The New Games: A Hunger Games Story

Chapter 23: Worried

Chapter 23

We finally arrive at the Capitol after being in the long train ride from District 12. Ariel, Cronin, and I are taken to our 'home' that we will be living in until the games start. We arrive in a spacious building and head up to the top floor.

I get settled in my room before we eat dinner. It's spacious, with my own bathroom equipped with the Capitol's finest technology.

Even though I hate the Capitol, I have to admit it is pretty amazing seeing it in person. There is technology that's not even close to what district 12 has, the food is amazing, and the view from my room is spectacular. You can see miles of the Capitol city, lights glowing, shining on the trains and cars passing by on the streets. But this will never come close to being home.

After I'm settled I go to the dining area and am greeted by Ariel and Cronin, who have already started eating.

"Oh, Kamela." Ariel says. "You've taken long enough. Here, come sit down and have something to eat."

I sit down at a chair across from Ariel and Cronin and am served food and drink almost immediately by avoxes.

"Listen, Kamela." Cronin says, wiping his mouth with a napkin, "These next few days are going to be hard on you. you're going into the arena to play these games and it's going to be tough, you know that."

I get uncomfortable at the thought of being in an arena in just a few days. Cronin seems to notice.

"I know you don't want to talk about this," he says, "but this can't go overlooked, we have to get you prepared for this so you have the best chance at surviving."

"He's right," Ariel agrees. "I absolutely hate seeing you like this, but we have to toughen up." She looks at me in the eyes. "I believe in you Kamela. I know you can do this. You have the potential, so it's up to you, do you get stronger and fight, or avoid the problem and become weak?"

I'm surprised at that. I never thought that I would hear Ariel say that. I guess the Capitol escort stereotype is gone.

"She's right." Cronin says. "Now it's your choice, do you want me to help you prepare, or do you want to figure things out on your own."

I don't answer at first.

"Why are you asking me this now?" I say.

"We don't want to force you into this." Cronin says. "I know how this mentoring goes. Tributes who don't want to train are always the hardest to work with, it can feel like the training is just a huge waste of time, and it can be. You can see it in the arena if the training helped at all. This is crucial to survival, Kamela."

"I will, I mean, yeah. I want you're help." I say. "I'm just. Um." I pause. "Not very... I'm just not at my highest point right now."

"I know you're worried about him, Kamela." Ariel says.

I look up at her in surprise. How did she know?

"You can't worry about him right now, wherever he is, he is safe right now." Ariel says. "He's probably just worried about you too."

"But worrying about him is one of the worst things you can do right now." Cronin says. "You're only hurting yourself right now."

I'm finished eating by now and avoxes come to collect our dishes.

"I know," I say holding back tears. "I just.--"

I'm cut off by Ariel. "I know dear, why don't you take a break, start training tomorrow. Just try to take your mind off of him. Okay?"

I nod and go to my room. I decide to take a bath to try and relax. After I try and relax for a while, I decide to just see if I can sleep.

I eventually fall asleep, but I am constantly thinking about Talon, I wake up a few times with nightmares about losing him, followed by not being able to go back to sleep for a while. You could say that I didn't sleep at all. No matter what I try, I'm still terribly worried about him.