Arrows in the Dark

The Train

We take a car to the train station. I've never been in a car before. I run my hands over the fabric of the seats. I feel the car dip a little as Peeta climbs into the seat next to me. I'm still aimlessly running my hands over the material. I'm trying to memorize how it feels. Is this velvet? I'm not sure. I look up at Peeta but he's watching the movement of my hands. I stop and he looks up at me. I fold my hands into my lap and look away. A couple seconds later i feel him do the same. We don't bother with seat belts. It's a short ride and who is going to crash into us anyways. I was right not to cry.

The train station is a buzz with camera men and reporters. They're all here to get the latest scoop and this breaking story. I wonder if they're talking about me. Boldly volunteering to be a tribute. How daring of me. As we step out of the car all eyes are on us. They're shouting things but i can't understand them. It all blends into one giant roar. They make us stand there for a few minutes. I spot my parents in the crowd and give them a slight smile and a wave. Katniss is clinging to Prim in the middle of the crowd. Gale is directly behind her. Suddenly i'm reminded of the way his lips felt on mine. He gives me a painful smile then wraps one arm around Katniss as if to say I can do this. I'll take care of her. Peeta doesn't acknowledge anyone though i see his family in the crowd. His oldest brother looks like he might try to run onto the platform and yank him off. With one final wave they let us in and the doors close behind us.

My shoulders slump immediately. I feel horrible. I have a sinking feeling in my stomach. Like i'm about to throw up. Now is the time to cry. Out of sight of the cameras. The train moves and i'm thrown off balance. I stumble and try to get a grip on something. Peeta grabs my wrist and steadies me. I slowly stand again looking him in the eye. We've both managed not to look like total wimps in front of the camera. His stony expression had become more relaxed now. Sad. "Thanks." i mumble. He lets go.

"No problem." he says brushing past me. I stand there and breathe out. My skin burns where he touched me. Then i move. We're in some sort of lounge area. There's a table for dining, surrounded by ornate chairs. There are ten seats even though i'm pretty positive only four will be occupied at one sitting. There's a couch against one wall, against another, a bar. Haymitch will like that. There's an assortment of comfy looking chairs and coffee tables. Peeta is looking out a window. He's watching the scenery rush past us. From here it looks like a lot of green and gray. At the speed we're going we'll reach the Capitol in a day. I wished it would take longer.

We are shown our separate rooms. The walls are white. The floor is carpeted brown and the bed has sheets of the same brown color. There's another door which i'm guessing leads to my very own bathroom. There's a dresser and a closet. A little table with a lamp and that's it. The closet and dresser are full of clothes. They're made of some of the fanciest material I've ever felt and that's saying something. This is coming from the daughter of the man who runs a clothes shop.

I rub the material of a blue dress between my fingers. Then i close the closet door shut with a bang. I don't want their fancy clothes. I want to go home. I sit on my bed for a bit trying to decide what to do. Effie said dinner was in an hour. I strip off my red dress and toss it on my bed. I decide to take a shower. They're even better than baths, but there are so many fancy knobs and switches it takes me a while to tell the difference between water, soap, high pressure, and low pressure. When i do come out, smelling like lilacs and feeling cleaner than i've ever felt, i pull on some dark pants and a navy blue shirt. I remember Masge's pin and walk over to wear i had tossed the dress casually over the bed. I pull it off. I recognize the bird as a mockingjay.

Mockingjay's are a product of the Capitol. Sort of. They created a hybrid of a bird and called them Jabberjay's. Jabberjay's were used during the war. They could hear and remember speech. The Capitol sent them out to the warfront, then they would fly back to the Capitol and repeat everything they heard so that it can be recorded. It didn't take long for the district's to figure out what was going on. They started to tell all sorts of lies to the little birds who would then fly back and tell it to the people in the Capitol. In frustration the Capitol let the birds loose. They were suppose to die out but instead they mated with Mockingbirds's. They have long since forgotten how to speak but have acquired the knowledge on replicating sound.