Part Nine - The train and the mentor's secret

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I am taken out of my room, leaving the goodbyes and tears behind me. Cato is leaving my room, he smiles at me and heads towards me, I still haven’t forgiven him for volunteering meaning only one of us will live, so when he reaches for my hand subtly I pretend I haven’t seen it and carry on walking towards the train. I glance a look at him, he looks slightly miffed but when he sees the cameras he breathes in and tenses his muscles, making himself look strong and like a victor. Camera men start to spot us engulfing us in loud shouting and blinding flashes everywhere. The peacekeepers push us through the mob onto the train; the interior is so slick and luxurious. Two adults turn around in their chairs to look at us, Enobaria and Brutus, the previous victors now turned mentors. I was always slightly intimidated by Enobaria when she used to walk through the town; she had a tendency to bear her dagger shaped teeth at you, whether it’s on purpose or not, nobody really knows.  Cato and I walk slowly towards them, Brutus gets out of his chair, puts his hand out in front of him and Cato shakes it, I follow Cato and shake Brutus’ hand after, he signals for us to sit in the chairs opposite them. Enobaria looks me up and down and frowns, my heart sinks a little, without her by my side sponsors will be so much harder, sponsors meaning the slight difference between life and death in the arena.  A part of me wonders why they had not been at the reaping but I by pass that as Enobaria cracks her knuckles, refusing to interact with us, at least Brutus is making an effort, but he is Cato’s mentor, not mine, I’m stuck with the vampire.

“This isn’t going to help you, so my advice to you is that this stops immediately before you do something stupid, that could ultimately end up with your death.” She suddenly half hisses half growls, looking at both of us, glaring at each of us in turn.

“What are you talking about?” I ask her; how can we stop something we don’t know we’re doing.

“Seems like these ones aren’t all they seem to be, Careers with no brains, just what I need.” She replies, she rises from the leather seat and heads over to the drink cart.

“What she is trying to say, harshly I hasten to add, is that you being in love isn’t going to help you, at all. In fact being in love is going to hinder not help, you do realise that there is only one victor.” Brutus steps in, scanning our confused faces. Besides me Cato doesn’t even flinch, no emotion shown on his face. All my tears are dry, Cato takes my hand in his, he intended to squeeze it encouragingly I think but the squeeze never lifted so instead my hand was big red before he noticed he was doing it and let go.

“I intend to die; I intend to die for Clove. So I don’t care, I am going to be with her, together until my death.  The whole of Panem is going to know as well, maybe that will be our game plan, like the lovers or something, something to get the Capitol people rooting for us and we can become the favourites.” Cato argues, he must’ve e thought about this for a long time. Enobaria slams her glass on the table, making me jump suddenly.

“Then we might as well just send you off now, because I’m not helping you, you’re just a big arrogant teenage boy with teenage love fantasies” She points at Cato. “And you, you wouldn’t even say boo to a goose, does little clove want her big bad Cato to protect her?” She taunts at me. Cato rises from his chair, walking towards Enobaria he shoves her hand against the wall, the lower part of his arm pushing into her throat, she attempts to bite him but he moves. Brutus jumps to separate them so I also go to help him; he grabs Cato’s left shoulder, and pulls him back. With his left arm still on Enobaria’s throat he punches Brutus on the face.

“Don’t you dare insult my girlfriend! If you ever do it again I will hurt you. You understand? She is braver and a much better person than you will ever be” Cato shouts. I go to the other side of Cato where his arm is busy by pressing the vampire to the wall. I touch his tensed arm carefully, with my touch his muscle relaxes slightly.

“Cato.” I whisper soothingly. “It’s ok, honestly, come on, let go of her please.” Cato responds to my voice and does as I say, Enobaria doesn’t move even when she is not forced to be where she is. She hisses through her teeth and pushes past me, bumping my shoulder as she passes and leave the carriage. Brutus sighs and Cato stares at the wall, I stay where I am unsure what to do. An avox comes into the room, sometimes they come to District 2 as prisoners where some of our peacekeepers keep them to torture them before they go to their doom in the Capitol, I feel sympathy, they were brave enough to try to grab their freedom or other people’s freedom but they never managed it, like we did.

“Get me a scotch.” Brutus says to the avox, the boy’s head bowed to the floor, Brutus snaps is fingers and the boy nods and leaves the carriage as well. He sighs and walks back to his chair, I glance at Brutus, looking out of the train window, I never noticed that we started moving, but by the immense speed the trees are running past the window we must nearly be in the Capitol. I kiss Cato on the lips quickly and then head back to my chair, we need to smooth things out with Enobaria and as quickly as possible. Cato follows me and Brutus leans forward and looks as if he is arguing with himself in his head.

“You know why Enobaria is acting this way about you two being in love?” He asks finally, I shake my head as Cato seems to be unresponsive, his anger still slightly showing, I take his hand to comfort him. “It’s because she was in the exact same position as you, she was in love with the boy tribute but he committed suicide when they got to the final five. She never really forgave herself even though it was never her fault or decision.” The room is silent, the hatred that I felt for her had gone and I was left with sadness, I would be heartbroken if Cato committed suicide. Cato was wrong I’m not braver than her; I couldn’t live my life if Cato died but she had found some will to live, maybe to live the life for her love.  I realise that is why she is being like this, trying to spilt us up, she doesn’t want the same thing to happen to us as it did to her.  Just then the train goes into complete darkness and when the light returns it’s obvious where we are. The Capitol.

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THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING :*

As I promised; a longer update!! Oooh the Capitol, can't wait to introduce the prep team and everything! What do you think about Enobaria, do you like or loathe her?

For those of you that don't know how the people are in the picture, it's Enobaria and Brutus

soapybubbles

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