Note: I was going to break this into two chapters, but it didn't work out that way. For those of you who want more Peeta, he'll either be in the next chapter or the one after that. I was thinking of doing a POV chapter from him, but I wanted to stick with just Katniss for consistency.
I couldn't breath. I couldn't formulate a thought. I didn't know what was happening. This had to be a nightmare. I was asleep in the in a bunk bed above Sydney. I would wake up and go to work and wait for Peeta to rescue me. The Hunger Games were over. I had stopped them. This couldn't be real.
"Now let's welcome our tributes!" I heard Caesar Flickerman say in his overly hyper announcer voice. As much as I didn't want to believe it, it was real, and it was happening. Right now. But what was my role in all of this? I was sitting on the balcony, not in a chariot waiting to be shown off to the world, so I definitely wasn't a tribute. Maybe I was here as a punishment. They would force me to watch the games and relive my nightmares.
"What is going on?" I hissed at President Snow as the first few chariots began to roll down the runway. There were no fancy costumes or specifics from the district this year. Each district just had a color. One was gold. Two was silver. Three was green. They were dressed up, but it wasn't as much of a spectacle. The chariot parade lacked its usual luster and fervor.
"You see Ms. Everdeen." He whispered back to me. "The people in District Thirteen have never had the privilege to experience the Hunger Games. They haven't had the chance to see just how much control we can have over our subjects, so we decided to give them a Hunger Games. If they want to rejoin this society, they'll rejoin it fully."
I clenched my fists. It seemed like all the effort I had made was for nothing. "So what am I doing here? I'm assuming I'm not going to be a tribute for the third year in a row." He couldn't do that to me. It would be ridiculous and the people wouldn't stand for it.
He smiled. "Of course not. I said you would get a new perspective on things didn't I? You will find out soon enough what your role is in all of this."
"So you just expect me to go along with your games? You obviously have learned nothing President Snow. I'm not going to assist you in any way." Seven, blue. Eight, purple. Nine, orange. The girl looked familiar. Her blond hair flapped in the wind, and I realized I knew her. It was Lexie. The girl from the factories. Ten came by…brown. Eleven, yellow. Was that Emanuel? I suddenly realized that I recognized all of the tributes. They were all prisoners who had lived and worked with me for the past three weeks. That explained why he had moved us. He wanted me to make friends with these people, so he could kill them in front of my eyes. "You're delusional if you think I'm going to sit by and watch this happen."
He turned and looked straight into my eyes. "I think you'll find that you don't have much of a choice." He gazed back at the chariots, and I tried to decipher what he said. I slowly swiveled back to the chariot parade, dreading what I would find. What I saw was worse than I could possibly imagine. The next chariot was district twelve, decked out in red. Inside stood a boy who I recognized from school. He was two years younger than I was, so I didn't really know him. It wasn't him I cared about though. I felt tears well up in my eyes. I stood up from my seat and ran to the edge of the balcony. "Prim!" I shouted. I could hear the panic in my voice. I no longer cared about being calm. They had my sister. "Prim!"
I felt a Peacekeeper grab me around the waist and pull me away from the edge. I fought against him, but he was too strong. He forced me back into the chair and held me down. I heard President Snow chuckle. "I'm afraid there is no volunteering in these games." He said, a smile spreading across his thing lips. "O wait! It gets even better."
I forced myself to look back at the chariots. My breath came in quick gasps. I was so shocked I couldn't cry. One more chariot pulled out onto the runway. The boy was James, and to my horror, the girl standing next to him was Sydney. They were clothed in black. The tributes from district thirteen. "How…how…how."
"All in good time my dear." Snow said, adjusting his color.
"Snow in three…two…one…" I saw the camera-man point at him. He got up and approached the podium. I realized that you must have been able to see me on screen now, but I couldn't pull myself together. I just stared at the ground, mouth agape. I couldn't look at my little sister or my best friend, because then I would have to face the fact that only one of them could make it out of this alive.
"Welcome citizens of Panem!" President Snow said, raising his hands to calm the cheers. "We weren't planning on having a Hunger Games this year, but at the last moment, we decided that wouldn't be fair to the people of district thirteen!" His voice boomed out over the crowd. "They have decided to graciously rejoin us, so we need to give them a proper introduction to life in Panem! District Thirteen, welcome to the Hunger Games!" The crowd cheered and whooped. I could feel their excitement, and it sickened me.
"We have another surprise for you." He said with a wicked grin. "You may have noticed a very special guest on stage with me. This year, our preparation was quiet hasty, so the selection of a head game maker had to be delayed. I created the arena myself, but I figured we could use someone more…experienced…as our head game maker this year. Someone who has been there. Someone who has survived it. No. Not this. It couldn't be. "Ladies and gentlemen, help me welcome the winner of the seventy-fourth annual hunger games and your new head game maker, Katniss Everdeen!" My head jerked up and I glared at President Snow. I couldn't process what was happening. Head game maker? It couldn't be. I wouldn't do this. I heard the crowd cheer, but I didn't look at them. I didn't take my eyes off of him.
Eventually, he turned the crowd back to himself. "This years games will have to be more hurried than usual! The tributes will get two days to train, and will be evaluated in their private sessions on the second evening. Scores will be given out the next morning. Interviews will be conducted that afternoon. On the morning of the fourth day, the tributes will enter the arena! District Thirteen, welcome back. And to everyone else, Happy Hunger Games!" There was a final cheer, and the anthem of Panem played over the loud speakers. Everyone else had stood up, but I couldn't. I just sat there in stunned silence, unable to process what was happening to me.
