The 60th Annual Hunger Games

Chapter Two- The Train

I only got one visit. My parents came with my brother, but all they talked about was how great I was going to be. Confident in the idea of my survival. Once our three minutes is over, Hestia comes in with Alexis and takes us in a fancy car to an even fancier train.

‘Oh, it’s fabulous isn’t it children!’ shrieks Hestia once we’re on board the train. It’s the most plush place I’ve ever seen, comfortable chairs and couches, a dining cart with drinks and food of every colour, and a huge dining table. ‘You two, are very lucky this year. You each get a victor each to train you! Brutus? Enobaria?’ At this a huge, strong man, and a dark skinned women came in.

‘I’m Alexis’ said Alexis, his hand outstretched. That’s when I noticed Enobaria’s teeth are pointed at the top, like fangs.

‘I’m Valerie, nice to meet you.’ I say smiling brightly

‘Alexis, Brutus will be your mentor, and Val’- Hestia had taken to calling me Val, which annoys me, only Alexis calls me that-‘you’ll be with Enobaria. You can go into your rooms now, get changed have a shower, you know, settle down. Just be back here by 3 for dinner, we’ll discuss our stratagies then. Right. Off you go!’ she ushered us to a corridor on our left. ‘Alexis, your room is just here..’ she indacates to a door on the left. ‘and Val dear, yours is just opposite! That one there!’ she points to a door directly across from Alexis’s.

‘Right then! Back here at six o’clock sharp!’ Once Hestia has left, Alexis grabs my wrist and pulls me into his room. I sit down on the bed, putting my head in my hands.

‘What are we going to do?’ I say, standing up. He is pacing up and down, continually puting his fingers through is tangled gold locks.

‘I don’t know.’ He turns to me then takes my hand in his. ‘You have to get your hands on a bow, and knives. A sword if you can. You’re fast, you can get them quickly.’

‘What about you?’

‘Don’t mind about me. I’m fast too. And, maces aren’t very popular weapons, they’ll be closer the outskirts of the Cornucopia. You’ll have to get some backpacks as well, not just weapons.’

‘Wait, us. Not single. Plural. Me and you.’ I look at him, for a moment, we stand in silence. Without saying a word, he takes my face in his hands and kisses me once more. Unlike the kiss at the Reaping, this is a deep, passionate, hot kiss.

‘I’m in love with you, Val.’ He gasps, inbetween a kiss. I pull away, and I see his face looks worried.

‘No. Don’t say that. Not now.’ I turn my eyes away, and leave the room.

*

At six o’clock, I join Hestia, Brutus, Enobaria and Alexis at the dinner table freshly washed and smelling like roses. Everytime I try to catch Alexis’s eyes, he everts his. I feel terrible about what I said, but I can’t go into the arena knowing that he loves me. There’s only one winner, after all. I eat a three course dinner, more glamorous than I’ve eaten in my whole life. A starter of green soup that tastes like lettuce with rolls of bread. A main course of beef in a blood red sauce with light as clouds mashed potatoes. A dessert of a pink chocolate cake, and cream. All through, Hestia rambled on about our costumes for the tributes parade, our training, how we’d have to get allies, blah-blah-blah.

Once we were finished, Alexis stood up and left.

‘Alexis, dear, get a good nights sleep! We’ll get to the Capitol in the morning! Sleep tight!’ Hestia called after him,, them muttering something about manners.

‘May I leave now?’ I say with a smile

‘Of course my dearie, now see that, that, is manners!’ I could hear behind me as I ran to Alexis’s room.

‘Alexis?’ I knock on the door. No answer, so I open it and go in. He’s lying on the bed, his eyes closed.

‘I’m sorry.’ He says. It’s the last thing I expect him to say.

‘Wh-what?’ I exclaim.

‘It was too much. I know. I shouldn’t have said it. Especially seeing as we’re going to be killing eachother soon.’

‘No. We’re going to be allies, remember? Just you and me. No Careers.’

‘You should get some sleep.  Up early in the morning.’

Without another word, I left.