The Hermit Games

Chapter 2: The Train

A gasp came from the audience, but Grian couldn't hear it. He couldn't even hear the people next to him chatting anxiously to their friends, staring at him.

His heart was beating so hard he could feel it in his throat, and his breathing seemed like he had sprinted a mile.

He gazed up at the stage, then took an anxious step through the crowd.

Grian reached the stage, and walked up the ramp next to it. His suit, which felt fine before, now felt too tight and too loose at the same time. The collar was almost choking him, and he wished he hadn't done so well with the tie.

Freya looked at him with a reassuring glance, which he mirrored on his own face. They would be spending a day together on the train to the Capitol, so it would certainly help if they were at least acquaintances. He refrained from thinking about how he may end up killing her in the near future.

He barely had time to search for his mother in the crowd before the anthem ended, and Peacekeepers came and took him and Freya away. He cast one more forlorn look into the audience and was answered with hundreds of anxious faces, reflecting his own feelings.

He and Freya were marched to separate rooms in the Justice Building to say their final goodbyes to the people they loved.

Grian found himself in a small room with plush green sofas and soft rugs underfoot. Before he had a chance to analyze the room properly, the door opened.

His mother rushed into the room. Grian smiled sheepishly at her, and she ran up and hugged him. "Make it back home safe, okay?" she said. He nodded.

"Take care of Maui and Pearl." His mother laughed, though her eyes said otherwise.

"I appreciate that the cats are your top concern." she said sarcastically. He laughed and hugged her again.

"And take care of yourself as well."

She grinned. "Oh, before I forget, do you have a token that you're planning to take with you?" Grian shook his head. "Much as I expected," she said with a chuckle. "Here," she said, pressing a feather into Grian's hand. It was a mixture of red, yellow and blue, unlike any bird he'd seen before.

"Thank you. I'll bring this back home, promise."

At that moment, several Peacekeepers appeared at the door.

"Wait! Just give us one more minute!" called out Grian, his eyes clouding with tears. The Peacekeeper shook his head, and his mother stood up.

"I'll see you soon Grian," she said with a melancholy smile, then turned and left the room.

Grian sat helplessly on the sofa, holding back tears. His mother was the only person that came to mind who would visit him before the train. His father was away on a business trip in District 2, so therefore would hear about the news in the worst possible way, on the television.

He sat for what he thought was countless hours, although it may just have been several minutes. As he expected, no one else came, apart from a pair of Peacekeepers eventually, to take him to the car.

Grian hadn't been in many cars - in fact, he can't remember being in any at all - so the journey was an exciting experience.

The station was buzzing with reporters and photographers. Grian tried his best to appear blank and uninterested, and it seemed to be working. Freya looked as if she was attempting the same tactic, although her façade was looking a lot more natural. Freya seemed like a fairly intimidating young woman, and he himself was slightly wary of her. Grian only hoped someone else would dispose of her before he had to.

After what seemed like a mile of excited reporters and smiling faces (two of which were forced), they made it to the train, where they met a tall man with one bright blue eye, the other bright green. "You must be Grian and Freya. It's good to meet you."

"Are you the last victor?" asked Freya.

"Yep, and it looks like one of you are about to be the latest. You both look like you have a lot of potential, and I'm looking forward to working with you," he said with a kind smile.

Grian returned the gaze sympathetically. This man must have had to oversee a lot of people's deaths, he though pessimistically. Grian was trying to be as positive as he could, but it was quite difficult. District 9 wasn't known for being extremely intimidating. Since when have you seen someone beat a person to death with bread?

Grian extended his hand. "I'm looking forward to working with you too, um.."

"Jevin. Jevin Innes," he replied, shaking Grian's hand. "Feel free to find yours rooms and get changed into something more comfortable," he said, ushering them down the nearby corridor.

The pair nodded and set off. The room was cleaner than Grian's house ever was, no matter how much he tried. The bedsheets were crisp and calling to him in a way. He only just realised how exhausted he was after the Reaping.

Grian walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out a clean white shirt and a pair of black trousers. He was just setting off to dinner when something fell out of the wardrobe.

He walked over to hang it back up. It was bright red, made with thick soft wool. Grian picked it up and stroked its luscious material. It was in his favourite colour as well.

"Nice jumper, Grian!" called Freya as Grian sat down at the dinner table. He grinned.

"Thanks. Your outfit looks good too," he replied, returning the compliment.

Freya was wearing a red and white striped t-shirt with a bottle green jacket and brown shorts, as if she'd be ready to explore at the drop of a hat. Her outfit was paired with some steampunk-esque goggles.

Freya caught Grian's eye as he admired the obscure headpiece. "You like them? It's my token from the district," she said with a smile. "Did you bring one?"

Grian fished around in his pocket for a second. "Yeah, my mum gave me it just before I left," he said, revealing the colourful feather.

"That's so cool! Is it a parrot feather?"

"A.. parrot?"

"Sorry, my mistake. Parrots were a type of bird that lived in tropical rainforests years ago. Sadly, they went extinct when the districts were built."

Grian looked at the feather again. It was suddenly given a new meaning to him. How had his mother acquired it if the bird had gone extinct? "Where do you think it came from?"

"That's a good point. I doubt it'd last long. Most of the rainforests were destroyed, but as far as I'm aware there are a few remaining, although quite far away."

"Are you guys talking about the old rainforests?' asked Jevin. "Best not to dwell on that. It's a bit depressing if you ask me. Knowing that all these beautiful things existed, just out of our reach."

He had a far-away look in his eyes, as if he wanted to say more, but before he could, the food arrived.

"...whoa." whispered Freya.

"This is... significantly more fancy than District 9." laughed Grian nervously. Compared to these people, he felt like a mere peasant, which, technically speaking, he was.

The table was laid with rich stews, crusty bread, steamed vegetables, and in the middle, an extravagant cows head with an apple in its mouth.

Cub Fanagher, their escort, walked into the room. "Eat up, tributes. We've got a long journey ahead of us."