A/N: I am in love with this story. I am updating every day (or few hours!), wanting it to come out as amazing as I can make it. I am glad that you are reading this story and enjoying it. If you have an idea, tell me! I would love to hear your input on the Seventh Quarter Quell. Thank you, and enjoy the chapter.
Stiles and I are quickly escorted to the train, ready to see the Capitol. When I was little, I wanted to see the Capitol. Or, any other place than District 10. But, as I grew up, working with Philomena, Loco, and all the other livestock, I thought the Capitol had the weirdest sense of not having any animals. I guess they have little dogs, but I think they should at least have a horse.
The train was the most wonderful thing I have ever seen. The seats were a dark blue, with velvet on them, the tables were made of dark wood, and the food. I have had some of the food on the table before, so I wasn't so taken aback. Stiles, on the other hand, his eyes filled with the food. He walked towards the food, grabbing what he can carry. We sit side by side, in two velvet seats. He starts shoving food in his mouth.
"Wan some?" He asks, his mouth full. He shoves an éclair to my face.
"No thanks. I'm not hungry." I reply. Not many people in 10 can say what I just said.
He swallows his food, and speaks again. "What's it like? Having all the food you want?"
"Uh...It's..." I never answered. Heels started to click and Kiani walked in, followed by Annabelle and Dane. Kiani's voice, that super bird-like voice, hit my ears.
"That was the best Reaping from District Ten yet!" She says, sitting at a booth with a small glass of a clear drink.
Annabelle shrugged off Kiani's excitement and sat in front of me. She looks like she did a when she came to fetch me. I didn't get a good look at Dane, but I did when he sat in front of Stiles. Dane was in his forties and his features were a little saggy. He turned to drinking when his Games ended, much like many victors. His short, raven hair was in a tangled mess, his eyes were a dull gray, and he has put on much weight since his Games. He didn't even look like the sixteen year old in his victor picture in the Justice building.
Dane refilled his drink, a musty brown liquid, and looked at Stiles. He was examining what he has to work with. A scrawny little boy, weak from hunger, and he's shoving desserts in his mouth. He shot a glance at me with envy for Annabelle. I have meat on my bones, a pretty face, and strong from working with livestock weighing in at over a thousand pounds.
"So, you're going to help us to survive?" Stiles asks Dane when his mouth was clear from food.
"Slow down, boy." Dane replies, sipping his liquor. "You gotta keep in mind that you are gonna be paired with not from District Ten. Given the chances that you'll get a female from One, Two, or Four, you might not survive."
"Dane!" Annabelle nudged him. "You said that to me when I won my Games. You said, 'You might not survive' and look where I am!"
"He's twelve. You know the chances of a twelve year old to win the Games?" He sipped his liquor again, not bothering to look at the frightened boy in front of him.
"Jana..." Annabelle stands up.
"It's Jada." I reply.
"Jada." She grabs a dessert and sits back down. "What are your strengths?" I look at Stiles, who is eating more food as Dane is talking to him.
"I can throw very well." I tell her, making sure Stiles can't hear me.
"Oh, a thrower. Like knives or spears?"
"Um...both?" Do sharp kitchen knives and a pitchfork count as throwing knives and a spear?
"Perfect. You will be a strong contender." Annabelle says before the conversation seized to exist.
I looked out the window of the train and saw the landscape pass by before my eyes. The trees zip by, not giving me a chance to look at them. I've only been on the train for...ten, fifteen minutes...and I long for when I see trees again. I want the arena to be a forest. I believe it will be. Last year, the arena was a desert. The year before that, the arena was an island. The last time the arena was a forest was when I was born.
I see lights in the distance. It looks like lights from another district. I wonder what district it is. I didn't have to time to think before Kiani sent us off to another compartment. We need to watch the recap of the Reapings. As we made our way in, the Panem seal was on the screen. I watched every Reaping with my memory on hyper drive. I remembered every name and whether they volunteered or not. Without fail, most of the tributes from 1, 2, and 4 volunteered.
District 1: Flitter and Quaid. District 2: Camilla and Lucifer. District 3: Rahi and Malloy. District 4: Hollis and Louis. District 5: Skylar and Devin. District 6: Lily and Collin. District 7: Faith and Kade. District 8: Parker and Milo. District 9: Jae and Omar. District 11: Carly and Neal.
As I watched, I took notice of the one boy from District 1 who did not volunteer. Quaid. He has a strong body, probably from training all of his life. He had golden hair, wheat golden hair even. It was short and complimented his face. I could barely see his eyes, but they looked emerald green. Quaid was chosen by the lottery and no one volunteered for him. That is very...odd.
I sized up my competition from the Reaping recap. The tributes from 3, 6, 7, 9, and 11 look weak so I am not worried about them. Everyone else looks like they have a fighting chance. I won't know about them until I see them train and see their training scores. I also noticed another twelve year old tribute from 7, Faith. I don't think she'll make it past the bloodbath.
We went back to the compartment where we originally were. I look out the windows and we are arriving at the Capitol. The train started to slow down and I took in the sights. Everything looked chrome and dazzling. Coming from one of the three poorer districts (the other two being 9 and 11), this is a shock to me and Stiles. I glance to Stiles, who has his face pressed to the window, soaking up everything the Capitol showed him.
We pulled into the station and I saw the abundance of Capitol citizens. They are screaming for us. Who would want to cheer for tributes from District 10? I heard my name escape their lipstick smeared lips. I tried not to cringe at their dyed skin. One person was dyed a terrible shade of crimson, looking like they were skinned alive. I waved to everyone, giving them what they want.
Annabelle got me to snap back to reality as she led me into the Remake Center.