"Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes." -Gautama Buddha
James paused, trying to keep his mouth from hanging wide open. He looked at Bunting, in his flamboyant attire, gawking down at him with a smile. Grant stared at James too, his eyes the size of baseballs. The rest of the boys and girls standing around him turned to form a path, staring at him like he had two heads.
Impossibly, James forced his legs to move. Faltering initially, he steadied his pace and walked past all the would-be tributes. He knew half the cameras in the district were aimed at him, and couldn't help but hide the alarm on his face. His mouth half-open, he walked up the steps and up to the podium. He shot Violet a quick glance, and she was staring at him like he was a great beast.
"James!" Bunting almost shouts. "Any relation to Justinian?"
James weakly nodded.
"How interesting! Two brothers picked two years in a row! A round of applause for the second Henderson to compete!"
Silence from the crowd again, not even fake applause this time. Everyone was looking at him. He looks towards the edges of the district, and spots his family. Buck doesn't know what's going on, but James' father is trying to conceal his tears and Otto is gawking at James. He doesn't look mad, just...confused.
As the mayor steps up again to read the entire Treaty of Treason, James thought back to this time last year.
Exactly three-hundred and sixty-five days ago, Justinian Antony Henderson was Reaped. His district partner, a beautiful 18-year-old girl who'd lived her life in almost complete ignorance of the harsh nature of the world. James felt horrible. He couldn't volunteer with a broken leg. Neither could Otto.
Justinian scored a 7 on his training with the Gamemakers, and both Ven and James' father were trying to scrounge up enough money for a care package for Justinian when the games began. A 7 was quite good. That would earn a sponsor, maybe. If only the Games were fair.
That year, the tributes were greeted with a frozen landscape. Very little wood, no thawed water, and not a lot of cover. The Cornucopia was the best bet for the tributes that year. Justinian tried to run to the Cornucopia, but the Careers, just like every year, had gotten their first and were killing tributes left and right. Avoiding the Cornucopia, Justinian ran deep into the snowy landscape. After hours of watching his brother sprint, jog, walk, and eventually crawl for hours, night set in.
As one would expect in a frozen, desolate landscape full of snow and ice, the temperature plummeted far below freezing. The female tribute from District 7, the sheltered girl, had been killed at the Cornucopia. Justinian, cold and wearing jeans and a light hoodie, only curled up against a rock and cried. Whether it was because his district partner was murdered or because he was so cold, James didn't know, but what he did know was that he saw his younger brother cry himself into a sleep that he never awoke from.
Justinian Antony Henderson. District 7. Training Score of 7. Death by hypothermia. Placed 11 out of 24.
The mayor has stopped reading the Treaty, and motions for James and Violet to shake hands. James turned to the little girl, and extended his hand. She shook it, quivering, and James' hand fully enveloped the girl's. Her hazel eyes are full of sadness and fear, and James only nods slightly. She gawks at him for a moment, and then nods back.
James and Violet both turned to face the crowd as the anthem of Panem plays. He looked into the crowd again. One of his friends from football, Edsel, is rubbing Grant on the back, who is close to tears. A few girls gawk at James, most at Violet, and a few are trying to quietly comfort the crying girl, who James thinks is Violet's sister. He's seen her at school, but doesn't know her name.
Ven has his arms crossed at the back of the crowd, and is glaring at Bunting. He notices James glance, and smiles a small smirk, just for a moment, before he mouths something from the crowd. Then back to scowling. But James saw what he mouthed.
Ven had mouthed Win this, kid.
James glances over at Violet briefly. She looks like the pure embodiment of innocence. She has no hope of winning. Nobody that young has ever won the games, especially a girl like Violet.
He might not be able to live with himself if he kills her.
The anthem ends, and James and Violet are escorted by a group of Peacekeepers into the Justice Building. He loses track of Violet, but disregards her. He's so much more focused that he was just Reaped for the Hunger Games. Reaped. A Peacekeeper leads him to a room, and he's left alone in the room for some peace and quiet.
For about thirty seconds.
The door slams open, and there's Otto, pulling him into a bear hug. He sees his father and Buck behind him, and hugs Otto back. They stay like that for a good while, and then Otto releases him. The brute of a boy just says, "I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" James asks, his voice cracking; He's barely able to keep the tears in. He can't cry. Nobody will sponsor a baby. "O, everything is fine."
