Dusk Above the Tribute

Chapter 2

I'm escorted into a room, all alone. I'm awaiting the goodbye from my family. I'm awaiting a goodbye from Dylan. A final goodbye. Dylan and my father burst into the room. A peacekeeper warns me that I only have 3 minutes.

"Cora..." Dylan begins. "I'm so sorry. I love you," He says, sobbing.

"Don't be sorry. It's not your fault. I love you too." I say, embracing him in a warm hug.

"You'll win." My dad says gruffly. "I know it."

"Thanks, dad, but I know I'm not making it out alive." I say with an anxious giggle.

"I know you will," He says before bringing me in for a final hug until the 3 minutes are up. The peacekeepers try to escort them out of the room but Dylan sneaks in one final hug. Which is probably the final time I will ever see him. Or anyone I love, for that matter.

I wanted to be a fisher. I was a good fisher.

I'm escorted onto a train containing me, Flynn, Annie, and Caspian. I cannot bear being around Flynn for another moment because of how irritating he is. I will be the one to kill him in the arena. And I will swear on it. I walk to an empty room and ponder out the window, usually taking heavy swigs of the water glass beside me. It's not until I hear footsteps that I'm disrupted. Caspian is now standing at my feet.

"If you want to survive, maybe you should ask for help." He says harshly.

"I don't need your help." I respond, turning back to the window.

He laughs. Almost maniacally. "You're playing a dangerous game. You must think you're prepared, don't you?" He asks.

"I don't think I'm prepared. I know I am." I respond, shutting him away.

"Wake up." He says coldly before turning away to leave the room. I'm beyond speechless. I begin to wonder if I really am not as ready as I thought I was.

"Wait— Caspian." I say, calling him back into the room.
"Help me." I say softly.

He pins me with a sly grin. "I thought you knew what you were doing?"

"You aren't funny. Help me." I repeat.

"Fine. Don't trust anybody. Not even your district partner. Everybody is as hungry to win as you are." He says in a cold tone.

"Flynn? I wasn't planning on teaming up with him anyways." I reply, followed by a laugh.

"Good. And— Districts 1 and 2. Sure, our district is a Career, but the two on top always work together. You and them have a wall separating the two. District 3. As us, the two districts trained for years. Only for this opportunity. They are lethal. If they have the chance, they'll kill you on sight." He tells me. "Oh— Right. And the arena..."

I stop him mid-sentence. "What about it? It's not like you've seen it yet." I say.

"No, I haven't. But what I have seen is trackerjackers. Muttations. Force fields. The Capitol will toy with you. Nothing can prevent the fact that you will become a piece in their games." He finishes.

I scoff. "When hasn't there been mutts?" I take a swig of my water. "Maybe I won't make it out alive."

Caspian's expression softens. "Don't talk like that. Don't give up before you've even started. Look, I get that it's overwhelming, but can you atleast try and survive?" He says in a harsher tone than before.

I cool down. "I'll try." I say, leaning back onto the couch.

The train comes to a halt. We're at the Capitol, where our training sessions will be held over the course of 4 days. One session being individual, where we showcase our skill to the Gamemakers and they decide our training scores. Soon after that they are revealed.

Stepping into the training center, I see a familiar face. A face too familiar. Sapphire. I'm stabbed with a knife titled "Shock". I have an urge to run up to her in an embrace. I ignore that urge, seeing she's huddled around the other tributes from her district and district 2. This includes Victory from district 1, and Sawe and Isa from 2. They're staring at failing tributes. Every imperfection, every flaw, they catch it. I know I can't fail. I step towards the training box which provides holograms meant to resemble tributes. I hit every single one with perfect accuracy. Now, I'm breathing heavily and taking a seat on a small bench near the box.

That's until someone comes up to me.
Victory. The boy from Sapphire's different.

"Hey. Cora, right?" He says, looking down at me.

I straighten my back and lift my shoulders higher. "Yes. Why?" I ask out of pure confusion.

"You're good. Really good. And because your district is considered a career district... We have an offer for you." He begins. "We'd like you to join our alliance. Sapphire, Sawe, Isa, and I." He says, an eyebrow raised.

I'm stuck in shock. I know that this is the best thing possible for me. If I join them, I don't have to worry about them hunting me down. I also get to be with Sapphire the whole time.

"Sure. Thank you." I respond in a soft tone.