Summer Clementine POV
The train grinded to a halt in front of us, and Tigerlily scrunched up her nose in distaste. I stepped onto the train, my hands entwined with Thomas’s, and the other tributes quickly followed. Harriet quickly marched through the doors to the District 6 carriage and walked briskly through. I glanced over at Thomas, my lips pursed.
“We need allies. This train ride is a good time to make some.” I said quietly. Thomas nodded, and stared out at the other tributes left on our carriage. Mike was chatting to Nick and, after a quick discussion, the two of them went into the next carriage, where District 6 were. Acacia’s eyes flickered up to mine, then darted away quickly. She too went into the next carriage, leaving Thomas and I standing alone in the District 7 carriage. Thomas sighed.
“I guess we go to the next carriage?” he shrugged. I nodded and walked into the next carriage. Harriet was chatting to Iris in the corner, whilst Mike and Nick were talking to Hope. Ali, Trevor and Fred were standing in a small circle, talking quietly. Cedric was sitting by himself.
Suddenly, the train grinded to a stop once more, and I heard noise coming from the back of the train. District 8 had arrived. Cedric immediately stood up and walked into the next carriage, obviously wanting to make an alliance with a District 8 tribute. Harriet and Iris followed him.
Thomas, ever the spontaneous one, walked up to Mike, Nick and Hope.
“Hi.” Thomas smiled. “Would Summer and I be able to join your alliance?”
Mike grimaced.
“Sorry. We don’t want too many people in our alliance. Good luck, though.”
Thomas nodded, disappointment in his eyes. He tried talking to Ali, Trevor and Fred as well. They didn’t want an alliance either. He walked back to me, looking frustrated.
“I guess we try District 5?” Thomas said softly. I nodded, and we walked into the next carriage. Gabriella, Travis, Marc, and surprisingly Acacia were sitting together in the corner, discussing something. Adele was sitting on her own, staring out the window. Dianna and Toby were sitting at one of the tables.
“I don’t really want any of these people in an alliance.” I said softly. Thomas nodded as his eyes scanned the room, but then his gaze stopped on the two 13 year olds.
“What about them?” he said quietly, pointing to Dianna and Toby. I sighed.
“They’re only 13, Thomas.” I said. “They’ll probably die off in the bloodbath. They aren’t strong or anything, they won’t be much help to us. To be quite honest, we’d be better off alliancing with the psychopaths from 8.” I felt horrible for saying those things but, being very young, Dianna and Toby didn’t stand much of a chance.
“Please?” Thomas whispered. “They look so helpless. I don’t want them to have no one.”
“They have each other.” I argued. Thomas slumped his shoulders.
“Come on, Summer.” He practically begged me. “They need someone to look after them. My brother had no one when he went into these games. I don’t want these kids to feel the same way.”
I sighed, looking down. Thomas’s older brother was 12 when he got reaped, and Thomas was only 11. He had told me many times that he had wanted to volunteer for his brother very badly, but he was only 11 and couldn’t. Thomas’s brother hadn’t made any alliances with anyone, as no one wanted to team with him, feeling that he was too weak. He died in the bloodbath, and Thomas had been devastated.
“Fine.” I sighed. “We can team up with them.”
Thomas’s face brightened up and he walked over to Dianna and Toby. After a few moments, Thomas gestured for me to come over, and sat down next to Dianna. I took the seat opposite him, next to Toby.
“So, alliance?” Dianna asked us. Thomas grinned and nodded.
“Alliance.”
Hope Surrey POV
I looked around at my alliance. Mike and Nick from District 7 sat across from me, and Simon and Eddie from District 8 were sitting on either side of me. I coughed slightly and my alliance members turned to me.
“So, whats our plan?” I asked lamely. Simon stared up at me, his eyebrows raised.
“Our plan?” he said slowly. I nodded.
“Like… uh… what alliance will we target? If we all make it to the Ultimate Games, when will we split? What are we going to train with at training? What do we do at the bloodbath? What do we -“
“You’re boring us.” Nick said bluntly, interrupting me in my sentence.
Mick shifted in his seat and looked at me. “Well, firstly, I guess we target whoever is a bigger threat. Secondly, I’d say that once we make it to the top 10 or 8 that we split. That way we can make it further. Thirdly, I reckon some survival stations and also a few weapon ones. At the bloodbath… I don’t really know.” Mike finished.
“Do any of you guys have particular skills with any weapons?” Eddie asked.
“Sai blades.” I said immediately. “Or shurikens.”
The four boys in front of me stared at me in complete and utter confusion.
“What the hell are you, some kind of ninja?” Nick asked incredulously, his eyebrows raised. I laughed.
“I don’t think so.” I smirked. “What weapons are you guys good with?”
“I don’t know, we aren’t exactly careers.” Mike said. “But I have practiced a couple of times with a bow and arrow, and I’m decent.”
“What about Nick, Eddie and Simon?” I asked. Nick rolled his eyes. “Thanks for the roll call, Hope.”
“Thanks for the sarcasm, Nick.” I replied with a smirk. “So, are you any good at any weapons?”
