I am in a room not just a room, the room where I will say my goodbyes to my family. The room has wooden walls, velvet sofas, silky carpets, and a hardwood wooden floor. I take a seat on a velvet chair and for only three seconds I sit in silence until my family pours inside the room.
" Oh honey, honey, honey, honey I love you." My mom says with tears trickling down her face,
" Riley try to win, maybe you can." Lily says with tears in her eyes and shacking like a leaf.
" Riley listen to me here, okay. You can win, we believe that when you get set into that arena we will watch you come back. Have confidence in yourself like many victors did." my dad says while brushing my ragged hair.
" Mom, Dad, Lily. We have no victors. How am I suppose to find out what I need about the arena? Tell me because I can't just pick that up from the escort." They all wear a worried expression, but my dad face lights up with an answer.
" You get allies! If you get allies you ask what them the advice their mentor has for them. Also when you have allies they can teach you a thing or two, all you go to do is let them." He smiles and I see a tear rolls down his eye.
" I love you guys, make me a good meal when I get back." They all smile, until the Peacekeepers barge inside.
" Time is up." One says in a cold voice to my family.
" Love you guys don't forget..." That is all I get to say to them until they are escorted away from me.
The door slams and a whiff of air hits my face. I hunch down and cover my face with my hands, and start to cry. These Games might kill me and nobody will even remember my name. I hate how President Snow thinks he can get away with 23 dead people a year. I wanna break down the wall and burn the Capitol to the ground, but I can't do that. When I wipe away my tears I stand up and head to the door. The Peacekeepers open the door before I can open it and follow behind me, towards the train. I walk through a long hallway with marble floors, ceilings, and walls with pictures covering the walls. I spot Tucker at the end of the hallway and we meet up and both walk to the train. I move my head slightly and catch a glimpse his glassy eyes, stuffy nose, and wet bags under his eyes. Reporters fill the area as we push through the throng of people. I thought I would automatically be on the train but Portia guides us to a small black car with tinted black windows. I open the door an dme and Tucker take a seat side-by-side. I haven't spoken a word to him and I try to start a conversation. I hope for an ally in the arena, I will see if he is on my list.
" Anybody visit you?" I ask but I a get is a grunt.
" Okay there goes chit-chat, I want an ally in the arena will you be that ally?" He turns toward me and wears a confused expression on his face.
" You want me? Why you don't even know me." I don't get why he keeps giving me the cold shoulder,
" I just think that a person should protect who comes with them, it is a simple as that. Wait why do you even question that, do you not want me to ally with you?" He sighs and shakes his head.
" It is not that it is just... nobody picks me for anything. Well that is a lie. My first raffle I won it." I chuckle a little bit and he somewhat smiles.
" So yes or no I want an answer before we go into that arena." He pauses for a while then he starts up again.
" Yes. Hey what do you think the Capitol is like, its not like anybody went there and lived to tell the tale." I take that question undermine but the car comes to a halt, and the doors swing open by Peacekeepers.
Tucker and I push through the crowd of people until there is enough room to move. Portia is already at the door of the train and she gestures for us to hurry up. The people around us are asking us questions that I don't answer like Are you scared? What do you think the Capitol is like compared to District 12? Who made you wear that? Stupid questions by stupid people. That is all it is, nothing more but possibly less. Tucker makes it to the door before I do because he is not being asked questions. I finally make it to the large silver train from the Capitol. Portia is guiding us around the train but I don't listen to her, I just admire it. A blue carpet for a floor, silver steel walls, hanging chandeliers, a big table set with exquisite food I have never heard of, silky soft furniture, and silver dishes. My jaw drops as I look around admiring its beauty, the kind of beauty that makes District 12 as a whole looks like a pile of mud. It is about late afternoon when Portia turns the t.v. on and we surf channels until we find the District reapings. I don't remember all of them but only very few stand out like, the blond from 4, the large dirty blond guy from 7, and the small dark skinned girl from 10. Portia after the recaps starts babbling on about something happening at her birthday party.
" I am going to sleep." I say as I push myself out of the velvet chair and to my room.
" Okay, goodnight Riley." Tucker calls out from the living room while I walk towards my room.
The door slides open with my touch and I see another Capitol room. The blue carpet floor, the green bed setting, and the dark blue walls closing me and the other rooms off. I strip out of my dress and plop into bed in a silky nightgown. I only put my feet in the bed when warmth automatically surges through my body, something in District 12 that never happens. When I snuggle into the bed I drift off into sleep in only a few minutes. I hate the Capitol and everything about it, but when I comes down to its specialties I can't complain.