66th Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 3 The Train Ride: Day 1

  **Hope you like it so far! Please comment or vote if you like it!**

   I couldn't stop bouncing my leg. I remembered that my  pa always laughed at the little ball of energy that was me. He always called me 'Ma #2' because she couldn't sit still either. Bern watched amusingly as I started getting anxious. I tried to distract myself with the rolling hills and endless golden fields and it almost worked until Anada burst through the train door in a full out Capitol Outfit. 

    "Grena and Bern! Your mentors are on their way! The car they were being transported in had...um...needed to stop for a few moments. We are stopping in five minutes to pick them up!"

    "Why did they need to stop?" Anada looked at me for a second before leaving the train room. I threw her hands up into the air and groaned. "I think she hates me."

    "Grena. You are just aggravated. You are not like this at home." Bern spoke calmly to me but I was going to die. The least she could do was be nice.

    "I have a reason to be aggravated! I-I just want to sleep." I stood up from the elegant seat and wandered around until I found a room labeled with my name in fancy gold letters. I turned the handle and the door gave easily. Much different than the door to my  house. I remembered always having to push at the door or have my brothers help me if it was winter and frost froze the stubborn wood door shut. 

   Only a bed, dressar, and vanity sat inside, but the walls were carefully painted to feel like I was sitting in the field. A small panel on the far wall controlled the possible sounds that could be used to feel more at home. I chose the sound of wind blowing over the fields but turned it immediately off when it sound more like mechanical whirring than the natural, calming wind. I threw myself on the bed and screamed. I was being sent to the Capitol to entertain the privileged people who were completely oblivious to the world beyond their little bubble world. 

    "Grena?" I groaned into the pale red pillow that smelled faintly of bread. "We have stopped. The mentors are in the dining car."

    "We stopped?" I looked up at Anada who nodded curtly. "Tell them I will be there soon. Who are they?" 

    "Zea Sunio, victor of the 43rd Hunger Games; she won at the age of sixteen and Ryis Arle, victor of the 51st Hunger Games; he won at eighteen."

   I nodded and sat up. All my anger was drained and I was exhausted. I  had heard about each of their victories in my studies. No other victor had come from their district for twenty years then three happen in the matter of ten years.  They were the Famous Three in District Nine. Anada held the door for me as we made our way back to the dining car. A young women around 40 sat stoically in the huge velvet chair at the head of the table. Another man who seemed only a few years younger sat next to her and were chatting. I took the simple wood chair next to Bern who smiled at me.

    "You must be Grenadine Larn. I am Zea and this is Ryis. We will be your mentors. We will be putting our focus on separate people so we get as much useful time in training but we will talk about strategy together once you see you opponents."

    "Anada! Set the television up. We will watch the reaping of the other tributes over supper." Ryis' gaze fell on me and he smiled. "Tell us what your talents are. I suspect that you are somewhat talented with a sickle or a scythe, am I correct?"

    "Grena is great. You would think she has training, but she's a natural." I turned toward Bern. He wasn't supposed to be helping me, I was supposed to be getting him home. He volunteered for my brothers and now he was going home. "Everyone respects her talents to cut in the just right place without thinking. It takes a few years sometimes longer to perfect working with a sharp tool but she got it in a day."