CHAPTER 2
I watch the reaping only halfway paying attention, I only notice a few tributes, a crying twelve year old boy from 8, a big muscular guy from 2, and one of Katnis Everdeens children from 12, and us, us crying, us holding hands, us standing united. Ceasar Flickerman comments on us holding hands. I smile knowing we got the audiences attention. "OK! Now I think we have made an impression on the Capitol!" said Rupert. I roll my eyes, of course we did we were the first district to show we are united since the third quarter quell. I get up, suddenly very tired, and go to my room in the next car. I literally fall into bed and go to sleep.
I wake up the next morning with Chaos sleeping beside me. I look at him, and he looks so carefree and young. His eyes open and he smiles at me then scoots closer and falls right back asleep. Majest walks in announcing breakfast then sees who is with me and immediately shuts up and backs out the door. I inwardly thank her for understanding and leaving me this time with Chaos. I push the jet-black curls from his forehead and think of how I am going to get him home to his family. I stare at him and take in this moment for I will probably never experience it again. His tan skin compared to my pale skin, his black hair to my red hair, but his eyes are what make me love him over and over again. They are that beautiful deep blue that you could get lost in like getting lost at sea, and those beautiful blue eyes are staring at me. We lock gazes only for a second the he tilts up my chin and kisses me full on the mouth, not a butterfly kiss mind you, a kiss that means that it will probably be the last. The kind of kiss that makes you want more. He pulls away and sighs, regarding me with those blue eyes then he throws off the blanket and quietly slips out of the room. I stare at the door, waiting for him to come back but he doesn't so I decide to at least look presentable for breakfast. I comb my hair and put it in a ponytail, then grab a pair of what looks like jogging shorts and a t-shirt and join everyone else in the main car.
When I get there I stop in my tracks, Katnis Everdeen, the face of the rebellion, the girl on fire, the mockingjay was sitting beside Rupert listening to him ramble on about some guy named Cinna. I obviously made some sound because everyone stops his or her conversation to stare at me. Katnis rises from her chair and motions me to the one right across from her. I slowly sit down without taking my eyes off of her. She looks at me like a predator regarding prey and I give her the same look back, this somehow amuses her and she scoffs and turns back to her conversation with Rupert. This infuriates me for some reason. "What is she doing here?" I blurt out, gesturing to Katnis. "Since 13 has no victors the Capitol has graciously allowed us to borrow Katnis from 12" Rupert says. I roll my eyes at this, great, another person who is probably going to get me killed in the arena. Katnis sees this then speaks up for the first time since I walked in the room "I know how it feels to have your sibling called to be sentenced to death Minnehaha, I know how it feels to know you, or someone you love is probably going to die in a dreadful arena, don't take me for a fool child," This in turn makes me look up and glare at her, "The difference is you could do something about it, you could volunteer for Primrose, I could not volunteer for my brother. But now my best friend in the whole world is going into that arena with me and I will not be able to kill him." I say, as I watch her comprehend what I was saying. At first she looks sad then alarmed. "You guys are already targets to the Capitol, after that whole united we stand thing you pulled you have been labeled as to be killed within the first thirty seconds of the game. Do you understand that? My advice, act like you hate each other for the remainder of training and in the games you can team up, you got that? Otherwise you are just saying 'kill me kill me!'"
Everyone was silent after hearing this. I didn't want to train on my own; I wanted to train with Chaos. He is the only who can push me past my limits. "Do you have anymore advice? Or can I go back to sleep?" I ask. "As my mentor told me I suggest you stay alive. Also, I need to know what you can do, starting with you, Minnehaha."
I roll my eyes but still tell her what I can do, "I can shoot with a bow pretty well, I've had military training, I can wrestle, and I can easily identify edible plants." I say in a bored tone. Rupert looks at me with surprise as if a dainty little thing like me could actually do all those things. I gave him a look that said, "What you do not believe me?" and he turned away. Chaos spoke up next, "I am really strong, and I also have had military training and experience with a bow, and can fence." I had forgotten about the fencing lessons he took as a child. Katnis nodded her head then turned to Majest, "and you?" Majest looked her straight in the eye, "I am able to throw a knife and hit any target, plus I know how to get away, fast." Katnis smiled at her, "and Spencer what can you do?" Spencer regarded her coldly, "I can run faster than the deer at home and make nets." I look at Spencer puzzled by this, we don't have rivers or lakes at 13, and how would he know how to make nets? Katnis obviously thought the same thing because she was looking at him weird too.
"Alrighty then, well at our next stop some designers will get on the train, they want to get a head start on choosing your opening ceremony costumes so they will be here so be up and ready to go." Katnis says.
That's when I see it a little trace of pain and suffering in her eyes, I put two and two together and figured out why she was even here, her last child was chosen for the hunger games, he is so young and she couldn't bear to train him only to watch the gamemakers make sure he dies in the arena. I remembered my mother, her screaming and falling to the ground at the sound of both of her babies being sent to certain death, I can only imagine the pain Katnis might be in. I soften up a little bit, this is so much worse on her. I get up and leave heading to my room to figure out what I'm going to do in the arena.
I think of Katnis and how devastated she would be of her child died, then my mother and her devastation, then I think of me, If I lived Chaos would die, I would have no one and I would die of loneliness, I ponder every thing going on in my head. I finally come to a conclusion, I am going to save Katnis' son. After finally figuring out what I am going to do to save him I drift off to sleep.