The Mockingjay Died: The Fourth Quarter Quell

Train: District 5/District 6

~District 5~

(Miles Whitaker's POV)

I don't understand...the odds were against this happening...it was almost impossible...I don't understand...

The same three thoughts have been running through my head since I mounted the steps to the stage. Matthew keeps glancing at me, worried. I realize I've been muttering. Great. As if I wasn't crazy enough. Leo and Brenna, the other tributes for District 5, and glancing at me like I'm crazy. Not that I'm not used to that.

Let's see. What do I know about these two? Leo is a grade ahead of me. He normally sits with Brenna, though. Brenna is my grade, in several of my classes...history, science, and math, I think. She doesn't talk at all.

"Why is he staring at me?" Leo asks Matthew. I pull myself out of my thoughts.

"I don't know..." Matthew shrugs.

"Sorry," I say quietly.

Leo smiles. "No harm done. What do you guys say we make an alliance?"

Matthew looks relieved, but glances at me before he says anything. I nod. Four people would be better than two. Though Brenna isn't able to defend herself well...I believe Leo stands up for her often.

"An alliance sounds great," Matthew says, holding out his hand. Leo shakes it.

The mentors come in to find my brother and Leo talking animatedly about a plan. I add a few comments here and there, mainly pointing out flaws in their thinking and solutions.

Brenna wanders over to the TV. The recap of the reapings is playing, and I get up to join her once I'm satisfied that the mentors can point out problems as well as I can.

We watch in silence, aside from Brenna's occasional gasp. When we get to our reaping, both of us turn away. The last thing I want to see is my mother being shot again.

~~~~

(Leo Truman's POV)

"Don't run to the Cornucopia," one of the mentors, Charity, says firmly. "I seriously doubt you four would stand a chance in the bloodbath."

I'm going to retort with something sarcastic, but she's probably right. I'm tiny for my age, and I'm a better fighter than Brenna. And I assume Matthew is stronger than Miles, though I don't know. None of us can use a weapon, that's for sure. We'll have to learn how. A knife or something.

Brenna strolls over to the couch, and Miles follows after a minute. They're watching the recap of the reapings, which is probably a good idea, but I don't really want to. Ours was traumatic, and if previous years are any indication, it won't be the worst.

The mentors move to a separate table to discuss something, leaving Matthew and me alone. After a minute, Matthew says, "Does...does she not...talk?" He points at Brenna.

I shake my head. "She hasn't said anything since she was six."

"Why? Is it something medical? I bet they could fix it in the Capi-"

"Even if it was medical, I wouldn't want them to touch her," I say hotly.

Matthew looks taken aback, then slowly nods. "Right. Sorry."

~~~~

~District 6~

(Hayden Henson's POV)

I'm still glaring at Carson when we get on the train. Who does he think he is? I'll show him. I'll kill him in there, if it's the last thing I do.

Carson retreats to his room as soon as possible, and I'm left with the other two tributes, Destiny and Dominic. Dominic looks like an idiot, but Destiny is pretty hot, and I have a way with girls. I sit next to Destiny and smile at her.

"Hi, I'm Hayden," I said kindly.

"I'm Destiny," she says coldly, turning away.

I frown. "Hey, no need to be so icy." I pretend to be hurt. "We might as well get to know each other."

"Why? So you'll know how to kill me?" Destiny turns back to me, glaring. I think she's a lost cause.

Shrugging, I stroll over to the couch and sit down to watch the reaping a, completely ignoring her. There'll be tons of girls at training. Who cares about this one?

~~~~

(Dominic Chard's POV)

Destiny is staring at me. I try my best to ignore her. If she has something to say, she can just say it.

Finally, it gets uncomfortable enough that I look up at her. "What do you want?"

"I want to know what our plan is. We will be allies, right?"

"Sure," I say, shrugging. Maybe we will, unless I can better ones. I suppose I should feel bad for thinking that way, but she'd take the first opportunity she could to ditch me, so I really don't care.

Destiny sighs. "Find. Whatever. I'll just go find my own allies." I shrug again. I really don't care.

~~~~

(Destiny Chard's POV)

Well, that means Dominic is out. And I'd rather die than team up with Hayden. I guess I'll see if Carson is worth it, and if not, make some friends in training.

I get up and wander down the hall towards the back of the train. I don't even know where Carson is.

It doesn't take long to find him. He's in another sitting at the very back of the train, staring out one of the windows. He looks up when I come in, but seems uninterested and returns to his sightseeing.

I slide into the seat next to him. "Hi, Carson."

He looks at me in surprise. "Hi."

"Why'd you volunteer?" I ask, then quickly add, "You don't have to answer if you don't want to...I'm just curious."

"No, you're fine." Carson sighs. "It's kind of a long story, though."

"Well, we've certainly got time," I say, relaxing.

Carson smiles at me. "Ok, then. My parents died a few years ago. And Hayden and I have been living with my grandmother since then."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I say. Poor kid. I know how he feels.

Carson nods. "Yeah. She doesn't pay much attention us, really. And Hayden blames me for their death."

"Why?"

Carson shrugs. "He's never exactly said. It might be because I made it out of the fire, and they didn't. He was out, and came back to find our house burned to the ground and me sobbing on the curb."

"That's so terrible..." I breathe.

"Hayden started hating me after that," Carson continues. "And he's abusive. So I volunteered. Now, I can get my revenge."

Even though Carson is tiny, he looks pretty intimidating.

"Carson..." I say slowly. "Do you, maybe, um...want to be allies?"

His face lights up with a smile. "Really?"

"Yeah! I bet we can go pretty far together, don't you?"

Carson nods eagerly. "Sounds great! I didn't think I'd be able to get allies," he admits. "People tend to underestimate me."

"Which is a good thing, I bet, in the arena." Carson nods in agreement.

We spend the rest of the day making plans, and I make a point of talking about our alliance at dinner, which seems to annoy Hayden. Perfect.

(So, what do you guys think of the District 5 alliance? How about Destiny and Carson?

All right, I also have a new fanfic out. For all of you Harry Potter fans, could you please check it out? It's called Star of Gryffindor, and I think it's not that bad. Thanks!)