Rose

The Train

In front of me is a feast I'd never thought I'd ever lay my eyes upon. I'd been loaded onto a train and ended up seated at a fancy dinning table that probably cost as much as my house. Sprawled across the table are all kinds of dishes that I don't even know the names of. I have no idea where to start. Atlas is sat next to me and has already started to dig into some kind of meat. My eyes land upon a small tart that is decorated with strange berries. I reach across and grab it, inspecting it before I pop it into my mouth. As the sweet enters my mouth I almost moan from the explosion of flavour. I've never tasted anything so sweet. I slowly chew, trying to savour the flavour but once it's down I find myself reaching for more dishes, confident enough that they won't be disgusting. The two mentors across from us seem to not know whether to laugh or grimace at Atlas and I stuffing our faces, but I couldn't care less. I've never even imagined food this good before, let alone eat it. The spread on this table could feed my family for weeks, if not months but here we are, eating it in one sitting just for the rest to no doubt be thrown away. I stop eating as the guilt rushes through me. Placing half a biscuit back down on my plate I gulp down the water in the crystal glass next to my plate. I feel slight anger bubbling up in me as I look around and imagine how much money ever item in this train cost, and how if I even just had this glass I could get my family out of poverty.

"So," Atlas speaks up once he's done with his meal, "who's my mentor?"

The older of the two mentors, Henry, answers him.

"I have chosen to mentor you Atlas." And sends him a small smile.

"And I'll be mentoring you, Celestia." Finnick speaks while looking me dead in my eyes, baring into my soul. His intense gaze makes me slightly uncomfortable as I nod. It dawns on me that the older of the bunch 'chose' Atlas, meaning he saw more potential in Atlas than me.

Of course he does, he's twice the size of me.

"Shall we take a look at the other contestants now your both done eating?" Tiara asks, already turning the tv on. Tiara flicks to a Ceaser Flickermans channel that's going through all the reapings and who they think has the best chance of winning.

District 1 had two volunteers (as usual), the girls name Diamond and the boys name Silver. They both look strong and were extremely excited to volunteer.

District 2 also had two volunteers (as usual), the girls name Sage and the boys name Chuck. These two have a murderous glint in their eyes as they stand on their stage, both rippling with muscles.

District 3 does not have volunteers, and has two very strict tributes. The girl donned glasses and was called Crim, the boy being a scrawny little thing, certainly no older than 14, who's name was Rufus. It was a sad scene watching the young boy walk up to the stage and I was surprised he didn't cry.

As my districts reaping came I couldn't help but stare. Once again I saw my sisters face fill with horror then heartbreak as I volunteered in her place.

"Oh, just beautiful really." Tiara said as she squeezed my hand.

I couldn't bear to watch any longer and abruptly stood from my chair.

"Where's my room?" I asked, my voice angry.

Finnick stood to join me.

"I'll show you." He spoke much more gently than I, as if he didn't want to be there any more than I did. He led me down a hallway in silence until we reached two doors opposite each other.

"This one's yours," He pointed at the door on the right. "and this one's mine. Do you have any questions about the games yet?" He asked whilst leaning against the wall behind him.

I thought for a moment.
"Yes. Do you, do you think I can win?" I spoke very quietly as I tried to not break down in front of him.

He seemed to think for a moment, which made my stomach heave. Of course he doesn't.

"I think anyone can win, as long as they know their skills and stick to them." He said plainly. "Don't give up just yet Celestia, the games haven't even started yet." He gave me a smile then returned to the dining cart.

I opened the door to my room and was astonished by what I saw. The bed was huge and could fit four people at least, and was covered in beautiful silk sheets with glass lamps on wooden bedside table either side. The floor was a plush carpet that looked better than my bed back home.

I thought about my home for a second. The dingy little shack on the beach that my father has refused to sell to weathly district 4 citizens. It was small and falling apart but it was home. Tonight my father and sister would be there, at home, while I'm here. On a train. Headed towards my death.

Tears threatened to spill as I sat down on the luxurious bed. I twirled the small ring around my finger and thought about what my father had said. My mother had been in the games and won. This was the ring she wore there. I knew what it was even though my father hadn't told me. It was her wedding ring. I was only three when she had died but I remember small parts of her. I remember her beautiful, almost platinum blonde hair which I had inherited, I remember her deep brown eyes which I saw in Lily, and I remember the story she had told me of her wedding, when she was only 16. Her and my father had fallen in love as children, and with the ever present threat of the hunger games they decided to marry each other, even if it wasn't yet legal. They crafted rings for each other themselves and met at dawn on the most beautiful beach in all of Panem. The exchanged vows and he slid a beautiful golden ring with a small emerald in the middle onto her finger. She told me she had never seen anything so beautiful. She fell pregnant soon after and gave birth to me the following year. I was too young to remember her being reaped just a month after.

The salty tears dripping onto my hands stopped my train of thought. I silently prayed my father would take care of my sister and they'd be ok.

A knock on my door echoed throughout my wall. I quickly wiped my face just in time as Tiara had opened the door before I even had a chance to respond.

"It's time to come out dear, we're going over strategy!"

I dragged myself out of my room and back into the main area. Plopping down on the couch I tuned into the conversation around me.

"In the middle of the arena every year there's a cornucopia. It's always a blood bath. It's where all the weapons and gear is held." Henry speaks from his seat at the dinning table, from which he has not moved from yet. Atlas remains at his seat as well whilst Finnick is at the opposite end of the couch to me. Tiara seems to take her space in a large seat opposite the lounge. I can see Finnick looking at me in the corner of my eye, but I ignore it.

"If your planning on going to the cornucopia, you have to stay vigilant, look around to find the other tributes so they can't sneak up on you, and most importantly, be quick. Get what you need and get out, take out whoever gets in your way but get out." Henry continues.

His words play in my head. 'Take out whoever gets in your way'. He means kill people. If im going to win this and get back to Lily that means im going to have to kill. Killing fish is one things, but a whole other human? That takes me back a bit. I've seen games before, and I've seen how brutal it is but the reality im going to have to kill is finally sinking in.

Henry goes to speak again but before he can im rushing off to the closest bathroom I can find and emptying my stomach in the toilet. I feel a hand rub my back gently as I finish throwing up everything I had eaten that day.

"Sorry." I mumble as I stand.

"You've got nothing to apologise for, I know it's hard but you will have to kill in the arena if you want to survive." Finnick a voice is soothing as he helps me to the sink to wash my mouth. He guides me back to the couch as I'm too weak to stand alone. I look back for only a moment and see a girl, likely an avox walk into the bathroom to clean the mess I just made.

The faces on everyone in the room are grim. As I look at Atlas I can tell he's trying to not pity me, as he knows just as well I do that we might end up having to kill each other.

As Henry and Finnick explain what to do in the training centre, and that we must not show off I find myself only half listening. I know I should be listening as this information could save my life but I can't help thinking about what will happen in the arena. Will I be killed? Will I have to kill?