The New Games

Strange Memorys

A barely visible door opens smoothly from behind me. I spin around in my seat, eyeing the person who stands before me. He looks to be about 18 or 19, has short dark brown hair, olive skin, and grey eyes. I recognize him from somewhere, but I can't place where.

"Come on, it's time for you to meet your stylists. I'm General Hawthorn," he says gruffly.

Suddenly it dawns on me why this man seems so familiar. I saw him on television at District Four. He was a general in the beginning of the revolution, and it's said that he is Katniss Everdeen's cousin, not that I would ever believe that. Yes, they look alike, but the look in their eyes is so different.

Katniss's eyes show always show a determines glow, but a hint of sadness too, whenever she is seen. Gale has the look of a new solider, yet he on camera is very mature.

That's the only place I've ever seen seen either one of them. On camera.

"If you would follow me-" Gals starts to say, but I interrupt him. Don't get me wrong, I respect Gale for finally ending my horrible Grandfather's reign, but I was a curious person. And a stubborn one.

"Do you really know Katniss Everdeen?" I demanded.

"I, um, yes, wait- Why do you want to know?" He stammered.

"Why do you want to know why I want to know?" I shot back. Like I said, I am an extremely stubborn person.

"Erm...Well, I suppose it wouldn't do any harm to answer you," he finally muttered, giving in.

"Yes, I do know Katniss Everdeen. We're... Old friends."

A smile lit my face, but I quickly forced it to disappear, remembering what Finnick said. Blend with the crowd, and you'll pass as just another kid. Any other kid.

I wish he was right.

I shook my head slightly to get rid of the memories that were clouding my thoughts. Back to business.

"May I ask why I'm here?" I said, trying to see if acting polite would help my case.

He took one glance at me, and said, "I think you know why, kid."

Apparently not.

I felt my heart sink in my chest as he confirmed my earlier suspicions. I still had had a tiny bit of hope left in me, but this crushed it. I was going into the "New Games".

"Well, um, c'mon, kid," he said, still looking slightly uncomfortable because of my earlier outburst.

I nodded this time, getting up out of the grey chair and following him silently out of the freezing room that I had been held in.

I walked down a grey hallway, and was pushed into a drafty elevator by yet another guard cloaked in grey. Grey. A peculiar color, it was. A mix of black and white, empty and lifeless. Plain. It reminded me of that first day on the beach, the day my life changed once again, but for the better. Before I could stop myself, I was sucked into a certain distinct memory.

I was walking in the forest, the sky still grey, the birds barely waking up. They hopped about on the sturdy branches above my head, occasionally glancing at me curiously, chirping loudly.

The sun hadn't rose yet, and I had to get in the days hunting. And finding a new place to hide wouldn't be that bad either. I had been hiding out at the same cave for a couple of weeks now, and they were sure to figure out where I was soon. It had never taken too long before the first hovercraft always appeared in the sky, sending the soldiers of the Capital to hunt me down and bring me back to where they thought I belonged. But they were wrong.