The camera's turned off, and the show was over, but the nightmare was only beginning. I saw President Snow start to walk off the stage. I thought about running up and tackling him. Trying to kill him with my bare hands right now, but what would that do? The Peacekeepers would be on me, and I would just be forced to do what I had always done. Obey.
"How did you get my sister?" I demanded, running after him.
"O it was simple enough. I actually didn't ask for your sister directly. I was going to rely on the fact that your friend was here to gain leverage over you, but imagine my delight when Primrose Everdeen turned up on my doorstep." His voice was cold as ice and sharp as knives.
"You didn't answer my question."
"I asked your lovely President for volunteers. I offered her an exchange. One boy and girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen who were originally from district twelve, in exchange for fifty prisoners of war to be released from custody. There was a meeting. The prisoners were exchanged. It was all very neat." Coin had done this. She had given him Prim. It could have been anyone. There were dozens of girls from district twelve, but she had chosen Prim. Of course she had. She was sending me a message.
"And you expect me to be head gamemaker? You expect me to kill these innocent people? Not a chance President Snow." I wouldn't do this. I wasn't evil like he was.
He turned on his heel and sighed in frustration. "You don't seem to understand me Ms. Everdeen. I think you'll want to agree with whatever I say, because if you don't, I will kill your sister as soon as she steps one foot off of that platform, but if you listen to me and become game maker, you'll have a chance to save her."
"And Sydney?" I didn't want her to die. He said she was leverage over me, and he was right. I wouldn't let her suffer. I would do everything to protect her.
"Well as we know, there can only be one winner, so I guess you'll have to choose who it is. Either way works for me. Learn to play nice Katniss, it'll end better for you." He walked away from me without another word. I tried to find a staircase and make my way down to the tributes. I had to see Prim and Sydney. I had to talk to them.
Unfortunately, it didn't seem like I would be able to. Another Peacekeeper was at my side in moments, and he led me to my room. I stepped inside and heard the door shut behind me. It was a smaller room than the other one I had stayed in as a tribute, but it was just as decorated and fanciful. I slipped my dress off over my head and walked to what I assumed was the bathroom. I pulled the shower door open, and turned the water on as hot as it would go. I washed myself off. Everything was a blur. I wasn't exactly sure how I got here. It felt like some bizarre dream, like I was watching this happen to someone else. All of a sudden, the emotions I had been pushing away hit me all at once, and I began to sob.
I leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. Tears mixed with water and flowed down my face. It would never end. Every time I thought I was safe or thought I knew what was happening, some thing blew by me and changed all of that. I hadn't made any progress at all. Here I was, one year later, back in the Hunger Games. Only this time. I was the person who I had despised for my whole life. I was a game maker. I was being forced to become my biggest nightmare.
Suddenly, something snapped inside of me. Maybe it was the anger, maybe it was the fact that I was so tired of being controlled by these people, but I knew I had to suck it up. He was trying to break me, but I wouldn't give him that satisfaction. I would go along with his game. I would keep Prim and Sydney alive.
I got up and shut the water off, then I got out of the shower and dried myself off. I walked over to the bed and dropped the towel, slipping between the covers naked. The soft sheets felt good against my bare skin, and I was too emotionally exhausted to put effort into dressing myself. I thought about what Sydney must be doing right now. Probably laying in bed trying to figure a way out of this. I was glad we had talked about the games. It would give her a leg up on the competition.
Prim, on the other hand, had no chance. That was the reason I volunteered for her wasn't it? She couldn't fight. She wouldn't. It was up to me to keep her alive. Sydney could at least fend for herself. I wouldn't be surprised if she was part of whatever career pack was formed. I sighed. I had to start planning tomorrow. Planning out what I was going to do to save the people I loved.
When I woke up the next morning, breakfast and clothes were waiting for me. I put on the casual green dress they had set up for me, and put my hair into its signature braid. I slipped on a pair of flats, and quickly ate the food they set out for me. This was no prison food. It was pure Capitol excellence.
I heard a knock on my door, and I opened it to find one of my fellow game makers that I recognized from last night standing outside. His eyes were a strange purple color, and his hair and lips matched them. His face was as white as a sheet, and he was dressed in an odd suite that was cut in a mismatched pattern. Capitol fashion trends, I assumed. "Ms. Everdeen." His voice was soft and cat-like. "The training is about to begin." He held his arm out, but I refused it, and he led the way down the hall, taken aback. Manners were a huge deal here, and he was offended. I didn't really care. I was only putting up with this for Prim.
We stepped onto the platform that rested slightly above the training center. There was a buffet with more delicious food, and our fellow game makers stood around chatting. Everyone stopped when we entered, and greeted me with the fakest set of smiles I had ever seen. I returned the favor, gritting my teeth behind my tight smile.
The tributes slowly started to show up. Emanuel was the first to arrive. He had a hard look on his face, and he didn't look at us when he entered. He just stood at the front of the room and waited for instructions. The tributes from three were next, then four and seven. The girl from eleven arrived after that, and behind her, Prim stepped off of the elevator.
My eyes widened and I started to step towards her. "Prim…" I said. I needed to go to her. I needed to see her, and assure her that everything was ok. I felt a hand on my forearm.
