Blood and Glory

Chapter 3

  By the time I had entered the dining room (the second one, because the first one was already destroyed), the three of them were sitting at the table discussing something while Pandora sat at the couch looking grumpy. I ignored her and headed to the table.

   "Morning."

   They nodded in acknowledgement.

   "So what is the topic for today?" I asked when no one offered me a greeting.

   Enobaria straightened herself before answering, "We're talking about the Capitol and what you two will do there."

   "Okay."

   She repeated the conversation she had with Coeden and Brutus before I arrived before giving us a heads-up on what we'll be expected to do and what we had to do while Brutus added in the points she missed out on.

   "Oh yes. I almost forgot." I looked up from my scrambled eggs and toast. "We'll watch the reaping after breakfast."

   One by one, we watched the reapings, starting with District One. The girl from that District was a pretty blonde with startling green eyes -- the typical District One look. The boy had the same hair and eyes as her, but had a stronger jaw and fiercer eyes.

   I examined the faces of the other tributes and only a few stood out to me. The boy from District Three had this look about him that warned me to watch my back, and the boy from Four was devastatingly handsome. The last one that stood out gave me the chills and I realised why. She looked too much like Kaitlin with the dark hair and fair skin, and my heart started to ache.

   "You alright?" Coeden's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

   "What?"

   He scrutinized my face before shrugging. "Dunno. You just looked pretty sad."

   I straightened my face. "I did not."

   He just shrugged again and went back to concentrating on the screen which I felt pretty weird. I expected him to tease me or something.

   I nudged him to see if he would respond and he just shifted a little in his chair. I tried a few more times and gave up. He must be in such deep thought or concentration that he barely reacted. I stared at his broad back and scowled. I didn't like being ignored, even when I was annoying someone and knew that they would snap at me. My head jerked up to the screen as they replayed my District's reaping.

   They showed our District last.

   My voice rang out strong and clear from the speakers as I volunteered as tribute. I reflected confidence, pride and power, so did Coeden. I wouldn't be surprised if the other tributes started peeing in their pants in fright after watching this.

   A different sound blared from the speakers and Pandora jumped up from her seat and exclaimed, sounding much more cheerful than the day before. "We're here! Everyone get ready to alight!" She scurried out of the room and I looked at Enobaria for approval.

   She stood up, dusting herself. She made a gesture that said: follow her, without looking at me, so I did. I peered out of the window and screaming people of all colours (not meaning to be racist.) greeted us. By colours, I mean bright pink, green, blue, purple and all sorts of different clothing and artificially dyed skin. Ewww. Who dyed their skin all the colours of the rainbow? Now you get it when I say that the Capitol fashion is utterly ridiculous?

   "Khara." Coeden called to me as I stood there stoning and I tore my eyes away from the people down there. I trailed after him and alighted. As soon our feet touched Capitol ground, reporters and the throngs of people I saw just a minute ago, bombarded us with screams, shouts and questions on how was the ride. I wanted to cover my ears at all the noise they were making and at the sound of so many Capitol people talking in their irritating accent at once.