The Alliance Of Six: The 29th Hunger Games.

CHAPTER FOUR

CYN'S P.O.V.

The train will be arriving at the Capitol soon. I sit in my room, lost in thought. I didn't get much sleep last night. I hear I knock on my door and Princeton comes in.

“Can I join you?” He asks.

He sits on the floor beside me. He must feel lonely, most of the time it's just us, no mentor, no stylist, no prep team. We are on our own for a while.

Part of me wants to ask him why he got reaped for the games out of all the other names; but that's a stupid question. Because I know why his name was chosen.

His name was entered many, many times. He signed up for the tesserae to provide extra grain and oil for his mother, three younger sisters and younger brother. His family means everything to him, he'd do anything for them. So of course he signed up for tesserae, but that's like begging to be reaped.

I signed up for tesserae too, for myself, my mother, and Elsie and her family. Elsie did the same. I knew one way or another, Princeton and I would end up in the games.

I wasn't planning on volunteering for anyone. I thought my name would get called, and I wasn't counting on anyone volunteering for me.

I'm glad that I’m the one here with Princeton, not Elsie. It wouldn't be the same for Princeton having Elsie here instead of me, and it wouldn't be easy for me watching Elsie be the one holding his hand during the opening ceremonies, spending every moment with Princeton, talking to him and being there for him. It's just not the same for either of us.

I know I can trust Princeton, and he can trust me. We are in this together, but for how long? How long can we be allied with each other before one of us dies?

Or what if we are the only two left?

This question haunts me, or has haunted me ever since we stood on that stage on reaping day.

The train starts to slow, and we can hear the crowds. We look out the window, and see the Capitol, and the Capitol people cheering for us. The city is huge, the buildings are bigger than those in any district, It's breathtaking really. Once I see the Capitol people, 'breathtaking' isn't really the word I’d use. Some citizens have dyed skin, or tattoos from head to toe. Most of them have unnaturally colored hair or makeup, they don't look much like people, more like animals. The closer I get to the Capitol, the more determined I am to win. Until I think of Princeton and his family. He deserves to win more than I do. I don't know how, but I’ll make sure we both walk out of here alive.