Janalen was barely aware that District 6 was applauding them. The only thing she was aware of was the cold glint in Elias' eyes. He won't even feel bad about having to kill me, she realized. Even if they were from the same district. He wouldn't feel any remorse. Looking into his eyes hardened Jan's resolve. If given the chance, she would not hesitate to kill him.

A Peacekeeper was herding them like cattle into the Justice Building where they would say their last goodbyes to friends and family. The plush velvet of the couch she sat on was more extravagant than anything Janalen had ever seen. It probably cost more than her entire house. The door opened and her mother was being escorted in. Jan ran into her mother's arms and they just held each other. Her mother was crying, but Jan couldn't let herself. There would be cameras at the train station.

Finally her mother released her and looked into her eyes. "Do whatever you have to in order to come home," she said. Jan smiled sadly. They both knew what she had to do in order to come home, but her mom didn't want to say it; to condone it. Jan would have to kill innocent people. She would have to face 23 others, and she would have to be the last standing.

"I'll try, Mom. I really will," Jan told her, and she would. Even if she didn't think she could win, she would not go down without a fight.

They embraced again, and her mother was escorted out of the room and out of Janalen's life. Probably forever.

A couple of girls from school visited her with fine sentiments of friendship, but Jan found she couldn't quite focus on what they were saying, and she hardly noticed when they left.

The last person to visit her was Yenia. She walked over to the couch and sat down next to Janalen. She put her arms around her and just talked. About nothing in particular; just like they did every day at work. Jan actually found herself able to laugh and joke. Never once did Yenia look in danger of tears, and she never said anything about the Games or their inevitable separation. When the Peacekeeper came to retrieve her she simply stood and left. She didn't even say goodbye. In a strange way, that seemed to be exactly what Jan needed. She wouldn't have been able to say goodbye without breaking down. Yenia must have known that, so she didn't even give her the opportunity.

The Peacekeepers were back then, and escorting Janalen to a car in the back of the Justice Building. Jan had never ridden in a car, but she found it less remarkable than she had been expecting. The train station was empty, except for a few different camera people and Elias. He obviously hadn't been crying. Was it even possible to cry when your heart was covered in ice and hatred?

They boarded the train following Tania and the two previous victors who would be their mentors. Corbean Rasou, the mentor for Elias, and Janalen's own mentor Roshin Belsnat. The doors closed, cutting them off from the cameras, and the train began to move. Jan was only able to get one last look at the station where she and Yenia had spent countless hours laughing and joking together, where they had been just hours ago. Now, odds were she would never see it again.

It was a two-day ride to the Capitol. Apart from meals, which were mandatory, she stayed in her room the entire time. She wanted as little contact with the other people on the train as she could get.

During lunch on the second day, the Capitol finally came into view. It was astonishing how grand it was. And all the people in the streets wore the most bizarre fashion statements. But she had been expecting that. She ran to a window for a better look, and the people on the streets started cheering and waving as they recognized another tribute train. Janalen turned away quickly and didn't go back.

The last ten minutes of the train ride seemed to take longer than the entire two day journey, but finally they train pulled into the station and the doors opened. She disembarked the train and was immediately swept up by three capitol citizens. Her prep team.

Janalen tried to tune them out as they worked on her. Polishing, waxing, and plucking her body. She was then allowed to meet her stylist, Casca. She swept into the prep room and just surveyed Janalen's naked body. It made Jan very uncomfortable.

After a few minutes, Jan was allowed to don a robe and sit down. Casca was talking excitedly about the outfit she had designed for the opening ceremonies. District 6 was "The Transportation District". When Janalen saw the costume, she was mortified. This is what Casca was raving about? She was more or less going to be dressed as a train. But she couldn't complain. It wasn't up to her what she wore, but her stylist. Too bad her stylist had no good judgment.

She was loaded into a horse-drawn carriage next to Elias, who was dressed as a car. If it wasn't so embarrassing, and if Elias didn't scare her so badly, she might have laughed. They both looked like idiots.

The opening ceremonies began and they moved into the sixth spot. The horses were well trained and new when and where to move. When they rode into the crowd there were a few cheers, but not many. District 6 was never a favorite, but there were worse districts, like District 12 whose tributes were dressed in uncomplimentary coal miner outfits.

They rode all the way to the President's manor and stopped there. President Snow was on the balcony welcoming them. "Welcome, tributes of the 58th Hunger Games." The crowd roared with approval. After a few more opening remarks, the horses were off again, circling and taking them back the way they had come. Janalen could see the training center in the distance. It would be her home in the days to come.

As soon as they were out of the screaming crowd's line of sight, Jan closed her eyes tightly. Even though she willed it not to, a tear escaped. She wiped it away angrily and saw that Elias was watching her with a very toothy smile. He sensed an easy kill already. Janalen clenched her teeth together and looked straight ahead.

He had seen her be weak. She looked at him again out of the corner of her eyes. She knew that she would be the first he came for in the arena. She looked ahead again, thinking to herself, That means he will be the first one I have to kill.