Max: District 4

District 4: The Reaping (Part 2)

The peacekeepers escort me off the stage and into a private room, where I will get to say a last goodbye to my family. Mom and Mia come into the room. Mia rushes right up and hugs me. I hug her back, tears welling up in my eyes, but I blink them back. I can't cry, or I will seem weak, and if I am weak, I will be hunted. So instead, I crouch and look Mia in the eyes. "I know it's not likely I will survive." I tell her, because it's true. "But I will try for you. I will try, and I might come back. " she puts her hand in her pocket and pulls out a miniscule silver-painted wooden fish hook. "It can be your district token! I made it this morning while you were at training." She puts it in the pocket of my trousers. "Thank you, Mia" I say. Then I stand up and hug my Mom. "take care of Mia for me. please." I say to her. "I will" she says "I love you, Maxwell Chase. Please don't forget that. Be my strong boy and win this game. This horrible, twisted game!"A tear rolls down her cheek. "I will, mom. I love you." I whisper. then the peacekeepers are rushing them out of the room, and as soon as they are out of sight, I sink to the floor. I can not win the 74th hunger games. I will die. And I will not come home.

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I am escorted onto the train, where I will meet my mentors, Finnick and Mags. As i step onto the train, I turn around to look back at the home I have known for twelve years. I smell the salty sea breeze, and the fishy smell coming from the dock. I look back into distance and make out my house, the hard clay walls with tiny shells embedded in them. The window of the kitchen, where I can make out two figures, the larger one cradling the other. I choke back a sob. Mia and mom. I will miss them so much.

I turn and walk into the train. I am stunned at the niceness of it, compared to my house, but I don't care. I walk throughout the train, trying to find someone. At last, I find Mirakal, and I ask her where my room is on the train. She points behind her. "Two cars back." she says "You'll see it. It has your name on it." my name on it? how? they have a different tribute every year. Oh well, I think. It doesn't really matter. I walk down the train, until I see green door. It has Male Tribute District 4 written on it. I am filled with an anger twoards Mirakal. Male tribute is not my name. It is the role I have to play for the capitol. I decide not to go in. I don't want to accept that I am a tribute just yet.

I walk further down the train, just wandering. I pick up a fruit i've never seen before. It is orange and spongy. I bite into it. Yuck, it's bitter. Why do people in the capitol have such strange taste? "You have to peel it first, Max" says a kind voice from behind me. I turn around. It is old Mags, the victor of the 11th hunger games. She will be a mentor for me and for my district partner. I recognise from her constant visits in town. "Mags!" I say, comforted by her presence. She holds out her hand. I tentatively shake it. "No, silly. Give me the fruit." I feel my face turning red. I hurry to give the squishy orange thing to her. She pushes her fingernails into it and rips off the white spongy stuff. Underneath is a juicy fruit. she hands me a slice of it. I bite it, and the taste floods my mouth. It's by far the best thing i've ever eaten. "So," mags says. I look at her "I'm guessing you want to win" well, duh! "yes" she looks lost for a moment, and i'm afraid she's forgotten i'm here. "well, do you have any weapons you are especially good with? tridents? nets?" "well, i'm okay with a short sword..." She looks surprised, but quickly masks it "that may help you a lot in the arena. some other districts are not as well trained as you. We can talk about this later. you must be starving!"

We head back to the front of the train, and when we reach the dining car, I see that Maria, Miarakal and some guy are sitting on at a table, talking. When mags and I enter, the dude turns around, and I see that it is Finnick Odair. I've never really liked Finnick. Whenever me and Jackson are at the docks, fishing, he swims under our rods and cuts the lines as a practical joke, so we never catch anything. He smirks at me "hey, fisher boy!" I cross my arms and glare at him "don't call me that." mags pats my shoulder. "Don't tease the boy, Finnick. He's probably already overwhelmed." he shrugs "So," says Finnick "When you enter the arena, look for anything close by at the cornucopia. If you see a weapon that will be extremely useful to you, run in and grab it. then leave. If you get killed, district 4 will honor you, blah, blah, blah. that's my advice. anything to add, mags?" She nods "Do your best. That's all you can do. If you get sponsors, it's completely possible you will not, Finnick and I will send you gifts to help you on your way to becoming a victor. Try not to get too involved in the bloodbath, Maria, please listen to me. this advice can be the difference between life and death in the arena. anyway, People will be targeting you especially, Max, because you are small and seem an easy target. This will be somewhat to your advantage, since they will be underestimating you."

Then Maria speaks. "What about our strategy in the training?" Finnick thinks about that for a moment. "Well, that depends. Mags and I will coach you on that separately, unless you want to be coached together. Maria looks at me in disgust, which I find aggravating. I may be small, but I can still fight. I glare at her, clenching my fists at my sides. "I want to be coached separately. He'll only slow me down, and if I plan on winning this thing, I need to be as good as I can." Maria says in a snobby tone. "Max, would you mind going to your room so we can talk privately to Maria about her strategy?" mags says apologetically. "Fine, I'm leaving." I announce, and stomp out of the train car, so Finnick and mags can coach Maria on her training session. I enter my room, and see that it's way bigger than my bedroom at home. it has swirls of blue and green all over the walls. I'm assuming they are supposed to be waves, since district 4 is the fishing district. Even my sister Mia's clumsy six-year-old hands can paint waves better than that. Mia. I already miss her so much. I decide that if I need to cry, now is the time. But I can't. I'm too exhausted. I change into the more comfortable clothes that are on the bed, a dark blue t-shirt and clean trousers. then I just sit on the end of the bed in a daze until Mirakal comes in and tells me it's time for dinner. I eat in silence, tuning out the other's cheerful remarks. After dinner, I walk into my room and sit on the bed. District 4 is the farthest from the Capitol, so we will reach it tomorrow morning. Eventually, the soothing rock of the train forces me to lay back and go to sleep.