Disclaimer: If it is not yet apparent, I do not own the Hunger Games.
Also, if it is not yet apparent, it's not that I am lazy and don't check over my work, I make spelling errors because I don't know how to spell. So, tell me if I make an error, and tell me how to fix it as well. I don't like mistakes, so it would be appreciated.
I've been told that thirteen is an unlucky number. Up until now, I wasn't able to figure what made an object or idea lucky or not. Whenever I asked, people would tell me, "just look at what happened to District 13" and I would nod as if I understood. I never did. But sitting here now, at thirteen years of age, with the seemingly emotionless faces of my fellow District Nines staring up at me, I was starting to realize why it is such an unlucky number.
Legs shaking I stand up. "And, for the first time, we have the Victor Glynn Sail to announce! She will be the Mentor of the Twelfth Hunger Games, and maybe, with her help, we will have yet another Victor!" Mayor Mayor calls out, his voice booming across the square. For once, the population of District 9 erupts in cheer. I let the left corner of my mouth twitch up to form the weakest phase of a smile. The mayor sits down, and Mayle reaches up to the podium. The cheering dies, fading into the background ever so slowly, and I sit down.
"Females first!" Calls out Mayle in the same voice as she used before, during all of the previous reapings. I struggle to maintain my breathing. I wasn't even this nervous when it was my reaping. Maybe because I was only responsible for my life then. Mayle stalks up to the first orb. I close my eyes and raise my hand to the butterfly clip in my hair. "Nocturne Leigh!"
My head jolts up. I see the girl tremble out of the sixteen-year-old area. Her short black her hair not even long enough to tie up in a ponytail. She was larger than myself, but still no marvel of strength, no insanely fast animal, and no threat. Passing her in the halls at school, I recall her as smart and kind. If you dropped your books, she would pick them up for you. Even if it wasn't her fault you dropped them in the first place.
As she walked up to the platform, I could see that sorrow marked her face. She obediently walked up next to the podium, and stood there with her head down. Once she was settled, Mayle shouted out, "And do we have any female Volunteers?" Silence consumed the world as it always did. Nocturne had a sister. Innova, but she was my age. She wouldn't volunteer. I bite my lip, and try not to think of what was to come if I couldn't bring her sister back.
"Let's have a round of applause for Nocturne Leigh!" Applause consumes the crowd, but not as much as had been with Blake. I see Nocturne swallow, and try to maintain a straight face. I wish I could say something to comfort her.
"Onto the males then!" Mayle walks to the orb holding the names of the boys. Once again, I find myself reaching for my butterfly clip. Not Quill, I beg silently in my head. I would ask that the Hunger Games stop in total, but I feel that that might be a bit much. I bite my lower lip, a habit that I fear that I have developed.
"Korren Taya." I release the clip and struggle to hide my look of relief. A brown-haired boy emerges from the fifteen-year-old section. I don't know Korren personally. I've heard stories, none of which I think are true. I watch as he takes his place next to Nocturne, analyzing which would be the better to support. They both stand the same height.
I swallow. I can't make the decision. Not yet, anyways. But I knew that time would come when I would have to choose. Though, with my luck they probably won't make it into the first hour. I need to try my hardest though, for them.
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The crowds are headed off, so I make my way off the platform and to the train. My breathing seems to have steadied a bit, but I still feel shaken. I can't quite grasp the concept that I'm in charge of these guys lives. I can't really call them children because they are older than me. This will be awkward. I'm still in my world of fantasy when I'm intercepted by two figures. I look up to see the ever so tall Quill. Standing beside him is Innova. Innova looks sad, and Quill looks like he is suffering from nostalgia.
Innova wipes away some of her tears, and begins to speak. "Glynn, I know this is your first time as a Mentor, but please-please- try. We won't be mad if you…aren't successful, but you have to try. Please. She is my sister. I don't want to lose her." She looks into my eyes, but I turn away unable to hold her gaze.
I hear her let out a sob, "Please Glynn. Promise you'll try. If she needs help, send her something. Try. Give her signs of things to come, whatever you need. Just look after my sister." I look up, feeling like crying myself. I look over to Quill, who now has his arm around the sobbing Innova. He looks at me with the same expression as he held before.
"I can't promise. I'll try. I really will. I don't even know how I won, so I need to figure everything out. I will tell them all I know. I won't just give up on them." I'm looking at my feet when I say this.
"Can you tell me the same thing while looking into my eyes?" Challenges the grief-stricken Innova. I close my eyes for a brief moment, but open them almost as fast. I swallow any harsh words that I would have yelled had I not had so much self control.
"No." She lets out a sob. "I see only pain in people's eyes. I see all those who I have lost. I see lies and failure. I can't face that. I'm sorry. But I will try my hardest to bring your sister home. I swear to it." Head still down, I side-step her and Quill and head to the train.
