The Hunger Games

Chapter 2

The food here was amazing! There were bowls of bread, noodles, soups, salads, meats, and some stuff that I didn't even recognize. As much self-discipline that it took, I only had a salad and some bread. I would have to get used to eating light. They weren't called the Hunger Games for nothing.

Coda, on the other hand, stuffed his face with steak and soup. I just shook my head. He'd pay for it in the long run. Eonera winked at me.

After dinner, I went back to my room. I figured I'd take a shower. I needed to calm my nerves. After all, I would be dead in a matter of weeks.

I turned on the faucet and undressed. I pulled out my braids and ran my fingers through them. I tested the temperature of the water and flinched back. It was scalding! I turned the water down a little then got in.

I worked the shampoo through my hair slowly, allowing the warm water to wash away my worries. I thought of Thread and Erna.

I had been with the Thorne's since I was three. That's ten years. They adopted me after my parents were killed in a factory accident. I stood out from them.

They all had dark skin, but not too dark. More of a tan. Erna's hair was dark and shiny. It reached her shoulders, pin straight. Mom had wavy brown hair. It went down to her butt. Dad and Thread both had an average boy's haircut. They all had brown eyes. They were all tall and solid.

I had pale skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. My cheeks were rosy. I was petite. Maybe 4'11 at the most. I weighed about 85 pounds. I didn't have much muscle or fat.

I rinsed the suds out of my corn silk hair. I moved on to conditioner.

My hair was shiny and long. It had a slight wave to it. It went halfway down my back. Sometimes, Mom would put it in curlers before bed. Thread said I looked pretty with curly hair. Erna said she liked it better straight.

I picked up a washcloth and scrubbed the sweat and grime off of my body.

Kids at school didn't like me very much. I had a hard time reading, and they would pick on me. Thread used to stand up for me when we were both in elementary school, but now he's done with his classes.

The one girl who antagonized me the most was Velvet Moore. She and her friends -- Pepper Andes and Wren Kramer -- taunted me to no end. I couldn't stand her!

I rinsed my body with a blast of cold water to sooth the feverish feeling I got when I was nervous. I turned the water off and wrapped my dripping form in a plush towel. I used another towel to put on my wet hair before walking out to my bedroom.

Someone had laid out a pair of thin, cotton pajamas for me. They were soft and grey. I dropped the towel on the floor and pulled the pajamas over my naked body. The cotton was cool and dry.

I pulled the towel off of my hair and used it to squeeze out the remaining water. I threw that towel onto the carpet as well. I pulled my hair into a loose knot, and I climbed under the sheets.

Sleep came surprisingly easy. I dreamed that I was in the Games.

Thread was by my side. He was in the Games, too. Brother and sister in a fight to the death. How's that for entertainment?

A pack of Careers had us surrounded. One of the girls drew an arrow and pointed it at me. She let go.

I closed my eyes and waited for death to come. It didn't. I opened my eyes and saw Thread at my feet. He was choking on his own blood. An arrow stuck in his throat. He had taken an arrow for me. The cannon fired.

A male Career grabbed me by the arm. He pressed a knife up to my throat.

I screamed and screamed and screamed. I screamed myself awake. I didn't want to die! It wasn't fair! What was the point of these cruel, wicked, twisted Games? I was only 13!

Eonera rushed in then. She shushed me and rubbed my back, trying to stop my screams. Eventually I did and retorted to sobbing into my hands.

It was easy to forget that Eonera was a mother. She had given birth to triplets three years ago. She was tough, but still caring. Her maternal instincts were extreme.

"Are you okay, Silk?" She whispered.

"No," I whispered back. My voice broke. "But I can sleep."

"Alright. Sleep well, hun." She walked out, leaving the door open to let in light from the hallway.

I lay awake for the rest of the night, unable to think of anything but my inevitable fate. I was scared. So, so scared.

It's not like I could get an ally. I'm just the weakling from District 8. There are Careers in there! And it wasn't like Coda would help me. He hated me. If he killed me, Wren would love it. Thread would never hear the end of it.

There was another young girl from District 11. Maybe she would team up with me? I could help her, too. She might be good with plants. That would help.

I stood and walked over to the train window. The sun was just beginning to rise. We were riding through a valley. We had to be close to the Capitol. I could see the mountains approaching. The buildings would be just on the other side. Part of me was excited to see the huge, sparkling, new, city. The other part was mortified to see the scary, threatening, evil death trap. I guess I would just have to wait.