Chapter 2: Leaving

They wouldn't let the two tributes to see each other until the car ride to the train and even then Spikelet sat in between us. We waved goodbye to our District who were cheering. I got on the train and as soon as the doors closed, jumped into Fir's arms. He held me so close and I let more tears cascade down my cheeks and neck. Soon I was sobbing and shaking so hard that the only thing holding me remotely steady was him. He kissed my forehead. Spikelet cleared her throat in the background but I didn't care. She had already caused me enough pain in the past 24 hours and I didn't need her ruining anything else for me.

"That's not going to win the Games," A male voice said. I looked up and sniffled. It was Finnick Odair, the winner of the 65th Hunger Games. I was confused as to why he was there until remembered that he must've been our mentor.

"I watched you win the Hunger Games and if that's what it takes then I have no chance," I replied coldly.

"Don't say that," Fir whispered.

"Your boyfriend's right," Finnick said walking over to the drinks. "You can't start off thinking like that."

"Well then what should I be thinking of?" I asked annoyed.

"Nothing yet. I think you guys deserve some time alone. Even us people in the Victors Village keep up with the District gossip," He said. "We can start talking about tactics and strengths when we get to the Capitol."

I hated to admit it, but he was right. I didn't want to be thinking about the Games, I wanted to go back to the days where I would spend days just being with Fir without a care in the world. We left the main room and went into what appeared to be my bedroom. I sat down on the plush bed. I lived in a well off district but this was still nothing like I had ever slept on. He sat down next to me and I fell into his chest. Tears still came, but they came with silence this time. He held me close to him and stroked my hair.

"What are we going to do?" I asked quietly.

"I don't know," he said. "But maybe we should just not think about it?"

"How? How can I not think about the fact that in two weeks you and I could very well be dead? Why did it have to be us?"

"I guess the odds weren't ever in our favor," he said, a meager attempt to make a joke. I wasn't laughing like I usually would at his stupid humor.

"That isn't funny," I told him.

"We know how to handle ourselves. Have you been getting training?" he asked. District 4 was considered a career district; many of our children are trained before getting selected.

"I got basic training, but nothing extensive," I told him. My Dad had taught me how to fish with a spear and tie knots, my mom how to cook with things that you couldn't get at the market and then I took the first basic training course at school but I had stopped after the first session ended. I never thought that I would really ever need the rest of the training. Boy was I wrong. But, there were other girls that kept on going, were still going. Why didn't they volunteer for me?

"I did," he said. "My dad started me when I was nine and then taught me on the side of the school course."

"That's why you would wait for him with me," I said the light going on in my head. "I thought you really just liked the sea!" It was weird, we had known each other for nine years and I didn't know this big thing about him.

"Fishing has helped a lot too," he said. So maybe we do have a chance.

"But what about the end?" I asked. That was really the only thing I was worried about.

"Let's not think about that just yet," he said. Before I could protest and argue that it would be a great time to discuss what would happen if it was just us left but the dinner bell rang before I could get to it. We went into the food car where the table was all set out. Spikelet was babbling on to Finnick who looked only mildly interested. Sitting on the table was a giant feast. I had never seen such delicious looking food in my whole life. They were serving meat that wasn't taken from the sea and the food didn't have that hint of seawater that I had grown so used to. I looked over at Fir who was devouring his as well.

"This is so good!" I exclaimed.

"Don't get too used to it," Finnick said. "In a few weeks you might have to survive on nothing."

"I thought you told us to not think about that," I retorted. I didn't get a good first impression of him.

"I did."

"Then shouldn't we be focusing on how awesome the food is here, right now?"

"I think the food is good here as well," Fir interjected.

"Yes, I have always thought that the food in the Capitol was the best." Spikelet commented.

"When was the last time you had food not prepared by the Capitol, Spikey?" Finnick asked skeptically.

"Just yesterday I had some sort of fresh fish dish prepared by some locals," she defended. "And I thought I told you to not call me that!"

"Spikey," he said blatantly ignoring her request. "Some of the locals make some pretty bad dishes."

"I don't think our food is bad it's just this food doesn't taste like it got yanked out of the sea," I explained. "It's a nice change,"

"Some people work very hard to bring you that seafood," Finnick said to me. I gave Fir that 'is this guy serious?' look. As if I didn't know how hard it was to work on the boats.

"Yes I happen to know that. But I am sure that all of the farmers in District 10 work just as hard to bring us this," I replied.

"I think you two are going to just love the Capitol!" Spikelet interjected smiling. "It is such a welcoming place and I have a feeling that you two may become a quick favorite,"

"Why?" I asked surprised. I mean sure we were from a supposed career district and usually we put on a good show but I can't imagine that I looked like a good candidate to choose.

"They love a good show and you two will be a good one," Finnick explained. Oh right, they must know that we are together. There was an awkward silence.

"But the Capitol is so beautiful and all the people there have such good personalities!' Spikelet continued. She really couldn't get past that. By this time it was dark out and I could tell that it was getting late.

"It's been a long day I think I will turn in now," I said putting my napkin down on my plate and standing up. "See you all in the morning,"

"I'm tired too," Fir said standing up next to me.

"Goodnight you two! We'll get you up bright and early in the morning before we get to the Capitol so you can prepare," Spikelet said before we left the room. I didn't know that we were that close to the Capitol. Fir dropped me off at my room like he always had done.

"Goodnight," I said to him, like I always had.

"Goodnight," he replied before leaning down to kiss me. It was a short kiss and it felt different. Whenever I kissed him before it felt lighthearted and full of love. This kiss felt like it had a timer on it, like our bodies knew that our time together was shrinking so it wanted to save that love for later. I didn't like that feeling. We went into our separate rooms. I got changed into the luxurious pajamas that had been provided for me. I cried myself to sleep that night and had terrible nightmares about what would happen to me during the Games. Was that what the rest of my life was going to be like? Nightmares and tears? I did not want it to be like that, not one bit. I didn't understand how my life went from complete bliss to a total nightmare in 24 hours. It was then that I first realized the true horrors of the Hunger Games. It wasn't that humans were being sent to kill each other; it was that children were the ones being sent. They were ripping any chance at normal lives for these tributes away. They were ripping my life away.