Chapter 3: Time Alive
I had never in my life seen such luxury. The train's sides were boarded with gleaming oak planks edged with gold leaf, the floors were plush carpet, there were crystal lamps and shining windows, and everything was clean. Andrew and I stuffed ourselves with rich, unlimited food and drink until our mentor came in and we stopped out of embarrassment.
She was a no nonsense person with a salty attitude and bronzed muscles. She gave us the facts straight out and her advice on how not to be in last place, although she didn't sugar coat how she thought we wouldn't win. ''You're not killers,'' she said. ''It's not in your eyes, not in your faces.'' She turned to Andrew. ''And you, everyone saw how you volunteered.'' She sat back and looked at us across the table. "Are you guys together or somethin'?''
''With her? No,''Andrew said, glancing at me. I looked back at him and raised my eyebrow slightly, glad I wasn't the one who had to answer the question.
''Wait, no, you want to be with her,'' she guessed, nodding.
''I have a girlfriend,'' he said, pressing his lips together.
''Yeah,'' I said, feeling uncomfortable. Our mentor studied us in the silence of the room. Then at last she spoke.
''Sooooooooo, which one of you plans to die for the other? I know you didn't volunteer to get rich, 7 doesn't do that .You might as well get it out, before you're slaughtered,'' she said. I didn't like how many times she'd said the word ''slaughter'' since we'd met her.
''Me, I guess?,'' I said, before Andrew interupted.
''No, it's me, that's why I did it. You're right,'' he cleared his throat and finally looked at me. ''I did it to keep you alive.''
''Well, me might not get killed by someone,'' I offered. ''We could starve, or something...''
''That's true,'' our mentor said, ''but you also might get more sponsors if people like you. Not keeling over from lack of food and having some drama or action helps.''
I grimaced at the thought of being in a fight with someone wielding an axe or knife. I was terrible at blocking and defending. Andrew had always won our duels. I just couldn't predict people's moves well enough.
''You really should have stayed, Andrew,'' I said, looking out the window.
''It would have killed me to,'' he replied earnestly. ''I couldn't watch you die.''
''You think I want to watch you die?,'' I almost shouted, my raw emotions suddenly bursting. ''I couldn't live knowing I wouldn't see you again. At least I could have won!,'' I said, tears forming at the edges at my eyes. Andrew's stuck expression told me that I'd said the wrong thing. I realized at that moment the sacrifice that he couldn't undo. There was no button to go back, no words to be unsaid, and I was throwing away his gift.
''I'm so sorry,'' I whispered, cupping my hands and blinking rapidly.
''You two are the worst cause yet,'' our mentor groaned, rubbing her temples.
It wasn't long after that that we arrived at the Capitol. The train was a drab comparison with the glistening city. There were so many words that would've been used to describe the city, but the only one that kept running through my head was elegant. Only because it was built off the backs of the districts, I thought. Thinking that couldn't suppress my gawking and staring though.
All at once I was surrounded by a flock of Anna Glimmer clones, all cheering in their natural habitat. I could see that Ms. Anna herself was cheered to be back among her own kind as she stepped off the train.
Over the next day I didn't see Andrew except for at meals. We were both whisked away to prepare for the chariot parade, where the tributes represented their districts as they were formally recognized by the President Snow.
My designer, Max cruise, fitted me for the matching costumes, wooden armor with a headress and drapes made of pine boughs. Of course, the needles and branches were not real, but you would never have known. The chariot we were to ride in would be trailing mist, a representation of the common fog known to our district. We would literally become the object of our major occupation: logging.
On the days were I had no school, I would go to work with my father to log. We could get payed a bit more that way, and when people weren't all around, he would teach me to fight with an axe. I knew a lot, and I was by far no weakling. I could be deadly, he said, if I ever had to be.
However, I was no fan of close combat. Some days I would go to fish at a secret pond I had found and practice with a spear, my weapon of choice (if I had had one though, my weapon of choice would be a bow. I liked long distance fighting that kept me somewhat safer). Spears kept people away while still being able to fight. They could be thrown, jabbed, and slashed, all in quick succession.
I thought about this as we boarded our chariot and lined up behind the other tributes. So far, I didn't know any of their strengths, and my knees weakened at the sight of the careers, proud and lordly in their knowledge that they were better than everyone else.
Twenty-four people, all with their hearts still beating and their arms still waving, proceeded down the loop. On either side, Capitol citizens shouted and whistled, throwing bunches of flowers for us as we went by. I smiled for the first time since before the Reaping, and I realized that my time alive was ticking and that I needed to enjoy living, not be so serious. My family was watching, and everyone else.
