Chapter 4 – the capital
I am standing alone in what I can only describe as a living hell.
I slowly walk forward, sometimes on burning hot sand and sometimes on sharp splintering ice, the setting constantly changing but never for the better.
I walk and I walk, confused about where I am heading yet I have an urgent need to get there. Finally I reach a clearing, a perfect circular clearing with a strange lump in the middle. As I head over to the strange shape I see marks in the mud where it looks like nails were dug through and splatters of blood everywhere. I reach my destination and discover what I had been searching for. Katniss Everdeen, her eyes still open but lifeless, a knife still clutched in her broken hands and right where her silent heart lays, a deep plunging stab wound still pouring out thick crimson blood. I back away, gagging at the sight of her.
Only then do I look down and discover the long sharp blade encased in my blood caked hand.
I wake up with a jolt. A dream, that's all, just a dream. I scramble out of bed and jump into the shower, trying to wash the disturbing dream away from me. I dress quickly in a light green dress, there's no point in making a big effort today as we are going straight into the hands of our prep teams to make us look as pretty as possible.
Just as im about to leave my room I remember my district token, I rummage around until I find the ring I wore to the reaping; I wear it every year as a good luck token. It's a beautiful silver ring with a dark blue gemstone in the middle, but the best thing about it is if you twist the gemstone, a poisoned spike pops out. My father got it for me and designed the poisoned spike himself just in case I was reaped; I was never allowed to wear it anywhere apart from the reapings because if any peacekeepers discovered it there would be trouble. I quickly slide it onto my finger and head to the dining room.
Unlike last night im the first to arrive. As I take my seat im greeted by a large steaming cup of hot chocolate. During the winter months our house is usually stocked with this warm heavenly drink and I can't get enough of it; by the time the others arrive I have completely drained my cup and asked for another. "Well, everyone eat up we don't have long before we arrive in the capital" cashmere tells everyone as she rushes around making the final preparations for our departure, taking bites out of a piece of toast as she goes. Althea sits at the end of the table wearing ridiculously large over the top sunglasses and nursing her hangover with a cup of black tea. Marvel and Gloss are both stuffing their faces to their hearts content, so with Cashmere too busy, Althea too hung-over and Gloss and Marvel too hungry, I'm left sipping my second hot chocolate in silence.
As soon as I finish I excuse myself from the room, tired of the everlasting silence that was only interrupted by the sound of Cashmere's heels clicking against the polished wooden floor. I end up staring out of the same window that I looked out yesterday, I watch as the view suddenly disappears and I realise that we are under the mountains that surround the capital. i dont like the sudden darkness, it makes me feel suffocated, like I cant breath. thankfully Moments later the entire train is flooded with light and I unconsciously move until im pressed against the window, staring into the heart of panem.
The first thing I realise is that nobody has exaggerated the beauty of this place. Everything from the huge white skyscrapers to the trash cans by the side of the road seem to glow in utter radiance, the entire place looks like its been polished from top to bottom. I see the capital people as they shout and wave when the train passes by; they all look as if they are from a different world entirely with their rainbow of bright cloths and hair that literally defies gravity. I smile and give a small wave to them and they all go wild in response, this is good, they like me and in order to survive likeability is key.
As I smile and wave my mind wonders back to my dream last night, and what it meant. Mum always said every dream you have has a meaning behind it, so what did my dream mean? That im going to kill people? Well I knew that from the beginning and if im brutally honest doesn't bother me as much as it should. If I kill, I win and get to see my family again and give them the rich life they deserve, if killing gets you all that how can it be bad? So if it's not killing people in general it must be that girl in particular… but why? Why have I got all wound up about killing her, she's just another person that has to die in order for me to get what I want. I shouldn't feel guilty... should I?
My thoughts are interrupted by Gloss entering the room, "hey, Cash said to tell you we are leaving the train soon so be ready" I open my mouth to thank him but Cashmere's voice suddenly fills the room "GLOSS! Hurry up we have important things to do and they need to be done now!" Gloss raises his eyebrows at me before shouting back "im coming cash! Jesus Christ you need to chill" this is answered by a frankly, a rather pissed of Cashmere shouting basically the same thing she said last time, only adding a few more insults and swear words. They carry one shouting back and forth until Althea steps in with her voice going extremely high in the process "if you to don't pack it in this second I swear to god I will throw you both off this train!" the sudden silence by the two siblings is almost amusing as neither is them wants to annoy a thirty something year old hung-over capital woman. It's at that moment Marvel decides to make his entrance, after probably eating out the entire train, "so… what did I miss?"
well that's chapter 4! i hope everyone liked it x
Also, please please review so i know im not a sad fanfic loser! you don't even have to say a lot, just put a smiley face if you want, smily faces are cool. :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) - see! look how awesome they are!
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I love you all very muchly my fellow fanfiction friends x wackyrose x