The Forgotten Games

Chapter 4 ~ The Black Room

Jinx Jackle walks away from me and to the boy's bowl. He rustles his hand around in the bowl and then picks a card with a flick of his wrist.

"Ahem. Gillian James!" He yells.

I have to physically stop my mouth from dropping open. A chuckle builds in my throat and escapes through my nose. Gill is going to die. I can live with that.

Unfortunately, I was quickly reminded that Tributes from the same district are normally allies and that I would have to spend a considerable amount of time with him. Still, karma is sweet. When we were dating, I would have given my life for him, but now I would happily take it.

Gillian looks around frantically as if because he's the mayor's son, this can't happen. The guards have to physically drag him from the line up into the aisle. The crowd is loud, but as they drag him closer to the stage, I can hear what he is yelling.

Mom.

Pathetic. I want to laugh again, but from now on, I have to make sure I come off as likable as possible. Laughing at your ex-boyfriend and fellow Tribute being dragged to his ultimate death doesn't exactly invoke empathy.

The guards shove him up the small steps to the stage, and he stumbles beside Jinx, who had apparently walked back over to me.

"And what is your name?" Jinx holds the microphone towards Gill.

Gill breathes into the microphone, making him sound like a brain-dead teenager.

"Um, your name?"

"Gill-Gillian James. My mother is the Mayor."

Whoopty doo. You're still going to die.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you your 75th Hunger Game Tributes! Cordelia Cane and Gillian James!"

Jinx raises our arms, and the crowd calls out in a ground-shaking display of applause and shouts. One person refuses to clap, and suddenly my hardened composure starts to crumble.

Georgia stands in the middle of the crowd sobbing uncontrollably while her peers cheer on. I want to walk off stage and hug her, but I know that the best thing I can do for both of us is to survive and come back. Or at least make her think I will.

She looked up at the stage, and I gave her a sympathetic smile and said that it was going to be okay. She cries harder than before, but I know that it gives her comfort.

Jinx begins to lead Gill and me backward off the stage, and we duck behind the large screen used to project the opening video. Behind the stage is a plastic terminal that leads to a black Hummer that has its doors open.

I am in the front, with Gill behind Jinx in the back. Even with Jinx as a buffer, I can feel the unpleasant effect of his presence. My stomach feels airy, and I have the unexplainable urge to punch someone. Maybe that will help in the Games.

We are ushered into the Hummer, and it takes off almost instantly before we can even put seatbelts on. The inside smells like plastic and orange disinfectant. I slide over to the far side of the backseat until I am pressed against the opposite door.

"So first we will go to the Capital building where you can say goodbye to your loved ones for two minutes, and then we will take a seven-minute drive to the train station where we will board at 11:31 am and arrive at the Capital by 9:23 pm." Jinx checks his watch and takes a deep breath. "Right on schedule!"

I look out the window, and the District that I grew up in and walked the streets of every day begins to change. The waves seem harsh, the people's faces are more tired, and the buildings are no longer shades of blue but are now gray. I look down at my hands and pick seaweed out from under my nails. I should have showered. I glance over at Gillian, who looks like he's trying to find the perfect time to jump out of the car.

I stare at the ground, I don't want to taint how I remember this place. When I think of District 4, I want to think of the sunrises and sunsets, the smiles on everyone's faces, and the smell of salt and fresh air in the morning. I close my eyes and inhale, only to find the chemical scents piercing my nose.

We arrive at the large white Capital Building and find that a red rug has been laid across the ground and up the steps. Guards open the doors and have to pull Gill from the Hummer; Jinx and I then get out and start our slow descent up the pathway. Every three feet on each side is a peacekeeper with an automatic rifle in their hands. The last time I was in this building was two years ago when the family house was signed over to me, along with all of my family's assets. I would feel nostalgic and sad if I were here under any other circumstances, but those feelings have been drowned out by the imminent fear of the future.

Jinx gets ahead of Gill and points him to a white door and me to a black door. I don't appreciate getting the black door, but I walk into the small, morbidly painted room anyway. Inside is a bench and a chair along the walls. I sat down on the bench and closed my eyes. Any amount of rest and peace that I can find is imperative to winning this; if I plow ahead, I know I will get burnt out and give up. My mother always said I could benefit from meditating, but I was never good at it, so instead, I just work on taking a deep breath in and blowing it out through my mouth.

I've taken six breaths when the door flies open, and Georgia and Mr. Hayes come rushing in. I barely have time to stand before Georgia's arms are wrapped around me.

"I'm so sorry," I say, trying not to get choked up. She just shakes her head on my shoulder. I look up to see Mr. Hayes, his green eyes have tears in them, and his face is red. "Ye of little faith, huh?" I asked with a chuckle.

"This isn't funny!" Georgia yells into my ear by accident. "You can't just make everything a joke, Cory."

"Actually, I'm pretty sure that I can do whatever I want now." I mumble.

"Just as long as you come back!"

I peel Georgia off me and look at her, "I am coming back. So in the meantime, I need you to keep my boat going. I hereby declare you as Captain of the Cane Cruiser." I say in a deep voice.

She smiles and nods. Someone outside the door yells, "thirty seconds!"

I give Mr. Hayes a hug and ask him to take care of Georgia, to which he grunts in response. I let him go and smile at them both, with tears starting to form in the bottom of my eyes. A Peacekeeper opens the door, and I start to walk out.

"Be strong little bear," he calls after. I turn my head to take one last look at them and walk willingly out the door.