𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑒

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When the train finally stopped in district seven, Daphne felt like she could breathe again. Tour had been worse than she'd have thought, but she was alive and she was home. Things slowly began to become normal again. She spent days with Johanna, doing everything or nothing at all and started going to her father a few nights a week for company and food. The nightmares did not stop or become less, but Daphne learned how to deal.

She got better at playing the violin again, and even played for her father once. Some moments, it felt as if the games had never even happened in the first place, and she was just a teen with laughter on her lips, determination on her mind, and a handful of people she came to care a great deal about. Those moments never lasted long.

The Capitol always made sure they didn't forget for too long, always made sure they didn't get too happy, because soon, the 74th Hunger Games were about to begin. It was Daphne's first year as a winner, and Robert, who was supposed to officially mentor that year, said she should come along so she could learn.

To say she wasn't a fan of going back to the Capitol would be an understatement, but eventually, she'd have to go back as a mentor, anyway. She wasn't happy with it, but packed some stuff the day before the reaping, and watched as Zetta and Orlando were reaped.

She mostly listened to what her father and Samwell, a victor in his fifties, told the young tributes. She wanted to learn how to help them, even though she knew most of it had to come from within them. Sponsors could mean the difference between life and death, but winning simply because of sponsors was a stretch.

Zetta was gorgeous. Her hair was long and shiny, and her face had a natural glow that would for sure make her liked by the Capitol. Every time she spoke, flowers and pearls came out. It wouldn't be hard to find sponsors for a girl like her if she survived long enough to make use of them.

Orlando was a big boy, rather muscular, and had scars from working all over his arms, even a rather large one in his face from an accident. He said he could handle an ax, while Zetta said she knew her way around plants.

Daphne was rather curious to see how they did, although she wished they didn't have to do any of it. She wondered if any of them could actually win; district 7 didn't have a lot of victors.

It was rather lonely, if she was being honest. She was almost ignored for most of the day, and Samwell didn't even bother to listen to her ideas or comments, cutting her off. It got to the point were even Daniel was frowning when he didn't let Daphne say more than a few words.

Not too long before they reached the Capitol, Orlando found her in her room. "Can I come in?"

She pushed herself up from the bed and nodded. "Yeah, are you okay?"

He nodded tightly, carefully sitting in the armchair. She supposed it was a dumb question. She knew how not okay she had been. These kids were doing much better. "What happens when we get there? They're talking about strategies already, but... you know, what's the first thing?"

Wildfire | Johanna MasonWhere stories live. Discover now