The car ride to the train station is silent, and in a word, miserable. I wasn't expecting it to be wonderful, considering there is a possibility my death may be eminent in the next few weeks. I don't know how I should be feeling. I feel rather vacant, there's not really a spirit within me. The rain beats upon all sides of the car and it is the only sound occupying the vehicle.
I know the train station is coming up soon because the vista of our beach is no longer visible; only the drab houses surrounding the outside of the town centre. People in their reaping day garb follow the car at some distance behind, hoping to see their tributes off. Felicity sits in the front seat of the car babbling in her enthusiastic tone, trying to cheer us up. Frankly, it's not helping.
"You'll just love the Capitol! Fine gourmet everyday, until of course-" She clears her throat, but sees her pep-talk isn't helping, so she quiets herself.
My clothes are still wet from the rain, but have dampened since we've been in the car. Winfreigh sits to the right of me, since I am by the door. He looks ahead in a fixed glance, not moving nor speaking. Katen sits across from him with her hands intertwined together, staring at her shoes. Seamus is next to her, with his eyes closed, almost as if he's fatigued. I feel a minor ache ease through my body, and I begin to feel somewhat nauseous. I lift my head and see the train station come into my view.
"Finally." Felicity lets out a sigh of relief as the car pulls to a halt.
I throw the door open as quickly as I can, and bound out of the car. I clutch the bag my brother gave me to my chest, and walk around the car and stand beside Felicity.
"This way, everyone!" She pipes.
The camera crews are locked on us and flashes from the cameras make me wince. They scream all sort of questions and nonsense at us, but I disregard it. I follow Felicity into the train out of the downpour that falls around us. We all file into the entrance that is just a small room paneled in titanium; the door slides shut and the camera crews disappear. Felicity presses a white button and the second door opens in a snap.
I am almost taken aback by the contents of the next room. I feel my eyes widen with fascination but at the same time, utter terror. The whole room is polished almost completely, every bit, from the walls, to the floor, to the furniture that decorates the lavish parlor. There is quite a bit of luxury in our district, but not to this extent. Red velvet tapestry lines all the walls, with golden curtains to match. The floor is a shiny red wood that glistens in the artificial light. The tables matches the floor in its wood, along with the surrounding furniture around it. Four plush, plump, garnet sitting chairs make a small circle in the corner of the room with a round table in the middle. Along one of the walls is a long table with a white tablecloth over it, and on top of the table is a bounty of capitol fare, that makes my mouth water with a great amount of distasteful yearning.
"What the hell?" Winfreigh mutters with a hint of awe in his voice.
I simply nod in agreement.
"Well," Felicity begins, "Don't just stand around. Come in, come in!" She waves us over.
I hardly noticed the two people sitting at the large table that sits at the heart of the room, slender figures with a suave ambience about them. The one with the long scarlet tresses, turns her head towards us in a fluid movement, with a look of solicitude about her marble-like face. Her cheeks are flushed with a crimson hue, and her lips are of the same tint. The other one, is hard in demeanor, with a crease above his brow. His eyes are an effervescent blue, and his dirty-blonde hair color complements them. His striking attributes are unblemished as anyone could remember.
Anyone from our district could easily identify them, they're quite hard to pay no heed to. The girl, Mica, won the games about five years ago when she was fifteen. It's quite an accomplishment, but not surprising someone so young from our district won the games. The boy however, Bren, won two years ago when he was eighteen. He is glorified by all of the district, and so adored by the young women of the district. He's unwed, yet some whispers in the wind say his heart is owned by another.
Personally, they're not huge figures in my life as they are to others. But since they are here the answer is already evident, and for one and only one sole task. They're here to mentor us. Mentor. The word almost gives a bitter taste in my mouth. Neither of them were mentors when my sister was in the games. Mica started mentoring when she was about eighteen, so she was Bren's mentor, and last year Bren advised the two tributes from our district.
