I'm sorry for not updating; I was sick, and still am.
No, not him. It couldn't be him! The least suspected! And what about Castone? I thought they want us both killed! Why?
Why? Joy asked whoever the God of this world was.
Leesk cleared his throat. "Shake hands with Topaz, Joy."
Topaz held out his hand expectantly, and Joy shook it firmly. Leesk pulled her arm up. "I give you, Joy and Topaz: your tributes!"
The crowd applauded them with happy cheers and whoops. They hadn't been chosen, so they could celebrate and later watch an exciting Hunger Games for the 76th time. Joy was lead to an office, with a wooden table in the center. The applause died down to a low hum of voices and Joy sat down slowly, eyes wide in frozen shock.
Creak! The door was hastily pushed open, and Joy recognized the orange curls of her mother's wig.
"Oh, Joy…" They embraced each other, her mother running her fingers through Joy's hair. They stayed there for a while, hearing only Joy's mother's sniffles and the tick tick of the clock. When they separated, Joy's mother murmured something about a crappy visitation room.
Then her mother's eyes intensified immensely. "Joy, please try to live." Her tears made trails of peach on her powdered face, though her face remained hard as ever. Joy nodded in response, her head clouded with sadness and questions.
A gruff voice interrupted them. "Time's up."
Joy found enough clarity to speak. "I love you Mom."
"I love you," was her response before she was pulled out of the room by the man. "Wait! Castone wanted me to tell you-"she was cut off by the slam of the door.
Castone… Where is he? Would he really just hide out in his room? He should've been killed when the volunteers went looking around for people doing that very thing! How had Mom gotten to him long enough to become his messenger? What did he want to tell me? "I love you"? "Good luck"?
Suddenly Joy jolted upright. She'd promised her mother she'd try to win! What was I thinking!? Joy thought, alarmed at her actions. She didn't have any more time to evaluate what she agreed to because the guard was telling her and, yes, she'd be escorted to the train immediately.
Joy was relieved to be living in luxury, if only for a while. She stood beside Leesk, who radiated waves of excitement, surveying the train.
"Oh! I am so glad you're all here!" Leesk breathed happily. His Capitol accent was evident even to Joy.
"All you need to know is that everything's at your disposal and you'll be expected at dinner in an hour," he added happily. Leesk skipped into the next car.
"No Avoxes…" Mr. Admance murmured distantly, and walked slowly into the next car, following Leesk.
Joy didn't want to talk to topaz, so she quickly found her way to her room. Joy sighed. A private bathroom, a king bed, and a full dresser of clothes! Joy changed and heaped herself in the bed covers. She stared at the ceiling, letting the train rock her to sleep.
Leesk burst through the door, "Supper time!"
After smoothing out her hair, Joy walked through the narrow hallways to the meal car.
Men in white shirts served her multiple delectable courses of food. Leesk and Topaz did most of the talking, which suited Joy just fine.
As soon as they were done, Leesk turned on the television. "Let's watch the reaping recap! I hope I look presentable."