Songs & Seas | Hunger Games

IV.

~ ~ ~

THE TRAINING CENTER HAS A TOWER designed exclusively for the tributes and their teams. This will be their home until the actual Games begin. Each district has an entire floor. You simply step onto an elevator and press the number of your district. Easy enough to remember. 

Maria had never been anywhere nicer than the suite she'd be sharing until the games started. The group walked in with two Avoxes carrying their bags although both Maria and Archer insisted on carrying a few considering how many there were. 

Archer's jaw was open as he gazed with wide eyes at everything. Maria was looking around too shocked at the many lavish things around.

"This is the living room," Devina walked them through the foyer and into another area with a large TV mounted on the wall. 

The colorful woman looked back over her shoulder at their gaping faces. "I know," she clapped her hands together. "Isn't it magnificent? Now Maria your room is to the right and Archer's to the left." Devina directed. "Cecelia, Rhett I assume you recall where your rooms can be found. So why doesn't everyone freshen up before dinner, hm?"

Just Maria's quarters alone are larger than her entire home. They're plush, like the train car, but also have so many automatic gadgets like the window controls that allow for her to set her view. Anything from a snowy tundra to a barren desert. 

She sat down at the edge of the bed taking in what felt like her first breath in the past two days. Her fingers fiddled with the leather bracelet on her wrist. Tears welled up in her eyes and she attempted to force them back not wanting to risk looking teary-eyed at dinner. Grabbing the remote off the nightstand she flicked on the TV to see the face of Ceasar Flickerman. 

"With all the news of the current tributes, let's catch up on the lives of our former victors." the blue-haired man spoke with a large smile. "Last year's victor Finnick Odair just celebrated his fifteenth birthday. A fan favorite during his games and the Finnick frenzy doesn't seem to be settling down anytime-"

Maria turned off the TV. She hauled herself off the bed now exploring her room a bit more. Walking around she ran her finger along the wallpaper stopping at the closet. Opening the automatic door she found an abundance of clothing no doubt all picked out by Nessa and thankfully not Devina. 

She rummaged more through the closet before her hand met something rather hard sitting in the very back. Wrapping her hand around it she pulled it out.  It was a beat-up acoustic guitar with painted flowers on the front. The tears came back to her eyes. A small note was tied around the neck. Taking it in her hands she read it. 'Figured you might need this - Rhett' 

Wiping those tears away she sat down on the floor with the instrument. If he got her this gift then he must really believe that she could win. It felt good to know at least one person thought she could come out of this alive. She didn't hear the knock at her door or notice the door open when she didn't answer. 

"Didn't take you long to find that did it?" Looking up she found Rhett leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He had a pleasant smirk on his face.

Quickly she wiped the tears from her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt. "Thank you," she said. "Really it means a lot."

Rhett sighed. "Yeah, it isn't much. Had to buy it off a friend so it's seen better days and-"

"It's perfect," Maria cut him off her eyes glassy. "Really, thank you."

"Yeah well," he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Dinner's ready," he cleared his throat, and with that, he left the room shutting the door behind him.