The Hunger Games: Power

Chapter 4

          Hi.

          I’m glad he’s decided to speak to me…maybe it means he feels a little more comfortable, that he’s calmed down? Or at least…I hope so. I nod at him in reception. He blinks at me, as if he’s trying to tell exactly why I just did that, decipher all my emotions, and then slowly nods back, brow furrowed, mouth open, breathing shakily. It’s the most communication I’ve had with him so far.

          Posala clearly has no time for the exchange, however. “Come on, we have a train to catch!” she says quickly before ushering us outside.  In some districts they take the tributes in cars to the train station, but in District Three it’s practically right beside the Justice Building and there’s no point.

          We walk to our waiting train and board immediately. Posala smiles once again.

          “You two can just sit right there!” She gestures to two seats. “Your mentors are in the next carriage!” She points to the double doors behind us and laughs politely. “I’ll see you soon!” she chirps and with that walks off.

          Enapay takes the window seat and I gingerly sit down beside him. He coughs and bites his lip but looks otherwise calm. The train starts moving and he glances out of the window, then back at me. “No…” he whispers, barely moving his lips. “No…no, no, no, no, no…” With each ‘no’ his voice grows a little louder, until he’s almost yelling. “No!” He grabs me by the shoulders desperately, tears spilling down his face. “We’re going to die, the kids from three always die!” His tone of voice reminds me of that of a person who has been deprived of sleep for several nights.

          I stare at him for a second, a bit surprised, but then I put my hand on his shoulder. I have to comfort him- poor kid. “N…not always…” I tell him awkwardly. It’s all I can think of. He doesn’t seem very consoled by my feeble line. We both know it may as well be a lie- we really don’t get a whole load of victors- and  his expression’s like he’s just been shot. He takes a long breath in then doubles over, head in hands, sobbing.

          “A…are you okay?”

          He stops and looks up at me for just a second, shakes his head quickly then presses his nose against the window, watching things whiz by. His breath makes a blurry cloud on the glass.

          “Ummm…are you definitely all right?” I ask him. I have to be sure.

          He turns around to face me, really quickly this time. “It’s Arista, right?”

          I frown, not quite sure why he’s asking my name. Nevertheless I tell him, “Yeah…yeah, and you’re Enapay, right?”

          His mood seems to brighten up amazingly fast. He laughs a little. “Finally, someone who can pronounce it…” he sighs.

          “Yeah, I don’t see what’s so difficult about it!” And I don’t- it sounds simple enough. It must be really annoying for him, having to tell people how to say his name all the time. “How do you spell it?”

          “E-N-A-P-A-Y.”

          “That’s not so complicated!” I assure him. He shrugs. I smile. I’m not going to let the conversation end. “So, Enapay Hassun,” I say, glancing over at him to make sure I have his last name right. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself?” Asking people about themselves always works, they can usually go on for hours.

          “Like…like, what about myself?” He looks confused and nervous and maybe just slightly pleased.

          “I dunno…your family, maybe? Any siblings?”  Pretty insignificant, but it’ll be something.