"I wouldn't." The man from this morning said. I wrenched free of him and started to walk towards Prim, but he pulled me back again. "The force-field." He said, pointing in front of me. It was invisible, so I had forgotten it was there. I had caused it to be put up after all, and now that he pointed it out, I heard the dull thrum coming off of it. I just stared at Prim, and she gazed back at me with wide eyes. She looked so small dressed in the black clothes of a tribute and standing next to Emanuel. I felt like I was going to throw up. I hated Coin for putting her into this. She was just a child.
The rest of the tributes filed in one by one and finally, Sydney stepped off of the elevator. Her jaw was clenched, and she glared at the ground. I couldn't tell if she was angry or determined or both. Anger was good. It would give her drive. Eventually, the woman who was in charge of training got their attention and told them the rules. The training would be compacted because we had such a brief period of time. She told them about the different stations, and gave them the all-important reminder to make sure you hit the survival skills. Then, the tributes spread out and began their training.
A wall of Peacekeepers stood between us and the tributes, and I noticed Sydney kept glancing over at me. She looked like she wanted to try to talk to me, but she didn't want to risk going against all of the guards. We made eye contact, and her look seemed to say 'I'll be fine.' I nodded at her and she turned back to her training. She did this often, looking at me for approval or suggestions, and I would nod in one direction or another, reminding her which stations were most important to visit. She already had the combat skills, so I made sure she hit each survival station.
Prim on the other hand, had to try her hand at every one. She didn't have the combat background that Sydney did, so she had to try and cram everything in. She wasn't very good at it the sword, spear, or bow and arrow stations, and I wasn't surprised. Prim couldn't hurt a fly, and I cringed when I watched her try to throw a spear at a dummy. She excelled at the survival stations though, and she was quick and agile, so at least it wasn't totally hopeless.
She was struggling at the knife throwing station. She had no idea what she was doing, and I could see her getting frustrated with herself. That wasn't good. One of the worst things you could do when trying to learn something new was put yourself down. She missed the target completely for the fifth time ina row, and I could see the other tributes looking at her like a piece of meat. She was an easy target for them. I wanted to tell her what I told Peeta, that she had to show off her strong points, but I knew that wasn't much. She could heal, but that didn't really help in a situation where the tributes were trying to kill each other.
I noticed Sydney put down the bow and arrows she was working with and head over to Prim, ignoring the stares of the other tributes. She knelt down next to my sister and picked up a knife. "You have to get the balance right." Sydney instructed, pointing to the weapon in her hands. "Hold it by the handle, and feel where the center is, then when you throw, its all in the wrist. Just give it a flick and let it fly." She pulled her arm back and let the knife go. It sliced through the air and stuck right in the center of the dummy target. "Try it."
I saw Prim pick up a knife and weigh it in her hands. Then she reared her arm back and threw. It didn't rotate as cleanly as Sydney's had, but it hit the target with a clean thud. Sydney smiled approvingly, and led Prim over to the next station. They stuck with each other for the rest of the day. Sydney forgot her own training and focused on helping Prim. I didn't know if they would team up in the arena, but Sydney's attention had driven away the other tributes. They were smart enough to know Sydney was the biggest threat in the arena.
James was also struggling. Sydney tried to help him too, but his twitch prevented him from doing much of anything combat related. He tried his hand at plant recognition, but his memory was shot. I knew that he wouldn't last long, and the thought made me upset. James was such a nice kid. I remembered our conversations in the factory. How I had promised he would meet Beetee, but I knew that wouldn't happen now. James was going to die in the arena, and there was nothing I could do. He had to die if Prim was going to win.
But didn't they all? As I looked around, I saw Emanuel hefting a spear straight through a wooden target. Lexie was learning to set traps and tie knots. These were people I knew. I didn't want to watch them die. I looked back at Sydney, who was teaching Prim how to handle a short sword. How could I let her die? If you've got my back, I've got yours. Her words echoed in my head. I thought how she had made me laugh even when I wanted to cry. I thought about how she had become my closest friend and greatest ally in a matter of weeks. I couldn't let her down. I wouldn't. Peeta and I had both made it out hadn't we? So I would make sure the same happened for Sydney and Prim.
That night, the game makers had dinner with President Snow. They all droned on about the strengths and weaknesses of each tribute, who they thought was going to win, their preliminary scores, and other things like that. They talked about who they thought the career pack would be this year, and it seemed to be a consensus that it would consist of Sydney, Emanuel, a boy from district four, and both tributes from districts one and two. I got to see what happened behind closed doors, and it was just as disgusting as I always pictured. The worst part was that they didn't seem to think they were doing anything wrong. They talked about the tributes like they were horses lined up for a race. These people weren't human beings to them. They were objects to be played with.
I couldn't blame them, just like I couldn't blame James for never having to deal with the Hunger Games. This is how they were raised. This was the only life they knew. They were all being brainwashed by President Snow. He was the puppeteer pulling on the strings of every single one of their heads. They danced below his fingers and did as he pleased. I heard him laughing and talking with the rest of them, but I just stared at my plate. I could feel his eyes on me, but I didn't look up. I didn't want to participate in this conversation. I was a game maker in front of the cameras, but that didn't mean I had to like it behind the scenes.
