2. The Second Hunger Games
DOCUMENT 02:DEDALUS' DIARY_PAGE5_8_11_12|17
Apr 14th
(I promise I'll write more)
Second Games were announced.
I have to go back to the Capitol.
Ma's beaming with pride.
They introduced volunteering.
Aenius is constantly talking about how he wants to go in.
I'm constantly shaking to the idea.
Briggs is a bit less excited. Guess he's just scared. But yesterday told me he wishes our family will build a legacy.
He's not the only one.
Everyone in 2 is thinking they'll choose another one of us. Us Wrights. And they're okay with it, if not even happy.
Mayor goes "District 2 awaits another hero", "the heir of Dedalus", "the legitimate champion". We all know he means Aenius.
After school, Aenius practices hand to hand combat with Briggs. Wins a lot against him.
Yesterday Ma came to me. Asked me if I could "train" him. Answered "maybe".
I don't know what these new Games will bring.
Just hope everything will be fine.
Jun 11th
Seems like Aenius is not quite the loner.
Been a few weeks that he brings friends to Victors' Village.
They go in the backyard of our house and fight, non-stop.
Counted them today. Seven of 'em.
At dinner with Ma and brothers, Aenius spoke about his "training". Told us they would chase dogs tomorrow and kill them.
Ma was a lil' repulsed, but said nothing. Briggs asked if he could come. Aenius said yes.
He asked me to go. Asked me to teach him knife-fighting.
We argued.
I told him he was crazy. He told me I was a coward.
Ma was mad at me. Told me 'twas my duty.
Went to his room, heard he was crying.
Stayed silent, then spoke.
Said to him that I would come. Thanked me and went to bed.
T'night I'll need morphling.
Jun 29th
Aenius will not go into the Games.
Two days ago, he was with his friends, in our backyard, as usual. They were practicing fighting, as always. But one thing went wrong.
I did not expect he had become that good with a knife. Apparently, after one fight he had lost against the mayor's son, Tigre, my brother was mocked by him and the whole crew. It seems he had gained a little too much weight from the cakes Ma was making, the ones she would have baked in honor of the annual reaping. Aenius completely lost it.
He had a knife in the pocket of his pants, a pretty sharp one, I bought it in the Capitol, and that was his birthday present. I gave him lessons, I encouraged him. He seemed so passionate about it. I would have never imagined.
Tigre is still in District 2's hospital, in a chemically-induced coma, and I frankly have no idea if he is going to make it. I heard Ma trying to convince the mayor that it was just an accident, that she was sure Aenius would never do such thing, but with words so poor, so foul, that they were simply washed away by the mayor's rage.
I immediately thought that Aenius would be severly punished, put in jail, tortured, or even killed. I honestly feared that what he did to that boy would be the last thing he did on this earth. But I was wrong. This afternoon, a warrant was issued by the mayor to our family, according to which Aenius was banned from participating in the annual Hunger Games.
I breathed a sigh of relief, Aenius was safe. When the warrant came in and I read it, I was in my room in our house in Victors' Village, and I flew down from the stairs to hug my brother. Aenius, however, was far from relieved. I saw him in anger, kicking the table, the chairs in the kitchen, screaming in anger and throwing plates around, while Ma was sitting in an armchair in the living room with a glass of wine in her hand. I heard her say to him that he was a "disappointment of a son". I heard her say she hoped Briggs would "do better", while Aenius could not calm down.
I went back to my room.
The sound of the dishes breaking to the floor chased me into the deep night.
Jul 4th
Briggs was not reaped.
I am on a train, heading to the Capitol, with a sixteen- and a seventeen-year-old. Ajax and Marshalla, the latter is a volunteer.
I just know that they are with me. Didn't talk to them, didn't have the chance to. We're put in two separate carriages.
The ride will last for another two hours.
I turn on the TV on a Capitol soap-opera and I sit in silence on a green chair.
I feel bored.
I decide to watch the other reapings.
After I change the channel from the boring soap-opera, they have just finished showing the one in District 2. Then the others take place.
A twelve-year-old from 3.
Brother and sister from 5. Mach and Lavender.
An enraged man from 7, with a long beard and tattoos. Says he's eighteen, but he looks at least thirty.
A tiny and emaciated boy is reaped in 9. He's blind. Some other dude with platinum hair volunteers in his place.
A tall and muscular field-worker from 11. He's also blind, but just in one eye, the right one. He is soon joined by one of the prettiest girls I have ever seen, although she is too young for my taste.
I turn off the TV as the girl from 12 is reaped.
(note: Gotta keep an eye on the boys from 7 and 11; also the siblings)
Jul 6th
Yesterday, Ajax and Marshalla were put in cages in the Capitol zoo, together with all the tributes and just like me last year. Still not sure if I was allowed or not, but I came to visit them and introduce myself. They're from home, I thought that it'd be nice if they saw a familiar face in the Capitol. Ajax wouldn't look me in the eyes, and he ignored me throughout my whole visit. Marshalla was a little less stubborn, and after I told her I wanted to help her she listened to me as I explained to her about the amphitheater and what would happen once the Games began.
