KOLTON FALCO, DISTRICT EIGHT
8:15 AM, DAY AFTER THE REAPING CEREMONY, THE TRAIN
From the minute Kolton had opened his eyes, his head was filled with thoughts of home. He'd gone to sleep easily enough. The gentle movement of the train and the impossibly soft mattress in his sleeping quarters made sure of it. Waking up had been different, though.
Waking up was acknowledging that he was now miles away from District Eight and the only home he had ever known. Waking up was wrestling with the memories that he had from the day prior, like making his little sister promise to look after Grady before the boy himself came bursting into the goodbye room in a heap of tears. Waking up was accepting that this train ride had actually started the second that his name was called and that there were no brakes on it.
Kolton had risen from his bed and gotten dressed for the day with the Capitol-provided clothes in the dresser near the window. They were comfortable and they fit him pretty well. Kolton was just glad that he didn't need to wear his Reaping clothes for more than a day. Arriving in the Capitol in a fresh change of clothes would be ideal. From what he'd heard yesterday, they would either be arriving late tonight or early tomorrow morning.
The District Eight boy exited his sleeping quarters and heard the sound of voices on the other side of the door at the end of the hall. He walked down the narrow passageway until the automatic doors opened up, allowing him to enter the dining car. There, he found Jubilena, Weaver, and Jessamy at the table. They all seemed to be in good spirits as they enjoyed breakfast together. The scent of fresh berries and waffles wafted beneath Kolton's nose. His stomach growled as he approached the table.
Weaver, his Mentor, smiled as he approached, "Good mornin', sunshine. Made you some breakfast."
She gestured to a plate at the end of the table, which was waiting just for him. There was a waffle that had been dusted with powdered sugar and topped with strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, situated beside two strips of crispy looking bacon and some scrambled eggs. Kolton could hardly wait to dig in. As he moved to take his seat, he looked to Weaver.
"Thank you," He said, "You made this?"
Weaver nodded, "Sure did. I like treatin' my Tributes to a little something from home every now and then. Don't feel like you've gotta eat it all. I know the Capitol ingredients aren't what most're used to!"
Kolton picked up a fork and knife, cutting up the waffle into bite-sized pieces. He drizzled a generous amount of syrup atop the breakfast batter cake and dug in. If Weaver had spent the time putting this meal together, he certainly wasn't going to let any of it go to waste. Kolton kept to himself as he ate his meal, listening closely to the exchanges between his District Partner, Escort, and Mentor.
"This is truly such a nice meal! I haven't had a meal this lovely since I attended the Night of Comets Festival! That must've been… Oh, I don't know… Last year, if memory serves me right!" Jubilena gushed.
There was something about Jubilena that made Kolton feel wary. She wasn't threatening, not even a little, but she definitely had a few screws loose. He almost felt bad for her, seeing as she was younger than most of the Tributes that had been chosen… But maybe she could last longer than the first day. Maybe. He certainly wasn't going to put himself out there for an alliance, especially with a thirteen year old. Though, if the opportunity presented itself, he figured he would align himself with like-minded individuals.
"I don't believe I'm familiar with the Night of the Comets Festival," Weaver said, "What might that be?"
Kolton shoveled another bite of food into his mouth. Weaver had been humoring Jubilena's delusions ever since they'd boarded the train. When they had sat down to watch the Reapings, Jubilena seemed pretty detached from reality. Kolton couldn't even begin to tell if this was some sort of tactic or if she was really just that out of touch with the world. Whatever it was, he wished that someone would bring her back down to earth. Her life was on the line and it was like she didn't even grasp the dire circumstances she was about to face… Oh, well.
As breakfast drew to a close, Kolton spoke up, "So, Weaver… Do you think we can go over more st-strategy today?"
Weaver looked over at him and smiled, "Sure thing. Have you put any more thought into areas you might want to focus on?"
"I want to familiarize myself with a weapon if I can. I also want to learn about survival." Kolton answered.
"Both feasible and strategically sound ideas. I think we can discuss a little more 'bout survival for now, then." Weaver said.
Jessamy pushed her chair back and rose from the table, "I'm going to watch some television in my quarters."
She promptly departed, leaving Weaver and the Tributes to talk with one another.
The curly-haired woman looked at Kolton, then at Jubilena, "Are either of y'all familiar with the most important keys to survival?"