"No, everything is not fine," Otto growls. He stops. "I'm sorry for that. I, just...I'm an ass of a brother."
"O, look at me." James grabs his brother by the shoulder and looks into his green eyes. "You broke your leg last year. You're too old now. Believe me when I say it's not your fault. Not your fault Justinian got picked, not your fault I got picked."
Otto exhales, takes in another breath, and steps away. He seems to have regained his composure. "You're strong," he says. "Not as strong as me—" He quickly flashes a bicep for good measure, "—But you're strong. You've been chopping and carrying firewood your whole life. You stand a choice. Don't give up."
"I won't," James firmly says.
Otto, satisfied with this answer, stands back, and his father steps forward, hugging James.
"I'm okay, Dad," James soothes. He knows this must be hard for him: He's lost a wife and a son to the Games, and now he's about to lose another. His father is strong, both physically and emotionally, but there's only so much a man can take. "I'll fight. I'll fight to survive." James doesn't mean he'll kill to survive, and James' father seems to know this, too.
The Peacekeepers open the door, and Otto is escorted out, scowling at them. His father gives him a quick hug and squeezes him. "I love you, James." Buck playfully strokes James' short hair, giggling. James can't help but smile sadly.
"I love you, too, dad," James replies. "Take care of Bucky."
"I will!" his father shouts as the door slams shut.
James is left in silence for a few minutes this time, sniffling, when Grant enters the room. Just like Otto, Grant pulls him into a hug that lasts much longer. It lasts for several minutes, Grant quietly sobbing into James' shoulder. When the Peacekeepers come to escort him out, Grant releases and says, "You have my word that your family will have enough as long as they live." As he's escorted out, he shouts, "My word!"
James is about to burst into tears when the door opens just as quickly as it closes. James expects Ven, or one of his friends from football, but it's not. It's Violet's sister. He thinks her name is Iris. She's much taller than Violet, but has the same auburn hair, hazel eyes, and the same freckles dot her face.
"J-James?" she asks, voice quivering. Her face is puffy, and she's been crying hard. She probably just visited Violet.
"Yeah," James replies, trying to keep his voice level and his eyes not full of tears. He hopes he doesn't cry in front of this girl he barely knows. "I, uh...yeah, that's me." He exhales.
She walks over to the couch and sits down. They sit in silence for the better part of a minute, and then she puts a hand on her shoulder to get his attention. He looks into her eyes, and tries his best not to break eye contact. Her eyes make him nervous. When James looks over, her hand falls to the couch.
"What is it?" James asks. Idiot, he thinks. You're an idiot.
"You'll keep her safe, right?" Iris asks.
"I will," James replies. "I'll keep her safe as long as I can." By "as long as I can," James means he'll keep her safe until he dies, which might just be thirty seconds in the arena.
"You will?" she asks, a tear falling down her left cheek.
"I will, Iris," he replies. "You have my word. I'll keep Violet safe." He isn't doing this because he likes Iris. He's doing it because Violet doesn't deserve to be brutally killed. Well, nobody does, but not Violet. She's too innocent for this world, too innocent to be thrown into a bloody arena.
"Thank you," Iris sobs, giving him a hug that only lasts for a moment before she digs into her pocket and gives him a necklace. It's a silver chain with a golden four-leaf-clover. She places it in the palm of his hand and closes it.
"What's this?" James asks. He doesn't know why this girl has given it to him.
"District token," Iris sniffles. "Thank you so much."
James only nods as Iris leaves, and the Peacekeepers escort in the next person. Ven. Ven, a grizzled man who's in his late thirties, is the toughest man James has ever known. His hair is a dark brown, grey in some parts from stress, and he sports a face marked with whiskers from years of shaving. He looks like an entirely different person in his Reaping clothes, though, a huge change from his normal hunting outfit.
"Get an axe," Ven says.
"Huh?" James asks.
"Get an axe," Ven flatly says again. He coughs before continuing. "I've been friends with your dad since middle school. I've known you since you were born. You're good with an axe. Strong, too. You can carry a hundred and fifty pounds, easy."
"I'm not gonna be throwing things at them if I have an axe, Ven," James points out; This is the only reunion where James doesn't feel like he's going to cry. Ven is his friend, that much is true, but here's here to help, not sob.
