~Kimmit "Kim" Mangline~
I board the train stone faced. I don't want to show them my true emotions.
Sadness.
Anger.
I don't want to be here. Why was I chosen? Why did that kid volunteer? I get led into the dining area and slump down in the first chair I see. My mentors stare at me with weird looks in their eyes. Wylie, my District partner sits down next to me.
The male mentor, Walt, opens his mouth to say something but I interrupt.
"I'm working alone, no offence Wylie but I can't handle the thought of losing a person I care about." Wylie just shrugs.
"Personally I don't care Kimmit, I would rather be alone as well." He smiles at me.
"Well that settles it then, separate work." Walt says. Wylie stands up and walks out of the room with the female mentor. "So Kim, can I call you Kim? What are you good at?" He asks.
"Well, I've used a sword before, they used to teach us during gym class how to use one like that old sport fencing, and I was really good at it so I bought a sword and just started practicing. I really don't know how good I am but I guess we'll see during the games." I smile at him.
"Well Kim, it seems you have some training. It might get you further in the games." He says to me.
"Might? I thought people who knew how to use weapons got pretty far?" I ask him as he frowns at me.
"Kimmit, the games are hard, ruthless and terrifying. You have to have brains, you have to be a quick thinker. That's how you get out alive, that's how I got out."
"But am I you, Walt?" I ask him.
"No, but you can be like me and survive." Walt has a cold look in his eyes. District Three hasn't had a victor since Walt won when I was four.
"Walt, you won out of luck. I watched your games last year in class the whole week before the reapings. You won when you accidentally dropped an electric whip in the water and it shocked the three remaining careers who were coming after you. You were the first thirteen year old to win the new set of games. I don't care that you want to help me, You haven't helped anyone win for years." Walt stares at me, shocked at what I just said.
"Well I'm sorry then Kimmit, I just want to help you survive." He sighs. I glare at him and snarl.
"Just get me sponsors and I'll do the rest, okay?" I ask him.
"If that's what you wish." I smile at him and walk out of the room wondering if I made the right decision.
~Wylie Freeman~
My mentor did nothing for me. She sat down and talked about her games, like I care. I don't need her. As I walk to my room I see Kimmit sitting on her bed with her head between her knees.
"Holding up there okay Kimmit?" I ask her. She whips her head up to stare into my eyes. I can't help but notice how beautiful her eyes are. I stare at her before she shakes her head and rests it on her knees for a second time. I walk over to her and sit on her bed. "Whats wrong? What happened?" I ask her.
"Why do you care Wylie? We aren't working together. We will have to kill each other in a matter of days." She whimpers. I sigh.
"Kimmit, something's wrong but you don't want to talk about it and you don't need to. The reason I care is because you're from my district, I can't not care. Plus my mentor said something you might want to know." She looks up at me with teary eyes. "Two can win." I smile and get up to exit the room. She catches my arm before I can leave.
"Wylie don't leave." She says. I smile and turn towards her. "Maybe we can work together now that we know that both of us can win." I look at her and frown.
"Kimmit, the only reason why I don't want to work with you is the same reason why you didn't want to work with me. I don't want to lose someone I care about." I say. She looks at me with her beautiful blue eyes. A tear escapes one and slides down her face. She leans on me and hugs me as tight as she can.
"Please Wylie? I need someone I can trust and I trust you." I smile at her. Should I join her? If I do I may have to see her get killed and what would I be like then? Would I seek out revenge? Would I kill her killer? So many questions but no answers. I sit next to her in silence for the next ten minutes, wondering if I really should ally with her. I don't want to die alone, but I don't want to see her die either. I need to make a choice.
"Kimmit, this decision may get me killed in the future, but yes I'll join you." I smile when her face lights up and she shrieks.
"Wylie, we need a plan." She says to me.
"Tomorrow we will tell the mentors that we are working together, and that they need to help us create a plan." I tell her. Kimmit grimaces at me. "What now?" I ask her.
"Well I kind of told Walt that I don't need him and I only want his sponsor money." I roll my eyes and sigh.
"Smart move Kim, we'll deal with this 'little' problem in the morning. Just get some sleep, and I'll see you in the morning." I get up and walk out of her room, glancing over my shoulder to see her getting under the covers to sleep.
I walk across the hall to my bedroom and stare out the window. These games will be hard, I don't know how I'm going to survive.