Chapter 26
Julius has come back with the tributes and we are heading for the dinner table.
"So how did everything go today?" I ask.
"We are doing this individually they can't share each others secrets." Marina says.
"They were in the training center together,they say what the other was doing. It wasn't the individual sessions." I say annoyed.
"Doesn't matter." She says
Nick opens his mouth but Marina makes a zip it motion and he closes it.
"Kim what about you?"
"Weapons and stuff we are both pretty good." I nod.
"Did you go to the survival station?" I ask. I remember Mags telling me this last year/ I didn't need it but she made it seem important.
"No... should I?" She asks.
"It doesn't hurt learning what types of plants can kill you." I say.
"Looks like someone just woke up." Marina smiles
Before I can respond an Avox comes over with a silver platter when she is close enough I see it is an envelope. She places the platter in front of me and I take the note, I'm assuming this is the client card.I open it and see the name Kelly Cumin on it, it has an address so I know I have to leave the building.
"Do you have to leave Dylan?" Julius asks confused.
"Uh... yes I have some business to attend to."
"Alright, come back soon."
I smile at Kim but she looks angry at me.
I head to the elevator and head to my driver and show him the card so he can take me to this client. We get to the building and it is a tall building that is a terrible purple color. I head into the lobby and figure it is an apartment complex. I look at the card and see PH3 on it. I go to the elevator and press the PH button, I'm assuming it stands for penthouse. I see the rooms and it is right off from the elevator.
I knock on the door and am surprised by who answers it because they are my age. I doubt she is paying for this by herself, she is probably using her parents money.
This Kelly girl doesn't look that strange she has pale skin, black hair, and green eyes. I notice she also has a small tattoo on her neck.
"Oh good Dylan you made excellent time!" She squeaks.
"Thanks... I think." I tell her.
"Get in here." She says and grabs my hand and pulls me into her apartment. I look around and am surprised by how nice it is. It is like the house in Victors Village but ten times more extravagant.
"Have you ever done this before?" She asks me with an eyebrow arched.
"What have sex?" I ask confused and slightly annoyed.
"No silly, I mean get bought." She smiles "You have had sex though right." She says seriously
"Yes." I say and roll my eyes.I think that would be a requirement for this 'job' because you're supposed to please the customer.
"Good. I don't want someone who doesn't know what the hell they are doing. Some of the sixteen year old victors have never had sex but since your're 18-
"19." I correct her not that it matters
"Well that's good to know." She smiles and comes over and kisses me.
I would hate this to be the way to lose my virginity, being bought by someone. From what she said it sounds like this happens a lot, it is almost like being raped. The thought that this has happened to people sends a shiver down my spine.
"You do know what you're doing right?" She asks.
"I will let you be the judge." I say annoyed.
You're doing this to stay out of there. I think to myself.
"Oh yes I will. Have you ever been bought though." She asks again
"Nope, you're lucky number one."
"Good I like that." She says seductively and kisses me hard and fast and I reciprocate. I should probably be repulsed by this but, I'm not, she is my age and a good kisser. I doubt it will be like this all the time, maybe they gave me a young girl to see if I will freak out. I freak out doing normal things and Lucifer did say this was a trail run.
We continue to kiss at a fast pace as we are ripping each other's clothes off.
"If I didn't know any better I would think you wanted this." She says breathless.
I don't answer her because I think she is somewhat true. I don't want to be doing this but at the same time I like that someone is allowed to be near me like this. I like that someone wants to be with me instead of being locked in a room and told how to act around people.
"Oh victor Dylan Watt." She shouts out. She keeps shouting that out until she finishes. I get off of her.
"Well?" She asks me out of breath
"What?" I say confused
"I'm going to give you a good review." She tells me
"I get reviews." I say confused and disgusted.
"Yes and I have high standards. You can leave when you're ready but you can't spend the night." She smiles and rolls over, I put my clothes on and leave. As bad as I feel thinking this it isn't that bad. Maybe it is because I'm glad I won't be in the metal hospital if I keep doing this.
The other client I have gotten was also my age. I know all of my admirers are not my age some must be older. The last girl looked more Capitol than the first she was purple and had carefully crafted white circles that led to her sensitive areas. I just found that distracting, maybe it is supposed to be sexy in the Capitol but it was just strange for me.
I think they are giving me younger clients on purpose. I can have a nervous breakdown doing normal things, yesterday the shower scared me because of the pattern the water spurted out and I felt like I was going to drown. That isn't normal, you shouldn't be afraid to take a shower, I don't want anything to happen. I don't want to hurt any of the clients but, I feel like that is a strong possibility or worse just run away and lock myself in a room.
