The Incoming Storm: The Tale of the 325th Hunger Games

Chapter 3

I spend the first couple hours alone in my compartment when Clio knocks on the door. "Dinner time, dear!"

I stare at the ceiling for a minute and listen to the hum of the train, then I get up. I change out of my skirt and blouse and put on a fuzzy one-piece from the dresser. I head down to the dining car, where everyone but Clio has changed into more comfortable clothes. The table is filled with delicacies from the Capitol.

We spend the next hour gorging ourselves on the Capitol food. The feeling of food turning to glue in my mouth is still there, but I force myself to choke it down. I need to eat, I remember one tribute who barely ate anything in their time in the Capitol and died of a simple bug bite on the second day of the games.

Once dinner is over, we have enough time to get to know our mentors before the recap of the reaping. Quin is a 41-year-old victor, she won the 301st games. I don't know much about them, I've never really seen them before on reruns, but from what I've heard the ending was particularly gruesome.

"Nice to meet you," she says. Her voice is smooth and calming. "You are very brave."

Why does everyone think I'm brave, I'm more stupid than anything. "Thanks," I say.

"So what skills do you have?" Quin asks.

"Well, I'm a thresher, but I sometimes haul too," I say. "Plus, I score pretty well in school."

Quin nods, "Those are good skills, I was a thresher too when I won."

"What advice do you have for me?"

"I will tell you more about strategy during training, but for now my biggest advice is to find water and trust your gut. If you don't trust someone, don't. If your gut tells you that you have an ally, go for it. Don't hesitate, waiting will only bring death, act quickly and thoughtfully."

I nod.

"Finally, get water as soon as you can. You can survive without food for a little, but without water, you will appear in the sky before you know it."

"Okay," I breathe. My lips are cold and they tingle, I'm sure I am pale as a ghost. Quin puts her hand on my shoulder and squeezes it.

"One step at a time, we have a week to prepare," she says. With that, she leads me from the dining car to the TV car where Maizer and Bran sit waiting. We all sit and watch the recap of the Reaping.

It goes in order of district, so up first is 1. A beautiful blonde girl named Adore volunteers right away followed by a dark-haired muscular boy named Hero. They both appear to be the traditional volunteers from those districts and probably would have ended up in the games, even if they weren't forced to volunteer.

District 2 takes a little longer to produce a volunteer. Several years ago, there was an incident where the District 2 tributes staged an uprising in their tower, resulting in the whole thing being blown up and several of the victors from 2 dying in the process. Since then, the Capitol has despised the district, and District 2 has yet to win another game. The traditional career pack has been altered too, and now includes the tributes from 7 instead. The girl who volunteers is Beatrix and the boy is named Orion.

District 3 ends up waiting an hour for a girl to volunteer, which leads to two girls being taken away. Finally, a short girl with ashen skin named Pix volunteers. Next, after one boy is sentenced to execution, a pale black-haired boy named Sprocket volunteers.

District 4 is traditional with their careers, the girl is Reeler, red-haired, and extremely muscular. The boy is Jib, he has caramel-colored skin and wavy brown hair, I know the Capitol will be head over heels for him.

Next up is District 5, a small devious-looking girl with pale skin and mousy colored hair named Mola volunteers very quickly. After one execution, a rather small sickly boy with grayish hair volunteers, his name is Gamma.

From District 6 comes Lex and Aaron who both volunteer in the first half-hour. Lex has warm dark skin and curly hair, while Aaron is rather large and muscular and has almost paper-white skin.

District 7 volunteers two careers named Phlo and Heath, both seem pretty traditional careers. Both are very tanned, Phlo has short hair while Heath has his long hair pulled back in a tight bun.

Then it is District 8, a girl named Spoola volunteers in the last ten seconds before an execution, she is tall and has pinky skin. Almost immediately after, a boy named Ross volunteers, he is muscular for someone in an outlying district and has similar pink skin with sandy blonde hair.

Now it is our turn and we watch District 9's Reaping. I am relieved to see I look brave and not like a complete fool. I see my golden hair flowing as I cross the stage, I see a brief clip of me and Bran leaving the Justice Building, and I look very pretty with my white flower. Overall I am as pleased as I can be with my presentation at the Reaping.

Next is 10, and a dark-skinned girl with a round face named Pastor volunteers. After a boy named Austin volunteers around 15 minutes into the first volunteering period, he is rather muscular as well and is tan-skinned with blonde hair, I think he will also be rather popular with the crowds.

District 11 produces the youngest volunteer named Clementine, who volunteers immediately. She is shorter and has chocolate-colored skin. A little while later a boy named Till volunteers. He is muscular and has dark skin, the commentators comment on how Till is the cousin of Rooter Cane, last year's victor.

Finally, it is District 12, one girl is executed, before a pale blonde-haired girl named Lily volunteers. Another boy is executed and a boy named Thomas volunteers, he has olive skin and dark brown hair.

With that, the commentators announce the first death count of the games. The anthem begins and the Capitol seal appears on the screen. The first to appear is one of the girls from 3, followed by the other, I didn't catch either of their names, and the text on the screen only displays "District 3". Next to appear is the boy from 3, then the boy from 5. Next up is Maris, followed by the two from District 12. With a flourish, the anthem ends.

Seven have already died, and the games have yet to begin. 23 more will die before a victor is returned to their district. Worse, something I failed to consider before volunteering is that I am effectively going up against 23 careers. Each of these people had a reason to volunteer, and all of them think they can win. I hope it is me who wins, but the odds aren't looking in my favor.