The Third Tribute

Chapter three: Going to the Capitol.

Soon after Peeta's father leaves I am puzzled to still be alone after minutes of silence. Shouldn't I be on the train or at least out of this room by now? I thought my goodbyes were over. And I solve my mini mystery when Gale bursts through the doors of the room I am in. I didn't think tributes could visit each other before, but today nothing has been what it has seemed. Gale opens his arms and walks into me with a look of shock, confusion, frustration, and sadness. Neither of us dare say a word and I'm left in my last time with Gale before we are to be on camera 24/7. He strokes my dark brown hair and I nuzzle into his shoulder. A minute later I break the silence by asking a simple question. "What about our families? Rory, Vick, Posy, not to mention our mothers and Prim?"

" I don't know. All I know is we aren't going to be there for them for at least two weeks. Maybe even three." He replies.

" I don't even want to consider what could become of them while we are gone, Gale. What if Prim's goat cheese and your mother's change isn't enough?"

"I'll tell you what, Catnip. We go into the games, become allies, and we fight our hardest okay? Let them be your motivation. Let them be the reason you make it home"

"No- I'm not going to let you just die. You can't just-"

Gale covers my mouth "Listen to me catnip. The only way we can get out of here together is to both die." He says.
And my speechlessness continues. "Make sure at least one of us gets our hands on a bow, it'll increase our chance of winning by a lot." Gale points out. "Even if we do both die at least we can eliminate the others first so Peeta can win. That way he can feed our families." We sit in silence for the remainder of our time and then board the train where the cameras will be watching us always.

We meet Peeta once again in the dining car, and a meal of lamb stew is brought to our table by young adults dressed in white robes. They call them Avoxes. Mute servants who serve the wealthiest, or at least most honorable citizens of Panem. And if you're in the Hunger Games, you are apparently considered honorable.

My thoughts are interrupted by Effie. "Have you three seen Haymitch? I need to discuss this week's schedule with him." "No" Gale answers. "I'll bet he's in the bar car. I'll go look." She says as she scrambles into the next car. "Haymitch and his drinks..." Peeta chuckles. "I'm gonna go check out my room." Gale says, leaving Peeta and I to ourselves, along with the awkward silence that creeps upon us without Gale.

When I finally break the silence, I am unsure on whether or not I am pleased with my words. "You know only one of us can make it out of this alive."
"Don't," he mutters.
"Sorry. I didn't know how you felt on our situation, and I needed a way to break the ice."
"Oh. It's okay. I've never been the best at knowing what to say, although I have the feeling that isn't the case for you."
"Definitely." He smiles a sweet smile that almost makes me fall in love instantly. But I can't make this any more complicated. It doesn't even take words for him to flatter me, and I don't know if I can compete. Although I see a different side of Peeta in his pale blue eyes. He's determined. What for, I don't have the slightest clue. But what I am sure of, is that I can't repay Peeta for the hope he gave me, not now, not when we are supposed to kill each other. There is no way to repay him besides dying for him to live, but his father said he loved me, so that wouldn't make him much happier would it?

"Dinner is ready!" Effie exclaims. Gale is along side her, and the three of us trail behind Effie through the train cars until we reach the dining car. Waiting for us is Haymitch. The supper comes in rounds. A thick carrot soup, a green salad, lamb chops and mashed potatoes, cheese and fruit, a chocolate cake. Effie keeps reminding us to save space because there is more coming, but I've never had food like this, so rich, so good, and so much, and I figured the best thing I can do before the games is gain a few pounds.
"At least you three have good manners. The pair last year ate everything with their hands like a couple of savages. It completely upset my digestion." Of course I know how to handle a fork and knife, my mother was civilized enough to teach Prim and I to eat properly, and Peeta, being a baker's son, was raised surrounded by food. Of course he can handle silverware; but I make a point to eat the entire meal with my hands from that time forward because I despise Effie's comment so much.