"Come over here, you lot. Sit." Bren waves his hand, signaling us over to the table.
The others move towards the table, but I'm feeling a bit skeptical about all this, so I hesitate for a moment, but finally saunter over to them and take a seat.
"First of all, I'm sorry you're here. Maybe some of you want to be here," He pauses, and eyes Winfreigh, who has a smirk upon his lips, "But I realize some of you are greatly jaded from the impact of all this." He looks at me with a somber glint in his eyes.
I feel my heart sink a little bit, and look down. Mica shifts in her seat a little and I see her slightly nudge Bren.
"We're here to help you to the best of our ability, and we want to insure that we can get all four of you back home." Mica added in a cool tone, " Your survival is the main component."
"She's completely correct. You won't have much choice when you get in there. Either you get killed, or you're going to kill someone else. We'll go over that stuff later." Bren remarks.
"Meanwhile, I'll escort you four to your compartments and you can get all settled in before supper." Felicity chimed from behind us.
Felicity escorts us through the train, dropping me off first. The compartment is almost as plush as the main room. There's an elongated window on the wall adjacent the door. The rain splatters against the pane, and trees flash by. I have no clue what part of the district we're in, or even if we're in our district. I sit down on the bed, and run my hand over the soft velvet duvet cover on the bed, and it soothes me. I set the bag my brother gave me on the floor, then stroll into the bathroom to look around. The lights almost blind me, but my eyes quickly adjust. Almost all the milky furnishings seem to be forged from porcelain, and shine like every other ornament within the train's chambers.
Curiosity falls over me, and I rummage through my compartment's products. In the cabinet beneath the sink, there's towels and a few different types of fancy soaps and shampoos. I sigh heavily, then shut the cabinet door. I walk back into the main section of the room. I open up the dresser that stands near the bed, and rip its drawers open. My mouth almost drops at the contents of clothing it holds. The lavish garb is so erratic, it almost makes my stomach turn.
I walk into the bathroom and stare in the mirror. I never realized how tired I appear. My hair is almost dry, but my clothes are still thoroughly damp. I grab my bag off the floor and close the bathroom door behind me and lock it. I strip down and get into the shower. The warm water washes down my skin, filling the hollowness in my body with a pleasant feeling. I cleanse the burden out of me, at least for now.
After awhile, I get out of the shower, and get dressed into something that's a little bit more myself. My brother had my rucksack because we were to go fishing after the reaping, despite the rain. Within it's contents, was one of my usual outfits I wore, typically. I slip into my navy v-neck, that is loose on me, but rightly so. I then I put on my black pants that hug my skin, all the way down to my ankle. I put on my socks, then my black lace-up boots, that come up about halfway up my calf. When my hair has dried, I tie it back, then slide the door open, and head towards the dining car. I have not an idea of how long it's been, but it's starting to darken outside, so it must be evening.
When I enter the car, everyone is at the table.
"Finally, she shows up." Bren remarks with an irritated tone.
"I knocked on your door about a million times, at the least! I thought you were ignoring us." Felicity whines, her overdone face has a hint of red.
"I took a shower, I didn't think it had been that long." I groan, sitting down next to Katen.
"Don't budge her, she's allowed to do as she pleases. She's not hurting anyone, now is she? It's not a big deal. At all. So hush. She's here now." Mica snaps at them, but then lets out a breath, and puts her hand on my back with a kind smile.
Bren sighs, and relaxes in his seat. Felicity purses her lips, and sits down.
"All right, you four. You're going to have get along. Yes, I know that must sound like hell, but it's necessary for the situation." Bren spoke, in a calmer tone.
"I know you all might not at first, but once you're in that arena, it's crucial. First of all, try not to get killed. Second, be on guard. Any of those nitwits from the other districts can be crazed. They'll enjoy bloodying up any of you." Mica began, "Exposure is a deadly thing. Being in a daydream is even worse. One moment you'll be mesmerized or traumatized from your surroundings, then the next thing you know, you'll be on the ground gasping for life."