I walked back to my room with the same man as earlier, and I found out his name was Bartimaeus. He seemed kind enough, but he kept trying to talk to me about the tributes, and the only thing I could add to the conversation is how I thought it was disgusting to watch them train. It was like watching pigs being prepared for the slaughter. He stopped trying to talk to me after that, seeming to realize that I didn't think this was quite as much fun as he did.
The next day was more of the same, only this time, Sydney didn't follow Prim around as much. They were together sometimes, but Sydney eventually left Prim to fend for herself. Prim and James hung around the same stations, and I saw them begin to form a friendship. I was happy for that, even though I knew that James wasn't much of a fighter. Prim wasn't good on her own. She had gotten stronger over the past few years, but her old fears still hung with her. Having a friend in the arena would certainly help.
I saw Sydney mingle with the other tributes. She seemed to be making small talk, but I could tell she was carefully evaluating each person and choosing who she wanted as an ally. As predicted, Emanuel, the boy from four, and the tributes from one and two formed an alliance. Sydney was with them too, and while they believed they had her won over, I saw through her act. She made friends easily, but she also manipulated them well. I thought Sydney and I had pretty much everything in common, but this was one way we differed. When I had made my few alliances, they had been for good. I would protect the people with my life if they did they same. I could tell that Sydney was ready to be their friend until it was no longer in her best interest, then she would kill them at the first opportunity. She was playing the game, which is exactly what she was supposed to do.
At the end of the long day of training, the tributes were escorted out of the room, and then led back in one by one. We sat in our seats and watched each tribute try to show us how good they were. The boy from one, whose name was Alexei, could throw a spear thirty yards, and lift a three hundred pound barrel above his head. He was a huge hulk of a thing, and I was afraid for whoever had to face him in the arena. The girl from two was vicious. Her specialty was with a sword, which was unusual for a girl. She cut a dummy to ribbons, and demonstrated her abilities with grace.
They went by one by one. I took notes, but eventually I realized I didn't need to. I wouldn't forget these people. Their faces would be burned into my mind for all of eternity. These were the people I was sending off to die. As they walked past us and tried their hardest to impress us, I noticed my colleagues giggle at some, and guffaw at others. The tributes were often embarrassed. The girl from district seven actually broke into tears. I knew the stress, but I guess I dealt with it by shooting the game makers with an arrow as opposed to cracking under the pressure.
After the boy from nine, it was Lexie's turn. She nodded at me, then walked over to the knot tying station. She showed us some intricate knots that I didn't fully understand, but they looked impressive enough. Then, she went to the trapper station and showed how she could shoot a bow and arrow. When she was done at the bow station, she looked at me for approval. I smiled at her and gave her a secret thumbs up. She reminded me of Prim. They were the same age, but Lexie had something Prim didn't: the will to fight and the strength to survive.
The tributes from ten were nothing special, and I knew that neither of them would be a major threat. I realized now that I judged each persons performance based off of how they would size up against Sydney or Prim. Most of them could crush Prim with their bare hands, but she was smarter than they were. Some could fight with a sword or club, but most of them were about as intelligent as the plastic dummies they were swinging at. I hoped Prim found a way to show the rest of the game makers how smart she was. It would definitely help her score.
Of course none of them held a candle to Sydney. One boy tried to do hand to hand combat, and he was ok, but I knew she could kill him in a matter of seconds. She wouldn't have any trouble dealing with these people. I was happy about that, until it was Emanuel's turn.
When he stepped into the room, he warmed up a little, then threw around some spears and some heavy barrels. He was strong, but we could tell that just by looking at him. Finally, he asked for a partner to show us some combat sparring. He hadn't done any of that during the training, and once he started, I realized it was so that he didn't give away how good he was.
He took down his opponent in a matter of seconds. He was as fast as a snake, and just as ruthless. Every time the man came at him, he lashed back and took him down in some sort of complicated choke-hold. I was afraid for Sydney. I knew she would eventually have to fight him, and he was the only person that could stand up to her. It made me uneasy to think that if she got into a fight with him, she might not come out with her life.
The boy from district twelve came in. He was only thirteen years old, and was clearly intimidated. He tried to shoot a bow, but the arrow missed wide right. He threw a few knives, and they missed as well. Eventually he nodded his head and just walked out of the room before we could dismiss him. I sighed, thinking about how he wouldn't survive either. It killed me to sit here and evaluate these people, knowing that they would be dead in a matter of days.
Prim came next. I stood up when she entered the room and got as close to the force field as I dared. She waved at me, and she looked younger than ever. She was trying so hard to be strong, but all I could see is the little girl who I had volunteered for two long years ago.
She headed to the knife station first. She balanced the first one in her hand like Sydney had taught her, and threw it straight on target. Another one followed, and another. She wasn't as good as Clove, but when I looked around at my fellow game makers, they were nodding their heads in approval. My heart swelled with pride. Prim had a chance. Next, she went over to the healing station, and showed how she knew the right herbs to heal burns and cuts. She showed how to make a splint using two sticks and some leaves.
When she bowed and left the room, the game maker's clapped for her. Maybe I had a chance to convince them to give her a good score. I noticed that the hum of the force field had stopped, and I looked back at the other game maker's. Bartimaeus was standing against the wall, his hand on a small blue button. "What happens in here is a secret." He said quietly. "Go see your little sister." I didn't bother to thank him, there would be time for that later.
I ran down the steps and over to Prim. I hugged her to my chest and stroked her hair. "It's going to be ok Prim. I promise. Everything is going to be ok." She looked at me with wide eyes, and I could tell she was fighting back tears. "You've been brave Prim."