After dinner we continue our schedule. Next on the list? Re-watching the reapings from every district. Not many people are notable, but I do remember a fox-faced girl from five, a monstrous boy from two, a crippled boy from ten, a pair of dark skinned tributes from eleven: a strong looking young man and a little girl who reminds me of Prim. I miss her, and mom very much. I don't know how I will cope during the games, as it hasn't even been a day yet.

When Haymitch stumbles into the car I happen to be in with my fellow tributes, there is no doubt in my mind that he is drunk. So drunk, that he vomits and when he tries to exit the room out of shame, he helplessly slips and crawls around in his own vomit.
"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Peeta says. I am confused at his offer, until I realize he is trying to be kind. Kind!? Alarmed by my tender feelings, I march into my room and throw Peeta's father's cookies out the window, and I watch, as they crash into a patch of dandelions, triggering my emotions and memories of that rainy day all those years ago. When I wake from my flashback, it's already sundown. I lay on my bed, overwhelmed by the comfort of the mattress I've never experienced before. I allow myself to cry, but I can't.

When my eyes flutter open the sunrise illuminates my bedroom with beautiful colors of light. I approach my own private bathroom, undress, and test out the 'shower'. It's like a bath, but different. More like... warm rain. There must be hundreds of buttons that I will never get to trial. I dress into a green dress and my mockingjay pin, and head to the dining compartment. Breakfast is incredible. Endless portions of scrambled eggs, ham, fried potatoes, and a warm, chocolatey drink they call hot chocolate, a pleasure we could never afford. And along with the never ending supply of food, Haymitch is waiting at the table too; and I think I may even despise him. He calls himself a mentor? He's hardly any use to us. He probably is never going to be sober in the few days I see him, let alone helpful. Why did he have to be our mentor? Can't we just get a transfer from another district?

Although I'm beginning to hate him, I mind as well test his advice I think.

"Haymitch?"
"Yeah"
"Do you have any 'life saving' advice?"
"Stay alive."
I can't help but laugh. He really doesn't have any good advice. "And how do we do that?"
"Listen, I'm not here to help you, the truth is, I'm just here for the drinks." And to my surprise, Peeta knocks the glass right out of his hand. Following this a fight breaks out between the two. Haymitch punches Peeta; Peeta fights back. Gale gets involved, and this continues for a while, until I end the violence by stabbing a knife into the table, just missing Haymitch's hand.
"That is mahogany!" Effie yells.
"Looks like I may have a pair of fighters on my hands this year." Haymitch thinks aloud. Gale throws a knife into the wall just to prove that he does.
"Can't you stay sober enough to help for at least the time we have so we can be the fighters you think we are?" I yell at him fiercely. "Fine, so long as none of you interfere with my drinking, and Katniss does exactly as I say under any circumstance, I'll stay just sober enough to help you. Deal?" He asks.
"Deal." We all reply in unison.

The silence is ruined by the crowd's cheers. We've arrived in the Capitol. Peeta acts overly excited and Gale and I, on the other hand, are ignoring them. "Why are you so happy towards the people who bow down to the ones who want us dead?" I ask in disbelief.
"Who knows? Maybe one of them is rich." Peeta answers.
I am shocked by his thinking, and I realize maybe he isn't as weak as I perceived him to be. Maybe his strength lies in his mind, and his words. He continues to wave and although it makes me want to vomit, I do the same. I never thought that I'd be here, let alone be happy about it. "Come on Gale, this could save your life. Don't you want to make friends?" I tease him.
"No, but I do want sponsors." He says. And for the first time ever, I see him smile.

But I realize what I saw in Peeta's eyes earlier today. I know what he was determined for. He has a plan. And that plan just might involve killing me.
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A/N
It seems like I lose readers every chapter, so thank you so much to all the readers that continue to enjoy my fanfiction. If you have any advice (unlike Haymitch XD) or if you want to point out a mistake, or simply talk, go ahead and message me. Love to hear from you! Xoxo - Fourtris_Fangirl