Laying Low | Hunger Games

"Cashmere's Successor"

Avarsh

My mentor is Solange Twine, Victor of the 51st Hunger Games. She was seventeen when she won. District 10 has four Victors, but Solange is the only female one.

This year, Solange is mentoring both of us, because, as she quotes, "Teff mentored last year. Millet is helping the District with harvesting because there are lots of crops this year. And he is too nice--I don't understand how he won the Games. And Starch is a lazy drunk."

But Solange, a young woman who doesn't show any signs of submission to any kind of drug or liquor. She has red-brown hair that is braided back neatly for the Games and sparkling blue eyes that are outlined with a thick black eyeliner.

"Sit down, you guys. Stop looking so tense!" I am amazed at how laid-backed she can be when training two kids to basically stay alive as long as they can, knwoing that that won't be long. 

"We'll be in the Capitol in an hour. You can eat if you want, but the recaps aren't available yet, because Districts 3 and 12 still have their Reapings to go. They should be done in around forty minutes"

Fern and I nod.

"So what do we do in the main time? There isn't much" Fern asks timidly.

Solange looks at him with almost an expression of distaste. "Boredom does not exist. Boredom is just an excuse to be a spoiled brat." Fern is taken aback. "You are on a train from the Capitol. Look around. Marvel! Does this look like anything from District 10? Enjoy it!" She says serenely. "While you still can," she adds under her breath.

That comment hurts, but I brush it off. I have learned to do that, too easily for someone my age, my parents say. But that is the harsh reality, that this country has evolved to.

I look around and am awed that I did not notice it earlier. Whatever it is. The crystal chandelier, a table made of some deep, red, wood, the plush armchairs lined with blue material.

Heaven.

Perhaps this is the Capitol's way of repaying the districts of the fact that in a few weeks, twenty-three children will be dead. Everything is so pretty and so luxurious! How could Fern say that there is nothing much? There is so much to do...

I think that I'll go take a nap. I am tired. I ask Solange where the bedrooms are.

"Right down the hallway, darling! Take your pick, I think they are all the same. Except for the color coding, maybe," she adds. I manage a weak smile. I go there and am choosing which room I want to claim as mine when I suddenly feel dizzy. So dizzy. Before I know it, I start swaying. I stumble over my own feet and everything goes black.

When I wake up, I am laying on a lime green duvet with a small blue blanket over me. I see Solange sitting at my bedside making frantic gestures at a man who looks very miserable.

Then, the man lights up and points at me, waving his arms around. His eyes still look unforgiving, though. Solange turns around and sees that have woken up.

"Oh! You're awake, you passed out from fatigue. The Avox caught you right before you hit the ground, and informed me." She says in her fast way. "He was very worried, but I recognized it from my Games," she announces importantly.

Solange squints at me.

"It's been a long day?" She sympathizes.

I nod meekly.

"Poor dear... Alright then, we'll be in the Capitol in half an hour. Get dressed, and eat something, we'll have the chariot rides once we get there. Some advice, don't resist."

I must look confused, because she quickly adds, "The prep teams can be quite a handful sometimes. Once you're dressed come to the dining carriage, we'll eat and watch the reapings. They should have finished by now."

"Okay. Where do I get fresh clothes from?" I ask. The man points to a dresser. I nod and shift around uncomfortably until Solange understands and shoos the Avox from the room, and leaves herself, but not after winking.

I browse through a collection of clothes with many variables and settle for a shimmering yellow dress. I decide to go barefoot.

When I arrive in the dining room, I notice that the television screen is already turned on, and I can hear the anthem blasting out of the speakers. The logo appears, and I sit down and hold my breath in anticipation.

The screen pauses. I turn my head in confusion until Solange says, "Let's switch things up a little bit," she looks nervously at me.

"I watched the Reaping on my phone," Solange waves a small black device around, "and we shouldn't begin with a bang."

I shrug, not really caring. The Careers will be intimidating either way, right? Why does Solange think that we don't know that "the bang" will be malicious Careers? They are the ones that usually win.

Fern nods, "It doesn't really matter, does it?" voicing my thoughts almost exactly. I look at him in surprise.

So we begin with District 12, as weak as always. I grimace immediately. I am already thinking like a monster I strive not to become in the Games. The Games change everyone. But it is your choice, if they make you a monster, or not.

We begin watching. District 12's tributes are skinny kids, with bones practically protruding from their bodies. The same with District 11. Then we see ourselves come up. I almost grimace at how fake my attempt to look intimidating is. But I will use my intelligence to the test. Maybe I can survive. A bulky boy from 7 that has probably been using axes all of his life. A girl in a wheelchair from District 6--she won't last long. She will die during the initial Bloodbath for sure.

District 5, and then the beginning of the Careers.

A seventeen-year-old girl volunteers for "Pearl Jackson", and a Reaped fourteen-year-old boy from 4.

Then District 3. The boy's mind's gears seem to be turning as quickly as car wheels, and I have no doubt that he is very smart. But I am smarter. And I am confident of that.

District 2 catches my eye. A "Kordyl Mavea" is Reaped,  but an eighteen-year-old girl volunteers, with reddish-brown hair and a purple scar running down the side of her face. She smirks viciously which stretches out the scar. I am scared of her. The male volunteer is a blonde boy that also grins. They look terrifying together.

Then District 1. Rose Platinum is called up, but some desperate girls volunteer. There is a whole fight which ensues, that ends with a girl knocked out, another gir,l with a bruised jaw, a couple more injured girls, and the finalist that strides out unscathed. I sigh loudly causing Fern to look at me. I just don't understand why the Careers would willingly land themselves in the ultimate Games to the death.

The girl shakes her head, her brown hair splaying everywhere and walks up the steps.

She faces the audience and I see her face for the first time and gasp. 

I am dying on the inside. And I know that somewhere on the District 1 train the same is happening to the female tribute.

Because I know this girl.

"And what is your name, dear?" the escort asks. But I don't need the answer.

I already know. All too well.

My sister smiles proudly.

"Kana Valian."

***

A/N: I am a terrible person, I know :) But you can't say that you didn't expect that haha! Sue me, I love leaving you guys on cliffhangers. But yeah, I honestly don't know if you were expecting that or not.

Please tell me your thoughts on this chapter, I hope it met your expectations of my writing, it sure met mine. I love you all, my little snowflakes, and until the next update! Please comment, vote, and follow if you enjoyed!

With lots of love, Brett