Four Leaf Clover

Chapter Two

It was now the final day on the train, we were about to reach the Capital. It would be the beginning of the end it felt, it would only be a short two weeks and then the game would begin. The very thought of that made me antsy with adrenaline and some sort of sick excitement.

Before I could think more on this, I heard the door to the car I was in, open. I was sitting in a common area (for a train?), on a couch.

I looked over to see who it was, to see Felix Corneli.

"May I sit?" He gestured to the chair in front of him, me giving him a curt nod. As he sat I heard the chair creak, him fiddling with his hands.

I didn't say anything, instead about to go back to the comfort of my own thoughts, but he didn't let that happen.

"So..." He cleared his throat, "...what are you trained in?"

I looked back at him, blinking at the odd question, ultimately deciding not to tell him.

I shrugged, "It's a surprise." I said dryly, him nodding his head slowly, almost as though he was waiting for me to reciprocate the question. I openly sighed before taking the bait, "So what are you trained in?"

He perked up a bit at me continuing to carry on the conversation, "Well, I didn't quite go to the Academy-" He revealed, though I'd already known that, otherwise I would've seen him, "-I was instead helping my dad at the Quarry." He answered.

Well, that was a useless question.

"But-" Oh he's not done, "-I did get some form of training from kids from the Academy."

I nodded, looking away somewhere else, half-heartedly listening, not particularly caring.

"Albeit I believe it was just them picking on me." He chuckled.

This sentence made me look at him, and instead of the pathetic look I expected, he was completely calm.

"But I learned a lot from them-" But then he quickly added, "-but I doubt I'm as good as you or the others."

I blinked, shrugging, "I don't know, I'm not that skilled." I answered, turning my head back somewhere else.

He looked at me like I was crazy, I could see the look from the side of my eye.

"That can't be true, you went to the Academy, trained with Victors- "

"-that doesn't mean I'm any good." I cut him off, "If you came in here to ask me to help you or guard you, whatever it is, you are in for a wakeup call. I'm in it to win."

I looked back at him, he looked shocked.

"If you can prove yourself useful to me, then I'll stall snapping your neck right when that game begins." I said, my voice unwavering and unchanging in tone.

I could hear his breathing change from how the silence enveloped us, I could feel the fear rolling off him in waves.

Felix's POV

I suppose it hadn't really sunk in, the situation I'm in.

This isn't a joy ride train ride; they're taking me to my death. And these aren't normal people I'm riding with, they're trained killers.

And I'm currently in a room with one of them.

She looked uncaring, not moving anything but her head. I could see the defined muscles on her arms from here, them flexing each time she slightly shifted in her spot.

When she said she would postpone killing me, snapping my neck, I could see in her eyes that she meant it. There was no malice, no anger, not even in her tone of voice was there. She acted like she was stating the weather outside, matter of fact.

Right before I could continue thinking, we entered a tunnel, no lighting to be found in it, just the occasional spark from loose wires.

I never took my eyes off her, everything around me started to go quiet. I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears, almost scared that the moment I took my eyes off of her, that noise would cease entirely.

It was almost pitch black dark, the lights in the car not being on, due to it not being night.

I tried to keep my eyes on her form, it hadn't looked like she'd moved.

With a spark of light, I jumped, she was looking right at me. But right as the light came, it went, and I was back in darkness.

I felt my grip increase on the chair, my fight or flight kicking in. Adrenaline started pulsing through me.

What is this? Why am I so scared? She hasn't even moved from her spot.

As if it couldn't come any sooner, we exited the tunnel.

She wasn't looking at me.

What have I gotten myself into?

Ellie's POV

I could tell what this kid was thinking, seeing as he didn't speak any more. He seemed spooked, somehow paler that he was before.

I debated getting up and going elsewhere, though decided against it, we were about to be at the Capital.

And not a moment too soon, the door to the car opened once more, Cato, Clove, Bruce, Enobaria, and Trudie came into the room.

"Get up, freshen up quickly, we are about to enter the station." Trudie ordered, before taking notice of Felix's state. "What happened to him?" She questioned me.

I shrugged, getting up from the couch and making sure I looked decent.

As we got closer, I could hear it, the cheering.

And wouldn't you know it...The Capital.

I put on my most convincing smile, the train pulling into station.

Right when the people saw us, through the windows, the cheers exploded even more.

I started waving at the crowd of people who were swarming outside the train, the train going slowly so everyone could get a good look inside.

Cato came over, doing the same as me, Felix trying his best to wave and be appealing (albeit he was struggling, trying to recover from whatever scare he had). Clove on the other hand? She sat behind us, turned away from the crowd, me shaking my head after giving her a short glance, before looking back to the crowd and continuing waving.

This lasted maybe 15-20 minutes, before the train came to a complete stop. We all stayed in place, the door to the train opening.

Some Peacekeepers came onto the train, holding guns.

"We're about to go to the Recreation Center." Trudie answered the unsaid question.

I walked off the train, the people screaming and cheering, clawing at each other to get a good look at four of the Careers from District Two.

I fought the urge to frown and scowl at the noise, instead, forcing myself to smile and be appealing.

Please get this over with.