"I'm trying Katniss." She whispered. "I'm trying to be like you. You wouldn't give up, and neither will I."
"I promise I'm going to do whatever I can to help you, ok?" She nodded and buried her head in my shoulder. "Listen," I said, pulling her away and looking her in the eyes, "when you get into the arena, find water. Its most important. There is no one to promote you, so it'll be hard to get sponsors." Snow had decided not to have mentors this year, so a set of workers from the Capitol taught them the basic rules of the games. "You have to fend for yourself. Water is your best friend. Try to stick with James if you can, I think you can team up with him."
"What about Sydney?" She asked expectantly. "Do you think she'll team up with me?"
"I…I don't know Prim. She might. We'll see. She definitely won't try to kill you. She's my friend now." I stroked her hair again, and the Peacekeepers came for her. They pulled her away from me.
"Katniss!" She yelled, and it sounded so familiar to when I had been the one who was being led away.
"It'll be ok Prim. Be strong!" I said as she was being led out the door. "Find water! I love you." I shouted as the elevator door closed. I heard a muffled shout from behind the door, but I didn't get to hear what she said. I tried to pull myself together as I walked back to the game maker's stage.
I looked at the faces around me, and I could see that my love for Prim had won them over yet again. I sighed and sat down in my chair, resting my head in my hands. I would rather go back into the arena a hundred times before I had to watch my sister fight for her life against these people.
I looked up when James came in. He introduced himself, then went immediately to the camouflage station. He was actually pretty good. Not as good as Peeta, but I was slightly impressed. When he tried to throw a spear, his arm twitched violently, and the spear clattered to the ground about two feet away from him. He tried to get his limbs under control and show us a few traps, but his neck was twitching and his legs wouldn't stay still. A Peacekeeper grabbed him and half led, half carried him out of the room. I tried to comment on his good points, but the other game makers just scoffed at me.
I began to panic again. I liked James, but there was no way he would get a good score. The scores were everything when it came to sponsors, and without mentors, they would be one of the biggest selling points for the competitors. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath when the elevator door closed behind him. James didn't deserve this. None of them did.
My attention was pulled back to the training stage when the elevator doors opened again. It was time for the last tribute. Usually it was the girl from district twelve, but because of thirteen joining the pack, it would be their female tribute. It would be Sydney.
I remembered when it had been my turn, the game makers had barely paid attention until I shot them with an arrow, but this year, they were completely silent as she made her way across the floor to present herself to us. I heard footsteps behind me, and I snapped my head around. President Snow was lurking behind us. It was clear that Sydney was the tribute to watch. She was the enemy President's daughter after all, so I'm sure that Snow was planning something special for her demise, but I was head game maker, wasn't I? I had a chance to change that.
She stood in front of us and raised her head, her eyes glancing from game maker to game maker. She gave each of them an icy stare. Her gaze was cold and unyielding, and I knew that they were trembling in their seats. Sydney was frightening when she wanted to be, because she gave off that vibe that she would kill you in an instant without a second thought. Danger. That's what it was. Sydney was dangerous.
"Sydney Harper." She announced. "District Thirteen." Finally, her eyes rested on me. I could see the fear hidden deep beneath her hard outer mask, but I also saw something else, something far more important. I saw courage, and I saw the will to live. She walked over to the spear station and picked one up, weighing it in her hands. "Hey Katniss." She said, speaking like there was no one else in the room.
"Hey Syd." I tried to smile at her, but I couldn't. It suddenly hit me. The reality of Sydney's impending death. I had needed her. I had promised to keep her safe. I said I would have her back, but didn't she have to die to save Prim? I hoped to get them both out, but in the back of my mind, I knew what Peeta and I had done was a fluke. President Snow wouldn't let that happen again. I didn't want her to die. I put it out of my mind. I wouldn't think about that. Not now. Not while she was alive, standing right in front of me.
"So…long time no see." She said, hefting the spear at a dummy target. She hit it so hard that it broke the rope attaching it to the ceiling, and the dummy crashed to the ground. "How're you doing?"
The question was so nonchalant. I couldn't help but laugh. I could practically hear President Snow grinding his teeth. Small talk between game makers and tributes was not a normal thing, and I knew he hated every second of it. "I'm alright. Maybe a little bit stressed. How are you?" She chuckled at the sarcasm dripping from my voice.
"O I've been better. Counting down the hours until you die can really get to you." She answered. She threw a few more spears, and shot a bow and arrow. It was silent for a long time. No one dared to move. I could hear President Snow pacing behind us. Sydney requested a sparring partner, and showed off just how good she was at hand to hand combat. I had never seen someone move so quickly. It was like she could anticipate what he was going to do, and she had the perfect counter for it. I could see the game makers looking on with awe, and I knew it would take no convincing from me for them to give her a high school.
When she was done sparring, she went over to set up some traps. She was proving that she could do more than just fight. It was a good strategy. It showed she was well rounded. Suddenly, she stopped what she was doing, and her face got sad. I saw her clench her jaw and stare hard at the table in front of her. "Do you remember when I said that we were going to get out of this alive?" She said, once again speaking to me like I was the only person in the room. I felt tears come to my eyes. I couldn't have this conversation with her. "I don't think that's going to happen." She said. I saw her swallow hard, and try to hold back her own tears.
