Author's Note: We meet Finnick! Hooray!
I don't own any rights to the Hunger Games or any of its characters.
Chapter Six - Priorities
I know that the Peacekeepers will come to take me away soon, so I rub at my eyes quickly, trying to stop the tears. The cameras will be at the train station, and I need to look strong.
It actually takes a lot longer than I thought for the Peacekeepers to come in. Cassius must have more friends than I thought. By the time they walk in my eyes are completely clear and I'm ready. I push my thoughts of my promise to Annie to the back of my mind, and step outside of the Justice Building's room, leaving the comfort of my velvet couch forever.
The cool breeze that can be felt throughout District Four blows through my dark brown hair as we step out of the Justice Building. I'm not sure what I look like on the camera, but I feel strong. Determined. I'm just not sure what I'm looking determined to do.
I look over at Cassius, catching his eye. I raise my eyebrows to him. I'm not sure what to make of him anymore, not after our interaction on the stage. However brief, it was tense and maybe a bit angry. I don't know how I going to help him win if he spends our whole time in the Games together trying to kill me. Not only is that unhelpful, it's kind of making me feel less like helping him.
Cass narrows his eyes at me, smirking. I hate it. It's like he's judging my abilities, and he thinks I'll be easy.
Well, I thought, you're going to be in for surprise if you think I'm going to be going down without a fight.
Wait, no. I need to save him. No. Yes. No. Yes. Maybe. I sigh.
My head is about to burst. Thank goodness we're now on the train now, because I don't think I can take much more of this. And to prove that, the second the train door closes I collapse into the nearest chair.
Cassius shakes his head dismissively and walks away to watch something on the TV. Before I can really get angry about that, someone else comes over and I relax. Finnick.
He walks over and I hug him. My hair has fallen over my shoulders and covers our faces.
"Finnick," I whisper, "I'm not ready for this."
"I know." He says softly.
"I don't know what to do…"
"I know" he repeats.
"And Cassius.."
"I know." he sighs.
I want to get angry at him for having nothing else to say, but then I realize: that's all he can say.
"What am I supposed to do?" I ask.
He stands up and motions for me to follow him. We walk through the quiet corridors of the train. Thankfully the train isn't too big width-wise, or I would never make it back.
The lights are all off in the hallways, the only thing keeping them out of total darkness are the thin windows, casting beams of light across the carpeted floors.
Finnick turns finally, and leads me inside a room. My new bedroom, I realize, as I walk in.
The room is much bigger than the size of the train would indicate. I never knew beds could be so big, or closets so full, or even bathrooms that always have warm water ready for you. And the buttons. There were buttons on everything from the beside table to the wardrobe to a panel beside the shower. I wonder if I'm even going to be able to press all of them, but I'm certainly going to try.
It disgust me that the Capitol can live such grand lives like this; never needing anything, but with more wants than any districts person could possibly dream of. Meanwhile, the districts suffer. Poor families, parents working hours upon hours to try and bring food home for their kids. Children, trying desperately to throw their name into the Games as many times as possible, in hope that they will live to see the next day. The Capitol citizens turn a blind eye, either not caring or too ignorant to know any different from their luxurious lives. They don't care for us at all. And even when they do, like me, right now, getting to sleep in a bed that would cost my entire lifetime of fishing, they only treat us so well because they're sending us to die. It's like they're fattening us up for slaughter.
These thoughts won't help me now, or probably ever. There's nothing I can really do to get out of the arena, so I might as well enjoy my life while it's still somewhat enjoyable. I skip into the room and throw myself onto the bed. It's even more comfortable than the couch back at the Justice Building. I doubt I'll have any trouble sleeping tonight.
I look over and realize Finnick is still standing in the doorway, looking around the room as if it were full of ghosts. Of course. This must remind him of his Games last year, so fresh in his memory. He probably stayed in a room very much like this one. And he probably does see ghosts around.
He comes over and sits on the bed with me. What a pair we are; him, fighting off his past, me, my future. If anyone, he'd know what I'm going through now, and what I must go through soon. Very soon.
"Do you think I can do it?" I ask, suddenly curious. "Do you think I stand a chance?"
He stays silent for quite a while, probably trying to find the nicest way to say no. I'm about to yell at him to spit it out when he says,
"I don't know, Alexis. I depends not on your physical ability, only your emotional ability."
He stands up and walks back to the door.
"I'll let you know when they call for dinner. As your mentor, I suggest taking some time to think about it." He gives a small smile when he says the words "your mentor", but it looks more like a grimace. Then he shakes his head and walks out the door, closing it softly behind him.
He's right, of course. I have a lot of thinking to do.