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In the television room on the train we watch the recapping. I get to see the competition that I will never have to face. I spent most of the day in my chamber, still unable to face my tributes. Still unable to admit to myself that I can't do this, I can't be responsible for other people.
I take a deep breath and leave the room on the cart that is forever mine and walk into the room where I see the faces of those of who will be killed next. I open the door and I can tell that all of the others are in there. I slip through the door, trying but failing to remain unnoticed. "Look who decided to show up." Says Korren snidely. Nocturne glares at him for making such a rude remark and he returns the gaze. I ignore them and find a seat.
First they play the anthem, then they start recapping the reapings. I know not to underestimate people, a lesson that I learned last year. I have a general understanding of who will be threats, but I'm not sure. I guess I will have to consult my tributes to see who they think are the threats.
District Three produces a young boy who seems to talk to himself as if he was insane. He was quickly replaced by a larger boy, who turns to be his brother. That boy sticks out in my mind. Mags volunteers for District Four, just as she said, and almost instantly my hope of getting my tributes home is crushed. But, maybe it is still possible. Maybe Mags isn't as good as she thinks she is. Maybe she really is as insane as her sister. I could at least hope.
There is a twelve-year-old from five, who reminds me of both myself and Mason. I feel a pang of longing for those who were lost. I shut my eyes to prevent tears escape. Ten selects a set of twins, both look strong enough to crush my own. I take a deep breath. I needed to make a plan, and my plan-making skills were pretty suck-ish. And like that the recappings are over. I gulp once, and start to leave the room when Korren grabs my arm. My whole body tenses at the contact. "Shouldn't we discuss this? Talk about our competition? Try to form a plan?"
I look down, trying to figure how to say this as to not sound like I don't care. Aw, what the heck, put it short in simple, "In the morning." I release my arm from his grip and head back to my room. I can tell that he is storming behind me. Great. I'm already hated by one of my tributes and I haven't talked to him for more than a sentence. I really am amazing at this mentoring business.
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I sleepily gaze at the steamy cup of hot chocolate before me. The sun still has yet to rise, and I don't even expect them to be here anytime soon. I woke up early, unable to sleep. Drenched in a cold sweat I made my way to the dinning cart were an Avox prepared my breakfast. After thirty minutes I still have yet to touch it. Maybe I could let my eyes drip close for just a second…
"Wake up!" The cruel voice shattered me from my sleep. I find myself surrounded by Korren and Nocturne. Nocturne looks tired, and Korren looks angry. I look towards the window; it is still dark outside. "Seriously, you think that you would care, but no. You just fall asleep and forget where you are. You going to do the same things during the Games?" A myriad of equally rude comments rush through my head, but I have no time to shout any of them.
Nocturne lifts her hand to his shoulder, as if to calm him down. Korrenknocks it off. I swallow. "What? You think that everyone will try to help us? No. The others are bound to be giving the advice to help no one. Show no sympathy. Once a chance is presented to kill us, it will be used. We need advice. And unfortunately, you're the one who has to give it to us. These aren't your Games. We have entered a whole new battlefield, and you're just using us as guinea pigs." With that he storms off, and it is all I can do to follow with my eyes. I knew he was right.
Nocturne sits down and starts to rub her temples. "Don't mind him. He can be a real pain in the ass." I look towards her, the girl who seemed to do no wrong. The girl whose sister asked me to take care of.
"Don't you think I'm doing a terrible job? Don't you think that you will lose your Games because of me? Don't you hate me for that?" I'm tracing the rim of the cup while I say this.
"Glynn, you're younger than us. It's hard to do what you do how it is. I don't want to make your life miserable. Yeah, we probably will lose the Game. I can't hate you for something that I have no control over." There is pain and aging in her voice, and I know that she is telling the truth.
"Korren does though." I say, sorrow in my voice.
"Like I said, Korren is an ass." I let my mouth twitch into a smile when she says that. I think I know who I'm going to focus on bringing home.
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Opening Ceremonies: fail. Fortinbras disappoints once again. He went with an organic tree look. Training scores, Nocturne managed a seven, and Korren managed a six. Fair enough, but still not enough to get you Sponsors. For the interviews, all I can say is that they weren't terrible. Mags outshinedeveryone; reviving my fear that my tributes won't make it home. The only advice I could give was try to get supplies at the Cornucopia, than run for it. I'll try to help the best I can.
The Games begin in two hours; I don't have to leavefor the dock just yet. I give my room a final goodbye, and walk to the roof. Along the way, I'm intercepted by Mayle. "Glynn! Great news, someone wants to sponsor Korren! You just need to sign this to seal the deal." I smile. I asked Mayleto talk to people about Sponsors. She succeeded. I took a pin and signed the slip. The name on the top read Talon Raven. Spooky name, but I give it no other thought.
And up I go to the Hovercraft. The ride isn't that long, and when I exit, I'm greeted by the Gamemakers. They take me down to the dock. The dock is what we Victors call the spot that we watch the Games from. I probably will be making this trip quite often. The door is opened, and I have to hide my surprise.
