When we get inside the train my head hurts from all the bright lights. The main cart is furnished so richly that I actually feel angry. Why should people blow so much money on this when District 12 is starving and District 4 constantly suffers from tsunamis? Those people need aid from the Capitol and money to save their selves but of course the Capitol thinks we are all part of their games, don't they?
Tsunamis... God, I hope there's none of those in the arena...
I hear Nook gasp as he enters the room. I almost forgot he was here strangely. I guess the Capitol can take your mind of things when you're silently raging about them. We both hesitate on what to do or where to go. Tizzy takes her chance to take center stage again.
"While we're traveling to the Capitol this is where we'll be staying. You're rooms are just through the next carts and your wardrobes are stocked with brand new clothes!" She giggles lightly, walking over to the door. "Off you go! You need to look as ravishing as I do for the Capitol!"
Nook is fuming silently and I drag him away before he can start yelling at Tizzy. I know she's an idiot but it's not her fault. Really.
In my bedroom everything is forest green, from the bed to the hairbrush on the oak wood dresser. This is weirdly thoughtful of the Capitol, considering I'll be dead five minutes after the games have began. I creep over to the dresser, my feet silent on the carpet. I scan through the clothes quickly, pulling out a few random things till I find something that fits. It's a pale green blouse. What a surprise.
After changing into that and some black bottoms, I head out to the main cart again. Nook's sitting on a bright red leather sofa in front of a very big TV. I slide over behind him, again completely silent. With a grin, I shake his shoulders wildly, causing him to jump and turn furiously to me. His strict frown slowly turns upwards though when he sees how much I'm laughing. He laughs too and for some reason we can't stop. Our faces are bright red and I'm not even sure why. We haven't laughed like this together for months but it feel good to let it all out.
Nook suddenly stops laughing and that causes me to stop to. He staring at the TV again. I sit down carefully next to him, my eyes not leaving the screen. The reaping ceremonies from all the districts flash up on screen. First it's 1 and both tributes are volunteered. The girl and boy are, apparently, cousins according to the commentators. They both have strawberry blonde hair and sky blue eyes. They move like cats, stepping up lightly to the stage, swaying their bodies with out a worry in the world.
District 2 is definitely scarier. The boy tribute is a volunteer but I have no clue why. He's so small that it must only be his first or second reaping. I dismiss him from my mind since he's no threat for sure. It's the girl I'm scared of. She runs proudly to the stage, waving her arms up to the cameras. A vicious smirk is set on her face and I squirm in my seat.
The other reapings whizz by and then it's us in 7. Tizzy looks ridiculous prancing about on stage. But then she reads the name and the camera flashes to me in the crowds. The commentator comments on how I'm like a lamb, ready to be killed in the wolf's den. I guess you would get that impression from the look I had on my face. When Nook is reaped they says that he looks like he knows what he's doing. And from the look in Nook's eyes, I'm with them. He looks like a trained tribute almost with determination in his eyes.
Then it's the other five districts and the show's over. Pretty much no one expect District 1 and 2's tributes stand out to me. I turn to face Nook, pulling my knees up to my chest on the sofa and hugging them tight. He sighs and meets my eyes unwillingly.
"Avia," He starts, "I just want to say one thing."
"What?" I ask and it comes out as a whisper.
"In the arena," He says slowly, "I will-"
He gets cut off by Tizzy, who comes running into the room at full speed. She looks at us and glares. She lectures us on how we should be in bed right now because we'll be arriving in the Capitol in no more than two days and that we need to look our best for the cameras. I pause before getting up, looking back at Nook and then walking steadily back to my room. When I get there, I realize I haven't had dinner. This makes me angry. We're supposed to be going to the Capitol to participate against our will in their slaughter games and they don't even have the curtsy to feed us!
I open my bedroom door then slam it as loud as I can. One of the servants walking pass jumps and rushes along. Good! These Capitol people don't care about me so why should I care about them?
I go to the dresser and change into a nightie that, for once, isn't any kind of green. It's a very light shade of red that Mother would have said compliments my hair.
Mother. I feel guilty for not have thinking about her that much. What would she be doing now? Trying to get to sleep? Sobbing into her pillow? Hopefully the neighbors have been comforting her. I remember when she did the same to them when their oldest son was reaped for the games and never came back.
I try to banish any thoughts of home or the games so I can sleep soundly. It doesn't work well but when I do sleep, nightmares keep waking me. Ones of the cat-like cousins and the monstrous girl, but mostly of the painful death I'm sure is waiting for me. After those nightmares come the worse ones.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victor of the sixty-eighth Hunger Games, Avia Pines!"
I pull myself up from the ground, panting heavily. The applause from the Capitol is deafening. I throw my fists up in victory but then slowly bring them back down. I unfold my hands and stare at them. A sticky red liquid stains them; Blood. I fall to my knees, still staring at my hands. The blood keeps getting thicker and thicker on each of them. The blood of the small District 2 boy, the blood of the girl cat-like cousin but worse of all, the blood of my brother.
