Chapter 2 - Just Entertainment
A/N ok then. I'm just ignoring a Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes because I've already done this whole chapter... so yeah

Maylisee
I look around at the train station. Ashley, the 12-year-old girl had been crying, she was shaking and holding the hand of the 18-year-old boy, William. He has a kind face and is squeezing Ashley's hand. They must be brother and sister. I think with a start. And now they need to kill each other. The other boy, a sixteen-year-old by the name of Haymitch has a set face and was looking forward into nothing. I immediately didn't like him.

The camaras snap like crazy, looking ridiculous until we get into the train. "I don't get why they're taking so many pictures, we're from District 12" Haymitch says
"For the crowd,"
"Yeah do they want a good look at who's going to die" he says sneering.
We all look at him, shocked. Why is he being so cruel? "Shut it Haymitch" I say. "Get some food"

He turns around and his eyes light up, they drop all pretenses of civility and start devouring the food. "You could at least eat politely" I say, disgusted. Haymitch glares at me. How'd you end up here, merchant girl. You didn't have to take tesserae. You didn't have to put your neck on the chopping block to feed your family. You had enough food to feed you every day. We had nothing. You know nothing about our lives. Nothing!" He turns away from me angrily and continues to eat the food.

I look at my feet, as much as I hated it, Haymitch was right, I've never had to take tesserae. I've always been well fed.
"Are you two done bickering?" says Cherry Ironwood, District 12's one and only victor. She has shadows under her eyes but other than that she looks fine, albeit a little depressed. "I'm supposed to tell you what to do and it's kind of hard when you're all arguing with each other."
Haymitch looks up. "Sowwy" he says, his mouth full of food. Cherry laughs, without humor. "Eat first. I remember my first trip to the Capitol. I could barely stop. When you start feeling nauseous the bathroom's over there." I look at her quizzically but as if on que, Ashley gets up, hand over her mouth and runs to the bathroom. I look apprehensively at the food. "Why did she get sick? What's in that food?"
"It's too rich. You aren't used to rich food, so it makes you sick."
"Oh" I dig into the food and taste heaven on Earth. "God, this is fantastic."

Haymitch
"Ok, now that you're all done please line up in age order from oldest to youngest." Cherry says. William moves to the left, Maylisee stands next to him, I'm the second youngest so I move next to Maylisee and Ashley… "How old are you?" I ask her. "12, it's my birthday today".
My eyes well up with tears that threaten to spill over. This tiny 12-year-old girl's birthday is today, was signed up to die on her birthday. "I got tesserae for my family, my name was in there 6 times"
p clI close my eyes and try to wish the tears away. This girl, this kid is going to die. "Oh" I say, trying to stop my voice from shaking. If my voice shakes, I'll be marked as weak, an easy target.
"So, the oldest among you is probably going to have the best chance of winning." Cherry puts her hand on William's head. "Then you, Maylisee. You're 16 and look plenty strong." Maylisee smirks. "Then Haymitch, you're 14 right." I grit my teeth
"16"

"Sure, you're still going to lose. And then Miss Birthday over here is least likely to win."

We look around at each other. Coupled with the fact that I'm from 12 I apparently have no chance at living. I run to my room on the train, trying to pretend that I'm not upset at all and stroke my finger on the bracelet. "I'm never going to see him again. Never" I sob silently.
"Get up, Haymitch. Eat some food. We'll arrive in the Capitol soon." Cherry says leaning against the door.
"Says the person who thinks I have as much chance of winning as a 12-year-old"

"Those were estimations purely based on where you're from, how old you are and how strong you look."

"I'm sixteen,"

"And you're from the Seam"

"You're from the Seam!"

"Haymitch, there are 48 tributes, there are 12 Careers…" she sighs. "Chances are one of them is going to win. Now come on and see that Capitol."

"But they're going to think… you're going to tell them…"

"Do you think I'd tell them that you were trying not to cry, contrary to popular belief, I don't want you dead!"

"We stay silent for a moment. "Then why has everyone else died?"

"I guess I'm just bad at being a mentor."

I follow Cherry down to the end of the train where Ashley and William were looking out the window, waving at the Capitol. I look out and see loads of people waving and pushing to get a look at the Tribute Train. "That's sick" Maylisee says. "It's like they're waiting for us to die"

Maylisee

I step towards the window again and try to smile and wave. I don't know how I'm going to get sponsors, but waving seems like the right choice. Haymitch glares out the window. "Of course, they're waiting for us to die. That's what the games are Donner.

I sigh. "What's your problem Abernathy. You're always so pessimistic."

"Maybe" he says patronizingly. "I'm pessimistic because we live in a world where literal kids are forced to kill each other for ENTERTAINMENT!"
"Penelope gasps. Everyone's silent. "And this" Cherry says. "Is exactly what you should not say"

Haymitch scowls and sits down. He looks angry and almost like he's about to cry. "Whatever, I'm dead either way."

We continue waving at the Capitol citizens but no one's heart is in it anymore. He's reminded us what we're here for, to die at the hands of other kids who we'll ruin the lives of.

"If I'm going to die. I want to kill myself" I say. "Why" Cherry asks.

"Because I don't want to ruin someone else's life with my death. I want to die from the game makers or I'm going to kill myself"

"What about winning?"

"It's not going to be happy. Look at you. Your life is hell. You've killed and that's traumatized you. You'll never be happy. It's a godsend that District 12 never wins"

Haymitch looks at me. "You're right. You're exactly right. Victors are never winners."

Cherry glares at us. "You're saying traitorous things. There is a Capitol citizen right here"

"We looked at Penelope who'd fainted. "She unconscious, she can't hear us" I say.

"But still." Cherry slams the table. "You need to be careful. I'm not losing another game. I'm not letting four more tributes die."
"We look at each other. "Sorry" I say. Haymitch looks nervously at his feet. I get it, he's angry and scared. He doesn't care what the Capitol thinks because he's not going to win. District 12's only had one winner and she's as depressed as they come. None of us wants to end up like that. If we taunt the Capitol maybe, we'll be killed so fast we won't have to kill and spend the rest of our life with their face haunting us.

"Good. I'm glad you're sorry because we've arrived"

Cherry opens the door of the train and we step out into the warm, summer, Capitol air. It was descriptively wonderful, maybe if I weren't in the Hunger Games, I would enjoy it.
But I am in the Hunger Games, these people are just cheering for me to die.