The thing that is worse is I'm not having a terrible time, I almost want to see these people. It's not the sex part it's the part where people want to be around me and aren't afraid of me.
I get the card and the name reads Victoria San. I also notice that she is staying in a room in the hotel, this makes my job easier because I don't need to leave this place. Hopefully I will make it back to see how Kim did on her individual session.
I head to the elevator and knock on Victoria's door.
"Hi Dylan. Come in." She has blonde hair with light blue streaks, large doll eyes, and tanned skin.
"Thank you." I tell her.
I do as I'm told and walk into her room and get a feeling of uncertainty. I feel uncomfortable. She does the awkward conversation and then starts kissing me
I try and kiss her back but, I have a strange feeling that this building isn't safe and it will collapse.
She doesn't seem to notice I'm distracted. She probably doesn't care as long as she can have sex with me.
She rips off my clothes and I do the same to her but, my mind can't focus, I'm too focused on wondering what is wrong. The room has gotten smaller and I feel like the walls will fall down and crush us.
She is on top of me and the feeling of the walls collapsing has gotten stronger and I am starting to panic. I try and stay with the client and not have my mind wonder into the land of panic but it isn't working. I'm starting to hyperventilate and it isn't because I'm enjoying myself.
She's trying to kill you a voice says
I close eyes No she's not she bought me to do this. I think to myself.
I'm starting to feel confused and uncomfortable. I want to get out of here, I want her to stop.
"Stop." I say
She doesn't listen why would she, she bought me for this. I say it again though and I know she can hear me. I feel if she doesn't stop I will attack her because I want to get out of here no, I need to get out of here. I don't really have control when I'm in a state of terror and I don't want to hurt her.
I push her off me gently. She tries to get back on me put I get away from her. My breathing gets faster and I can't control my thoughts.
"What are you doing?" She asks me angrily
"I can't do this."
"You don't have a choice I bought you for this."
"I know but you...hurt... panic." My sentences aren't forming and only focusing on the important words. The room is starting to spin and I feel nauseous. I grab my clothes and run out of the room.
"This is fucked up I paid for you come back here Dylan!"
She is yelling at me but I don't care. I feel Lucifer will just drag me back in there but, right now I don't care, I go in the elevator. I don't press a button because I'm too terrified to do anything. I sit on the floor with my knees pressed to my chest. I don't know how long I've been in here but it couldn't have been long because the elevator starts moving. I hear doors open and I feel someone touch my shoulder.
I bolt up
"No please don't!" I cry out. I don't know who I'm expecting maybe the client, maybe Lucifer, or maybe just some random person who is trying to kill me.
"Come here." I hear someone say their voice sounds familiar. I don't move though, I'm too terrified I press my knees closer to my chest and start sobbing.
I hear the emergency brake go off as I have a panic attack. When I start to calm down I breathe in and out slowly and try and relax. I look up to see who is in the elevator with me. It's Haymitch.
"Dylan come with him." He tells me gently.
I reach for his hand.
He's going to hurt you A voice says.
"No!" I yell to the voice but, Haymitch stops
"I'm not going to hurt you."
Yes he is
"No." I say and put my hands over my ears and start rocking back and forth
He's lying you should kill him.
"No leave me alone." I say and start crying.
Haymitch looks at me with confusion. I think he is wondering if I'm talking to him.
KILL HIM! A voice shouts very loud
"No! No! Get the fuck out of my head! Leave me alone! Leave me alone" I start sobbing.
Haymitch knows I'm not talking to him anymore.
I start to breathe in and out and hum the song Emily does to me. After a few minutes the voices stop but leave on a hissing noise.
I look at Haymitch and he seems unsure if he should talk to me.
"How long have I been here?" I ask him wiping the tears off my face.
"Maybe fifteen minutes. What are you doing here?"
I start talking fast "I ran into an elevator because I started having a panic attack while I was having sex with..." I trail off and wonder if Haymitch knows about Snow's deal.
"A client." He finishes for me and looks sad.
"I don't want your pity." I say.
He smiles "Well you're lucky... I'm not very sympathetic."
"Where were you going?" I ask him because he wanted to take the elevator somewhere.
"No where." He says
"You just ride the elevator up and down all day?" I smirk
"I was trying to get away from my escort. I was going to the bar downstairs."
"I see drinking alone get too boring." I say sarcastically.
Haymitch smiles and I think it is because I'm teasing him.
I notice the doors are open and I can hear the ringing of the emergency brake still.
"You should come in here. Get away from Marina and the person who is probably looking for you because you didn't satisfy the client." He tells me.