"Yeah, but you'll be able to carry equipment," Ven shoots back; His voice is deep and gravelly, and the sound of it somewhat cools his anxiety. "If you manage to get any kit from the Cornucopia, then you can carry it. Go for an axe, though. Once you get an axe, I recommend you book it. You follow?"
"I follow," James responds.
"Good." Ven holds his hand out, and James shakes it. He quickly adds, "And James? You don't have to, but I'd protect the little girl if I were you. I've seen too many people die and a little girl might be too much."
"I'm gonna try," James replies. "I'm gonna try as hard as I can."
"Good," Ven repeats. "And it's not like this is a concern in your head, but...your family will get extra from me for now on." Without another word, Ven turns heel and walks out the door.
Ven never was one for feelings.
James takes what remains of the hour to compose himself. No tears have fallen from his face, but even then he tries to make sure that's it's not red or that he looks like he's been on the verge of tears. He eyes the necklace once again. It doesn't look cheap; It was either traded for a lot of goods in the Epoch or custom made. Iris' parents might be jewelers, a trade taken up by the wealthier districts but practiced here and there by the not-so-fortunate ones. He's confused as to why Iris has given this to him. Why not her sister? He puts the necklace on and resolves to question this at a later date.
The Peacekeepers escort him this time to the train, where reporters with cameras shout questions at him and take photos. James ignores all of them, not even trying to look at his reflection. He stands next to Violet, whose face is marked with tears and her eyes red. She's obviously been crying for most of the previous hour. Usually, trying not to cry is a strategy in order to appear strong, but Violet hasn't even tried to. James wonders if this is because she has already surrendered to the inevitability of death, which only angers him more.
They're forced to stand in the train doorway for a few minutes, eyeing the annoying reporters, and then head into the train.
Bunting, energetic as ever, leads James and Violet into the tribute train, which is quite possibly the fanciest place James has ever been. Each tribute has their own private chambers that's bigger than the better part of James' home, and has a huge bed bigger than James' and Otto's bed combined. Bunting tells them to wear anything they like and then meet them in the dining car in an hour.
The first thing does is strip down out of his uncomfortable Reaping clothes and take a hot shower. He's had a shower once or twice before, but with cold water, and it feels so much nicer with warm water. After drying off, he puts on the first thing he can see in the many drawers filled with rich clothes: Thin but warm sweatpants, a wool commando sweater, and cotton socks that are the most comfortable socks he's ever worn.
When James enters the dining car, he's greeted by Violet, Bunting, Blight, and Eques. The room is full of delicate glass and silverware. If someone had thrown a rock in the room, it would rack up thousands in damages.
"James!" chirps Bunting. "How was your shower?"
"Warm," James replies as he slips into a seat, earning a snort from Blight.
"Excellent," smiles Bunting; He's much, much quieter than the previous times he's seen him. He's speaking now on a normal octave. "Enjoy the feast we've put on for you two." Bunting turns to Violet. "How are you, honey?"
James reaches for the first thing he can see, turkey, and quickly slices it with his fork and knife, stuffing it into his mouth. He reminds himself that he should mind his manners, but he's so hungry and has never seen so much food before that it's hard to keep table manners in mind.
"I'm good," Violet croaks. "All my family and friends came to visit me."
James pauses as he remembers Violet's sister, who gave him the expensive necklace with the clover. Why? The clover signifies good luck, but why him? James thinks that it should have been given to Violet. She needs more luck now than ever.
"That's good," Bunting replies; When he's not shouting at the top of his lungs, his voice is quite melodic. "Just eat for now, okay? We'll get you nice and prepared once you get to the Capitol."
As James eats, Bunting turns his focus onto him. "So, James, Justinian was your brother?"
James nods. "Yeah, he was. He was a good person."
"He was," Bunting says. Eques nods in agreement.
"The arena last year was a joke," Blight frowns. "Justinian scored well, and he was thrown into the tundra. Nobody deserves that."
"If there is any good to come out of this," Eques starts (It's the first time James has heard her speak), "it's that the Capitol will be focused on you."
"Focused on me?" James' nose wrinkled in confusion. "What does that mean?"
"Well, most years the Career tributes get the focus," Eques shrugs. "They are big and strong and are often the most handsome. You're strong, yes, but you have an edge over them."
"And that edge is Justinian," James half-said, half-asked.
"Exactly," Eques replies. "The Capitol will be interested in you. A boy Reaped the year after his brother."
