Fair Fight

Chapter 7

"Well children, this is the train that shall take you to the grandeur that is the Capitol!" I sit down on one of the plush velvet chairs and pretend to examine my shell again, while our escort chatters away, thinking we are listening to her. Reid is gawping all around him, at the crystal chandeliers that hang from the ceiling and the glass goblets filled with some reddish liquid. His eyes are drawn towards the buffet table, piled high with different coloured jellies, pastries filled with cream and a fruit tureen, adorned with crystallized sugar.

My fellow competitor isn't exactly well off, so he is most likely going to admire everything.  Me, not so much. Although Finnick and I still tried to just be normal, it was hard to when we were surronded by luxury in our home. I am not as awed as Reid is, but I cannot help but admire the tray of cakes brought in by a waitress girl. I get up and reach out to take an iced bun,  glazed with cherries, when the automated door slides back. Standing there, light shining on his bronze coloured hair like an angel, is Finnick, who seems to have tears in the corners of his eyes. I run into his arms and he locks me in a sisterly embrace. "You are so brave," he whispers, "so brave."

I never want to let go. I don't want to be separated from my brother. I want to just live happily ever after and nobody can bother us again,  but happy endings are never the case in this world.

Reid makes a scoffing sound and Finnick releases me out of his grasp. My brother knows that Reid is the one that makes my life a misery at school. I shoot him a pleading look,  begging him not to say anything.  If Finnick mentioned, I would more than likely be given more grief. "So you are Reid Trawler then," my brother asks.

"Yeah course I am, who else would I be," drawls Reid.

"Oh nobody, now what I am about to say, you listen carefully. While I am your mentor, you do whatever I say before the Games.  In the arena, do whatever you want,  but that's only if you want to get yourself killed. I know these Games, and if you want to survive,  you take heed of my advice." Finnick is staring Reid right in the face, with a calm but stern expression. Reid looks like he is about explode. 

"I am not taking advice from you," he yells, "only a fool would do so!" Reid raises a hand, to presumably smack my brother across the face, but he is on the ground as fast as lightening. "Alright then, if you choose to play these Games on your own terms, go ahead, but don't come crawling back to me when your at a loose end. Come on," Finnick gestures to me, and I follow him out of the room.