"Don't say that. You don't know—"
"I think we've seen enough Ms. Harper." President Snow said. "You can leave now." She looked like she was going to say something else, but she just nodded her head at me.
"Take care Katniss." She said in a near whisper. Then she turned on her heel and started to walk back to the elevator, her head hung.
"You know Sydney." President Snow spoke again. I knew this tone. It wasn't good. I saw Sydney freeze. She didn't look back at us, she just stopped moving. "I spoke with your wonderful mother. I offered her a deal. I would cancel the games and save the lives of all of the tributes in them if she surrendered to us, and swore fealty to the true rulers of Panem, but she refused.I told her that we would be very forgiving in our punishment, and I reminded her that she could never win this war. I tried to use these games to show her that I always had control, but she wasn't having it."
He scoffed and I could hear the disdain in his voice. "I reminded her you were here. Her own daughter." At this, Sydney turned around and glared at him, eyes narrowed. "I told her that I could return you back safely, and you know what she did? She laughed at me. She told me she would turn you over to me and let you die a thousand times before she would give up her power. Those were her exact words. Not before she let the Capitol win. Before she gave up HER power. Interesting woman, President Coin. I truly feel for you, being raised by a woman who really doesn't care for you at all." Sydney's head had dropped. She was just staring at the ground. She didn't speak or nod her head or move. I hated President Coin in that moment. I hated her for how she had treated Sydney, and I hated President Snow for doing this to her.
She raised her eyes back up and to my surprise, she laughed. "You think I'm surprised?" She asked. "Shocked at her bluntness, maybe, but surprised? Not in the slightest. No one has ever given things up to save me, and I wouldn't expect them too. If I'm going to survive, I'm going to do it myself. And don't doubt for one second that I will fight every booby trap you set for me and every mutt that you send after me. If you think I'm afraid of you, Snow, you've made a grave mistake. I'm not afraid of anyone. Look at who I grew up with." She stared at him defiantly, and I could help but smirk. President Snow didn't look phased, but I knew this wasn't the reaction he was expecting. He didn't know Sydney, but I did.
"And Katniss," she said, walking backwards towards the exit, "if I don't survive this, give him" she pointed at President Snow, "hell. Make sure he remembers who I am." Then she did a grand bow for all the game makers. "Thanks for your…consideration." She said, winking at me. I remembered telling her about that. I didn't know what I felt for her at that moment. It was a mixture of pride and appreciation. I could never go back to who I was before I met her. Sydney had made me stronger, and I would fight just as hard as she was.
Immediately after she exited, the game makers were escorted into a long room with one rectangular table set in the middle. Large, cushioned chairs surrounded it, and I was pointed towards the head of the table. I sat down, and the rest of them followed me. I could tell that Sydney's attitude and performance had affected them because they were silent. You could hear a pin drop in that room. "Well, let's get started. The boy from one?" I said. Their moves improved when the scoring began, and soon enough they were just as loud and boisterous as ever.
The scoring process was unlike anything I had seen before. It was basically just a giant shouting match, with each person trying to convince the others to go for their score. One game maker with extremely long eye lashes and a shaved head kept arguing that the boy from district two should get at least a ten, but another game maker wearing leopard print clothing with nails sharpened into claws said that she thought he didn't deserve higher than an eight because he lacked survival skills and hunting training.
Any hopes I had of just sitting back and letting them fight it out were dashed immediately. I had to solve every dispute. As head game maker, my opinion mattered more than anything else, and if it was between two numbers, it was me who got to make the decision. I found out that there were more factors that went into these scores than I had previously discussed. The game makers talked about looks and personality. They fought over whether or not the person seemed "well put together" or whether they were beautiful enough to be a victor.
It disgusted me to hear them talk. They ruthlessly tore apart each and every contestant, pulling out weaknesses that I never would have noticed. I remembered that some of them had been doing this for years, so they had it down to an art. It took hours, but eventually we sorted it all out.
The tributes from one and two each got between and eight and a ten. The kid from four got a nine. Lexie ended up scoring a seven. Emanuel got an eleven. It wasn't even an argument. Everyone agreed that he was deadly, and he was one of, if not the, strongest tribute in the arena. When it came to Prim, they all looked at me hesitantly.
"Look." I said honestly. "I know she isn't going to get a ten. She's a fourteen year old girl who I've never seen fight before yesterday. So let's just be honest with each other. "
No one spoke. They either didn't know what to say, or they were taken aback by my willingness to give Prim a low score. I knew she needed sponsors, but I didn't want it to seem like she got her score based purely on the fact that she was my sister. "How about a seven?" The game maker with the claws suggested. "The knife throwing was impressive, and anyone would be lucky to have her on their team with her healing skills. She's a useful ally." Everyone seemed to agree, so I was happy when I stamped the number seven over Prim's name. It wasn't perfect, but it was good enough.
Everyone came to the consensus that James deserved a three. They had no sympathy for his condition, and I tried to argue, but they wouldn't budge on this one. I could have given him a higher score, but I didn't. I sighed when I stamped the number over his name.
Finally, the topic of Sydney came up. "We should give her a one." The man with the eyelashes exclaimed in a huff. "She disrespected President Snow. He'll never forgive us if we acknowledge her."