Kolton shook his head. Jubilena followed suit, her eyes wide and curious.
"It's real simple to remember, trust me. Even after all these years, I've never forgotten it." Weaver started, "The most important keys to survival are opposites. Fire 'nd water. Water's the most important thing in nature. I'm sure y'all know that. You need water to survive. Plus, it's almost guaranteed that where you find water, you'll find life."
Jubilena piped up, "Like berries and animals!"
"That's right, like berries and animals." Weaver praised.
It was sound advice, Kolton thought. But it was basically a no-brainer. He had never underestimated the importance of water. Fire, though… Well, fire was good for warmth and keeping creatures of the night away. Fire was good for cooking food, too. Was there something else he wasn't thinking about?
"What about fire?" Kolton wanted to know.
Weaver looked directly at him and smiled, "Fire's a little different. It's useful, sure. But the thing about fire is that it's a physical survival tool just as much as it is a mental one."
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"All you have to remember is this; If you can make a fire, you can make it."
SONORA CAULEY, DISTRICT NINE
12:49 PM, DAY AFTER THE REAPING CEREMONY, THE TRAIN
"You keep eatin' like that and you're gonna get sick again," Sonora warned as she watched Henry shovel several breakfast sausages into his mouth.
Henry had gotten sick after dinner last night, which had been unexpected and unpleasant to say the least. Millicent had slipped into a full-blown panic attack when Henry rose from the table and sprinted to the restroom. Fifer, one of their Mentors, had managed to deescalate the situation. She had gotten the table calm again with relative ease. Sonora felt bad that Henry had gotten sick, but Fifer explained that such a thing wasn't uncommon for the more malnourished Tributes. Capitol food was far richer than anything in the Districts. Sonora liked it, though. It reminded her of some of the sweets that came out of her family's bakery.
Henry seemed to like it too, despite the adverse effects it had on his body. Sonora didn't want his entire time at the Capitol to be emergency trips to the bathroom to lose his lunch. Though, Henry certainly didn't appear all that concerned.
"I can't help it," He explained, "The food is so good. You can't find anything like this in Nine."
"Don't you think there's a reason for that?" Sonora laughed.
Henry wore a mock thoughtful expression, "Probably because half the District is dirt poor."
Sonora shook her head, "No, silly. How can you have a working class if your working class is sick from eatin' too much all the time?"
"Fair enough," Henry said, "I'll give you that one… You ever thought of being, like… A debate expert or something? You make an impressive argument."
"You're ridiculous." Sonora laughed as she pulled her knees in toward her chest, resting her head against the window.
"Sure beats being dead serious, though." He replied as he swallowed a mouthful of food before flopping over the back of the adjacent sofa and settling into the cushions.
Admittedly, Sonora was glad that her District Partner wasn't some brooding stranger. Having Henry along for the ride definitely brightened things up. His antics and light-hearted approach to just about everything had helped Sonora maintain a positive mindset. During the Reapings, his jokes and playful observations had kept everyone laughing. When they were talking strategy with their Mentors, Henry kept things from getting too dark by steering the conversation away from such topics. There wasn't a doubt in Sonora's mind that he would make a good ally and an even better friend.
Sonora exhaled slowly as she watched the landscape rolling by. According to Fifer, they would be passing through the outermost part of District One soon. Sonora had been lingering near the window to catch a glimpse of it. If she was on her way to the Capitol, she was going to take the opportunity to see as much of Panem as she could through the window of the train. Seeing the majority of District Nine had already been an experience. The endless, golden fields that swayed with the wind were the prettiest part of the trip so far. Sonora was going to miss them.
"What did you want to do? Like, before all this." Henry asked her.
Sonora peeled her gaze away from the window and looked to Henry, "Was plannin' on taking over my family's bakery once the time came."
"Your family owns a bakery?" He pushed himself up onto his elbows, looking at Sonora in disbelief.
She nodded, "Mmhmm. It's wonderful, too. Fresh bread, sweet pastries, and the best cookies you've ever smelled in your whole life."
"That sounds amazing." Henry said, "You were planning on running a bakery all by yourself? If I'd have known you were in the market for a business partner, I would've crossed paths with you sooner."
Sonora giggled, "Well, I wasn't planning on runnin' it all by myself. I was gonna do it with my husband… And probably some help from the family, too."
