Gertrude Chambers' POV
The peacekeepers escorted me to the train, without even taking me to goodbyes. They must have known that know one would have come for me since I'm homeless. Dannin had tears in her eyes that she was trying to hide, but wasn't doing very well at it.
The train was a long, silver tube with tinted black windows, so no one could see in. It was amazing what luxuries the capital had while I was living in a cardboard box. As I step inside, my feet come in contact with the whitest fabric I had ever seen. Not wanting to soil it, I take of my stolen dress shoes. I look over to my district parter to see that she too, had a look of fascination in her dark brown eyes.
I turn to see that our escort, Sally Ann Lee, was laying back in a velvet sofa next to a window. In her lap, sits an orange feline who was being petted by Sally's hand. Around the corner, I see five more cats fighting over a stuffed mouse.
Clearly, Dannin had noticed too.
"Geez, how many cats does she have?" Dannin asks me.
"There's ten on the train. She has about sixty more in her house and twenty waiting at the capital. Sally's what we in the capital refer to as a Crazy Cat Lady. You can never catch her without one at her side," our escort, Geddian responds in his deep voice. He's more intimidating up close than he was from the audience.
"Hello? Is someone there?" Sally turns towards us, her cat jumping off her lap.
"Turn up your hearing aid, lady," Geddian orders her.
"Oh. Alright," Sally's voice cracks with age as she fully faces me and Dannin. Her outfit nearly blinds me. She's wearing an ugly sweater covered in flowers which must have dated from before the Dark Days. Her grey wispy hair is pulled into an up do. She looks like she could be my great grandmother, she's that old.
"Aww, look at you little whippersnappers. Are you ready for the games?" She asks with her creaky old voice. Dannin barely suppresses a giggle at the word whippersnapper. I didn't know what it meant. It must be an old person word.
"You bet I'm ready," I reply eagerly.
"Okay, well here's some advice for you little munchkins," Another weird word. What's a munchkin? "Okay, so if you want to win, you have to get a pet cat."
"Umm, why?" I ask.
"Just because. Also, fire is good at keeping you warm, so always make a fire. Use wet logs and lots of leaves. The smoke will cause it to be so dark, no one will find you," she advises.
I hear Geddian sigh with annoyance.
"Don't listen her, she's been completely crazy ever since the games. Just do the opposite of what she says and you'll be good," Geddian whispers. I don't know who's advice to follow, for in District Five, you can't find a tree or plant in site due to the industrialization. Giving up all hope on both my mentor and escort, I leave to find my room.
-oOo-
Starr Lynan's POV
As I step into the train, I am overwhelmed by the riches and food everywhere. I had never seen so much food in my life. Rye's jaw dropped too at the sight. I had never met Rye in my life, but he had seemed so protective of me, shielding me from the reporters as we boarded the train. At the goodbyes, Sunny was in tears as she said farewell and was pulled away by peacekeepers.
As I sit down in a soft chair with a mug of hot chocolate, a beverage I had never had in my life, but looked appetizing, our escort stumbles through the door. Bottle in hand, he shuffles over to where Rye and I are sitting and plops down across from us.
"So you're the kids who are going to die this year, I waste my time with you lot. You always go and die on the first day," he slurs.
"That's Tilson Rye. Complete idiot. Always drunk, too," Rye whispers to me, "My mom thought it would be cool to name me after a victor, but I hate my name. It makes me think of the stupid drunkard who won the games with no skill at all."
It's true. Tilson didn't own without any skill at all. He had somehow made it to the final two and he and the District Four female we're being chased by mutts. Tilson climbed up a tree and outlasted the girl. It was one of the most pathetic games ever. I heard that the head game maker was executed after the incident for not making the finale bloody enough.
Rye and I drained out his speech about how disappointing the District Nine kid are. Finally, after hearing enough of his pessimistic speech, I leave for my bed room and avoid our idiot mentor for the rest of the ride.
After three days of boredom and sitting in my room watching random capital television shows, there's a knock on my door.
Slowly, I rise out of bed and open the mahogany door to come face to face with Rye.
"Hey Starr, I know your trying to avoid Tilson, but Lupé sent me to tell you that we're almost at the capital," Rye tells me.
"Fine, I'm coming."
Quickly, I shut the door and throw on some white pants and a coral colored shirt and head to the main car.
As I gaze out the window, I can't believe my eyes.
In the distance, many tall skyscrapers sparkle and shine in the afternoon sun. We glide next to a large lake with a swan fountain in the center. As we enter the main part of the city, the train is surrounded by a throng of capital people. A sea of pinks, golds and greens fill my eyes. It's like a rainbow of people. I wave at the crowds and they scream and wave back. I was famous. I heard many calls penetrate the walls of the train.
"We love you Starr!"
"You're my favorite!"
"You're gonna win!"
All of these shouts fill me with a joy that makes my me smile so much my cheeks hurt. But I don't falter. The people love me and I will not let them down.
A/N
Thank you Steven Brooks for Sally and Peeta6in6real6life for Tilson! The next chapter will be the parade. There will be at least six for the padre, one tribute from each district will have a POV. If I haven't done your tribute since the reapings, he/she will most likely have a parade POV. Here's the trivia! From now on, the questions will be about this set of tributes.
What is Cyra Gleams' fear?
Don't forget to review!
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