Let The Flames Begin

Chapter 2

Later that night on the train, I pace around the cars in my typical ritual. When I pass one particular car, I see that Katniss and Peeta are watching another video. The boy on screen looks disturbingly familiar to me. A second later, I realize that it is me, fighting for my life in the Second Quarter Quell.  I watch my sixteen-year-old self use the force field to kill off my last opponent. Once again, I see how I looked when I became the victor: On the verge of death, but happy to be alive.  I start to relive all the feelings that swirled around in my brain twenty-five years ago: I won. I’m free. Nothing can hurt me now. That should tell you what an ignoramus I was.   

They turn the video off when they see me.

“Who gave you permission to watch this?”

Peeta bows his head. “Nobody, but-”

“Don’t you think it would’ve been nice to ask me what I thought about you watching it?”

They look at each other in worry. “We just-”

“Wanted to see what made me so special.” I smirk at them. “It’s okay, really. You spared me from telling you the story myself. Now you know who you’re dealing with.”

“That forcefield trick was pretty ingenious,” Peeta says. “I can’t believe you’d be so risky.”

“You don’t know the half of it. The three of us, we’re so famous, but it came at a cost.”

Katniss raises her eyebrows. “No kidding. Everybody I care about is in danger, and Peeta and I have to keep pretending that we’re engaged.” She pauses awkwardly, while Peeta avoids her eyes. “What did you lose?” I can tell she’s afraid to ask. 

“More than you could ever know. Maybe I’ll tell you someday.” I take a deep breath. “Obviously, Snow came up with this Quarter Quell to get rid of both of us. Kill two birds with one stone.”

“He probably thought it would be Peeta, not you.”

Of course. Just like a teenage girl to forget the man who’s old enough to be her uncle. 

“In case you’ve forgotten, I’m a target of the Capitol, just as much as you are, Miss “Girl on Fire”. If I pull another stunt like I did back in my first Games, you can forget about me being there to save you, ‘cause they’ll have me killed first. And I hate to say it, Peeta, but not even mentors are safe. Heck, not even the Gamemakers are safe. You heard what happened to Seneca Crane.” 

“They wouldn’t try anything when they’re planning a wedding for us,” Peeta argues.

“Don’t be so sure about that, smart aleck.” Wow, these kids can get on my nerves fast.  

Peeta throws his hands up in surrender. “I’m just trying to give us a little hope. Is that so bad?”

I pat his shoulder. “No. But we’ve got to be realistic. The odds aren’t in our favor.”

With those words, I leave them so they can get some rest. Soon, I’m watching the sun rise on the Capitol. I honestly never thought this could happen. I’ve returned to the Capitol so many times as a mentor, but now, the games have changed. Anything goes during the Quarter Quell. Now, for the second time, I am a tribute.