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

Chapter 39

 The next hour is a blur, everything happens so quickly I barely have time to catch my breath until we are on the train. Immediately after filming wrapped, my prep team attacked me with goodbyes, crying, kissing, hugging, wishing me luck in the future. Then I say goodbye to Leto who says she is eagerly awaiting my Victory Tour when we get to work together again. Oh yeah, add that to the list of ways my life will never be normal ever again. From there, we are ushered by Clio down to the garage and Quin, Maizer, and I pile into a limousine which takes us through the streets to the train station. The moment the doors close, we launch out of the rainbow city, through the dark tunnel, and into the forested mountains surrounding the Capitol. I am going home.

We will arrive in District 9 at about 9 o'clock tomorrow morning. Until then I am stuck in the confines of the train. We eat an early dinner shortly after getting on the train. There is a sweet thin soup, doughy pretzel balls, cube shaped berries, meat sliced paper thin, pastas on multicolored sauces, and more. When I think I am stuffed, Clio says, "Make sure you save some room, they are serving dessert at 8!"

From there I retreat to my bedroom for a nap, but I can't force myself to sleep even with the gentle rocking of the train. I spend about half an hour watching the trees go shooting by my long wall of windows, when I give up and head to the living room car. No one is there, I'm not sure what Maizer and Quin are up to, or Clio.

I turn on the TV, right now they are showing a marathon of Ri Pain's game in honor of her passing. Sick. I am compelled to watch it though, in an attempt to get to know the woman who mentored Quin to victory.

Her game took place in a strange arena with large spindly apple trees, beaches covered in boulders, and a large desert to the west. A lot of these scenes are new to me, since the reruns we see at home are more concise. I learn for the first time the name of Ri's ally, the short black haired girl with thin eyes. She is from District 5 and named Zwei. Could Zwei have lived to 97? Maybe if she lived in a country that cared for her, didn't let her starve in the windmill fields or solar farms of her district, and of course if they didn't force her into the Hunger Games.

I see them chased by boulders that levitate off the ground before being launched hundreds of feet at them. The trap ends and we see about an hour later Zwei and Ri's encounter with the District 1 tributes. Zwei is stabbed right through the neck, and Ri retaliates by smashing the District 1 girl across the head with the staff she got from the cornucopia. My stomach churns and I turn the TV back off. I've seen that moment before, probably more than 20 times, but now knowing Ri, actually learning the name of Zwei, and knowing what it's like to be there and see your ally die - it's too much.

I return to my room, toss and turn in my bed until Clio knocks on my door announcing it is "Dessert time dear!"

I get up and go to the bathroom to splash some water in my face. Then I go to the dining car where a massive buffet of desserts has been set up. There is a cake as tall as I am, chocolates with every manner of filling and shape, a dozen flavors of ice cream, flowers dipped in a sugar coating, chilled fruit, and all sorts of wines. I help myself, all my life I was never able to afford anything from the candy store so right now my inner child is unleashed. I take a seat at the table with Clio, Maizer, and Quin.

We begin small talk, but the topic quickly shifts to me and what comes next. "As you know, there is going to be your Triumphant Return Celebration tomorrow. Then in October you will have an interview to talk about your talent, so you need to start working on that. Do you really want to do weaving? Then, in January, there's the Victory Tour, then in April you will have one more interview on becoming a mentor. So you will be having a big big year! Then of course, in July you get to mentor the new tributes!" Clio says.

My chocolate cake, which has become rock solid in my mouth, threatens to be spit out. I am sick with guilt, anxiety, fear, and more. What will my hobby be, what's something I'll be okay doing for the rest of my life? Birdwatching like Ri, weightlifting like Maizer, floral arrangement like Quin? Am I going to be a good mentor, how will I know when to give gifts and when not. How will I deal with the inevitability of my tribute's death? How do you recover from year after year of disappointment?