The dock is huge. It has a private section for each district, arranged in a semicircle. There are six on each side of a larger section. Each cubical had a door that needed a key to access. The largest one was were the Gamemakers controlled the Games. The room not occupied by the cubicles was made into a lobby, with a lot of chairs.
I see that the other ten Victors are here. Sitting in the chairs; some are drinking. Others are just laughing and talking. Once I enter, everything falls silent between them. I feel the ten pairs of eyes staring at me, making me very uncomfortable. Silianais the first to speak. "Well I guess I will be the one to give her a tour." I smile lightly, and she walks to the Gamemaker that led me in. "Can I have 9's key?" She asks.
The key is handed over, and she motions for me to follow her. I do so as quickly as I can. She walks up to the cubical marked District Nine, and unlocks the door. I follow her inside the room. I struggle to keep shock from entering my face. There are two cots, one on each side wall. For sleeping. The wall in front of me is filled with monitors and all sorts of buttons. The monitors show pictures of the arena. It is a field of wheat.
There are two chairs in front. I swallow, unsure if I will be able to master this. Siliana walks up to the control panel. "Ok, this is the joystick. With it you can zoom your camera in and out, and you can also move into different parts of the arena. This is the slot where you can put gifts given by sponsors. Um, that's really all you need to know. For now." I look at all the complex buttons. Would she really tell me everything I need to know? Then again, why wouldn't she?
She leaves the room to return to the other Victors, but I stay where I am. I don't want to go back out there. I need to prepare myself for the inevitable. I close my eyes and try to think of all the things that I can do to keep my tributes alive. It's scary how short the list is.
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The gong rings and they run in. I watch with weary eyes what unfolds. Nocturne grabs a pack and runs into the field of wheat. My mouth almost turns to a smile when I see her run into the field, then I focus my attention on the other. Korren runs forward more, into the bloody battle at the peak of the Cornucopia. I watch as he dodges one death blow. Just to fall into the path of another.
I would like to say that I felt a pang of sorrow as he died, but that would be a lie. I felt relief. One less to look after. I watch as he falls at the fate of Mags' grapple. Mags didn't lie. She knew how to use weapons. One dead. I let out a breath.
At least now I only had one tribute to worry about; but what would Korren's family think of my failure? Probably won't be too happy. They can't blame me for anything though, but that didn't mean that they wouldn't hate me. I swallow. This was too much for me to handle. I close my eyes and wish for it all to go away.
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"Come on, Nocturne. Come on! You need to wake up!" Maybe I've gone insane, talking to myself, or maybe this happens to everyone. I watch in horror as the fire spreading across the field reaches closer to where Nocturne lies. She still isn't awake. There isn't anything I can do. "Please, please, Nocturne. Wake up. For your sister. Please." I'm almost to tears now because I know that there is nothing that I can do. No Sponsors to put in money to help me get an object to wake her.
The fire is almost upon her now; even if she wakes there is no chance for her to outrun it. I can't take it. I walk out of my cubical and into the lobby area – the den as the others call it – and sink into one of the chairs. There are still monitors out here, but they are smaller, and not as in your face. I look up to see Siliana looking at me.
"You know, it's hard at first." I look at her confused for a second, but then I understand what she is saying. "Watching them die, the children that lives were entrusted to you. No one here has ever kept a successful Victor. Lucky Primaries."
"Primaries?"
"Those who are first to win in their district." She explains simply. I nod and look to the screen. The fire is upon her, and she is just waking up.
"Why are you still here, Siliana?" I ask, "Both of your tributes died." I watch carefully as she looks to the ground, as if an explanation will present itself.
"My friends are here. And they still need help. Here it isn't divided by Districts. We look after one another. We only have one common enemy." I nod.
Nocturne is on her feet coughing, well gagging really, on the smoke. This continues for a few minutes until she collapses on the ground. The canon fires. I look to Siliana, who is looking at me, her face trying to offer some comfort. "I should probably go now." I say; my voice soft.
She sighs in acceptance. "We would really wish for you to stay. But we understand. The first is always the hardest to deal with." I look at her with a grimace. "See you next year."
"See you next year. It has been a pleasure to make you're acquaintance." I say.
"The pleasure was mine." I hear these words, and I can't help but smile. I then turn around to leave. To go back to the safety of my District. Maybe not safety, but security.
Ok, I wasn't able to update because I added this chapter. I was like 'Humm, this is missing something.' So I wrote this :D. So now there are three chapters left. Yeah, I joined crew, and I have a lot of homework and tests to study for, so I might not be able to update until next weekend. Haha, but I got a hundred on my math test. :D I hope you enjoyed reading! Isn't Nocturne Leigh the coolest name ever? Hehe, I wish it was mine. Don't forget to review! Well, you don't have to, but it's really nice if you do:D I still want to be Katniss! That would be so cool! Yup.