"Come on Naria." One of the women said. "The people of Panem might me gullible, but they aren't stupid. Everyone knows she's a threat, and giving her a one would just make this year's Games a huge joke. I think she deserves a ten. She's better than Emanuel, but she should be punished for being disrespectful." This started a full out war. They yelled across the table and screamed at each other. My head was pounding from the long day, and I just wanted to sleep. I knew there was only one score that would do for Sydney, and I was finally going to assert my power.
"Twelve." I said loudly. They quickly quieted down. "She gets a twelve. End of discussion. You know in your hearts she deserves it. I'm not arguing with you." I picked up the twelve stamp and slammed it down on her name, closing the booklet. "Goodnight." I finished sarcastically, walking out the door. I could hear them muttering behind my back, but I didn't care. I had told the truth.
I had another terrible night's sleep, and I woke up with deep bags under my eyes the next morning. We had argued through half the night, so I hadn't gotten to sleep until almost four in the morning, then I had to get up at eight to be ready for the score announcements. People cheered when Prim was given a seven, but they roared when Sydney was given a twelve. I could tell they were outraged, and I was glad. Let them be angry. I was subtly asserting the strength of district thirteen, and the grimace on Snow's face made me satisfied.
We were ushered into another room, this one with stadium style seating and a giant screen on one side. We spent two hours discussing the placement of the supplies around the cornucopia, then it was time for the interviews, and I guessed we watched from here. They played all the usual strategies. The guys from the career districts tried to be tough. Lexie played the cunning stealth strategy, much like Foxface had, but the interviews weren't the same. None of it had the same bravado as it did in the past. It was too quick. It wasn't fancy enough. The games were dying, and I think that the citizens of the Capitol were realizing that.
It was Emanuel's turn. He sat next to Caesar Flickerman, cold and unsmiling. When Flickerman asked what his strategy was in the games, he grunted. "I'll do whatever is necessary to win. I don't care who I have to kill. I won't have mercy for anyone, it doesn't matter whose sister they are." I gasped and gripped the arms of my chair. I could hear the audience murmuring behind him. Prim wasn't safe. I knew that much for sure. "Or whose friend for that matter." He stared right into the camera with his cool black eyes. "Katniss Everdeen killed my best friend, and I will gladly do the same for her." Caesar Flickerman tried to turn it into a joke, but you could tell that the tone of this games was not fun and playful. This was going to be a ruthless killing fest.
When it was Prim's turn, she played the innocent, but tough girl. She showed her bravery, and the people loved her. "So Primrose!" Caesar said in between the audience's guffaws at the story of Prim's goat. "Your sister is the head game maker. She was also on the games before you. How has that affected you and your strategy?"
She looked straight into his eyes. "I'm going to be brave like she was. Everyone says that I only have a chance because she'll do things to save me, but I want them to know that I won't just sit back and let her be responsible for my survival. I'm going to fight for my life, just as hard as she did." With that, she was dismissed from the stage, the audience's cheers erupting throughout the auditorium.
When Sydney's turn came, she played it off like she was a celebrity on some television show. She joked with Caesar about how she was a Hunger Games newbie, and she was so surprised that they got to live in such nice quarters. It reminded me of Peeta. Her natural chemistry with Flickerman was the same as his. They were both sly and likeable, and she won over the audience despite the fact that she was the enemy. "So…how has your experience in the Capitol been Sydney?"
She laughed. "Well, it was good. If you count being tortured to near death, thrown in a cell with barely any food, then forced to work in a factory twelve hours a day as good."
Caesar tried to play it off, but I could tell that the audience's curiosity was getting the better of them. "O you didn't know?" She said, addressing them directly. "I was kept hostage here for a long time. I was cell mates with Katniss Everdeen. You didn't know that either? You thought she was here voluntarily?" She rolled her eyes and looked into the camera. "I'm surprised that any of you are stupid enough to think that someone as great as Katniss Everdeen would ever work with someone as cruel as your 'President'-." She spit out the words with disgust, but the last part of her sentence was cut off. They immediately cut to the national anthem of Panem. It was another small victory for district thirteen, brought to us by Sydney.
What she said meant more to me than she would ever know. I didn't know if it was just for the cameras, but her opinion of me mattered more than anyone else's, except for Peeta. I didn't know what it was, but I wanted to do her justice. I didn't want to let her down. I would be strong for her and Prim and Peeta and my family, but most importantly for me. I had to prove to myself that I could be brave for them.
I walked back to my room alone tonight. The real test would begin tomorrow. I knew that I would have to make decisions that would mean life or death for some of these tributes. More deaths on my hands. More lives lost on my account. I don't know how, but I was able to sleep that night. I dreamt about Peeta. We were standing on the roof the night before the games. I hugged my knees to my chest and looked at him. "I just want to show them that they don't own me." I heard him say. He looked at me with those huge blue eyes, and I wanted to kiss him. I moved him and touched my lips against his. He wound his hands through my hair and pulled me towards him. Our kisses were feverish and urgent. "I love—" I started to say, but when I opened my eyes he was gone. My arms were empty. I fell to the ground and sobbed.
When I woke up, my eyes were dry. The pillowcase next to me was wet, and I assumed that I was crying in my sleep. I didn't want to get up. I didn't want to face the harsh reality that my friends would die today, but I had to. I rolled out of bed and got dressed. My clothes were a pair of tight black pants and a red shirt with a black leather jacket that went over it. No more dresses and frills. It was time for the games to begin.