"That's not all of it, either. There's more we'll cover as we progress." Bren added, "When we arrive in the Capitol in the morning, you'll be handed over to your stylists. You're not going to like what they do to you, but it's a part of all this. Just grit your teeth and let it happen."
"Especially you, girls." Mica states.
We eat dinner, and only Mica, Bren, and Felicity converse. I make eye contact with the others, but either my eyes, or theirs, flick away rapidly. After our meal, which was composed of extremely rich fare, I am full, and feel a bit sick from the food. They release us to our own leisure, and I don't feel like returning to my room, so I wander about the train's corridors, looking for something to pass time by. I find the television room towards the front of the train, and the door slides open. Empty. I walk inside and hear the door click behind me. The room contains the same furnishing as everything else, with the large television on the wall, beside the door.
I sit on the couch adjacent to the silver screen, and look around. There's a cupboard directly below the TV, that has a collection of tapes within it. I get up and open the door to it, and on each tape there's a label.
1st Hunger Games: Reaping
1st Hunger Games: Opening Ceremonies
1st Hunger Games: Training Scores
1st Hunger Games: Interviews
1st Hunger Games: Arena
1st Hunger Games: Victory Tour
1st Hunger Games: Complete Footage
There's a set of tapes for each games that's happened in our history. I run my fingers a long the numbers until it stops over the number twenty-six. I feel tempted to watch the set of tapes, but quickly realize how dejected I'd feel later at the reminder of my sister's demise. Instead, I grab the tape that reads:
28th Hunger Games: Arena
This is Bren's tape. I load it into the tape player, and the television turns on, the screen hums with static, and black is all that is portrayed on the screen. The screen flashes and shows a view of the cornucopia. That year the arena was an abandoned harbor island. The sky was cloudy, and the water a misty blue-grey, with fog on top of the relaxed waves. In the distance there's the ringing of a boat bell. A slight hum of a seagull's cry reverberates in a whisper around the tributes. I see Bren, and he looks the same as now, except slightly more child-like in the face. Just as the sound of the gong goes off, the door to the room opens and Winfreigh pokes his head in.
"Am I interrupting?" He asks me, raising his brow.
I pause the tape, and get up. "No, you weren't."
"How are you?" He murmurs, looking in my eyes.
I sigh, "Do you have to ask?"
He gives a breathy laugh, "Not surprised."
He embraces me, and he's warm. Winfreigh is especially good friends with my brother Ignatius, so I know him well.
I let out a deep breath, "I don't wan't to be here. I want to be home. Asleep, in my own bed. Safe."
He presses his forehead to the top of my head, "I volunteered to keep you safe, and I'll insure you will be." He whispers.
"Thank you." I mutter.
Not long after, I decide to omit watching the tape, and go to bed. I drowsily stagger down the corridor, my eyelids getting heavier with each moment. As I pass through the dining car, I take a glass of juice, and a couple sweet rolls they served with dinner tonight. I make my way back to my room, and plop unto my bed. I take lethargic mouthfuls of the rolls, and sip the tart, yet sweet, deep violet juice in my cup. After I finish, I get into night clothes, then curl up under the covers and fall asleep.
The night is long, and I've become restless with each passing moment. The room feels hot, and I begin to perspire. I shove the covers off of me and sit up in bed. Through the window, I see there's faint streaks of dawn lining the sky. It emits enough light to see the outline of my surroundings. Exhausted, I wander into the bathroom. I don't bother turning on the lights. My fingers fumble to find the sink handle, but after a few seconds, I find it and turn it. Cold water runs over my hands, and I splash it onto my face. I feel awoken, but the tiredness is still there.