"But Justinian didn't kill anyone," James pointed out. "He just ran into the arctic to freeze to death."
"Those Games were unfair," Eques shrugged. "Most of the Career tributes froze to death, too. He was placed 11th. Most of the Capitol isn't interested about how the tributes died last year, but odds are they remembered Justinian. He made the crowds laugh."
"He did," Blight adds. "He was Prince Charming to the audience."
"He'd have netted many sponsors if the arena wasn't so unfair," Eques finishes. "The crowd will be paying extra attention to you. That means more sponsors."
James only nods as the group continues the meal. After finishing, James is led into another room, where they watch the tributes from the other eleven tributes get Reaped. A muscle-bound boy from District 1 who volunteers for an equally muscle-bound boy. A cute, short girl with emerald eyes from District 4 that looks innocent but has a glint in her eye that worries James. James himself, walking to the stage, shock on his face but far from tears. A scrawny boy from District 8. A muscular boy from District 10 with short brown hair that reminds James of himself. A taller girl from District 12.
This is James' competition. He can point out a few flaws in the tributes—The boy from District 5 is missing a ring finger, The girl from District 11 is emaciated beyond belief, and the boy from District 1 looks like he has a temper. Ven was right; If he could get his hands on an axe, or even a knife, he'd be golden.
After the viewings, everyone in the group starts to retire to their own compartments, bidding each other good night. James is about to enter his own room when he feels a tug on his sweater sleeve. He glances down to see Violet looking up at him.
"Hi," James says.
"Hi," Violet says back. She squirms a little, as if she wants to say something but doesn't know how.
"Something on your mind?" James asks, trying to edge it out of her.
"Everything," Violet replies. "Something isn't on your mind?"
"Not really," James replies; That's a lie, but he's just trying to stop her panic. "Yeah, we've been Reaped, but the Games are in two weeks."
"In two weeks, I'll be dead," Violet frowns. She doesn't say it matter-of-fact, she says it like a student is asking the teacher if their answer to a problem is correct.
Damn, James thinks. He falters with conversation for a moment before saying, "Well, that's not exactly a winning attitude."
"That's because I won't win," Violet responds flatly. "I don't want to kill anyone. And even if I did, everyone is bigger than me."
"It doesn't matter how big you are," James replies, leaning into the train's wall. "What matters is how fast you are."
"It does?" Violet squints in confusion.
"Of course," James replies; He likes Violet. She's not bratty like some of the other little girls he's seen. "Look at me. I'm strong, right?"
Violet nods.
"But I'm not fast. If someone strong like me wanted to hurt you, it doesn't matter because you'd outrun me," James says. This is also a lie; He set a district record in the sprint relay, a record that hadn't been broken in thirty years, but in James' mind, this lie is okay.
"I can climb," Violet says, like it's a simple truth. The sky is blue. The grass is green. Violet can climb.
"Exactly, you just have to have the right mindset." James taps on his temple. "If you're fast and you can climb, the Careers won't even be able to get to you. You're small, too. Even if you get tired, you can hide. That's something I can't do."
"So you think I won't lose?" Violet asks, raising her eyebrows.
"I think District 7 is going to win this year," James shrugs. "But not if you're tired. Get some rest."
Violet bobs her head. "Okay, goodnight James."
"'Night, Violet."
James closes the door to his compartment, strips down to his boxers, and collapses on the comfortable bed. Within minutes he drifts off into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Yay, Chapter Two is done! This chapter was meant to focus on the finalizing of the Reaping process and how James and Violet are heading to the Capitol now. I like the character of Bunting a lot and expect to see more of him in upcoming chapters. The part at the end was the first official interaction between Violet and James, and I think it played out friendly enough. Also, Blight, if any of you can recall, is an actual character in the series. He is, obviously, a District 7 victor who was Reaped for the 75th Hunger Games/3rd Quarter Quell. Eques, the other District 7 victor, is an original character I created. Expect her to be a bit more...unfeeling than the other characters.
A final side note, the Hunger Games in which Justinian died was also recognized in the first book; The Games where almost everyone froze to death. I was always a bit intrigued about that one and decided to incorporate it into the story.
Reviews:
SparkHatGuestv: Thanks a lot for my first review! Appreciate the kind words!
That's about it, thanks for reading and remember to review!
-C