the 19th Hunger Games

Chapter 2

That same day we were sent of to the Capitol. The train was more than fancy, it was absurdly over-done. The outside was made out of a shiny black iron with spotless windows. A neat silver line decorated the upper-side, just below the roof. I sort of wondered how they managed to keep it so spotless. In 10 there was mud everywhere, also on the rail.

   As I stepped inside I saw it was worse than I’d thought. Everything was made of fake-wood and plushy soft reddish-brown fabric. It wasn’t plaid or flannel like I was used to but more like something that might be velvet. I wasn’t sure though because I’d never touched velvet in my life.

“Lovely,” I muttered under my breath.

   Ahm and the 13-year-old, Oscar, were already inside. I saw Ahm ease down on a chair in the hallway as his eyes followed both Oscar and me closely. He observed us with a certain sickening kind of delight in his eyes as Oscar let his fingers slowly dance over the velvet covering the lower part of the walls and I looked around slightly disgusted, but unable to restrain myself from doing like Oscar: slowly tracing the hardly detectable patterns on the velvet walls, ten sliding up to touch the wood. It felt weird, that fake stuff. I was used to read wood and the softest fabric I’d ever felt was flannel.

   “So what now?” I decided to ask as I stopped in front of Ahm. I stared down at him and tried not to look disgusted or whatever but it wasn’t easy. I didn’t like the look in his eyes, the weird sparkle of the golden flecks like burning cinder… Maybe that was his Capitol enhancement. The eyes. “We have no victors in ten, so who’s gonna mentor us?” He shrugged.

“Not my problem, dear. Next year I’ll be escorting another district’s tributes.” I hated how he’d called me ‘dear’. No one called me ‘dear’ except for mom.

“So you’re just okay with sending us of to some arena and let us be killed all because you don’t care?” His lips pulled up into a nasty smile as he nodded.

“That is exactly my plan.” I tried to calm myself but I’ve always been a hothead so before I realised what is was doing I’d slammed Ahm out of his chair and pinned him to the floor.

“What your plan is is none of my business. But your business is keeping us alive now we have no mentor. And you better try the best you can or I’ll survive on my own and kill you when I exit the arena as the first victor that 10 ever had. You understand?” I doubt he was very much impressed because he was still smiling as the boy hauled me up and dragged me away. Kid was much stronger than he let on to. He opened a door behind me as I was still struggling to get back to Ahm who had risen to his feet and regained his magnificent composure. Nasty Capitol creature. I hated rats less than him.

   Oscar pushed me into the room, which appeared to be a girl’s bedroom, slammed me onto the bed and then carefully locked the door behind him. He turned to me and I could see both fear and defiance in his eyes.

“I’m sorry for dragging you away like that,” he said in a low voice. “I would have loved to punch him in the face myself but that’s not gonna help us out there.” He sat down beside me and stared down at his hands. “I’m sure I’m gonna die because I’m only thirteen and definitely not the strongest out there. But maybe you can make it. You could as well be the oldest in the arena. You should try to get on his good side so he might try and do stuff for you.” I stared at him and then shook my head.

“No way. Absolutely not. I hate him and if I want to survive, I’ll do it on my own. Besides, I think you have more chance than I. You’re a lot stronger than you look and that might work in your advantage. If you present yourself as weak and young they might underestimate you. I though can’t present myself anyway that would work in my advantage because I’m too large and old.”