"You're married?" He asked, bewildered.
"No, no! Not yet, anyway. Planning on it, though. Got me a boy back home." She explained, "What about you? What did you have in mind?"
Henry leaned back, placing his hands behind his head and letting out an animated sigh, "Well, I was thinking of getting a band together and touring District Nine. Henry And The Talentless Hacks, I was thinking of calling it. Name's a work in progress, but I think it's a pretty sound idea. The demand for live music in District Nine is pretty high, you know."
Sonora lifted her brows at him, unable to take his answer seriously. The casual way in which he delivered it would have been convincing enough for anyone else. But after several hours of being stuck in a train with Henry, Sonora knew better. This was nothing more than a joke. She picked up a pillow and playfully tossed it at him.
"I'm serious!" Sonora said, "C'mon, now! I told you mine!"
Henry gasped as the pillow hit him in the leg, falling unceremoniously onto the floor. He sat up abruptly and pointed an accusatory finger at Sonora.
"Hey! It's a violation of the rules to attack other Tributes before the Games! I hope you know that President Silverhorn will be hearing about this from my people. You better watch yourself, Cauley. You don't know who you're messing with!" He said dramatically.
They stared at each other for a minute before they both exploded into laughter. The ridiculousness of it all was simply too much to ignore. Henry leaned off of the couch and picked up the pillow, tossing it back at Sonora, who caught it and clutched it to her chest. She rested her head atop it and watched as Henry collected himself.
"Alright, alright… You caught me… Henry And The Talentless Hacks is just a dream that could never be. I'd outshine every single one of my friends if we ever formed a band." He joked, earning a roll of the eyes from Sonora.
"So, what did you want to do?" Sonora asked again.
Henry exhaled, sitting upright, "I didn't really want to do anything other than enjoy my life, you know? I just wanted to goof around with my friends and enjoy their company… Focus on the good parts of being alive and all that."
The playful timbre that could typically be found in Henry's voice was now nowhere to be heard. He didn't seem sad, but he didn't seem happy either. Rather, he had fixed his gaze to the window behind Sonora as he shrugged his shoulders.
"Now, I guess I don't feel any different. I think now more than ever I just want to live. I just want to—to watch the sunset and to hear the birds chirp and to… I don't know, make daisy chains with my little sister!" Henry exclaimed, "I just want to live. It's the best god damn thing I could possibly do."
SETT EPICUS, DISTRICT ELEVEN
4:08 PM, DAY AFTER THE REAPING CEREMONY, THE TRAIN
Since the second he boarded the train, Sett had actively distanced himself from his District Partner and his Escort. He couldn't stomach their insufferable behavior. Callista was psychotic. Her insistence that she was—on all levels except physical—a cat, was absurd to a such a degree that it could not even be funny. Stiletta was just unpleasant to be around in general. At any given moment, she seemed more concerned with her own appearance than she did with anything else.
Sett didn't think they were worthy of him giving them the time of day. So, he'd been lingering around his sleeping quarters and the rearmost car of the train. Those were the only two places where his solitude was almost completely guaranteed. He'd been lucky, for the most part. The only time that he'd been interrupted was when one of his Mentors came in to discuss strategy with him. At first, Sett hadn't wanted to be bothered. But when Bruna started talking to him in-depth about the Games, he actually determined that she was of use to him.
They must have talked for a few hours before they headed their separate ways for mealtime. Sett had taken his dinner into his private quarters to avoid any further interaction with Callista and Stiletta. While he ate, he watched the Reapings for the second time. Sett was determined to do what he could to go into the Games with an edge over his competition. Anyone who looked like they might pose a threat to him was put on a list in his head. Anyone who looked like they could be useful to him was placed on a different list in his head. Sett had made it his mission to learn the names and the faces of the Tributes that he felt would be worth keeping an eye on.
The Careers, of course, were a given. Much like every year, they looked well-prepared and confident. The pair from One was nothing to scoff at and neither was the duo from Two. District Three's Tributes were a mixed bag, from what he'd gathered. The boy had painted a target on his back by volunteering, while the girl was selected by pure luck of the draw. Four was a unique case, just like it had been in recent years. They'd come out with one Volunteer and one Reaped Tribute. Sett was planning on keeping an eye on both of the non-Career Volunteers… Though, he supposed that the girl from Four very well could have been a Volunteer. The energy she radiated certainly matched that of the Careers.
