Haymitch Abernathy: The 50th Hunger Games (Un-edited)

4. First night alone

A long wood dining table stained a murky cherry red stands out in the cart we followed Tate to. The wallpaper is a plain grey that has a tint of silver along with carpet a shade darker than the walls. I am mostly focused on the scent of the food trapping me in oblivious. The table is packed with food with at least thirteen -if not more- dishes. My family has never starved or did not have enough food, but we have never had food so exclusive like this either.

"Are you going to just stand there?" Gage spoke while he kept shoving food into his mouth. I hadn't noticed that everyone has already seated and starting to eat when I still stand by the door. Fae and Tate each sit at an end of the table. Gage and Afton are sitting on one side, leaving Maysilee on the other next to an empty chair meant for me.

After sliding into my seat, I take a moment to study everyone else's behavior. Gage is still cramming food into his mouth, Afton is nibbling on her food while trying to scoot her chair away from Gage's, Maysilee is stock piling food onto her plate, Tate looks as if he is talking to himself, and Fae is making a disgusted face at Gage.

Is this really the people I have to put up with? Gage acts like a career, while Afton is extremely shy. Maysilee, well she is kind of like me in a way from what I can tell so far, but then there is Fae and Tate. A Capitol freak and last but not lease, a man who I don't think will be as much of a help as he is supposed to be. Noticing that everyone is stuffing them self with everything I throw whatever I can grab onto my plate.

I don't bother with the soup that was first serve to us instead go straight for the main course. When I go to grab the last stake, a knife grabs it too. I look up to see Gage grinning at me while narrowing his eyes. "Well, look what we have here. Do you want to fight for it?" He jumps up to stand in his chair twirling his knife in his hand.

"Boys! Have some manners, you can have all the food you want more can be served. You're acting like we will run out." Her voice pierced the air making me coil further into my seat.

"No, it's fine he can have it." I murmured, not caring to deal with his stupidity. Gage plops back down into the chair grabbing the meat with his hands. Putting half of it into his mouth when shaking his head back and forth acting as if he's a dog. Afton lifts her eyes to Gage when giggling aloud. Fae clears her throat, however doesn't get any attention from anyone. Just when she opens her mouth to speak, more plates are brought in with all the old ones being cleared off the table to make room for the new.

"It's time for desert. The capitol has the most divine treats you will just love!" Fae squeals while folding a fresh napkin to lie on her lap. Before all the plates are even put down Gage and Maysilee pig into the sweets filling up their dishes. Tate still seems like he is in his own world when he doesn't bother to notice what's going on around him. Dinner past by fast with us all none stop eating. It is hard not to stop though, no one in District 12 eats food like this!

Afterwards Tate leads us to a cart, showing us where we will be sleeping. There is only a narrow hallway with four doors, which I assume is for the tributes. I don't see how this train can fit so much.

"Fae and I will be in the cart over if any of you need anything. They changed all the rooms around this year and if you ask me, I don't like how it's all arranged. Boys you get a room on the left side, Haymitch take the first and Gage the second. Girls get the rooms on the right side, Afton first and Maysilee second." When Tate is done talking, Gage's hand shoots up in the air like an impatient school child. "Yes?"

"Will anyone be looking after us since all the tributes are alone in the same cart? What if one of them tries to kill me at night. What if they try to- " he lowers his voice to whisper loudly so everyone can still hear "-rape me?" Maysilee burst out laughing holding onto her stomach.