A Train to My Death
They pull me out of the car and push me through the crowd of silent people. The only noise is the click of the cameras that are surrounding me. I look at the crowd and try to find mom and Katniss. I can't see them. Their absence brings me almost to tears. I'm not ready for this. I don't want to leave.
They direct me to the steps which lead to the train. I've never been in a train before. Just seconds ago I was in a car for the first time. I was worried the train would make me as sick as the car ride. I didn't want to go on it. This was my last time here. I will never see District Twelve again. Buttercup, my cat, and Lady, my goat, are on their own now with me being gone. I'll never have my mom's food or hear her humming along as my sister sings our song. Those days are over. I can't look back on them or I'll cry again.
I'm in the train and the room is full of food I have never seen before. I've heard of some of the fruits, and the pastries look similar to the bakery's assortment, but I have never seen any of this stuff in District Twelve. I see a man already digging into the food behind the pudding display. He looks up and chocolate covers his upper lip. I giggle when he looks at us seriously. Haymitch is known to look and act ridiculous. He is the only living victor from District Twelve. He is known to be a drunk and a horrible mentor.
"I wouldn't laugh at me if I were you," he tries to point a finger at me, but his hand sloppily moves through the air. He smeared the chocolate on his sleeve and gulped the last of his drink. I thought he would have learned by now after being humiliated every year with his excessive drinking and nonsensical speeches, he'd lay off on the alcohol.
"Let's get you guys settled elsewhere. We'll have plenty of time to be introduced later," Effie moves us to another room and distracts us from Haymitch.
We're in one of the cabins that resembles a living room. The chairs are covered in a deep blue fabric. I have never seen a blue so dark and vibrant. She guided us to our seats and started to talk.
"I know this can be very overwhelming, but wait until you see the Capital!" she claps her hands together as if she is excited to go there. I am not like her. I do not want to go. I don't want to see President Snow. He scares me a lot. I think it's his eyes. They look evil to me.
She picks up the plate of cookies, "biscuit?"
She holds it in front of me. I pick one up. I've only had a cookie once. Katniss snatched some of the burnt ones from the bakery where Peeta worked. They didn't taste as good as this one. Peeta refused to have one even though Effie tried to make him saying that they were the 'best' in Panem. He is very quiet and seems cold towards Effie. He doesn't scare me though. I know he's strong and I hope I'll never have to fight with him, but the chances of me living that long are very small.
Silence filled the room and Effie was uncomfortable with that.
"I am going to go check on Haymitch," she walked away.
Her absence created a new kind of silence. A silence that we both could understand was melancholy.
"You should try a cookie. They taste very good," I tried to lighten the mood.
"I'm not hungry," he said. He seemed very restricted
"Don't worry about the other boy. He won't hurt you," Katniss said. Her arms wrapped tightly around me and her lips rubbed against my ear.
"Why?"
"Trust me. He won't lay a finger on you," she whispered.
"Did my sister talk to you?" I asked him.
"What?" Peeta said.
"Katniss? She said something to you, didn't she?" I said.
"How do you know?" he asked. His face was a lot redder now.
"She can scare people, even a tough guy like you," I giggled, "don't be afraid of talking to me. I'm the nicer sister."
"I'm not as tough as you think," he smiled.
"You have a better chance of winning than I do," I said honestly.
"Don't say that," his smile was gone.
I paused for a second and thought of what to say, "I'm... I am not that.. scared anymore, Peeta. If I do, by some miracle, come back from this, I don't want to go home. I don't want to have nightmares. My sister doesn't need me anymore.."
"No. Don't say that. She needs you," he interrupted, "she needs you more than anyone else."
"No, she needs you," I confess.
He doesn't say anything, but he stares at me.