The train interior is as cold and uninviting as I remember. Despite the warm lights and plush chairs dotted around the carriages, everything onboard seems so distant and unloved. Cecilia and her District partner Dill are sitting opposite James and I, hoping for us to tell them something that will keep them alive. James continues his speech about sponsors and I try to keep attention, but the droning monotone of his voice and the lulling movement of the magnetic train is making me feel tired.
"Cleo!" A sharp voice exclaims, I jump slightly in my chair, surprised I had fallen asleep.
"Do you not care if these two die?" Zion shrilled, in the same sharp, squeaky voice.
"I care, but there's not much I can do." I answer, bluntly. Dill and Cecilia look shocked, Dill brushed a lock of greasy dark hair from his forehead.
"What do you mean? Do you think we're going to die?" He asks, annoyed but slightly worried.
"Honestly, yes. Look at you both, you're no warriors." I reply, Cecilia's lip trembles and she begins to cry. Dill stands up, his finger pointed at me and his voice shaking.
"You're no warrior either, Cleo. You should have died, Dandy should have won!" He shouted accusingly. I stand up and without control, punch him across the face. My fist connects and a soft crack can be heard as my knuckles smash across the teenagers cheekbone. Dill falls with the blow to the green chair underneath him; a heavy silence falls across the train. Dill brushes his tanned fingers across his now red jaw,
"Why did you do that?" He asked, quietly.
"Because you deserved it. A true warrior would stand up and hit me back. You're no warrior. Enjoy your week of living because you won't make it past the first day." I hiss; I turn around and stomp across the train towards my room. Behind me I can hear hushed talking but I don't want to listen. The sliding door to my room opens and I collapse onto my soft bed.
I must have fallen asleep, because when I wake up the scenery outside has changed to a mountainous range. We must only have another day of travelling to go. I roll over on the bed and spot a silver tray that has been placed on top of my dresser. I walk towards it, dragging my thin fingers through my tangled, long brown hair. The tray has bread and honey on it as well as a note. That was uncalled for, but Zion's reaction was hilarious. Kovu. I smile and take a bite out of the measly meal. It brings back mixed feelings; when I was in my Games, James had snuck me in some bread and honey and that was what I ate whenever I felt anxious or happy. Now I hardly ever eat it because the honey is sticky with memories I'd rather suppress. Kovu and Diego know about that, so Kovu's gesture of food isn't exactly a kind one, but I'm hungry so I eat it anyway. Once I'm finished, I pad across the soft green carpet of my room towards the shower, wanting to remove all scents of the Victor's homes from my skin. I press a silver button which showers me with icy cold water. The freezing, numbing sensation of the water is almost kind, it's so horrible it distracts me from my thoughts. I press a button with pink square and strawberry shampoo squirts onto my head from a hole above the shower stream. The large, glass cubicle begins to fill with ice cold water and strawberry scented bubbles that are slowly drained away by a spinning plug in the far corner of the shower. No longer being able to stand the cold, I step out of the shower and wrap myself in a black towel.
I spend a few minutes drying myself next the heated floor that sends hot streams of water every 5 seconds all over my body and hair. I walk across the room naked, picking up my old clothes and dressing quickly. Feeling slightly better, I walk out of the room, twisting my hair into a bun as I wander towards the main area of the train. The rest of my companions are eating a hearty breakfast; Zion's beady dark eyes follow me as I sit at the far end of the table.
"Why are you here?" He asks, menacingly.
"Because I want to get as fat as you. Pass me the toast." I order, not bothering to give him eye contact. Diego passes me three slices of white toast. The gentle bubble of conversation that was bouncing around before I arrived has popped and nobody dares to speak.
"Cleo, apologise to Dill for punching him." Kovu says, stabbing a fried mushroom with his fork.
"No. He deserved it." I snap, biting my toast and glaring at my older brother. Diego sighs,
"He didn't. Stop being difficult, Cleo."
"Shut up Diego, don't tell me what to do." I growl, Kovu stands up, obviously annoyed with me.
"Will you grow up Cleo? Not everything is about you. You are acting like a Career trainer and I'm sick of it." He exclaims. I pick up the nearest thing I can and throw it at him. Thankfully it was only a salt shaker so Kovu didn't react and throw something back at me. Instead he reached across the table and grabbed my arm, yanking me to my feet.
"Apologise." He hisses; with my free hand I slap him, but Kovu just grips harder and drags me out of the room.
Kovu pushes me the the floor of his and Diego's room, his large brown eyes burning with anger.
"Why are you doing this to us?" He asks, sitting cross legged in front of me. I put my head between my legs, refusing to look at him.
"Because I am."
"Cleo, you've changed so much. I want my little sister back." Kovu says quietly, his voice lost.
"She's dead, I'm what you've got now." I lift up my head to look directly at him. "Do you think I want to be like this? No, I don't. I want to be the old me but I can't. I'm broken inside, Kovu and I want to fit in so I break other people too." Kovu pulls me towards him into a tight hug. I breath in his familiar smell of oak and pine,
"You can talk to us, Cleo. Diego and I will always listen to you no matter what, you know that right?" Kovu asks; I nod. "I know things have been a little difficult recently, you're confused about who you are after the Games and Diego and I admitting our affections for each other mustn't have helped. But you needed to know Cleo, and I don't want you to stop viewing Diego as a brotherly figure to you, despite...well, despite everything. I think you should go and talk to him. I'm not very good with situations like this, you know that, but Diego's much better at it then I am." Kovu looks down and smiles at me.
