Chapter Seven

River

Around seven, Tjara gathered Brooklyn and me in the main room of our suite to watch the training scores. None of us could find Elleston, so we let him be and each grabbed a couch. Finding the remote, Tjara flicked the tv on where the Head Gamemaker, Mr. Raven Pearl, I believed, sat with the Capitol's Hunger Games' announcer and interviewer, Maisi Candell.

"I'm quite excited about this year's batch of tributes," Raven said conversationally. Across from me, I saw Brook stiffen with anger about his use of the words batch of tributes, as if we were just some random kids sentenced to die. "They performed quite well during the private training sessions. Some of the highest scores I've ever seen."

"Oh really," Maisi responded, trying to sound confident. This was only her third year as the Head Announcer and her inexperience was shown in the twitching of her hands in her lap. "Then the games should be interesting!"

"Definitely."

"And what fun things do you have in store this year?" Maisi asked, leaning in, a little smile on her face.

Raven laughed. He was only a few years older than Maisi, but full of bravado and confidence. "Now, now," he said, sounding just a little condescending. I think I saw Maisi flush a little, but it was gone quickly. She was trained in the art of hiding her feelings. "I can't tell you that, but I will say, it's a small arena, so there will be plenty of fighting and death. Stuff everyone wants to see."

I felt my blood go cold. If I was going to win, it would be by survival, not fighting. And Raven had just decreased my chances of being able to hide the whole games. I was so distracted, I didn't catch the rest of their conversation, until Maisi said, "Let's see those scores! I'm sure everyone's been so excited to see them!"

Here we go, I thought. "Alright, alright," Raven laughed. "Up first, Glory Crowne, District One Female, received a score of…" a large seven appeared on the glowing screen behind them, along with a picture of Glory, a fake smile plastered on her face. While a seven was perfectly respectful for most tributes, it was definitely going to be one of the lowest Career scores. She was not going to be happy, and her belief she would need to prove herself would probably make Glory a more vicious competitor. Brook smiled a little and the memory of her and Glory fighting on the floor of the Training Room popped into my mind.

"Shade Nightingale, District One Male," Raven announced, as a handsome blond boy's picture appeared over Glory's behind him. A nine.

"He's going to be a real competitor," Tjara murmured. "Watch out for him." Brook nodded.

Next came the District Two Female, a small, fierce-looking girl named Olivia Mei, who also received a nine. "Her too," Tjara added.

When the scowling, dark-haired boy who'd pulled Glory and Brook apart was brought onto the screen, I nearly laughed out loud. Despite his bravado about being in the careers, his score was a five. Guess he wasn't as tough as he seemed. Probably going for the jack of all trades and just looked like he couldn't do anything well. Tjara and Brook both smiled too. A Career with such a low score would surely be killed by other Careers early on if he didn't die in the Bloodbath. The tributes from Three both received low scores, and I figured I wouldn't have to worry about them.

"I heard that kid, Nolen, he's a Career," Brook said, studying him. "Not for long," Tjara responded. "Both him and the District Two boy, they'll be easy kills. Brook, if you see an opportunity, kill them. The Careers do not need weak links." I'd nearly forgotten Tjara had been a Career in her own games and acted all young and naive until there were only a few tributes left that weren't Careers. Then, one night while she was supposedly on watch, she killed the three other remaining Careers and ran away. If I had to guess, that was probably what she told Brook to do. I was so distracted by my thoughts, I didn't hear them announce Brook's name until I heard gasps coming from Tjara and Brook and looked up at the screen. There, next to my sister's radiant face, was a ten. Tens were almost unheard of in the Games. She must have done really well. "Congratulations," Tjara words broke the silence. "But watch out. You're a major competitor now." Brook nodded, and shushed us as my face, somber and stoic, replaced hers on the screen. Six. Solidly in the middle. Good. I'd fly under the radar for as long as possible and then… I didn't want to think that far ahead. If I even survived the Bloodbath.

Tjara nodded. "That's good. After Brooklyn, everyone will ignore you." Despite what she said, I couldn't help but feel a little twinge of jealousy. Although I knew it would've got me killed, some part of me had still been hoping for the fame and awe of being a high scoring tribute. Some part of me still wanted to beat my sister at something. Some part of me wanted me to be considered a big deal, an actual competitor, someone that people would talk about. I pushed these thoughts away. What was done was done, and I couldn't change that. For my abilities and plan, a six was good.

The girl from five got a two, and the boy got a six. District Six's tributes scored pretty well, with a seven and eight. District Seven's tributes drew gasps from Tjara. The girl, Tori, got a nine and the guy got a ten. "Watch out for those two," Tjara advised my sister and I. I had to admit, the male scared me. He had this tanned, scarred face, with a sadistic smile carved across it. He would definitely be a hunter tribute, and not a merciful one either.

Eight, Nine, Ten, and Eleven's tributes got mediocre scores.

Twelve's received the third round of gasps. Another ten and an eight. "Has there ever been so many tens in one game?" Brook asked Tjara. I studied my twin's face. Earlier, she had looked confident, cheerful. She'd thought she'd be the highest scoring tribute tonight. But now, there were two other tens and she looked a little fearful, anxious.

Tjara shook her head. "I don't think so. Three tens…"

Maisi Candell's voice cut across hers. "Holy… those are some impressive scores. Three tens!"

"Yes, the tributes performed quite well this year. These games should be interesting-"

"I'm going to bed," Brook announced. Tjara nodded silently and turned the screen off.

"Uh, I am too," I said, following my twin from the room. At the end of the corridor, instead of turning into my own bedroom, I followed her into her own. She was sitting on the bed, not crying, just sitting, her head buried in a pillow. She looked up when I came in.

"Hey," I said softly.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Just wanted- wanted to make sure you're okay."

Brook faced me, but instead of smacking me with some sarcastic comment, she spoke truthfully. "I don't know. I thought I'd be fine. I mean, I'm a Career and I got a ten! But then those girls, Seven and Twelve, they also got tens and Glory's out for my blood, and two if the other Careers got nines and Raven said it was a small arena so we're going to be fighting constantly and… and you. What are we going to do? We can't both win the games and we know that. We've been putting it off and I don't want to talk about it, but we have to. I don't want to die, Riv, but I don't want you to either. I… I want to go home. I want to go back to the way it used to be when Mom wasn't crazy and we had jobs and we were all okay.

I stared at her, cold realization pouring over me. She hadn't seen… "Brook, Mom… Mom's dead."

Brook stared at me, shaking her head slowly. "No, no she isn't! NO SHE ISN'T!"

"She… she tried to come for us. Tried to save us, to say good-bye. But the peacekeepers… they shot her. Called her crazy woman and pulled the trigger and…"

"I hate the peacekeepers. I hate President Darke and I hate the Capitol and I hate these stupid Hunger Games!" Brook screamed, her voice echoing around the large room.

I nodded. "I do too, Brook. I do too."