Beyond The Pale

by Sleepstar of Shadowclan

"Future Generations will name them Tributes 69-92, but I'll never forget them" Long before The Hunger Games became the spectacle in Katniss' era, 17-year-old farmhand Horsa Georges would expect to live out his life on the family ranch. But when he is Reaped to represent District 10 in the 4th Hunger Games, he isn't sure of his chances. Can he return home or will he end up in a box?

2. The Journey

Beyond The Pale Chapter 2

Author's Note: I do not own The Hunger Games

Horsa Georges, 17, District 10 Male for the Fourth Hunger Games. 4th July A:D:D 4

Sitting on the plush sofa of the Justice Building, I turned to my family. "Mum, Dad, Bessie. I'll try to return home" I said, trying to be brave for their sakes. Barbara was chatting with her parents, trying to keep her mind off the likelihood of her fate. A few moments later and a pair of Peacekeepers escorted Barbara and I out of the Justice Building towards the District 10 station.

Upon arrival at the station, with it's ramshackle buildings and a small platform intended for use by Tributes, Barbara shivered. "The Tribute Train will arrive in three minutes" the Peacekeeper, a man named Slate, proudly announced. Barbara glared at him while I kept myself quiet. After all, the Capitol wouldn't want Tributes dead before the Games. As the train rolled in, Slate pointed his gun at us, telling us to get on board, which both Barbara and I obliged. On board were kids and teenagers. Fellow Tributes. Some of them were scared, while others were trying to hide their fear. Sitting down next to a dark skinned girl, I looked out of the window. This will be the last time I'll see District 10, Looking from the east, the train must have picked Tributes from Districts 12, 8, 6 and 11, so going eastwards, the train may pick up the District 5 Tributes next. A red haired girl muttered something to a boy around her age. "District 5, then 4, then 7. After that it's District 3, then 9, then 2 and finally District 1."

"Wait, Deborah, how did you remember all this?" The boy asked, prompting the other Tributes in the train, the dark skinned girl, Barbara, two Tributes that is probably from District 8, another dark skinned Tribute and a pair of Tributes with dark hair and grey eyes, to look at the boy.

"Relax Gordon, my father works at the station" Deborah explained.

The rest of the journey went by, with stops at Districts 5, 4 and 7 to let their Tributes be herded onto the train. The District 5 Tributes were slight, while the District 4 pair looked to be quite strong. Finally, the District 7 Tributes were a lumberjack and a lumberjill respectively. The sky was beginning to darken by the time we arrived at District 3, and a small girl and a tall boy boarded the train. By the time we arrived in District 2, night has fallen and the rest of the Tributes have fallen asleep, not noticing the bigger Tributes from the District entering the train. The District 9 pair had fallen asleep as soon as they boarded. It was 10pm by the time the Tribute train arrived to pick up the final pair, and the train rested on the sidings to allow everyone to get some rest. The District 1 pair, a tall boy and a pretty girl, collapsed as soon as they boarded, sleeping on some old sheets. It was humiliating, but then again, the Capitol saw the Districts as subhumans. For now, I shut my eyes and drifted to sleep, hoping to get as much sleep as possible. This time tomorrow, we'll be at the Capitol and for twenty-three of us, the site of our deaths.

So we meet the other Tributes. And yes, the Capitol was very prejudiced towards the Districts, as revealed in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. At least Horsa knew the names of the District 6 Tributes, even if he hasn't been introduced to them yet