Out in the Battlefield

The Train Ride There

A tap on the shoulder woke me up. It made me realize that I had fallen asleep while waiting for the time for goodbyes to end. Maybe I cried myself to sleep. I didn't care if there were any hidden cameras. They can see what they want to see or not. I don't care. I can't worry about the audience now, but still, there was a strange smile on my face. Even me, myself, don't know why I'm smiling.

I looked up and saw that the peacekeeper from before was the one who woke me up. He gestured me to come with them so we can continue to the train. I nodded quietly and stood up to walk with him. I was too emotionally tired to talk for now, so I kept quiet.

He led me through winding hallways, knowing his every turn well, like he'd been doing this for ages. Of course he should know this. He needs to know everything about anything to become a peacekeeper. That's for me, at least. I never got the chance to go in the Justice Building, so every part of it is a stranger to me. I let him lead me and didn't argue about it.

As we take a final turn, I was once again reunited with my district partner. It was strange though, to be with him in the train and in the games, when I don't even know his name. I didn't know much people in our district, to be honest. I've been spending too much time on my trainings to even bother to introduce myself to people. Let alone them introduce themselves to me. My mother says it's just a waste of time. But after the events today, I know I shouldn't trust a word she says.

Acestes Tullus told us to compose ourselves before we go out to the train station. He told us that cameras will be out there and he wants us to look like we can handle it. I, on the other hand, composed myself freely. I straightened out my plain dress and fixed my hair. From the corner of my eye, I saw my partner secretly fixing himself too, looking up every once in a while to see if anyone was looking. I wonder why he needs to hide it though.

After I took a deep breath, I signaled to him that we were finished. He nodded then led us outside to the train station where the train was waiting, fresh from the Capitol. From the outside, it looks like it had just been cleaned. It was silver-colored, compared to its usual-looking old and dirty gray color, which is obviously because of the smoke. It was shining against the harsh sunlight, so I shield my eyes with my hand.

Just as Acestes Tullus had said, there were cameras. I wasn't expecting them to be there. I mean, what do they want with two unknown tributes? To ask about their lives? It seems like they're faking to be interested in us. I wonder how boring their job is; to ask tributes, whom you've never met, about their boring and ordinary lives. But who knows? Maybe one of us will be the next victor.

As we walked towards the train, I held my head high, not to show others that I can win, but to show them that I'm not afraid. That I can face the horrors that the games and the Capitol have for me. The horrors that will be permanently imprinted in my mind after the games, whether I survive or not.

We finally entered inside the train, and the first thing that caught my eye was the luxurious look of the train. It looked like it wanted us to feel at home. So welcoming and so comfortable. There were chairs and sofas made of velvet, tables made of expensive wood, glamorous and golden chandeliers, and a soft carpet which seems to sink beneath my feet when I step on it. Everything inside seems to sparkle, and everything seems to catch my attention.

My mouth started watering when I saw the food sitting at one of the long and expensive tables, just waiting for someone to pick them up and eat them. I reached out my hand for my favorite, a seaweed bread. Once I took a bite of it, a memory suddenly entered my mind.

I remember when my mother took me to District 4 many years ago, when I was still a child. She had introduced me to a friend she had who was a baker.