The 25th Hunger Games (fanfic)

Chapter 4: The Capitol

As the scream escapes my lips, Crystal leaps off the couch and runs to me. The Peacekeepers are swarming like flies all around Maggie's room, picking things up, shaking them, putting their ears against things, checking things for something that I don't know of. The smell of blood fills the room. Some things they take, some they leave. The one that killed her is trying to shove her into some sort of box. Another Peacekeeper comes to help, and the train whistles. I guess that means we're coming to a stop.I stops, but not gradually like it should. It's like the driver just stomped on the brakes, and in one second the train went from 120 mph to 0. We all jerk around, some of us hitting the floor.

I reach for my knee, which I'm sure I bruised. I collect myself off the floor and limp off to the side, allowing the Peacekeepers to swarm out of the room. My heart is still racing. I don't understand what I just saw. They file off the train, the train starts back up, and we are left alone. I look at Carly and Crystal, wondering what the heck just happened. Crystal looks scared and looks like she's going to cry, but the look on Carly's face tells me she couldn't care less. She goes off to her room when Panem's anthem plays on the TV. We run in their to see a reporter in what looks like Maggie's room. We run in there, but of course it's empty. We run back to see what he has to say.

"Breaking news on the District 11 Tributes' Train just moments ago," he begins. Me and Crystal give each other a glance, remembering that knife still in Maggie's back. "95 year old Maggie Fisher was killed for trying to help the tributes of District 11 win by blackmailing other tributes and sending them poisoned pastries, where one bite could give you an uncureable disease, that'll make it hard to even stand up because you'll be in too much pain and weakness. She was quickly killed and is now on her way tothe graveyard. Now, let's take a look at what happened on the District 11 train, just 5 minutes ago."

And BAM! There I am in front of all of Panem, playing on everybody's TV. It shows me flexing my muscles and cuddling against Carly, and I look like the biggest idiot in Panem. My face beams red, and I look at my feet. I shyly look back at the television. When Carly leaves, it shows me going up to Maggie's door and breaking the handle. Next time I have to be more careful. But now, sponsors must realize just how strong I am, along with other tributes.

But now, it shows me screaming like a girl, while on the other half of the screen Maggie is being tortured and killed. Then it's over, and the TV goes back to 24  years of Hunger Games. My eyes widen and I look around. How are these people so calm? Our escort just got murdered!

I go to my room, take a shower, get on a shirt and sweat shorts, then fall asleep in m bed. The bed is amazingly comfy, and I fall asleep instantly. But I have nightmares of that district 1 beast, Crash, shwving all sorts of weapons through me, then just beating me up with his massive arms. Then the couple from District 4 slowly roast me in a fire while they kiss their last few kisses. And then, after I'm cooked, I want to scream I'm still alive, but I can't. So they slowly and painfully rip me apart and eat me. Then a boy, I think from 7, breaks my neck with his hands, then throws me off of a cliff. This goes on and on, someone else killing me in a new way, until finally I wake up, sweaty and cold. I lay back down and try to think straight. I am Zac Brennon. Nobody but Crystal and mom, and maybe Gliss like you back home. You got picked for the Games, along with your sister. There are 22 other people who want to kill you. There are 24 people. One may live. It must be Crystal. I get up, geet dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, no longer caring what Carly thinks because I'm still shaking from my nightmares.Once again, I find myself looking at tables stacked high with fruits, waffles, pancakes, toast, rolls, cinnamon buns, sausage, eggs, bacon, potatoes, stew, any sort of thing you could eat for breakfast lies before me. To the left, I see different machines, for hot chocolate (my personal favorite), coffee, juices, milk, anything that can possibly come to your mind lies before me. Like last time, I get one of everything, except for the bacon, sausage, and eggs which I get spoonfuls of. But this time, it's in no particular order. I have a total of 6 plates now, but the plates are much bigger than dinner.I'm already through eating  and I'm on my 4th cup of hot chocolate when Crystal and Carly come out of Crystal's rooms, looking identical in green skirts that look a little too short, that  show way too much skin. They begin eating when Carly finally gives us some advice.

"Listen, in a matter of minutes we'll pull up to the Capitol. Your prep teams will meet you at the statioin. They will take you to the training center, where you will spend the next two weeks training, being interviewed, and preparing for the Games. Let them do anything they want to you, no matter how much you want to resist. Then, you'll meet your stylists. Zac, you'll have Rhett as your stylist, and Crystal you'll have Grace. Let them prepare you for the chariot ride tonight. Then, they'll lead you down to the chariots and you'll get on, sit through it, then we'll go from there tomorrow morning."

And just then, we pull up to the Capitol, and the only thing I see is mine and Crystal's faces everywhere.