"I probably would've hurt them." I mumble
Haymitch grabs my hand and takes me into his suite. I look around and notice that this room is nicer than mine. Haymitch leaves and I don't know if he is going to come back but, I don't care.
"Haymitch is that you?" I hear the woman from the other day and she walks in here. "Oh my Dylan what's wrong? Did Haymitch say something to you?" She says concerned.
"Uh... no I just.. alone." I tell her in broken sentences. I don't want to talk with her or anyone for that matter.
"You want to be alone?" She asks confused.
"Please." I beg.
"Here." Haymitch says and throws me a bottle.
"Oh I don't like...
"It's water." He smiles at me.
I take a sip
"Why is it bubbly then."
"That is sparkling water Dylan." Effie says to me.
"Oh." I say and take another sip. She leaves and I'm surprised.
"How do you know?" I ask him.
"About what?" He says confused
"Snows deal, does every victor just know."
"Most of them."
"Why don't you tell the tributes then?"I say annoyed.
"I don't really have that problem so I wouldn't know, I think it's because they know it won't matter. It would probably be nice to have a heads up but, it would probably cause more a distraction " He says and takes a swig from his bottle.
"Right." I say and look around.
"Out of curiosity who are you trying to save." He says
"Trying to save?" I say confused
"Snow's deal that's why victors do this." He eyes me strangely.
"Well he told me if I do this I will stay out of the mental hospital."
"Oh." Haymitch says sadly
"Yeah oh. Snow didn't have to threaten me because he is giving me something I want. He told me I was going to go back in there and knew I would rather die than do that." I pause" I'd prefer if we didn't talk about this." I say
Haymitch nods
"He did say my sister would be left alone along with the whole mental hospital thing."
"Sister? No parents."
"Died from a hurricane when I was 16 he didn't do it." I say.
"I see well at least you're from District 4. Had a nice place to stay."
"I wish." I scoff
"It can't be that bad." Haymitch says peeved. He is from the poorest District I have no idea what it looks like but, people always think the lower level is like a poor District.
"Before my parents died me and my sister slept in a hollowed out tree because there wasn't enough room in our shack and then when they died the whole no being able to get food thing wasn't the best."
"Hollowed out tree trunk?"
"Yes."
"Interesting. I didn't think things in Four were bad."
"Well that's only in the lower level most of Panem just knows about the middle level and sees us as killing machines"
"The other victors from 4 don't say this... you the only one from there."
"Yes"
It's silent
"This place is big." I say.
"The higher the floor number the bigger the rooms. The people from 1 and 2 think it is unfair."
"That's what they think is unfair." I mumble
"Yes isn't it something" Haymitch smiles.
I wonder why Haymitch isn't kicking me out or just talking with me. I don't know him well put he doesn't strike me as a person who likes to be warm and fuzzy.
"Why are you doing this?" I ask him
"What?" He says confused
"Staying with me."
"Because you shouldn't be left alone. After reading the file from your mentors meeting it was clear Marina would just be making your life hell."
"You read the mentors meeting report? How did you get it."
"Anyone can look at them they just need to ask, most people look at them to see if they can see strategy or something."
"Oh." I say. "Well Julius is there."
"While he handled the other day very well he was uncomfortable just like the others. Has he been around?"
"No." I say.
"See that leaves you alone, and just to let you know James and Mags would've stayed in the room for you the whole time."
"I figured but... I couldn't."
"That's not surprising." He tells me and it sounds like he wants to say something else
"What?" I ask him
"It's nothing."
"What?!" I practically shout at him
"It's just out of all the victors there are I have never seen one so effected by what happened."
"Goody I get to add craziest victor to my rap sheet along with most kills and shortest games ever." I say annoyed.
"Everyone has nightmares even the people who volunteer and we all have the memories. At first you might see things or hear things but they usually go away but could come back occasionally. Everyone has there own method to keep them distracted from the terrible memories."
"You drink." I interpret
"Yes the other victors and myself find your predicament... strange."
"Why is that?" I say angrily
"Because you didn't kill people in combat."
"Yes I...
"The ones you did kill would've died within thirty minutes it was a mercy killing..."
"It was still murder." I say annoyed.
"Yes but, it didn't come violently, most of the people you killed you didn't see die. Which is why it is interesting that you would be the most effected."
"Well... maybe I have a better conscious than you and the other victors or maybe it is because I wasn't suppose to come back." I say
"Maybe but, Beetee finds you fascinating."
"What? Like he wants to study me." I say confused.
"I would like to say no but... he spends most of his time with machines. He doesn't see the human life like the rest of us."
"What do you mean?" "
"He's sees self worth by numbers and facts of how important they are. If they don't have the right stats he just thinks they are unimportant." He says.
