"Klaire Lockhearst," he says. His voice rising at the end as if hes asking a question. "You have a male sibling I see," he says "Older or younger?" When I turn my head hes smiling expectantly at me and Id rather punch him and go to jail then spend my last days in the Capitol with his kind.
I scowl at him and turn my head back to the audience before answering "Twin,"
He gasps slightly and the kids that know us look straight at my brother. "How exciting?" the escort says and claps to himself. He looks expectantly at me again as if Im the escort and hes the very cheerful tribute. "Well whats his name, dear?" I feel like lying but that could only go so far.
Avoiding Zads gaze I blankly state "Zadian Lockhearst."
The escort laughs and says "Well Zadian come on up here, boy!" I dont watch as Zad makes his way to the stage. I only turn my head when I feel his prescence on the opposite side of the escort. The escort grabs our hands and loudly states "Lets hear it for our tributes, the Lockhearst twins!" I look for my grandpa-
rents and they look calm, but when I look down I see that theyre squeezing each others hands so tightly they might burst. Theyre not just losing one child as a tribute, but two. Not another word is spoken before peacekeepers open the doors behind us and lead us to an empty sitting room in the Justice Building. They lock the door behind usand when I turn around Zad is having an anxiety attack.
"Zad" I say as I grab his hands and lead him to the velvet couch that not even my family could afford. "Zad we'll be alrigh-"
"No were not!" he innterrupts. Reality sets in and I feel panic rising in me too, which is rare.
My lips temble as I say "We just have to calm down and figure soemthing out,"
He lets out a sobs "No, Klaire at least one of us will be dead in a few weeks,"
I let out a sob as well and I dont know what to say. I look around the room but none of these riches put me at ease. "What-what do we do?" I ask more to myself then to him.
"I dont know yet" he says and he burys his face in his arms.
I figure we'll have time to talk to my grandparents about it once they are let in here. I hear a knock at the door and my grandparents stand in the doorway. The peacekeeper that escorted them is the one that drove us here today. He whispers something to grandpa and shuts the door behind them. I wrap my arms around both of them and Zad wraps his arms around me. We stand like that for what feels like hours until my grandparents sit on the couch opposite the one Zad and I sit on.
I hesitate before I ask "What will you do when we're gone?"
Grandma lets out a cry and says "Dont talk like that darling, youll be fine," She sniffles and my grandpa rubs her arm with tears spilling over the edges of his eyes. Its silent again until my grandmother reaches into her pocket.
"Klaire and Zad" she says as if shes answering a question about us. She opens her hand and and in it sits two rings. I immediately recognize them. My parents wedding rings. "Take these into the arena" she says placing my fathers in Zads hand. She goes to offer me my mothers but I pull away.
"You cant expect me to wear that!" I say a little too loudly.
"Klaire, you know your mother wouldve wanted you to have it-"
"No." I say harshly. "She, THEY were traitors! They supported the Capitol! The Games!" This time Im screaming.
My grandpa closes his eyes which pushes more tears down his face. I have to take it. For them. I snatch the ring from my grandmas palm and stuff it in my pocket.
"This isnt for them, you know" I say. "Its for yo-" I feel a sudden rush of tears and cover my mouth with my hand.
My grandpa rubs my arm this time. "We love you, both of you" he says. We continue to sit in silence until the same peacekeeper opens the door. He motions for my grandparentsto leave. I keep sitting but when they are almost out of the room I jump up and and reach for them. The peacekeeper looks at me painfully and slams the door, and I have to yank my hand away to avoid getting it crushed.
I sit in my compartment on a train. Its even faster than the car, and I feel sick. The escort whos name is actually Thorburn says that our mentors will meet us at dinner in an hour. From what I can tell by the interior of the train, the food must be Capitol food. I cant even imagine what it could be, and I hope it isnt disgusting. I havent paid very special attention the the mentors in district 10, Ive only lived here two years, but I know that there is at least two mentors. One for Zad, and one for me. Zads room is on the opposite side of the train. I would go visit him, but I admit, Im scared to venture out in front of Thorburn and possibly the other mentors until Im told to. I showered in the bathroom attatched to my room. In a drawer there were bunches of brushes, but none of them had horse bristles, like the ones at home. I settled for one with plastic bristiles. It hurt and tore out some of my hair. There was a machine made for hair drying but there were so many buttons that Id rather not try to figure out. I pile my hair on top of my head in a bun so it dosent get water on my back. Back in my room theres a dresser filled with clothes. None of them suit my taste, but I cant wear my reaping dress again, its already wrinkled and in the laundry chute. Never to return back to me. It might as well be a trash chute. Everything in the dresser is tight or uncomfortable or just plain stupid looking. I dig underneath them but then I start to just throw the Capitol clothes on the ground. They were getting in the way and I dont give a damn about them. At the bottom I find clothes that resemble the ones in district 10. I settle on a pleated pale yellow blouse with buttons and denim jeans. Somehow I find normal black flats so I wear those. Luckily my hair is dry and not frizzy when Thorburn knocks on my door.