| THE LOVE HE HATES | HUNGER GAMES | COMPLETED

4 | THE OTHER TRIBUTES

     ATHENA STARED AT the food in front of her, at the table also sat Jason, Bellona, Valencia and Aeschylus. All were eating quietly, almost in complete silence. Athena glanced around at everyone and saw Aeschylus had his eyes on her, they stared at each other for a few moments.

"So, Mr Snow." Valencia finally spoke up. "You've made our tributes Capitol Darlings, I think everyone wants to sponsor them."

"I think all the tributes want them dead." Bellona spoke, glaring at Chy. "You've put a target on their heads, all the Careers will be after them."

Jason dropped his head further, he hated thinking about the games, and the fact they were only two weeks away made him worry more. He didn't think he would make it home.

Chy placed down his knife and fork. "I think you'll find that the Careers won't go after them unless it's a last resort. Think about it Bellona, Capitol Darlings. If they kill Athena or Jason, everyone will hate them. No sponsors. No help. Even if they win the games, they will be hated. At the end of the games, either Athena or Jason will come out, no one else."

Athena placed down her own cutlery. "How do you know that? How do you know that one of us will win and not someone else?"

Nothing else was said, so Athena stood from her place at the table and went into her room. It was decorated very minimally, it was almost bare. She sat down on her bed, wanting nothing more than to go home to her mother. But thinking of her mother reminded her of something, the cold object her mother forced into her hands before they were forced apart.

Athena dug around the room for her belongings, eventually finding them in a bag in the wardrobe. She pulled it out and once again dug around until she felt the cold object. She slowly opened her hand to reveal a chain with a small silver pendent on it, and upon looking closer, she realised that it had been carved into, the small sketch of Athena, the Goddess of War.

The girl sat on the floor, her back against the bed as she stared at the pendent. Her heart begged to be at home, with everything she loved and knew. But, she had found herself with her name drawn for the worst event in their entire lives.

Then there was a light knock at the door, and Chy gently pushed it open, looking around the room for Athena. His eyes met hers as she stared at him, almost emotionless. He said nothing as he walked into the room and sat beside her, his eyes moving from hers to the pendent.

Athena answered his unspoken question. "My mother gave it to me before I left. Athena, the Goddess I was named after. She always thought I'd end up like her, in some sort of way."

"To start a second rebellion?" Chy smirked.

The girl smiled at his joke. "I'm assuming it was more, the wisdom side."

Chy nodded and held out his hand, Athena placed the pendent and chain in his hand and watched him admire it. "You know, you can take one token into the arena."

"I've heard, but many tributes don't do that."

He shook his head. "Sentiments don't get you far in the games, not if you're stuck thinking about someone all the time. You end up feeling guilty about your actions while also wanting to return to the people you care about. You get confused. You get killed."

He turned to Athena, unclipping the chain and motioning her to turn around. Athena did so, her back to him as she lifted her hair out of the way. He placed the cold object around her neck and secured it, letting it rest against her skin.

"I haven't quite been able to figure you out, Athena. But I think you know how to play the games well." Athena watched as he stood up, giving her a small smile before heading to the door. "And I think you'll eventually be able to play the games your own way."

The door shut behind him and Athena was left on her own, thinking about what he said. But he was a bit of a riddle master and his words confused her slightly, she couldn't play the games her own way, it was either kill or be killed. She couldn't convince the game makers or President Snow to stop the games and release all the districts from under his rule. It was impossible.

Later that night, Athena had found it impossible to sleep and so left her room to sit in the living room. She decided that she would try and do some research on the other tributes, but all she could find were their names and ages.

From District One there was Lorkin Saph, 14, and Stella Vonner, 18.

District Two has Jann Operee, 17, and Tyger Steel, 12.

District Three was Jordyn Zech, 18, and Tamara Sharp, 15.

From District Four was Brett Lee, 15, and Hadie Mountbat, 14.

District Five, Robett Claw, 13, and Jayne Alpyn, 16.

District Six there was Jetta Hinge, 13 and Dane Treck, 14.

District Seven had, Frei Okaley, 16 and Madi Birch, 14.

District Eight, Desmere Wool, 17 and Idris Webber, 15.

District Nine, Garret Hopps, 18 and Holly Brusch, 12.

District Eleven had Robiy Len, 12 and Suou Maize, 17.

And District Twelve had Monte Fusain, 16 and Wren Spruce, 18.

It scared Athena how many young children had been picked. Fifteen of them were sixteen and younger. It broke her heart that so many young children were going to die during the games, and she was worried that she would end up being responsible for it. There were four, 12 year olds in the games. The highest amount of them there had ever been, Athena hoped that they were more likely to get sponsors and support during these games, yet she knew that all the Capitol wanted was entertainment.

Athena's attention turned to the older tributes. They, she believed, were the ones that she were to look out for. Her own age, similar builds and possibly a similar strength if not stronger.