"Kov, I think I already knew that you and Diego were more than friends. I love Diego like a brother and he'll always be like that to me so stop worrying. I'm not talking to either of you because I don't want to talk about what I'm feeling. I'll talk to Diego if I need to think about my mixed up thoughts, but for now I'm keeping them buried." I stand up and Kovu and I walk back to the train. I sit down and apologise briefly to Dill, although I'm not sincere and everybody knows it. We eat our breakfast with minimal conversation, my presence obviously putting a lot of people on edge.
The train rolled to a stop outside a large crowd of rainbow coloured people. The two Tributes look terrified, but I knew from experience this crowd is nothing compared to what the other Tributes would be receiving.
"Walk fast, say nothing, don't fall. Go." I said quickly, pushing them both forward of the train and through the crowds. Camera bulbs flashed sending mystical lights dancing across my eyes, Kovu stood behind me, his large 6ft 3 height towering over a lot of the smaller than average Capitol residents. Diego pushed forward, darting through the crowds like a cat. Cecilia's dark eyes were round with worry and a pinch of fascination as she took in the large reception. Dill and James stalked forward, almost at the Training building already. I grabbed Cecilia's arm and hurried her forward from her distracted daze. The double doors to the Training Building opened and the roar of the crowd behind us died down as we stepped inside.
"Is everybody here?" Zion asked, his face red and sweaty from walking through the crowd. I wondered how much walking Zion ever did in his life, very little I suspected from the state of his face from a small stroll.
"Will it be like that wherever we go?" Dill asked, the bashful confidence he had inside the train now evaporated in the Capitol air.
"No, as long as you're not interesting you'll be fine." James answered, as blunt as ever.
"You can go to our floor down, floor 7 incase you were wondering. Kovu and Diego, you two will meet with the other new trainers in the weapons room for introduction, you won't be staying with us any longer so this is my final goodbye to you." Zion said, turning around and walking to the elevator.
"Wow, how sincere was that? I'll see you later Cleo." Diego sneered with a roll of his eyes.
"I'll see you both later on, we're probably going to watch the other Tributes come in." I said; I gave both of my brothers a hug and reluctantly followed James and Zion to the overly familiar floor I once stayed in 3 years ago.
I sat cross legged on a green carpet, a bowl of chocolate covered fruit balance on my lap. The large television at the front of the room was showing the introductions to the 74th Hunger Games with a long, boring speech from President Snow. Cecilia and Dill were sitting together on one of the sofa's, gorging themselves on as much food as they could. James walked towards me and gingerly sat down,
"It's been a while..." James began pretending to watch the TV,
"I know, it feels like I'm interacting with ghosts being here." I whispered back, taking a bite of a strawberry.
"It gets a lot better, I've trained people here 4 times now, and I've been a Victor for 6 years." I raised my eyebrow, thankful that I had a little more time to adjust to being a Victor, rather than just being forced to train as soon as my own games ended. President Snows speech finished and the Reaping highlights were shown. Never had I seen more stereotypes in play; District 1, 2 and 4 were tough and volunteered with enthusiasm, Districts 3, 5, 6 and 7 were shy and quiet, some cried but they weren't the worst reactions, whereas Districts 8, 9 and 10 sobbed and cried for their families, except the male tribute for District 10 who seemed confident to be there.
"I bet he'll win, that Thresh guy." I said, Zion gave me a cruel look for not voting for my own District to win, but why would I give them false confidence when it's obvious they will be brutally murdered? The next District however was a surprise, never had District 12 looked like they might have a hope of winning.
"Sisterly love, how sweet." Cecilia said, her eyes glassy with sadness, I wondered if she was thinking about her own family.
"Trust Effie to make that family thing a big deal, she's desperate to get attention the horrible witch." Zion spat. James and I turned around to stare at him,
"Bad history?" James asked, mockingly. Zion ignored us but his stormy face said all we needed to know. I hope he'd admit what happened between him and Effie Trinket before I left the Capitol.
"The Mentors are on the TV!" Zion called, I wandered in from the kitchen with a cup of hot chocolate in my hand. Cecilia had gone to bed, obviously missing her family and needing a break from the TV coverage. A long hour had passed in which every person the Capitol could interview were praising District 12 bravery and saying District 2 would have the Victory. Ceasar Flickerman appeared on TV, all smiles and bright outfit.
"And now for the fabulous Mentors who will be teaching their Tributes all they know!" I sipped my hot chocolate as Ceasar babbled on about the District 1 Mentors who looked stoned and dull.
"Our firm District 2 Mentor favourite Charlotte is back, this can only mean one thing: District 2 are sure to have the best chance of Victory." The TV flashed up an image of a small, black haired woman with cruel dark eyes and a sly smirk on her face.
"Oh not Charlotte." James groaned, burying his head in a pillow.
"Why, what's wrong with Charlotte?" Dill asked
"She's a total bitch, she throws knifes at people when the Mentors eat together, she thinks she's some sort of ninja warrior. I honesty can say I hate that woman." James growled,
"Bad history?" I said, sipping my drink.
"Bad scar more like." James replied. Once it was our turn to be shown, a picture of James and I flashed on the TV, Ceasar smiled and announced
"District 7 has a new Mentor this year. Cleopatra Ivy, 71st Hunger Games winner has joined the Mentor team alongside her own Mentor from her Games James Ostana. Will these Mentors teach their Tributes the District 7 acting way?" I scowled,
"The bastard still didn't learn my name! It's Cleo, not Cleoparta you thick twat!" I exclaimed, kicking a pillow towards the TV in annoyance. Dill laughed, finding my outburst amusing.
"I'm going to bed, if you find a glitter man dead outside it was me and my motive was him being a dick and not learning my name." I stood up and paced towards my room, leaving behind a light laughter that seemed like they were laughing with me rather than at me.