The Second Quarter Quell

Chapter Two- The Justice Building

Chapter Two

    I make my way up to the stage, trying  to look cool and confident, for two reasons. One, I've always been strong when things were bad for the family, and I cant stop now. Two, all of Panem is watching, sizing me up. I need to look like I can win this thing.

    Even if I cant.

    I walk onto the stage and take my spot next to the blonde girl named Maysilee. Valerie Clemments calls out the other boy tributes name, but I dont hear it because I'm too focused on my own thoughts.  He walks onto the stage and stands next to me.

    Valerie speaks again, "District 12, I give you your tributes!" She recieves half-hearted applause in reply.

     Then the reaping is over. Parents start laughing and crying, hugging their children,  joyous they were not reaped. Then everyone starts to leave, probably to have a special dinner in celebration that their kids are allowed to live another year.

    Only the tributes parents, our parents, stay. I look to my small family and see both my mom and brother are in tears. I want to tell them that it'll be alright, but it would just be an empty lie.

    Soon the other tributes and I are taken to the Justice Building, where we'll say our goodbyes and then be taken to the capitol. The first thought that always enters my mind when I see it is how out-of-place it looks. Its big and intimidating, among run-down houses with chipped paint. They assign us each to a different room, where we await for our loved ones to give us a final goodbye.

    The only people that come to see me is my family. My mom is sobbing when she walks in, and my brother looks like he's on the verge of doing the same. They each wrap their arms around me and give me a tight hug.

    "Haymitch," my mom says, "Try."

    "What?" I ask, confused.

   "I want you to try to win."

    "Mom-"

    "Haymitch, listen to me. You can't give up before the Games have even started. You're strong, and you know how to fight. You have a chance."

    "Mom, I dont think-"

    But she cuts me off again. "Promise me you'll try."

    I just stare at her for a minute, then tell her, "I promise."

  A Peacekeeper opens the door and tells them their time is up. The give me both one last hug, and then start to leave. Then my little brother, Dennis turns and says, "Bye Haymitch."

    Then the doors close, and I am completley alone.

    Soon Valerie Clemments has gathered the four of us tributes together, along with our mentor, a women in about her sixties named Yasmyn Hook, the only person from District 12 ever to win the Hunger Games. When Valerie has made sure we're all here, we leave the Justice Building and head for the train.

    We board and I go to look out the window, taking in every sight, asuming this will be the last time I see District 12. People are gathered outside the train to see their tributes off, hoping maybe this year District 12 will win.

    I'm at the window for a while before I sense someone else beside me. I look over and see the blonde girl, Maysilee, standing beside me, staring at the window with a sad look in her Seam eyes.

    She sees me looking at her and turns her head. "Savouring the last sights of home?" she asks.

    I nod.

    With a lurch the train starts to moves. We both turn our attention back to the window again, watching our home dissapear, untill District 12 is gone.

    After a while she turns to me again and says, "I'm Maysilee, by the way."

    Why is she being friedly with me? Doesnt she know one of us will not come out of the arena alive? Or is she trying to make an alliance before the games have even started?

    I dont ask her any of this, but instead grumble, "I'm Haymitch."

    "I know." she says, and I can tell she imediatley regrets it.

    Taken aback, I ask, "How?" Then I realise probably because she heard my name being called at the reaping. But thats not her answer.

    "Oh...well...the girls always...talk about you at school...how they would kill to date you..."

    I just laugh, secretly pleased. She seems confused by my reaction, and I can almost hear her thinking, Why the hell is this guy laughing, he's basically been sentence to death!

    Then I stop laughing and say, "They'll never get a chance."

   She shrugs, "Maybe." than leaves to talk with the other tributes. It's obvious she's trying to gain allies, but she seems genuinly nicce. Not that it matters.

She'll have to die if I want to survive.