Fire is Catching

Chapter 4: Train Ride

CHAPTER 4: TRAIN RIDE

Once we're on the train, we watch the reapings. Zero takes Domino into another room to watch, probably to give advice as well. Connie trots off to go do her 'Capitol things', and Georgina stands by the television screen, ready to equip me with biographies of the tributes I already know.

The program comes on, showing us my friends Cashmere and Gloss from District 1. The siblings don't look nice, but they're cool. "You know Cashmere and Gloss." Georgina says. "Siblings, fight together until the end. If I know them well enough, they'll kill. One thing to remember about these Games: trust no one. These people might be your friends, but everyone is going to die but one. They aren't teenagers anymore, afraid to touch a knife."

I want to tell her that she doesn't have to brief me on all of them, and to help me befriend Everdeen so I can save her, but Plutarch said to trust no one, so I focus on the screen.

Enobaria and Brutus flash on next. They volunteered. With joy. Georgina mutters something sounding like, 'sick b*******'. "Anyway, these two's personalities go without a say."

Beetee and Wiress are reaped from 3, just like Plutarch said they'd be. From 4, Finnick and... Annie? Mags is supposed to be reaped! Annie is bawling, having some flashback and going crazy.

Mags raises her hand and points to herself. The Capitol escort doesn't take her seriously, of course, but she leads Annie down the stairs and takes her spot next to Finnick.

Oh Mags, I think, you're braver than I will ever be. Then again, I am probably going to die in the next few weeks, so I'd better start being brave.

Georgina has figured out that I know all these guys and that she doesn't need to pause the broadcasts every time.

There's my reaping. Lilyanna is the main focus. They make it all about how much they are taking away from me and the others so the districts get scared. The broadcast cuts out before Domino's quote, 'May the odds be never in your favor, folks'.

The two tributes from 6 were at the meeting. They are both morphling addicts.

From 7, Johanna and Blight are reaped. Johanna, even though she's the only female victor in 7 still alive, volunteers just to volunteer.

Cecelia, one of the only victors brave enough to bring children into this cruel world (3 of them), and Woof, an old man who is senile, are from District 8, both who are in the plan.

I don't know the tributes from 9 & 10 very well. They aren't in on the plan to save Everdeen and are old and unfriendly.

Seeder and Chaff from 11. Why couldn't you have picked two others, Plutarch? Seeder is like the grandmother I never had, and Chaff? Chaff is that drunken uncle you love to death even though he makes a lot of mistakes. I hope they make it far enough to when Beetee breaks the forcefield.

What am I saying? If the plan even works, almost none of us will make it to District 13. The rest will die, or be sent to the Capitol. Heck, our hovercraft could be shot out of the sky if we're careless enough.

"Alex, focus. This is 12's reaping." Georgina says.

I follow her gaze to the screen.

"Katniss Everdeen." Effie Trinket says, discarding the name slip.

She digs five slimy fingers into the male reaping bowl. She pulls out a slip, and says, releasing a relieved sigh, "Haymitch Abernathy."

Peeta steps forward immediately. "I volunteer as tribute." He says.

Haymitch pushes Peeta behind him. "I can't let you do that." He hisses.

Peeta ignores him and walks up to Effie. "You can't stop me." He tells Haymitch.

No! No no no no NOOOOOOOOO!!! Haymitch was supposed to go in! What do we do, Plutarch?

***

That night, Georgina and I sit I the lounge and talk. "You need allies." Georgina says. "Who do you want?"

"Finnick, Johanna, Mags, Beetee, Everdeen, and Peeta." I tell her. I can't have all the people involved in the plan, but these guys are top on my list.

"Everdeen?" Georgina says in confusion. "You hate her."

"She needs allies is she wants to make it past the bloodbath." I say. "She can shoot, and if needed another ally and I can take her down. Peeta's rational anyway. He won't let her make stupid decisions."

Georgina smirks. "I should just let you do the coaching." She stands up. "I'm going to go to bed. You should too. The tribute parade is tomorrow."

I nod. "Hey, Georgina?"

She turns around. "Yeah?"

"Thank you." I say. "For staying off morphling to coach me. I know how addicting that stuff is-"

"Are you trying to get me back on it?" Georgina asks snarkily. She smiles. "I get what you're saying. Anything for you, Alex. You remind me of Hayley, and I never could say no to Hayley."

Hayley was Georgina's sister. The Peacekeepers killed her after Georgina said she hated the Capitol. That was her only family left, so Georgina stopped making friends and turned to morphling. It means a lot to me that she's trying to forget the stuff for me. But it reminds me that after I die, or go missing, Georgina will cling to that stuff like a lifeline.