Leigh Canterbury- District 10 Tribute

Chapter 8

  Camellia stalks off to her suite and Rowan and I are left alone. I realize that we have yet to meet our mentor.
  "When do you think we'll meet our mentor?" I ask Rowan.
  "I don't know, I thought we already should have," he says concernedly. "What if they don't come?"
  "Then we will have to mentor ourselves," I say. "For starters, what do you know about combat?"
  "Umm... absolutely nothing. How about you?" he replies.
  "Nothing. I hope they show up. I have no idea how to survive in the Games, and if I don't have help, I don't stand a chance."
  "Agreed," he says. "I know it's a little early to ask this, but do you want to be allies? Tributes from the same district typically parter up, and you seemed nice enough so..."
  "Sure!" I reply. "It will be nice to have someone who I know won't kill me on sight." He nods and smiles at me.
"So, since we don't really have anything else to do, do you want to talk?" Rowan asks.
"About what?"
"Anything. Our family, our home, friends, anything. Just to get to know each other." he says.
"Okay," I say warily. What will he want know?
"Well, do you have any siblings? Pets?" Rowan asks.
"I have one sister, Bay. She's 13 and has a fiery temper, one that matches her red hair. She complains and whines, but I love her. I was horrified that I was Reaped, but I was relieved that it wasn't her. I would have volunteered for her, I have to protect her. I'm fighting for her. The way she looked at me before I left, the intense way she spoke... I have to get home to her. What about you?"
"I had an older brother," Rowan says. "But we lost him to the Games seven years ago. He died in the bloodbath. My family was destroyed. My father left us, taking all out money with him. I don't know why he left, maybe he just couldn't handle the grief. Coming home to the house where my brother used to live." He pauses, and his expression hardens. "Still, that was no excuse. We were all affected by his death, we were all grieving. My mother was absolutely devastated, first she lost her son, then her husband. But, she kept her head held high, and she didn't break down. She found a job, and made enough to pay the rent and feed me and my sister. Then, two years ago, my sister was Reaped. She was 12. I would have done anything to volunteer for her, but I wasn't allowed. She made it to the final three. We finally dared to hope that she might make it. Then she was killed by a Career. It was terrible. My mom was heartbroken, but she never stopped taking care of me. She never gave up; she kept fighting to help keep me healthy and fed. I'm going to do the same. I'm not going to give up in the arena. I have to make it out. For my mom." Rowan finishes his story and takes a deep, shaky breath. "Sorry to burden you with my depressing life story. I've never told anyone before, but now seems like the time, since I might not make it out alive."
"It's okay. I'm glad you got it out. That must be horrible, having both your siblings Reaped, and then being Reaped yourself. I'm sorry," I say.
"It was horrible," he agrees. He is silent for a moment, and then he says, "It sounds like we both have people to fight for." I nod glumly, and he says, "Who knows? Maybe they will have made a rule change and have two victors. Stranger things have happened, you know."
"That would be nice," I reply. "But unlikely. They don't like to change their precious rules." I pause for a moment and then say, mimicking the strange accent of the Capitol, "So, may the odds be ever in your favor." Rowan laughs, breaking the tension, and stands up.
"Do you want to get something to eat? The food looks great." I nod, and follow him to the table.