"So what he wants to cut open my brain to see if I'm worth it?"
"I don't know maybe."
"Well he should've visited me in the mental hospital they love studying people there." I say bluntly.
I hear the elevator ding and I hear the tributes come up with their escort, I didn't even see her walk past. "And that is why you should hold a better standard and have better manners, Colin ." The shrill Effie says.
The boy is probably 18 and the girl is probably 16, The girl stops walking when she sees me.
"Dylan, Julius was asking about you. He sounded worried maybe you should go back to your floor your tributes are probably back too."
"Thank you Miss Effie." I say and get up to leave
"You can come here anytime if you don't want to be alone." Haymitch tells me. Which I am surprised by.
"Thanks." I press the 4 button and get taken up there.
When I step out of the elevator I see the tributes, Julius, Marina, and in the corner I see Lucifer and he looks angry.
"Dylan good you're back. I was starting to get worried." Julius says and smiles at me.
"Someone's here to see you." Marina says nervously she probably knows why he is here.
"Hello Dylan." Lucifer says. "I was wondering if we could talk somewhere more private."
"Alright." I say it's not like I have a choice
"Dylan will be back shortly." He tells the tributes who look confused. We get on the elevator and he presses the six button so we can head to his office. We don't speak the whole way there.
We get to his office and he motions for me to sit down. He is rummaging through a file cabinet and I start to get nervous. I can feel my palms sweating and can see it on the leather arm rests. He finds what he was looking for and places it on his desk and sits down and looks at me. I don't know if he wants me to say something. I wouldn't know what... sorry maybe.
He sighs "Dylan why do you think you are here?" He tells me I feel like I am in the principals office at school.
"I um…" What should I say ran away because I thought the building was going to collapse and she was going to murder me. I don't think that will help me.
"I didn't please a client." I say
"Well saying that would be an understatement. You left before you were dismissed and you ran away. Why did you run away?"
I am trying to collect my thoughts but, before I can answer he starts talking. I think this was a rhetorical question.
"I shouldn't have to remind you that you are doing this to stay out of the metal hospital and to make sure no harm comes to your sister. Now I don't care what you're excuse is...
"Excuse!" I shout at him with disgust.
"There is no excuse! I thought that she was going to kill me, the voices told me she was going to kill me. When I think this I usually attack people and she didn't seem like the person who likes the BDSM scene. I didn't want to hurt her so I left. I ran away and had a panic attack in the elevator and started to hear voices saying things. Next time though I will make sure to stay." I shout at him.
"Well..." Lucifer says confused
"You don't have to deal with this from the other victors I bet." I tell him. I don't say anything else.
He does go to his phone and starts calling numerous people. I hope it doesn't involve hurting Emily, I could get thrown back in the mental hospital and wouldn't care but, I want to make sure she is alright.
"Mr. Watt follow me please." He says. We walk down and he presses the main floor button. We start to head to the training center and then swivel past it, I know where we are going, before I can run away he grabs onto my wrist tightly. We get there and he puts me in the room where the new victors go to get treated before they can be shown to the world again.
"Sit over there." He motions to the patient chair.
"What am I do here?" I ask him.
"Getting evaluated." He tells me. This is what I was told before I got locked up in the mental hospital.
"You can't lock me up! Not here!" I yell at him.
"Not here no but, maybe you should be sent home to get locked up there and never leave." He tell me.
"No!" I shout at him.
"Dylan this isn't really your say." He tells me.
We wait probably five minutes and the person with the pink skin comes out. She seems to remember me.
"Hello Dylan. I'm going to ask you things but Lucifer I think it would be best if you wait outside."
"Alright." He says. He leaves and she comes closer to me.
"He is seeing if you can still see clients." She tells me.
"I figured that out myself. He said if said if you don't think I can he will make me leave and have me stay in the mental hospital forever. Since it is your call I feel I should let you know that as soon as I get sent back in there I will try to kill myself everyday. I don't care all of the safety procedures they have. I will eventually get it to work and you are the one who gets to make the call." I tell her.
She sighs "I know I'm not going to order you in there those places usually don't help." She tells me "but... "
But?" I say disappointed.
"You still are going to have to take part in this deal so, we have to come up with a new plan so this doesn't happen again. Why do you think it happened this time?"
"I wish I could tell you... it just happens."
She nods "Do you take any medication?" she asks me.
"They gave me stuff but, I got addicted to it and they didn't really give me any when I left."
"Did it help you?"
I shake my head
"No they just made me… high."
"They must not have been giving you something helpful, just something that would help them deal with you. Have they diagnosed you or anything."
