Mockingjay's Redemption (Book Two in the Mockingjay's Daughter Series)

Chapter Four

****THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN ADDED TO!*****

Chapter Four

            Before Skylar and I get a chance to shake hands, the crowd erupts. People are shouting and screaming, “She can’t be picked again! It’s impossible!” Before anything else can happen, Skylar and I are taken through the Justice Building and out of it in a matter of minutes. We don’t get to say goodbye.

            At the train station, I look over at Skylar. He has a stoic look on his face. His jaw is set in determination. A few cameras are at the station, but no one from District 12 is here to see us go. Smoke rises from the town square. I wonder how everything went so wrong.

            I walk into the train in a daze. I think I’m in shock. One moment, I’m walking through the train corridor and then I’m in my mother’s arms. She walks me into a room and shuts the door behind us.

*****

            “We already know the arena’s theme,” Mother says to me.

            We’re in my room, sitting on my bed. This is the first thing my mother has said to me in the past hour. I look at her… Really look at her for the first time since my name was drawn. Her gray eyes are sunken into her face and she has dark marks surrounding her eyes. She has wrinkles that weren’t there before. She looks like she has aged years during the course of one day. My mother, the fighter, looks like a part of her is dying.

            With a jolt, I realize that a part of her really is dying. Two parts, actually. Skylar and I could be dead in a matter of days. If she is trying to reassure me by telling me the theme of my death place, it’s not working.

            “I don’t want to know,” I say.

            “It’s a virtual arena. There is no real water. No real food. Just weapons, illusions, and other kids.”

            “I said I didn’t want to know!”

            “Ivy, look at me.” The tone in my mother’s voice makes me turn my head and face her. “You will not be going into that arena. I’ve been thinking and your father and I have another plan. When the time comes, and it will be here very soon, you need to do exactly what I say. Understood?”

            “And what will happen with Skylar?”

            “He’ll be safe, I promise. Now do you understand?”

            “Yes.”

            “Then we need to go to supper, before someone catches on to us.”

            She leaves me in the room. The only thing I have with me is my confusion.

*******

            “You’ll love your stylist, Ivy. She is to die for,” the new escort tells me.

            I’ve learned that her name is Glazica and that she loves to talk. She hasn’t realized what she just said. To die for… How shallow can you get? I nod my head and play my part perfectly. She tells me all about my new stylist, Farrah, who I shall me in a few hours time. I block out her annoying voice after the first word leaves her mouth.

            I look across the table at Skylar, who is shoving his face with mashed potatoes. He has it all over his face. I suppress a smile. Mother and Father are in their room. I walked by it earlier and heard small snippets of their conversation.

            “….bands of rebel leaders….”

            “…overthrow…”

            I walked past before they found out I was listening.

            “Ivy? Ivy? Did you hear my question?”

            “Uh, no. Sorry, I was just-“

            “No worries, darling. I was just wondering whether pink or purple suited your better.”

            “Um. I don’t really like either. Blue’s my favorite color.”

            “You don’t like pink? Or purple? All the Capitol girls love those colors!”

            “Well, I’m not a Capitol girl.”

            Glazica murmured something about District girls and rose from the table.

            “I’m off to bed! We’ll be at the Capitol by mid-morning!”

            Minutes after our escort left the room, Mother and Father appeared and walked to the train’s balcony. Mother gestured with her hand and I followed, giving Skylar a reassuring smile. He returned a wry grin.

            I slid the door behind me and looked at my parents. “It’s time isn’t it?”

            “Yes, Ivy. You must listen and follow our directions exactly.”

            I nodded. “What do I have to do?”

            “You’re going to jump off the train.”