Perhaps the most intriguing Reaping to Sett was District Five's. The boy, Isaac Oppenheimer, had happily stepped up to enter the Games. The way he walked onto the stage mimicked the entrance of a Career. He carried himself in an eerily similar manner and almost looked glad to be on stage. The smug look on his face as he waited for his Partner's name to be drawn had filled Sett with the strong urge to punch him until he stopped moving. It could wait until the Arena, though. For the most part, the others didn't appear to be of any concern to Sett. The boy from Ten was on the bigger and brawnier side, but he didn't strike Sett as intimidating in any way.
Only time would tell if his predictions were correct. Sett was rapidly approaching the Capitol and his lists could change however he needed them to once he'd arrived. Depending on what skills the others demonstrated in training, he was willing to be flexible. If being flexible meant providing himself a better chance at coming out on top, then he was ready to bend over backwards. This entire process was the ultimate trial of strength. If he could win the Hunger Games, there wasn't a single thing that would ever hold him back thereafter.
As Sett sat in the rear car of the train and mulled over his thoughts and ideas, he relished in the realization that the winnings from the Games would ensure that he would never go hungry again. Winning the Games would mean so much more than acting as the ultimate show of strength. It would secure him financially for the rest of his life. It would allow him to give back to his community within Mephisto's Haven in ways he'd never dreamt possible. It would keep the Peacekeepers off of his back for the remainder of his existence. That was a life that Sett wanted more than anything.
He was removed from his fantasies as the automatic door opened to reveal Abriana, his other Mentor. She was significantly shorter than himself and her wife, Bruna. Thinner, too. Abriana was hardly the picture of power. "Victor" was not the word that came to mind when he looked at her. Yet, there she was, ready to act as his Mentor because she was the very thing that he never would have expected her to be—A Victor. In Sett's eyes, Abriana was living proof that it could be anyone.
"Bruna said you've been doing a whole lot of thinking. I wanted to come back here and make sure you were still alive." She said, leaning against the mantle of the artificial fireplace beside her.
"Still here," Sett replied.
"Do you plan on joining us for dinner tonight?" Abriana asked.
Sett shook his head, "I don't mean to sound like a brat, but I can't handle being in the same room as Callista or Stiletta for even five minutes."
A throaty laugh left Abriana's lips, "I can't blame you. I've been working with Stiletta for years now and I can still hardly stomach her."
The District Eleven boy was glad to find some common ground with his other Mentor. The way that she found amusement in his honest admission was a relief. Sett didn't care if Abriana didn't like him because he knew he had Bruna to fall back on. However, if both of his Mentors favored him, then he would learn more. His odds would increase. His knowledge would be more plentiful. He would become an even stronger contender.
"Good to know," Sett finally remarked.
"I take it you won't be allying with Callista, then?" Abriana probed further.
Sett shook his head, "I'm not being forced to, so I won't."
"I see… You watched the Reapings pretty closely. Does anyone look promising?"
"Well..." Sett began, "There're one or two…"
PEPSI "HONEY" FINCH, DISTRICT TWELVE
9:23 PM, DAY AFTER THE REAPING CEREMONY, THE TRAIN
The doors opened to reveal her parents no more than a few minutes after Rilee had left the goodbye room. Pepsi couldn't hold it together any longer. She clung to them like her life depended on it, like they were the only thing keeping her tethered to solid ground. Pepsi could barely make out the sound of her mother's voice over her own pained cries.
"It's going to be okay, Honey… It's going to be okay."
It wasn't. It wasn't going to be okay. It didn't matter how many times she heard her mother say it. They both knew that it wasn't true. Though no one in the room knew what the future held, Pepsi was almost certain that it couldn't be anything good. What good was there to be found in the Hunger Games by someone from an outer District?
The doors opened and she refused to let go of her parents. When the Peacekeepers started to pry her off of her parents, she began to scream. Pepsi's knuckles turned white from how hard she was clutching the hem of her mother's dress. The Peacekeepers applied more force, yanking Pepsi from her parents and causing the girl to tear a piece of fabric from the garment. Pepsi continued to wail as she clutched the torn piece from her mother's dress to her chest.