“Uh, I’m pretty handy with knives. I can throw them from feet away and hit the target.” Nick said proudly. I nodded and turned to Simon and Eddie. “What about you two?”
“Nothing really.” Simon muttered quietly.
“I’m alright with a fighting staff, but they don’t usually have those in the Cornucopia.” Eddie said glumly. I nodded and looked up at the ceiling, breathing deeply.
“You OK?” Mike asked, a worried look in his eyes. His hand touched my wrist, and I glanced at him in surprise. Mike locked eyes with me, and I looked away, blushing. Mike cleared his throat awkwardly and scratched the back of his head, watching me from under his eyelashes.
But right now, my allies were the last thing on my mind. My mind wandered back home, to District 6. My mother had died several years ago and my father was terminally ill. As the oldest in the family, it had been my responsibility to look after him for the past few years. But that quickly flew out the window when I was reaped. My 22 year old sister, Riley, had left my father and I a few years ago, moving in with her fiancée. She had barely spoken to either of us since. Our only words consisted of awkward greetings in the streets, and then Riley would go about her business as if nothing had ever happened. She now had two kids, and she was married to the same man she had left us for. It was no secret she had a strong dislike for the slums that my father and I lived in. It was part of the reason why she moved to the richer area where her fiancée lived. But I had a feeling that there was another reason. She didn’t like being responsible for our father. She would complain nonstop about how taking care of him was so time consuming and repetitive. And then, one day, she was just gone. She disappeared, and the only thing we got was a note.
‘I’m moving in with Justin. ~Riley’
I was furious she had left. I was absolutely livid. My hatred for my sister only intensified on one day that will forever leave a mark on me – her wedding day.
I had received an invitation and, assuming it was meant for my father as well, I got him all dressed up in a nice suit, got him in his wheelchair and took him to the wedding. It was held in a small park, one of the few places in District 6 that didn’t make you want to gouge your eyes out. We got to the entrance, where one of Riley’s old friends was handling the invitation. I handed her my invitation, and dad grinned broadly at the prospect of the wedding. The girl looked at the invitation, made a face, and finally nodded at me, signaling I could go in. I smiled and walked in. My father tried to wheel in, but the girl suddenly held out her arm.
“Woah.” She said. “Where’s your invitation?”
“I’m with my daughter.” Dad said, gesturing to me. He tried to get in again, but the girl stopped him.
“Everyone invited got their own invitation.” She said.
“But it’s my daughter’s wedding!” dad protested. “I’m Greg Surrey, Riley’s father.”
The girl pulled out a list and scanned through it, her lips pursed. “Sorry. Hope is on the list, but I’m afraid there is no Greg Surrey on here.”
Dad’s face slacked. He was devastated, I could see it in his eyes. He looked like he was about to cry, something he had never done. Fury rushed through me and I stormed into the park, looking around wildly. Finally, I found my sister, chatting excitedly to someone. I marched up to her and grabbed her by the arm. “We need to talk.” I growled.
“What is it?” Riley sighed.
“Why didn’t you invite dad?” I asked, my voice cracking slightly. Riley rolled her eyes.
“We can’t accommodate him.”
“He’s in a flipping wheelchair!” I exploded angrily. “He doesn’t need a seat! That’s the whole point of a wheelchair, it’s a moving seat!”
“Hope, dad is part of my past.” Riley said firmly. “I don’t want him here. It will turn all the attention to him because he’s a cripple, and today is my day. I’m not going to let you, or dad, ruin that! I want to forget the past, OK? I don’t want to remember it. It was really hard on me!”
Silence.
“It was hard for you?” I whispered. “IT WAS HARD FOR YOU?” I roared. “DAD HAS A TERMINAL ILLNESS! HE’S DYING! ONE DAY HE’S NOT GOING TO BE HERE ANYMORE! HE WAS SO EXCITED FOR TODAY, AND THEN YOU GO AND NOT INVITE HIM!”
“You don’t make the rules, Hope!” Riley snapped. “I do. And Dad isn’t invited. I don’t. Want. Him. Here.”
That’s when I slapped her in the face.
“Hope?” Mike asked, jolting me out of my trance.
“Huh-wha?” I stammered, looking around wildly. My allies stared at me like I had grown a pair of cat ears.
“Are you OK?” Nick asked slowly.
“Yeah!” I lied, brushing my hair from my eyes. I stared out the window as the Districts disappeared from view.
“Completely fine.”
Cedric Ramos POV
I looked at the twins from 8, grinning broadly. They smiled back. They were the only tributes that had no moral code – just like me.
“We’re sorta like the careers.” Xenia smirked. “Aren’t we?”
“I guess.” I grinned cruelly. “Except we’re better.”
Alejandro nodded. I glanced behind me, where Iris, Yasmine and Harriet were sitting, talking quietly. “Hey girls!” I mocked. “Watcha talking about? How much you’re going to suck at training?”
“Screw you.” Harriet snarled. I smirked and raised my hands in the air. “Well, if you insist on screwing me. I ain’t complaining, gorgeous.”
“In your dreams, you bag of shit!” Harriet spat. She turned back to her allies, giving me the finger as she did so. I snorted and turned back to my allies.
“This,” I grinned evilly, “Is going to be fun.”