I suppose there's no point in going back to sleep, so I get dressed into what I wore yesterday, since it's not too dirty. I pack my reaping clothes into my bag, and head out to the dining car. The train is quiet, and when I get in the dining car, no one's there. A clock on the wall says it's a quarter past 6. Faint sunlight floods through the windows, illuminating the room. I'm not alone for long. After about 4 minutes, Bren walks in.
"Hello, morning." He says tiredly.
"Morning." I mutter.
"You're up awfully early. Come, sit." He taps his hand on the table.
I amble towards the table, and sit across from him. Servers erupt from the entrance to their quarters, with trays of extravagant food. They set it along the the long table, and just when I think they're done, they bring more.
When they finally finish, a tall young man walks up to me, "What would you like to drink miss?"
"Milk and honey would be nice, thank you." I reply.
"And you, sir?"
"Coffee. Please, don't be shy on the expresso. I am drained of any sort of liveliness. Also please sweeten it with vanilla."
The waiter gives a curt nod and glides out of the room.
"Did you rest well?" Bren asks, rubbing his eyes.
"Not particularly. You?" I respond, tapping my fingers on the table.
"Same as you. Restless, I presume?"
"Do you have to ask?"
"Enough said. I can't blame you. I was too."
"You seemed quite confident to me." I mumble, looking down.
"It was an act, easy as that. Any kid, no matter how old, or how much training you've had, or how confident you are in yourself. You'll be scared. There will be moments you'll be so intensely panicked you'll feel like you have no control of your surroundings, or your actions." He adds, rather dejectedly.
Just as he finishes, the tall waiter comes back with our drinks on a tray. He sets them in front of us, and returns back to his quarters.
"Morning!" A voice chimes from behind me. Felicity scurries us to the table and sits down cheerfully. "Is Mica up yet?" She inquires.
"No, not that I know of. She'll probably be here soon, though." Bren responds, picking up his steaming cup of coffee.
"Wonderful! I'm just starving, aren't you? I could just eat all this! Metaphorically, that is." She giggles, "I knocked on the other's doors. They should be down shortly."
Bren looks at Felicity with an annoyed glare, and then rolls his eyes. Not long after, Katen walks into the room, her eyes flicking everywhere.
"Come, come! Sit down darling, we're about to eat shortly!" Felicity motions her over to the table, and Katen sits down beside Felicity. I feel sorry for her.
"Morning everyone." Mica shuffles into the room, yawning. She sits down beside Bren and he gives her a friendly smile. Winfreigh and Seamus file in behind her. Winfreigh passes around me to sit down, and pats my back as he passes.
"Sleep well, Oli?"
"No, and I will never understand your reasoning behind that imprudent nickname of yours." I say abruptly.
He laughs, "Still the same as ever, I see."
"You two know each other then I presume?" Bren asks, raising his brow.
"Unfortunately." I remark, sneering.
"I'm friends with her older brothers, Ignatius and Jae. I also knew her sister, Aurelia."
The mention of Aura's name makes me tense up a little, "His family is friends with mine. Our parents knew each other since their childhood."
"How old are your brothers again?" Bren sets his coffee down and begins to put food onto his plate.
"Ignatius is nineteen. Jae will be twenty-one later in the year." I shift forward in my seat and grab a plate.
"Ignatius is a good kid. So is Jae. I trained with them for quite sometime. Where are they working now?"
"Down by the docks with my dad. Ignatius is still training to become a diver. Jae is a full-time deckhand to my father." I put a few of the batter cakes on my plate, and pour syrup on them. My mother has made these a few times, on special occasions.
"Ignatius is going to be a diver? That's amazing, considering it's still a vaguely new position within the career circle. He does have the strength for it. Good for him." Bren begins to stuff food into his mouth, chewing and swallowing quickly.
No one speaks much for the remainder of breakfast. Felicity is always trying to chit-chat with us but we don't usually respond how she wants us to. The slight hum of the train's motion is the only noise around us.
Soon enough we are enveloped into a dark tunnel, and the shining capitol sits idly waiting at the end.