The voices are screaming at me. The endless cries of the innocent boy make me beat myself the bitter laugh of the girl makes me scream myself and throw myself around of the floor, begging for it to stop. Then I hear his voice. He's begging me, pleading at me. I grab the dagger beside me, stained with the blood, and start stabbing myself. The pain goes on and on, my own blood staining in the grass beneath me and then the pain stops dead and all goes dark.
I awake screaming and sitting upright in bed. I'm sweaty and out of breath, my hair covering my face. Panting, I push it back and then slowly slip out of bed. My anger from earlier is drained but not my hunger. The kitchen is easy enough to find though the food is hard to prepare. Half of it I've never seen before in my life and don't know what to do with it. In the fridges (there's four of them), I manage to find a bag of red apples that seem to shiny and perfect to be real.
Back in my bedroom, I munch on the apples and try to sort out my thoughts. It takes me a while to realize I'm slowly falling asleep and put the apple on the bedside table so I don't choke on it.
Choke on it. Wouldn't that be a nice idea. The Capitol would love that.
I awake to a knocking on the door. It's Tizzy trying to get me up for breakfast. Dragging myself out of bed, I shuffle over to the dresser. The constant knocking doesn't stop so I end up slamming the dresser shut and going to breakfast in my pajamas. From the look on Tizzy's face, it's safe to say she hates me.
Breakfast is too filling. There's at least twenty different types of meat cooked in every possible way imaginable. Eggs scrambled, poached, fried, boiled and steamed are all loaded on Karo Veneer's plate, who's finally graced us with his presence, and it's only know I see how big and strong he is. A big apatite for a big victor.
I wait for him to speak to us, to give us advice. He doesn't. The only words he mutters are to the servants that don't ever both to reply back. They just nod and scurry away frightened.
Nook is getting agitated. He keeps frowning and trying to find something, anything, to say. When he does finally speak, it's a good break from Tizzy and her lectures to me about grace and keeping up appearances.
"How are we supposed to survive? To get sponsors?" His voice is empty, completely hollow. Karo looks up from his eggs and frowns.
"We? There's only one victor, kid. And let me tell you now, it won't be either of you."
"Maybe we could win if you'd help us and stop stuffing your face." Nook shots back. Karo stands abruptly from the table and scowls at him. If looks could kill.
"Get it into your head, kid, there's only one victor. I'm not helping you win. I'm not helping you die. I'm only here to keep up appearances." Venom drips from Karo's voice and I wince. His head turns suddenly and he's looking at me. His eyes run up and down me as if he's scanning me physically and mentally. "Can you sneak?" He asks slowly.
"What?" I say, my brow furrowing. I can see he's slightly annoyed but he hides it well.
"Can you sneak?" He repeats even slower.
"I-I don't know." I sip some water and meet his eyes. "Why?"
"You seem to be perfectly made for it. You're small for a what? Fifteen year old? And you're feet seem to work silently against any kind of flooring."
"I'm sixteen," I say annoyed. "And so what if I'm small or quiet?"
"Stealth is a good weapon for the arena. Sometimes you may need to spy on other people or sneak up to them and stab them in the back." He says it easily, as if it's no big deal. His words remind me a little of what happened with Zoe when we were talking.
"No." I say quietly. He doesn't hear and goes on about stealth and daggers together as a strong combination. I stand angrily from the table. "No!" I repeat louder, catching everyone's attention.
I can see Tizzy is confused. Stupid Capitol puppet. I can see Karo is surprised. Stupid arrogant victor. But mostly I can see Nook and the understanding in his eyes. With one quick glance around the table, I run silently out and back to my own room, where my stupid feet make no noise against the cold floors. For the rest of the day I'm alone in my room. It gives me time to make myself look pretty for the Capitol and try to improve my attitude.
It's only hours later that someone comes to gets me. The knock on the door is hesitant but firm. I mumble for whoever it is to come in and I'm surprised it's Karo himself. I raise an eyebrow at him but he only glares back.
"We're almost at the Capitol. You might want to come wave to the audience." He says 'audience' with a snarl and then he's gone. I let out a sigh before I'm following him and then suddenly I see why he was so bitter about it. From out the window I can see dozens of cheering Capitol people, all waving and shouting at us. These people - puppets - don't care about us. All they want is a show. In their freaky fashions I'm almost scared of them but I'm determined not to let them underestimate me.
Suddenly I feel a cool hand on my shoulder and see it's Nook. He looks so empty and broken. I search his face for something - anything. He manages a small smile before giving me a quick hug. Then he's by the windows waving to the puppets.
I'm scared he's becoming one himself.
Hellooo fellow Hunger Game lovers! So I know there's a few people reading this and one or two follows etc. But I was wondering if any of you would review for me? It would be a big big boost and suggestions/advice are very berry welcome!