The Second Quarter Quell

Chapter Six- Smiles and Clean Buildings

So I just want to say I'm really sorry I haven't updated in a year. I realize its pretty uncool of me to ask for reads and then not continue on the one story you guys seem to really enjoy. I can't make any promises, but I'm going to try to write more of this story. Keep in mind I might be a tad rusty with these characters at first.'

Thank you to everyone whoes sent me such encouraging messsages! I don't know if you still want to follow this story since its been a whole year, but you're the reason I've decided to sit down and write a few more chapters. You guys rock.

Okay sorry for blabbering, onto Chapter Six! :)

Chapter Six

We step off the train and for a minute my legs feel a bit wobbily, not used to solid, umoving ground. Hestia snorts at my unsteadiness but when I look over at her her smile vanishes.

In front of us is a ginormous, shniy building. I have to crane my neck to even try and see the top of it. I've never seen a building so tall, and I definitely have never seen one so clean. The other buildings around us, though they don't share its size, share its cleanliness. I keep expecting to see missng shingles off the roofs, houses put together with spare pieces of mismatched wood. But the buildings here stand straight, painted, and put together, like a reflection of the Capitals pride.

Valerie claps her hands as a signal for us to get going, and we follow her to the building. On each side of us is a massive crowd of people cheering and waving at us, huge grins on their garrish faces. I here my name being called over and over, and I keep darting my head around, not used to hearing my name in the voices of strangers.

"Wave, kiddies." I barely hear Yamyns rough voice behind me. "Sponsors, 'member?"

I roll my eyes. The last thing I want to do is wave to the people cheering us, literally, to death. The others seem to feel the same. Hestia crosses her arms and Collin keeps his eyes on his feet.

But Maysilee imediatley perks up. She spreads her grin to show a slightly yellowed, but no doubt whiter than the rest of ours, set of teeth. Her wave is big and enthusiastic, her yellow hair bouncing.

The croud goes wild, cheering in sheer delight. It makes me feel sick, but at the same time I cant help grinning a little at what a big reaction she got out of a smile and a wave. She looks back at Collin, Hestia and I, and gives us a look that clearly says, "Your turn."

Collin gives a small wave and the corners of his mouth turn up slightly, but his eyes remain glued to his feet. Hestia gives Maysilee an irritated look, but then joins right in with her. She manages to draw out an even bigger reaction, a few "aww's" mixed in with the cheers.

We're almost to the doors of the building, so before we enter I give in and decide its probably in my best interest to give a smile and a small wave. A few girls with matching pastel pink hair giggle, making me blush, which just makes me angry at myself. Hestia sees this and laughs. She seems to be laughing at me a lot.

The doors slide open for us and Valerie ushers us inside.  When the doors slide shut the sound of the Capitol citizens instantly vanishes. 

I barley get a look at the main floor when we're all practically shoved in an elevator. We have to squeeze in, and I imagine its only made to hold two tributes, not four.

Valerie quickly pushes the button that  reads "12". It glows a faint orange and the elevator doors slam shut, making me feel a tad claustrophobic. My mind wanders back to home, and I think of how in two years I would've rode an elevator everyday. Not nearly like this one, a ratty, hardly stable one, and instead of taking me up, it would've taken me down. Into the mines, so we could get coal to provide for the Capitol. 

The thought of the miners risking their lives everyday in the dark underground for these people, the people with clean houses and extravagant clothes, makes me angry. Anger seems to my one constant emotion since I boarded the train to the Capitol.

The elevator moves up and I feel my stomach drop. Hestia lets out a gasp then quickly shuts her mouth. 

The ride is quick and soon enough the doors open again, and we all try to get out first.

"This is your home for the next couple of days." Valerie begins. We will have meals together and you can choose who and when you want to train with Yasmyn-" Yasmyn snorts, "Tomorrow night we'll hold the opening ceremonies, so please be well rested. You will be introduced to your desin teams in the morning. Do not leave this floor. Im afraid because their are double the amount of you you will have to share rooms. The boys will be on the top right and the girls the top left."

I can hardly take in her words when I see the luxury of just the common room. A matching set of plush chairs and a couch is  the center piece of the room, as well as a huge wide screen tv. A fire place is built into the opposite wall, and theres a shelve of newly bought books.

"Wow" Maysilee breathes, and the others seem just as astounded. 

Valerie gives us a strange look, and it annoys me that she seems to have no appreciation for warmth and comfortable furniture. People back home would probably kill to live like this.

"Well then," she says, seeming a bit uncomfortable, "I'll leave you to it." She turns around and leaves the room, her curls bobbing in time with the click of her jewled high heels.

"Have a nice sleep kiddies. It'll be one of the last you get." Yasmyn says coldly, and turns to follow Vallerie. Despite the fireplace I suddenly feel chilled.

The four of us stand around awkwardly, not knowing what to say to each other. I knew I didn't want to become friends with them. I thought back to my dream and shuddered. They would probably be killed anyways. But that didn't mean I had to ignore them, or be rude. I tried to think of something to say, something to get me to my room, but Maysilee crossed her arms and spoke first.

"You know what this reminds me of?"

I shrug.

"Christmas."

"Christmas?" Hestia yells, sounding like she's going to explode. I hadn't really heard her talk before, so the intensity in her voice shocks me.

Maysilee nods, her yellow ponytail swaying. "Every year at Christmas my mom bought a small pig for dinner. Do you know how those pigs are raised? They keep them in nice pens, fatten them up, feeding them loads of food. Then guess what? They slaughter them."

Collin looks taken aback at her grusome comparison, and Hestia has reverted back to silence. 

"What a lovely story." I say, sarcasam practically dripping from my voice. I couldn't agree more, but she didn't need to point it out so bluntly. It was hard enough to deal with this without her slamming reality at us. That had happened too many times.

She rolls her eyes. "Well its true. But I'm going to do whatever it takes to survive. Yasmyn's been a hag, but she's given us one piece of advice, and I'm sure we can get more out of her." Then she hops up the steps and into her room. I try to decide if she's implying what I think she is.

"God, I have to sleep in the same room as her? Pray she doesn't slaughter me before we even get to the arena." Hestia says, trying to sound snarky. But the fear in her expression is obvious.

What does it matter? I think, We'll probably all die soon enough anyways.

I head over to the bookshelf, hoping to fill my mind with thoughts other than my own.