I was led to what I assumed to be the control room. It was a large, circular room, decked out in white so bright it blinded me. My fellow game makers were dressed in all white clothing as opposed to their usual colorful attire. They sat behind their desks, hands busily typing away commands. I stepped up to the chair that sat in the middle of the room overlooking a control panel. In front of me was a giant screen that I assumed would show me all of the action. It was split into a bunch of different pictures at the moment, showing each tribute arriving at the hovercraft. I looked to my left, and a similar screen decorated that wall, only this one had a picture of each tribute. They were all outlined in green circles.
"Green for good. Yellow for injured. Red with an X for eliminated." Bartimaeus said. He taught me the layout of the controls and what I was to be responsible for. "You can create whatever you want. There are no limits to what the arena can do. Your wish is our command, head game maker." He smiled at me, and I tried to squeak out a return smile, although I hated how he called me head game maker. All of these people were mine to control, but I didn't want them. I wasn't Coin or Snow. I didn't have the knack for manipulation, nor did I take pleasure in making people suffer, so this game maker job was not for me. Snow had done it to show his control over me, but Sydney had done a pretty good job of showing that it was completely involuntary, and I couldn't thank her enough for that.
Finally, it was almost time to begin. I watched the tributes make their way to the rooms that held the tubes. One giant picture at the center of the screen showed the Cornucopia, surrounded by the twenty six platforms. I noticed that they had just reused the arena from my games. I couldn't tell if it was to make it easier on me or because they didn't have time to make a new one, but either way I was glad. I knew this arena for the most part, but Bartimaeus told me there were some changes, so I was on the lookout.
I saw Prim walk over and step into her tube. I remembered being exactly where she was two years ago. I remembered saying goodbye to Cinna, and trembling as the tube had closed in around me and I was raised into the arena. Then, the counter started. "Sixty seconds." A mechanical voice bleeped over the loud speaker.
"Begin preparations." I announced. I had to show my authority. It was the only way they would take me seriously or listen to me. They typed away and began the initiation sequence for the tubes, simultaneously arming the mines that punished anyone for an early start.
"Forty seconds." The voice rang out.
"Raise them up." I heard President Snow's voice from behind me. "Let the games begin." I saw the tubes start to move, and the panicked faces of the contestants as they realized fully what was happening. Suddenly, I was no longer in the control room. I was in a tube, being raised onto that platform. I could see the Cornucopia so clearly. I could see Cato across from me, poised to charge as soon as the counter reached zero. I looked around for supplies, trying to decide whether or not to snatch the bow and arrow in front of me. I saw Peeta shake his head, and I knew that I would just run. I could feel my heart beating in my throat. I wasn't ready for this. I wanted to go home. I wasn't a tribute, I wasn't the Mockingjay, I wasn't a game maker. I was just Katniss Everdeen. The girl from district twelve. Gale's friend and Prim's sister. I didn't want to be special. I wanted to rewind to before any of this happened.
But I couldn't. What would I do without Peeta? I probably never would have met him. And without me, the rebellion wouldn't have happened. People would still be starving, and no one would have the courage to rise against the Capitol. I never would've met Sydney or Craig or Finnick. I never would have become the person I was today. I couldn't go back. I had too much to fight for.
"Twenty seconds." The voice said. I looked at the screen in front of me, my gaze jumping from tribute to tribute. A noise brought my attention over to the left side of the circle, and I saw James' leg buckle. His head twitched violently, and I saw his other leg jerk out from underneath him. No. I didn't realize what was happening until the ground exploded underneath him, and he was shredded into a million pieces before my eyes. James, with his kind words and his soft smile. I thought about Caitlin. Was she watching this? How did she react when her son didn't make it past the first minute?
I had strategically placed him next to Prim, hoping they would band together, but that was a poor decision. She stood there in shock, dirt covering her face and uniform. It was rare for a tribute to step off the platform before the buzzer went off, and everyone was taken aback, unsure of what to do. I was still stunned, trying to process that James was dead.
"Ten seconds." I thought about the prisoners who had shared his cell block. Would they miss him when he was gone.
"Nine." Would the people in district thirteen miss him? Did they even know him? What about President Coin?
"Eight." What would she do if Sydney died? Most likely nothing. She would fake like she was a grieving mother to win sympathy, but deep down she really didn't care.
"Seven." They were equally terrible. Coin and Snow. I hated both of them. I hated the control they had over me, and the cruelty they dealt out to Panem.
"Six." I hated the games most of all. I hated what they did to people. They took people's brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, and friends, and killed them in front of the entire nation.
"Five." It was more than a sick game. They couldn't go on. Snow would be stopped. I would make sure of that.
"Four." I wonder if my squad is watching this. Surely thirteen didn't block out this broadcast.
"Three." Gale must be sick with grief. He and Sydney had just found each other, and now she was the second girl he loved to be thrust into the games.
"Two." I hoped Peeta didn't hate me for this. I knew he wouldn't, but I was ashamed. I hope he knew that I had to go along with it. That I didn't have a choice. He would forgive me, that much I knew. It wasn't my fault after all. I wished he was here.
"One." What were their thoughts? In that final second. What was the last thing to run through their minds? I knew what mine had been.
The buzzer sounded, and they were off. Mine had been a decision. A decision to survive at all costs, no matter what. As I watched Prim sprint towards a backpack close to her platform, I knew what her last thought had been. To be brave like me, but in reality, it was me who had to be brave like her.