Broken - A Hunger Games Story

Chapter Three - Ash

I stare blankly into the distance, as everyone turns to look at me. Diana's grip loosens as a tear runs down her cheek.

"Willow... It... It's you," she stutters.

I slowly nod and everyone clears a path as I walk from our sector, towards the stage. I rudely reject Gracie's offer of a hand up the steps as I can manage fine on my own. I look into the crowd. The sorrowful faces, full of pity. I purse my lips, look up. I look tough. I have to look tough.

I look above the crowd. Above the closed shops. I stare at the hills blanketed with pure white. The sawmills. My eyes glance over to the cementry. Situated atop one of the smaller hills. A waterfall delicately runs from the tallest hill down into the valley, eventually leading to the river by the swing my brother and I made. My brother. I'll be with him soon...

"So Willow! How old are you?" She chirps optimistically.

"I am fifteen years old." I reply in a flat yet strong voice.

"Small and mighty I suppose..." She guides me to her right side where an X marks where I'm supposed to stand. I irritate her by standing a few centimetres behind it. She stares at me, obviously annoyed, for a few moments before moving on.

"And now for the men." She exclaims enthustiastically into the microphone.

Her hand goes into the bowl and she plucks out a slip of paper.

"Ash Grover!" she says, the same stupid fake smile fixed on her face.

I recognise the name. He steps out from the fifteen year old male section. He's in my class at school. He has a mop of messy blonde hair and freckles around his nose. His blue eyes are bright and alert.

My mind drifts as I find Diana in the crowd and she nods at me. She looks certain. Certain of what? My return. Because that's the biggest thing I'm not certain of right now. Gracie instructs us to hold hands and I instantly grasp his hand. It's filled with sweat but I still give it a tight squeeze.

"So there we have the tributes from District Seven. Willow Thorne and Ash Grover! " She applauds herself and her bright gold wig teeters on her head. The crowd is silent and I turn my head to the hills.

A peacekeeper rudely prods his gun into my side ushering me through the creaking wooden doors of the justice building. As soon as I am turned from the crowd the tears flood but I wipe them until my eyes are dry.

++++++++++++++++++

The wooden architecture is beautiful. Vines filled with ivy lace the walls. Carvings older than the Hunger Games itself. My mind begins to wander to what life must have been like before these barbaric games... So peaceful. We are lead to a room when Gracie stops and turns to face us.

"Here you will be able to say goodbye to your family and friends." She tugs the microphone attached to the top curve of her dress. "I'm... Ever so sorry."

"What do you mean?" I ask, confused.

"I am very sorry. I... I have to act like that out there. I dont want to do this. Send you off to your slaughter." She lowers her head slightly, looking almost embarassed as a peacekeeper ushers me into the room. A window overlooks the valley. No-one will come to say goodbye. My mother... Diana will have to tell her the news. I see the whole of District Seven. The graveyard - my part of the district. The cemetery where Jason is buried. The shops. The abandoned houses. And... the large expanses of wood that seperate each section of our District. I will probably never see any of it again.

The door creaks open and Diana is flung into the room by a peaekeeper. We just hug and then she looks at me. "You, you have to win..." She says sternly.

"I can't. I... don't think I could killl anyone. Ever." I reply.

"I believe in you," she pauses and then delves her hand inside her dress pocket before taking out a stunning ring, "Here take this. You can use it as your token from home." She hands me it and I examine it carefully. It's a gorgeous clean silver with vines and ivy, much like the carvings, curving around the ring.

"Thank you... for evrything." I cry. I wasn't going to. But we both do, until a peacekeeper drags her out. She lashes out and screams my name but I turn away. I can't stand to see her in pain. I quickly spin back around and shout : "Tell my moth..." just as the door slams shut.

A peacekeeper tells me my time is up and I rejoin Gracie and Ash. He's trying to stay strong but I can clearly see that his eyes are red and puffy from sobbing.

"You're headed straight to the train..." A stern-looking peacekeeper tells me.

We walk from the backdoor, past the stalls, past the forest and we come to what looks like a log cabin. It's actually Seven's station. The place is crawling with photographers and reporters, all sporting different fashions and colours. I hear my name being chanted as I step onto the platform. The high-tech train pulls into the station perfectly on time.

"Here we go" says Gracie, acting like she did on stage due to the amount of press here. She holds her hand to a keypad on the door and it slides open effortleslly. The majestic interior is a striking blue. We walk through another door and the sound of outside diminishes to a quiet hum. Foods of all kind lay atop tables laced with light blue tablecloth. Chocolates of all colours, drinks of all flavours. sandwhiches of all kinds. All here for us to enjoy, I don't though. It would be a dream come true if not for the cold, harsh reality of it all. I sit with my head pressed against the window as we pull away from District Seven. My one and only home.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The pine trees whizz past as we fly through the forests. I haven't spoken to Ash yet. I decide to make the effort, seing as he probably feels as terrible as I do.

"So... how you doing Ash?" I ask tentatively. A smile spreads across his face.

"Besides being sent of for our imminent death. I'm not bad. And you?" He asks in a surprisingly deep voice.

"You pretty much summed up what I was going to say to be honest." I reply, "Shall we?" I say pointing to the tables laden with foods. He gives his head a greedy nod and we head over. I pick up a red and white cake slice just as the one and only Johanna Mason walks into the carriage.

"So, you two wanna start to train now. Because by the looks of it all you want to do is stuff your faces." She says.

I drop the cake onto the table and politely say, "I would love to."

She smiles lighlty looking pleased with me. Ash says, "I think I'm just gonna stay here... and eat."

"Okay," says Johanna "Try the apple and pork stew. It's divine."

Johanna leads me through around six cars where I see Gracie filing her nails humming a silly tune to herself. We finally arrive in the back carriage. She calls it the observation car.

"I won my games by trying to be weak. Do you have a startegy in mind?" She asks, as we take a seat.

"No. I don't think I do." I reply.

"Well I think you should either make the other tributes fear you or get into a big alliance. This way nobody will immediately target you." She says slowly, so I can take it in.

"What about both?" I reply confidently, although on the inside... I'm petrified.