"The local doctor thinks it could be schizophrenia or maybe just post traumatic stress disorder."
"That does sound correct after what I saw yesterday, reading the mentors meeting report, listening to what that girl said, and Lucifer it seems like that would be the right thing."
"Okay."
"There is no cure for this but medication can help with the symptoms i.e the voices will go away, your paranoia and anything else you suffer from. However we have to find the right one and they usually take a month to kick in."
"Is that going to be good enough for him."
"I don't think so, they're going to ask you to see one other person. It's not the girl from before but if this next person doesn't give you a good review things aren't looking good." She tells me sadly.
"Great, it's not like I can do anything if this starts to happen."
"You did it with two other people."
"That felt different... I don't know why."
"Well jut try to clear your mind and wonder somewhere else while they take advantage of you. I think I know someone to recommend for you, more people are going to be involved with picking your clientele than the other victors."
"Well then are they going to fire me or anything?" I say annoyed.
"No I think your price will just rise."
"So who is this person?"
"Her name is Layla. I know she put in a bid for you."
"And why should I trust you?" I say
"It's not like you have anyone else." She tells me.
"I guess." I say
"I'll get Lucifer."
She goes out into the hall and I can hear them talking. I hope what she was telling me wasn't a lie.
I get taken back to the room and talk about the individual sessions with Kim. She seems to think she did an alright job, I can tell she still hates me though. After that I get the client card and open it. The name reads Layla M. I wonder why I don't get to know her last name. I head to the car and get taken to the destination.
I head up to her room and knock on the door. A woman answers who looks a bit older than me. She has chestnut brown hair with green and purple streaks. She also looks very provocative wearing lots of black makeup and a see through shirt that shows off her black lacy bra.
"Hello Dylan please come in." She tells me and I do as I'm instructed.
"You can sit if you wish." She tells me and places a glass of water in front of me.
"Thank you Layla."
"You're very welcome."
"So..." I say.
"Let's cut to the chase."She says.
Here it comes I think to myself.
"I'm not going to sleep with you."
"Wait... what?"
"Tiffany said you needed help to ensure sure you don't go somewhere." She smiles.
"But that's what you're suppose to." I tell her confused
"No, actually I can do whatever I want with you except ask you to murder someone."
"I'm suppose to to sleep with you though so Lucifer see I can handle this."
"Don't worry I'm going to lie."
"Lie?" I ask confused.
"Tell him things he wants to hear."
I look at her strangely
"Don't worry I'll give you a good review." She tells me
"But why?"
"What do you mean why?
"Why do you care?"
"Oh that well... lets just say from one person to the other who gets bought to have sex."
"You get bought to have sex with people."
She nods.
"I am a prostitute. That's why it will be easy for me to make up a story." She smiles
"Does Lucifer know this?" I ask.
"Of course he does. He actually likes when prostitutes put in bids because more times than not they can't pay all the way."
"So he gets them to pay with their body." I say disgusted.
"Why does that surprise you? His job is to make sure victors get bought and sold so they can rake in money."
"Well why are you a prostitute?"
"I'll give you that story for another time." She smiles "How long do you usually stay?"
"Until they tell me to leave." I tell her.
"What's the average. I don't want you to leave too early, people are probably waiting for you to leave. So that means you will have to look like you just had sex."
"I don't know how long. It is usually a little more than an hour."
"Okay." She says.
She starts messing with my clothes and puts stuff on my hair so it looks matted.
She turns on the tv and puts her feet up on the coffee table.
"Do you want to watch something?" She asks me
"I've never really watched tv here."
"Really?"
"Aren't they just replaying Hunger Games?"
"Not all the time just on certain stations."
"I don't care, this is your house do what you want."
"Oh, this isn't my house Dylan."
"What?"
"These are nice hotels my house is elsewhere." She smiles.
"What? You mean not in the Capitol?"
"No, just a different part."
"Different part?"
"It's a place where all people come to buy people for sex."
"Really?" I say surprised.
"Yes, it's called a red light district."
"So it's like the a sketchy part of the Capitol?"
"Not the part I am from." She smiles.
I nod not really caring.
"Stay here." She says and leaves the room. She comes back and hands me a card, it has an address and her name on it. "In case you want to visit me." She smiles
"Oh, I don't think..."
"Talk to Haymitch and then say that." She smiles.
"But..."
She looks at the clock.
"You should probably get going." She comes close to me and kisses my cheek and smears the lipstick on my face. "Perfect." She smiles.
I head outside to the car and hope she lies like she said she would but, I wonder why she wants me to talk about Haymitch about visting her. Does he visit this mysterious red light district or is there an alliterative motive to this.