𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧 | 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏𝟏𝟕𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬

[4] - Strictly Business

^Laurentia Price, District Five's Capitol Escort.

~ ~ ~

The train car is filled with so much anxious energy that I can't stand it. I was already anxious coming in here; not only do I have to face Damien again, but it's time to meet our mentor for the first time.

It's only gotten worse now that Damien has refused to leave his train car. While our doors technically lock, Laurentia is supposed to have a key, but she's been hopeless at finding it.

Finally, after about ten minutes of waiting, the woman reappears, triumphantly holding a key in her hand.

"Right on my bedside table," she huffs. "I don't know why I didn't check there first!"

I want to roll my eyes, but I would never do that in front of Simon. It's not like notice, though - he hasn't even looked at me since I arrived, instead opting to stare out the window at the passing countryside. He has a reputation for being a stern man of few words, so I'm not offended to be getting the silent treatment from Simon. Still, it's not helping my nerves.

I can hear Damien's voice before he enters the car. "I told you, I'm not going to jeopardize my own chances," he argues. "I'm not going to be able to watch the Reapings later!"

"When Simon or I call, you answer," Laurentia bites back in a surprising burst of anger as the two finally enter our car. "It would be wise to heed the orders of those who are trying to help you!"

"Thank you, Laurentia," Simon says, his calm voice cutting through the argument. "Damien, please have a seat."

Laurentia's face glows red as Damien sits beside me - Simon's interruption seems to bring her back to reality, and she slips back into her professional persona.

"Well, now that you are both here, let me introduce you to your mentor. Luna and Damien, this is Simon Chung, your mentor in the Games this year."

Damien nods at Simon, and I follow his lead. Laurentia turns to leave, but I hear her muttering something under her breath as the door closes behind her.

"So," Simon says, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. "The two of you have been Reaped. Congratulations. Let's start with your schedules."

I'm taken aback - does Simon not want to get to know us at all? Then I remember his reputation once again. Simon's strictly business; it's not personal.

Simon runs us through our schedule, but I can barely keep up. I can tell that Damien's not paying attention, so I nod at Simon as much as I can to make up for it.

"If you want to win the Hunger Games, you have to be marketable," Simon tells us. "Especially in the week leading up to the Games, every move we make is crucial. The way you two present yourselves will greatly impact your fate, even if it may not seem like it now. Luckily, we have a volunteer in our midst, and that doesn't happen much around here. Tell me why you're here."

Damien hasn't looked up from the table this whole time, but he finally glances up at Simon.

"Christina was my girlfriend, and she was Reaped," Damien says. "So, I took her place."

Simon looks at Damien as if he's expecting him to continue, but he doesn't.

"They have a daughter, too," I interject. Already, the gears are turning in my head - how can we make ourselves popular to an audience?

Damien glares at me, but I don't pay him any attention. Simon nods at my comment, and I can tell that he's thinking the same thing as I am.

"These things sell," he says, pulling at his hair as he thinks. "We'll start with that. Damien, you are the father who wants nothing more than to return to your family. You volunteered to keep your family together - the audience will want to help you with that goal."

Simon turns to me. "Luna, you will be the supportive sister. Any opportunity that you get, you will need to emphasize that your goal is to keep your family together - not just Damien's family but yours as well. That'll be important. You two are close, I hope?"

Damien just laughs from next to me. "No," he says. "And we won't be working together in the Arena."

Simon doesn't respond; one look at my face confirms what Damien's saying. He exhales a bit, but his neutral expression never falters.

"We will work with what we have," he finally says. "When you enter the Arena, it can be every person for themselves. Until then, though, you two will have to be as close as possible. Every other pair on this train will have a natural partner in the Games, and they will have an advantage if they know that the same is not true for you. It would be unwise to let them know that."

I'm relieved to hear Simon say this. Even if Damien doesn't want to work with me, he has no choice now. He's always been stubborn, but I just need one more chance to mend my past mistakes. I can't bear to think about entering the Arena having not smoothed things over with him. Now I have an opportunity to do that.

"I've asked for the Reapings to be recorded," Simon says, giving Damien a very deliberate look. "It's up to you whether you want to watch them, but it could be important to take a look at your competition. A lot can be revealed at the Reapings. And get some sleep tonight, you'll need it."

At that, Simon stands, pushing his chair in before silently exiting the car and leaving us behind. Damien's quick to follow him out, leaving me alone.

That night, I try to watch the Reapings. Simon told us it was our choice, but something about the way he said it makes me feel like I have to. I barely make it through District One's Reaping, though. Two athletically built boys volunteer themselves, and it's immediately clear that we won't stand a chance against them. When I see who's been Reaped in District Two, I can't stand it anymore; both girls are the sisters of last year's Victor, Camilla Russo, and they both look ready to kill.

I shut off the Reaping after that, but I still don't sleep. No matter how hard we try, there's no way that either of us is going to survive this. No matter how strong or fit Damien is, he will never outmatch the Careers, and no matter how hard we try to emphasize that he's a father, we're going to be undoubtedly outshined by the girls from Two. In this scenario, there is truly no escape. If Damien and I can't somehow produce a miracle, there's no hope left for us; with Damien's current attitude, it seems that our fate is set in stone.