The Chamber [Sequel to Silence]

10

"Don't let it touch me! She's rabid! She's feral!"

Dinner was...interesting. Marcia sat on the very edge of her seat the whole way through so as to avoid Riley, who sat rather calmly next to her for the most part. Only when Marcia's back was turned did she bare her teeth at her, grinning in an animalistic manner. Otto sat grumpily, picking at his food as though it were made of cardboard. Despite hating the Capitol, I love the food. I considered that the boy could possibly be mad. He stood and left the table without being excused. Antonia rolled her eyes. I could see her growing increasingly fed up already. When Marcia had finished and left the table, Riley grinned at me.

"So. Seeing as Antonia seems to hate me..." she said, with a wink at an annoyed Antonia "will you watch some Hunger Games playbacks with me?"

"OK, sure," I said, wiping my mouth on a napkin "Just let me have a shower, OK?"

"OK!" she said, jumping to her feet. In a flash of red hair, she was out the room.

"Have fun," Antonia muttered, rolling her eyes again. I left her to eat and went to my room, basking in the warmth of the shower. I ended up staying there longer than planned, and by the time I got to the TV Room, Riley was already settled. I could see her mop of red hair peeking over the couch, and she was eating some sort of food noisily. She was watching the very first Hunger Games, her eyes glued to the screen. If the gore and violence bothered her, she didn't show it. Something told me that Riley was pretty nonchalant about the whole thing. I took a breath and sat beside her. We watched for a while in silence until the final battle approached. Riley saw me avert my eyes discretely, and laughed at me.

"What's wrong? Can't stomach it? Remind me how you managed to win the Games?"

"I never told you how I won. And that's not it. I just don't particularly enjoy watching kids die," I said quietly. I heard a thud on the screen and winced slightly.

"No one does. But that's the way it is," Riley replied, her eyes fixated back on the screen. "A potential victor needs to be prepared for the worst in the arena, right?"

"Right," I agreed. I watched on painfully, my eyes half closed to block out some of the horrors. The climax of the battle arrived, the victor raising his mace in pride as his opponent lay limp on the floor, lying in a pool of her own blood as the cannon fired. The camera honed in on her mangled face greedily, gobbling up the horrific image of her dead body. Riley sighed, using the remote to select her next viewing. The cursor hovered over the 28th Hunger Games. My Games.

"How did you win?" Riley asked softly.

"Maybe you'd better click and find out," I replied. Almost hesitantly, Riley pressed the button on the remote, and I found myself immediately wishing she hadn't. A head shot of me appeared on the screen, my face half shrouded in shadow.

"Arrian Rider. District 7. Victor," a voice over announced. Then the video of my reaping began to play. I could see fourteen year old me stumbling up to the stage, Marcia having called my name and my knees trembling. My District partner, whose name escapes me now, wasn't much to look at either. Everyone believed that we could never be contenders. I remember Grandmother visiting me before I went to the Capitol, hugging me like we'd never meet again.

In the Capitol, they made me look like one of them. They stripped the hair from my face and chest and dressed me in earth colours with a fancy head dress, shaped like a giant tree on my skull. But compared to the other tributes, I was forgettable. Boring, even. I remember the beautiful girl from District 11, tall and slim with coffee coloured skin and afro hair. She captured the audience's hearts, and they threw roses as her chariot passed. I was forgotten, lost amongst the competition. On the screen, though, they focused on me. They had to. I was the victor.

When training came along, I was average at everything. No talent stood out for me, other than my strength from being in a lumber District, and it reflected on my Training Score. I received a mere six for my efforts. My interview was to an even poorer standard. I stuttered the whole way through, my hands sweating as I fiddled with the Capitol made jacket I was wearing.

"I could learn a thing or two from you for my tactics. You look like you're about to faint!" Riley sniggered, pointing at the uncomfortable fourteen year old version of me. I rolled my eyes. I'd changed a lot since then.

Despite my awful interview, I had a good start to the Games. The arena was a grassy terrain, incapable of being a threat to me or the other tributes. I only had to worry about my rivals. I managed to get away from the Cornocopia with a pack that helped me survive the first week. I watched opponents die from safe hiding places, concealing myself in the shadows and trying not to take in the fact that blood was spilling all around me. It got to the final few, and I had yet to be confronted. The girl from 11 killed several more, until it was just two of us left. Me and her.

On the screen, Riley watched as the girl, Juno, circled me in subtle pursuit. A smile played across her lips, her eyes fixed on the prize. She was going to win. She raised her machete to finish me, but she was too late. With a horrific howl that still sent a shiver down my spine, I swung my axe and knocked Juno's head off her shoulders. Riley shrieked, backing up into the couch and curling up in shock. I closed my eyes, allowing the shame to overcome me. There was silence between us as the video ended and I tried my best not to sob.

"There's something about killing a person, Riley," I whispered, rocking myself "It changes you. It makes you someone you're not. I don't feel like a person anymore. I feel like a monster." When Riley didn't reply, I stood up and went to the drinks table, pouring myself a glass of the strongest spirit I could find. I don't drink, but I needed something to calm my nerves. To my surprise, Riley stood and appeared beside me, pouring a drink of her own. I found myself laughing.

"You can't drink that! You're too young!" I snorted, snatching the alcohol from her grasp. She smiled toothily.

"Hey, mentor. Don't tell me what to do. I wanna try it before I die," she said, taking the drink back and swallowing the bitter liquid. She grimaced, but regained her composure "So tell me, Arrian Rider. Did you not feel powerful in that moment? Like you were a God, or something. Like you have the capability to do anything. Isn't that what it's like?"

I stared at her, trying to figure out if she was serious. As she sipped her drink, I decided she was. I shook my head.

"No, Riley. And if you feel like that when you kill someone...it's not right."

"Says who?" Riley said. I found myself fearing the girl. There was something strange about her. Something not quite right. I set my drink down on the table, unable to answer her question, and tried not to think about what was going on in her head.

"Goodnight, Riley."

"Wait!" she said urgently, ushering me over. She cupped her hands, telling me to offer my ear. I bent down so she could whisper something.

"BOO!" she shouted down my ear. I stumbled, terrified by her outburst. She ran off, shouting good night to me as she left. The Whirlwind was loose again. I wondered then whether Riley would be a turning point in my life. And of course, whirlwinds always cause a stir, and I was about to be sucked right into the centre of her path.