I brought my diary with me, I wanted to show them my notes and tips that I had written down so far. It came as no surprise that Ajax refused to even care. Marsha was at least cooperative to some degree, but when I took my diary out of the bag I carried it in, she confessed that she was illiterate, and told me that if I wanted to give her anything to read, I would have to read it aloud for her. I therefore spent an hour talking to her about my thoughts and suggestion, about my impressions of the other tributes. She also added some details to the diary's content that she had grasped since the arrival at the zoo:
the tributes from 1 were a couple (to which I replied that it played as an advantage for her, seeing that they could not both win and could not trust each other fully; I made sure these two tributes had heard me loud and clear)
her and Ajax had not spoken yet, he seemed to ignore her too as well as me
Mach and Lavender had seemingly partnered up, as expected
also, the tributes from 9 and 11 seemed to get along, too, but the girl from 11 didn't look too sure about an alliance between the four
the tributes from 12 had already given up (Marsha had seen them this morning as they begged a Peacekeeper to kill them)
After another hour we had spent talking about Marsha's life (she has no parents, both dead; she works in an assembly factory since the age of fourteen; she has a brother, he had helped the Capitol reclaim its power during the Dark Days and was guaranteed a job as a Head Peacekeeper in 2; she has very few money, her brother doesn't give her much; she volunteered, this I already knew, and she was willingly here; she had always wanted a pony), I felt this thing getting too personal, and I left. On my way back to my allocated apartment in the Capitol, I think Marsha and I have done good work, there. Only thing I'm worried about is I hope I had not spoken too loud. Don't want any of the other tributes to have heard useful information that I had destined to Marsha.
Am I doing the right thing? Helping her, I mean. I think so, but I'm not so sure. I just don't want her to become a ruthless murderer just that she can come back home scarred for life.
Jul 8th
The Games begin tomorrow.
Went to visit Marsha tonight.
When I got there, she told me that Ajax had been crying.
Asked her if she knew any song, he wanted to sing. Said no.
7 had instead indulged his desire. They sang together, till Ajax went to sleep.
Marsha told me 9 and 11 talked and decided to be a team. Still unsure about the girl from 11, though. District partner tried to talk her in, but she didn't seem to listen that much.
Mach said sorry to everybody. No one answered.
Marsha was visibly scared and worried. Tried to console her, told her that she could make it if she remained focused.
I remained distant, in the process. Don't want it to get too personal.
Didn't hug her, or reached her hand.
Just came to say good luck and go home.
But I do hope she gets out of it.
She's a good girl, she deserves her pony.
Jul 9th
Games started today. Am watching the Games at my apartment in the Capitol, on the TV.
Nine dead in first ten minutes. Girl from 1, both from 3, Lavender, boy from 6, both from 10, both from 12.
Marsha killed the boy from 3. Then ran up the stands.
Girl from 11 didn't do the alliance. Ran away after the gong.
The other three killed the remaing eight.
An hour later, they find Ajax. Tried to hide.
Ten down, seventeen left.
Man from 7 was hunting the others. Found both from 8. Killed them with ease.
Afternoon. Girl from 6 climbs up a beam. Maybe wanted to reach a safe place.
She trips her foot and falls to the ground. Still eleven left before dusk.
Turn the TV off. Didn't last this long last year.
I eat my dinner while I'm calling Ma.
She tells me I have to go back. Lot of stuff to help her with.
I tell her I'm staying till the Games end.
After dinner I go to bed. We'll see more tomorrow.
Jul 10th
The Games ended.
Marsha died. 'Twas the man from 7.
Got attacked overnight. They say she was sleeping.
Alliance took out the others but 7. Then fought each other.
Boy from 11 survived. Last fight with 7.
The half-blind beat 7. Threw spear into his chest.
His name all over the city. Huck Barron. Eighteen. District 11.
Was crowned this afternoon. I put it on his head.
I'm not sad. Not angry, not hateful.
I just wanna go home.
Jul 11th
I arrived in 2 this morning.
Said hi to Ma, Aenius and Briggs, then ran to my room and locked myself inside.
I lay on my bed and I closed my eyes for a while, remembering all that's happened after the Games were over.
They say that Huck guy is pretty popular in the Capitol, that he was a worthy victor. It is also rumored that he's coming to all districts in January, 2 included. The President himself came up to me, at a banquet both Huck and I were invited to, congratulated me on having fulfilled my duties as a victor for the past year, and suggested that I get to know "our newest champion". After all, he says, we will be spending a lot of time together in the nearest future.
I got up from the chair I was sat on and I started to look for the guy. I found him on a balcony of the palace, where the banquet was taking place. He heard my steps as I walked towards him and he looked at me. We exchanged glances.
He wasn't sad, no. Not angry, not hateful and most certainly not the happiest man alive. Not the exact image of what a victor should be, would say the President. He just seemed scared, frozen in fear, afraid that I might do something to him. When I saw his right hand beginning to shake, I decided to go back inside.
I'd say I wonder how he feels, but I know that I already do.
I understand him.
Marsha's gone.
But Huck is alive.
And he is Dedalus.
He is the same I was just a year ago.
I saw the same distress, anguish and preoccupation in his eyes that I had seen in the mirror.
I saw that he did what he had to do. But he's not happy to have.
I saw the same victor, the same survivor.
I'll tell him.
That he can come to me anytime he needs to.
After all, we'll meet again next year, for sure.
[End of DOCUMENT 02]