The 70th Hunger Games

Chapter 3

After we stop off for a brief bit, Johanna comes over to me again. She looks like she's about to say something. "You are gonna need my help kid, so let me in. I didn't survive without my mentors help. Don't put up a fight, be the fight, don't let it fight you". I stare at her cooly and reply  "how will you help me, I have no chance. None whatsoever."  I glance at the window. "Hey kid, you listen and look at me right now." She jerks my face towards her. "I accepted that I was going to die, you know what, I was gonna die but take out some evil bastards with me. I had no family. No one who cares about me. I saw you. You were in half minds about volunteering weren't you, why did you volunteer, fine you live in the same orphanage but who cares?" "How did you know about where I live?" I reply, my voice made of steel. "You dress like one, kid, hide your emotions more. When you go in those games, the outside world doesn't matter. It's only you, the games, and the other tributes. You didn't answer my question Ebony, what's the deal with you volunteering?.

I choose my words carefully... "A few years back I got my name entered more than once, you know to get some basic food for my little brother, however when I came back from there, I saw him in a fight with a peacekeeper's son, who was a lot older... I knocked him unconscious and gave him Kilseed ( a plant which erases memory for the last 2 - 5 hours ) but his mate came around and knocked me unconsious. I guess he either gave me another plant or just hit me at an angle because I was in a coma for two months... and missed the reaping. Just before the reaping, a peacekeeper came up to me and said that I should volunteer for the reaping to make up for the time I wasn't in the pot. Otherwise he would kill my little brother, Logan. So I had to volunteer of course, however Lucia is Logan's best friend so I didn't feel as bad as I probably should have.... I- i...." Johanna looks at me differently. "Look kid, I'm gonna make a deal with you, you have to try your hardest to win, and if you do, i'll take the pressure off being a mentor if you win. So you can go back to a normal life. Because you deserver it, you have people who care about you." I sigh.

She doesn't realise. There is no way I can win. I think she must see the defeat in my eyes because she then says "Kid what are your skills? I know your one of the smartest kids in the district and that your brother is good at designing axes and you use them." I whip my head around to face her, "Are you stalking me or something? You know almost everything about me, you keep on asking me what my deal is but what's yours? She stares at me cooly. "Kid your family is one of the most well known in the district, the genius ones, the ones other peoples parents wish for". Well they can have me then. We stop talking when the train starts again, lurching forward. "Just remember Ebony, I know you have tricks up your sleeve, I know you can win this. But you gotta accept my help. Stop putting up a wall agaisnt me. You die Logan dies, don't you see that, he'll be lost without you. Without someone looking after him. Think of other people, at least you have people who care" She says in utter disgust.

I think of Logan. If I die, what's to stop the peacekeeper's son from attacking him again.

They wouldn't mess with the victor would they.