The 25th Hunger Games

Chapter 5

I wake up an hour before we're even supposed to be up. So to pass the time I cast my gaze out the window. Trying to forget my problems is impossible. Escape is impossible. I watch a mockingjay fly by. It's beautiful plumage and grey feathers mock me. The creature that survived when the Capitol didn't want it to. Does the Capitol want me to die? Is that why they rigged the reaping? Do they want to show every Victor that they aren't safe? Am I just an example? I am the only son of a tribute in Hunger Games history. There was this daughter of a Career Victor once, in fact, she won last year. She volunteered and won. Is her winning the reason I'm here?

Another mockingjay seems to have taken a liking to me. It flew in through an open window and now it lies just a few feet from me. How ironic, city raised me befriending a creature of the wild. I find myself whistling a nursery rhyme Danny loves. Hickory Dickory Dock, I think. It's some silly song about a mouse running up a clock. It's sung to our District's younger children to prepare them for their life of toiling with technology. The mockingjay whistles the tune right back at me. As a reward I give it a crumb of bread that is left on the table.

"Well looks like someone's making friends." Says Diane smiling. I didn't even notice her join my company.

"Nightmares?" I ask. She gives me a silent nod.

"Same reason I'm up." I conclude frowning, "Oh look, you scared away the mockingjay."

"Sorry," she says quickly, she casts her gaze out the window with mine.

"You don't have to worry about killing me," she says abruptly, "The odds are that both of use are dead after the bloodbath is over. But if we both survive, would you mind if we teamed up?"

An alliance request! My only chance at winning just popped out of nowhere.

"S-Sure" I stammer, "So what's our plan?"

"Well," she responds, "We're both District 3, so I guess we shock them.."

"We need to win popularity" I say abruptly, "If the arena is a city we could win."

"Looks like we got early birds" I hear from behind. I turn by head and find Tin with coffee in his hand. My mother is behind him with a plate of omelets in her hand.

"I doubt you slept at all when you were on this train, Tin," I say behind a sneer. His smile on his face turns into a frown.

"How did you win anyway?" I say staring at his brown eyes, which are obstructed by a thick layer of glass.

"I see you're going for the hothead approach." My mother says frowning.

"Okay, hotshot, let's cut to the chassis" he said angrily. I think it's an old saying that is modified to fit each District. In 12 it's, "Cut to the chase". In 6 it's, "Cut through the chassis" and so on.

"To win you need an advantage. To get an advantage you need an arena that fits your skills. We run into a problem, you're from District 3. The skills you have only apply to cities." He says in an annoyed tone.

"So we try and get popularity to get an arena based off District 3." I conclude. I try to wrap up the conversation as fast as I can because I'm starving.

"And you use it to get sponsors." He says gloomily.

"So do I get in a fight with a Tribute on camera before the games start?" I ask.

"Yes, I have a specific Tribute too," my mother says, "His name is Bough, he is a Tribute from District 7 and he is the biggest Tribute this Hunger Games."

"So a tiny District 3 Tribute is going to rough it up with the big bad District 7 Tribute." I say, already regretting the plan.

"How does he make sure he doesn't get beaten to a pulp?" Diane asks, for some reason she's shaking. With concern for me? I doubt it.

"He'll figure it out," dismisses Tin, "Then you yell at Caesar Flickerman too."

"What!" cries out Diane, "Over what and why?"

"Why? Because his attitude is his only chance at survival. Over what? I don't know he'll figure it out. Oh and that reminds me, you two need to act as partners in crime."

We both cast unsure glances at each other.

"I want you two to train together. To act like best friends even if the circumstances of your alliance includes who gets what stuff when they die. You act like a hothead while Diane acts like foxy bad girl. Understand?" he says calmly.

Both of us want to object. To scream our objections, but deep down I know I am hothead. And from what I know of Diane, she could convincingly portray a bad girl.

"Laugh at each others jokes! Eat together! Train together! Talk in training! Gossip about a person at home in front of the camera! Do anything to make you seem edgy, rude and mean-spirited." My mother says enthusiastically.

We both sigh at the same time. Would we even be friends if this never happened? Maybe if I wasn't so hostile… she's even kind of cute.

I take a step back. Where in Panem did that thought even come from? Two tributes falling in love is suicide. The odds are that they end up dead or even end up killing each other. I'm already feeling sorry for any tribute that has or will end up falling in love with another tribute. Even being friends is a stretch! This plan could potentially backfire and end up with both of us dead.

I take off my glasses and rub my eyes. Then a thought hits me. I glance over my shoulder and look at one of the camera crew who is just enjoying his breakfast. I motion him to walk towards us. He takes his camera with him.

"Ethan what are you doing?" Diane asks unaware of my plan.

"Listen, I need help winning over the crowd," I say to the cameraman, " Mind if taking a shot of this and having your boss put it in one of those, "Weighing the Odds" spotlights?"

He gives a silent nod and positions his eyes on the camera. He gives me a thumb up and a red light glows from a point on the camera.

An unfriendly sneer takes over the neutral expression that coats me 24/7. My hands close around my glasses and with a crunch the glass and metal break. I swiftly throw the shards at the camera, making extra sure that the lens ends up scratched.

"Get that useless pile of bolts out of my face," I say aggressively as I smack the camera from the smiling cameraman. He makes sure that the footage survived the ordeal and walks his merry way to his boss.

"I think that means he likes that idea." Tin says. By the tone of his voice, I could tell that I must have been his only Tribute that actually listened to him.

"What about you Diane?" he asks in an annoyed tone. She responds with a sigh and walks towards a random chef.

"Hey you!" she says angrily while cameras train on her, " You messed up didn't you?"

"Excuse me?" the confused chef asks.

"I didn't get my omelet!" she suddenly yells and before he even has a chance to react she give him a painful slap to his right cheek. She storms away and pulls me by the sleeve to the next train car while cameras capture our performance.

"Good job," I whisper as she drags me away.

"Thanks." She says smiling, "This might be the best last couple of days of my life."