had his eyes on the girl in his arms. He legs were slumped over his lap, her head on his chest. His arms were now wrapped underneath her knees and across her back, as if he were cradling her. I would never cease to secretly envy the security they found in each other. Though, the boys brought my attention back to the screen. Bale and Dameon were both dark haired, Dameon with darker skin than all of them. His eyes were colour of honey, and he looked built. I was scared of him the instant I saw him, seventeen years old.
The next city to go was the Big Apple, always eccentric, but classier than the Capitol's version of eccentric. One of the girls, Violet, lived up to her namesake by her fluorescent purple hair. The other, Yvonne, had pearly white skin, but the rest of her was plain. The male tributes, Ethan and Cristopher both wore their hair long. Ethan was a volunteer. I gulped. He was prepared.
As each city went, they got less and less threatening, but maybe that was their goal. When our city was reached, I saw Caroline in her black skirt and slim top go up. No, she would not survive. I hated thinking that, but she was prey. Wren looked breakable, had it not been for the fierce look she was wearing as she scowled at Caroline on the stage. That bumped up her ratings. I didn't even try to look strong, my face red and blotchy. Theo bounded up as a volunteer, taking his place next to Wren, breathing heavily after Isaac's name was called.
The final city was of course, the Capitol. The tributes they managed to present never failed to look strong, but in the strangest of ways. They succeeded this year once more, presenting Royal and Corona as the girl tributes, and Felix and Callum as the males. After the Capitol signed off, two hours later, we all looked at the empty screen and thought about our competition.
"Fuck." I muttered. The rest of them started ahead.
AN: Thinking of names...I think that's the worst part. How to think of a semi original name. Credit to my friend for helping me think of a bunch of these names because I had no idea what to do. I was basically frozen in fear when I realized I had to think of more names. I suck at naming things. I think if I hadn't had an idea for my dog already when I got her, I would have named her "Dog". So names. That's all for today though, I'll be back soon! Have fun:)