Games 5

I'll be honest: I wasn't too crazy about Haymitch.

It was pretty obvious he was a drunk and had a lot of emotional problems. I tried not to be too harsh on him, but I understood why Katniss didn't really enjoy his company. The day I met him he had a white liquor halfway in his hand, and he was passed out drunk at a table with drool coming out of his mouth. Making a face with my older sibling, I touched his shoulder gently.

"Haymitch?" I kept shaking his shoulder after that, "Haymitch!"

Rolling her eyes, Katniss took a bucket of ice water and dumped it over the drunk. He shot up like a rocket, yanking out a pocket knife and about slitting my throat. Yelping my surprise, I instantly ducked behind her and scolded myself when I did. I wouldn't be able to do that in the Games...there was doubt I was going to have to toughen up if I was going to win for my sibling.

"What do you want?" he slurred his demand, sitting up and stumbling his way to his feet. His grip tightened on the bottle, as if it was any use for a weapon...then again, maybe it could be.

This guy had been in the Hunger Games himself.

"Prim...is going to be in the Hunger Games," I could tell it really pained Katniss to force out those words as she gently nudged me forth, "you'll be training her."

"So the girl on fire is extigushed to soon," he laughed at his own joke, and I couldn't help but glare, "oh, so Blondie's feisty!"

He laughed again and stumbled his way off, and I scowled deeply. I wasn't going to like him, was I? Katniss knelt down in front of me, putting her hands on my shoulders and kissing my forehead.

"You have to live, Prim," she was looking me in the eyes, like she always did when she wanted me to listen hard, "you have to try your best."

She was probably worrying about sounding selfish. After all, I was the little sister, the one who couldn't really take care of herself. It was all true...and yet, this was fate. So I hugged her neck, burying my face in her neck.

"I will," and that wasn't an assurance.

It was a promise.

I didn't like goodbyes. It was actually more painful for me to say goodbye than it was for the person I loved to up and die, like Father. Katniss and I hugged each other for a long time before three Peacekeepers yanked her away, and we kept our eyes on each other until she was nothing more than a speck on the train. Turning away, I buried my face in my hands and sobbed softly.

The bed sure felt cold that night.

Training changed me. I learned to accept the sight of blood...well, fake blood. And I became quicker and learned to climb slippery surface. The training was probably key on my surrival, since I wasn't good at anything but healing.

Unlike Katniss, I suck at bow and arrows. So, I settled for a knife. It got a little easier to handle blood sticking on my hand, at least, even if it was only fake. I found a friend in Rue, like I'd expected, and we decided to ally.

Even if we would have to kill each other.

I had no regrets on what I'd done in the evluation room.

I was already mad. They were all like Haymitch: Drinking, laughing, not paying attention to me. And they all looked like freaks. So, I threw a knife into the wall when a guy came out with a pig. Flipping them all off, I skipped out, giggling like to stupid little girl I am.

Let's just say I about died when I got an 10. Katniss would be proud.

"You did great," Rue smiled to me as we ate diner that night.

"You did great, too," I smiled back at her, "an 8's really good."

"Not really," she looked down to her bread, obviously flustered. She was so sweet and modest...neither of us were going to last very long in the Games for sure.

But for this time, now, we were both two best friends just chatting over life.

I liked my stylists. Sure, they were kind of freaky and talked like I didn't exsist. It was really embarrassing to be naked in front of them..and I was about to go dig my own grave and crawl in when I found out one of them was a guy.

But they were still really nice. They'd turned me into a beautiful girl who looked much older than a twelve year old. They turned my two braids into one, used makeup to make my pale skin look tan, and suited me up in a Hunger Games outfit. My jacket crinkled around me as I made my way down the hall, talking to Cinna for what was possibly my last time.

"Primrose, you are very beautiful," he beamed at me, as if just being there was an incretible achievment, "and I know you're strong. I have the utmost confidence you'll win."

"Thanks, but I probably won't," I looked down to my laced up boots as I stepped into the tube, "Katniss is the strong one."

"Don't sell yourself short," he patted my shoulders, "and whatever you do, keep running. Don't turn back, alright?"

"Alright," as soon as I said it, he reached forward and opened the flap of my jacket.

"She's with you forever," I remembered right before Katniss had to leave for the first time, when she was going to be in the Games instead of me.

"I can't let you go," tears were pouring down my face as I failed at being strong for her. I clung to her tightly, trying to steady my breathing as she tangled her fingers in my hair.

"Prim, let go," she finally managed through her own light tearflow, pushing me back a bit.

"I'll never let go," I tried again to hold onto her, as if the power I didn't have could stop the Peacekeepers yanking her inside the train, but she stepped away from her own free will inside the train.

"I'll come home," she unclipped a pin from her shirt front and put it on me, "there. Now you'll always have me right there, helping you with all your battles."

When she was gone, I fingered it. It was a Mockingjay...I sighed waterily and held up my head. Katniss was with me now and forever. Nothing bad would ever happen to me now.

I smiled waterily to Cinna now, zipping it up and hugging his neck. I'd only known him for a few days...but in those few days I'd changed. And I'd learned he was a friend.

The world was coming to me too fast now. I was in the tube, entering my death. I looked around the arena, how it was basically forest and woods. That was just great...this was Katniss' element, not mine. Then again, to think the areana would be like a hospital was a little much to hope for.

I could feel everyone's eyes on me as we waited for the signal to run. The little blonde for District 12 with a sister who tried to save her life, and she went and set herself up for suicide by coming to the Capitail, but not before killing a Peacekeeper. I was about convinced I was more popular than the girl on fire.

I didn't even realize the buzzer had gone off before I saw everyone running for supplies. Blinking and mentally scolding myself, I took off and headed for the woods. They were all fighting like animals for the supplies, and it figured the woods would be safer, like Haymitch had said. I felt Rue at my side instantly, and she'd scored a red backpack with her speed. We headed for a tall tree deep into the forest, her darting up and me fumbling behind.

It'd all happened so fast, my heart didn't start trying to break my ribs until a few moments later. She showed me where I could sit to not fall off the tree and relax a little, then opened up her prize. Medicine for stings, a sleeping bag, a loaf of bread, and canteen for water. Not a bad load, but it wasn't the best thing to have.

Well, maybe Katniss had gotten us some sponsers.

The sky lite up with the names of those who'd died in just the first few hours. Eight lives had been taken...that was eight too many in my opinion. But I'd made it, which was a remarkable thing as it was. Maybe I had a tiny chance of making it through the night.

Rue whistled four notes at that point, and hidden Mockingjays all replied eagerly. Smiling, somehow comforted by the fact that the birds were among us, I closed my eyes as she took first watch. I was lucky to have found her...she was obviously a good ally to have.

Allies. That was the only way I was going to get through this thing. Having the right allies at the right time.

And then I'd have to kill them.