I was only posting so often because I had already written the first few chapters, so it will be longer between posts now. I also forgot this in the last couple chapters so here it is: As much as I would like to think I own the Hunger Games, that honor belongs to the amazing Suzanne Collins.
I have never been on a train before. I don't like it much, the ground always moving under my feet. It is unsettling.
We are forced to watch the reapings in the other districts in a dark, smallish room off of the main corridor on the train. I make note of the tributes that look like they will cause the most trouble. The tributes from 1, both volunteers. The Murderous-looking boy from 2, and his stony-eyed counterpart. 3s and 4s are average. Then I see myself walk to the stage. My face is expressionless, except for the brief flash of relief when Seth is called. 6, 7, 8, 9. They all go by in a blur. The boy from 10 has a crippled leg. I feel a twinge of pity; he doesn't stand a chance in the arena. But that's one step closer to home then, isn't it? One step closer to James. 11, a huge boy who looks like he could be a career, and a tiny twelve year old girl. In 12, a twelve year old girl is called, but quickly replaced by an older girl, about my age. A volunteer from 12? No, none of them are friends. Not even allies.
The food tonight is delicious and rich. I have never had this much to eat, even when James and I get a good haul. Even at the feasts and parties after the reaping. Never.
Later I am shown to my room by Tilla, who will be my mentor during the games. She won six years ago by sheer wit. She was weak. She was slow. The odds were most definitely not in her favor. But she was smarter than the other tributes, setting traps, and killing the ensnared tributes with the single knife that she managed to snatch from the cornucopia. If I'm going to win these games, I honestly could not have a better mentor.
"Get a good nights sleep," she says before she leaves me to rest. "We will reach the Capitol tomorrow and the Opening Ceremonies are surprisingly tiring."
I drift off to sleep, my thoughts dwelling on the games ahead of me. I have a single week to train. One week before I am thrown into an arena full of people who have trained for this all their lives, who will have no trouble killing. Who would kill me in an instant.
"Brenna? Brenna! Wake up, it's time to eat." I hear a boy's voice.
"James?" I say, still in my haze of sleep. No, the voice is wrong, James's voice is softer. I open my eyes to see Seth standing over me. I let out a small cry of surprise and pull the covers up to my chin, realizing that I am only wearing my underclothes.
He looks slightly embarrassed, but tries to cover it up by asking "Who's James?"
"He's my boyfriend." I say. Slight exaggeration, but I figure no one will ever know, because the likelihood of either Seth or I making it home is extremely small.
"Er, maybe you should get dressed. For breakfast." He says awkwardly.
"Yeah."
"Well, wasn't that awkward." I mutter to myself after he leaves. I dress in tight black pants and a blue tank top. I am supposed to head straight to the dining car, but I stay in my room for a while longer, thinking, again, of James.
When I finally decide to get up and go to breakfast we have reached the Capitol. Seth is standing by the window waving. He turns and looks at me.
"Maybe some of them will sponsor us." He says.
"And the rest of them want to watch us die."
I have a couple ideas for her dress for the opening ceremony, but none of them are very good. Any ideas? Review. Happy ending or a sad one? I may just go with sad; I have a really good twist. I'm pretty sure she's going to win though.