When she tried to drink in a breath of air, she choked on water. Pepsi brought her hands to her throat and gasped for air. Suddenly, the room had filled with water. There were no more Peacekeepers. She was alone, stranded in the depths of a bottomless ocean. It felt like her chest was caving in. Her extremities were growing numb as her eyes threatened to bulge out of her head.
She couldn't breathe. She was going to drown.
Pepsi jerked upright in bed, clutching at her chest. A thin layer of sweat had accumulated on her forehead and her palms were clammy. Her stomach was churning and she could barely catch her breath. With bleary eyes, she looked at the digital clock built into the nightstand beside her bed. She hadn't even been asleep for an hour. Pepsi wiped at her cheeks, which were wet from the tears that had been caused by her nightmare.
It was only a dream.
There was a knock at the door. Pepsi swept the blankets back and padded across the room. She unlocked the automatic door, allowing it to slide open. The dim light from the hallway poured in through the open door and revealed Atticus, her District Partner. Pepsi squinted from the sudden change in lighting and Atticus offered her a smile.
"Heya. Doing okay?"
Pepsi nodded, "O-Oh, um… Yes, I'm alright. Just trying to get some rest."
"Shit, my bad! I just wanted to show you something. It's really fucking cool, I think you'll like it." Atticus said.
The District Twelve girl looked over her shoulder at the now empty bed. Again, her eyes moved to the digital clock. It wasn't like she needed to enforce a bedtime for herself. There weren't any pressing matters that she needed to attend to tomorrow. The Capitol was going to whisk her away and do what they wanted with her, regardless of how much sleep she'd gotten. So, Pepsi stepped out of her room and allowed the door to slide shut behind her.
"What is it?" Pepsi asked.
"Come on, follow me." Atticus didn't provide her much in the way of an answer, instead beginning to guide her to a different train car.
Pepsi followed, her curiosity piqued. The train cars looked so much different when it was night time. The shutters on the windows were closed and the lights were dimmed considerably. It almost gave them an ominous feel. Atticus brought Pepsi almost all the way to the back of the train. They stopped just before the second to last door and Atticus turned to face her.
"Alright. You ready?" He grinned.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Pepsi answered.
Atticus stepped forward, triggering the automatic door. It slid open and he led her into the viewing car. He stopped in the middle of the room and gestured to the window on her left. Pepsi looked out into the darkness and was utterly dazzled by what she saw.
There, in the distance, she could see the Capitol. It stood out from all of the Districts they had passed through. It was like a beacon in the night. The buildings stretched up seemingly forever and sparkled like stars that had been plucked right from the sky. It looked to go on for as far as the eye could see. Pepsi was in disbelief as she approached the window, resting her knees atop the seat that spanned the length of the car. Atticus stood beside her, folding his arms over his chest as he admired the view.
"Which one do you think is the Training Center that Slate was talking about?" Atticus wondered aloud as the train went around a gentle curve in the track, allowing them a better glance at what was beyond the window.
Pepsi thought about it for a moment, "It would have to be pretty big, wouldn't it? I'd say… That one. The round-looking one."
She pointed to a circular building that had several floors. The glow that came through its windows was impossibly bright. From somewhere near the bottom of the building, neon lights were shining. The view was obscured by the smaller neighboring buildings in the area, but was still fascinating. Pepsi had never seen such a thing in her life.
"This really is spectacular," She said, "Thank you for coming and getting me."
Atticus dismissively waved a hand, "Oh, it was nothing. I couldn't be the only one awake for our Capitol arrival. It wouldn't be fair if I got to have all the fun, right?"
He smiled at her and Pepsi chuckled. Atticus lingered a while longer to look out at the approaching Capitol. Pepsi already had an inkling that the only reason he had come to get her was because he had heard her having a nightmare. His sleeping quarters were right across the hallway, after all. The thought filled her with embarrassment, but she appreciated his kindness nonetheless.
After a few minutes, he moved toward the door, "Try not to worry too much, 'kay? I think it'll be easier to sleep once we're off this godforsaken train."
Pepsi nodded at him and he nodded back. Then, he stepped out of the viewing car, leaving her to admire the view on her own. Pepsi looked back to the window as she thought on what he'd said. Maybe Atticus was right. Things would be better once they were off this train.