Forty-Third Hunger Games Ch.2

It's at Gowan's suggestion that we watch the recap of the Reapings.  I could have cared less, but now I'm rather interested in who I'm going to kill.  A Capitol attendant turns on the television for us and we watch the rundown of the Reapings.  I try to remember the ones that'll pose the biggest threat to my victory.  And of course, there are my future allies.  The boy from District One will do, and the girl is a rarity from the district that creates the Capitol's luxury items.  She's built like a wild boar, and has scraggly yellow hair and a snout-like nose.  Usually the girls from One are gorgeous.  Mace and I are reaped, and the commentators make note of how promising we look.  Of course we are.

District Four pumps out two athletic-looking tributes, then no one noteworthy comes along until District Six.  A tiny but wily-looking boy is called.  Physically, he isn't much, but he looks smart.  I'll need him with me or dead as soon as possible.  The girl from Seven looks strong and determined, and the boy from Ten has the same look about him.

I'm satisfied with what we have this year.  Right after the television goes blank, Mina suggests we change into more comfortable clothes and come back out for lunch.  My first instinct is to refuse the meal.  Get accustomed to the hunger.  But then a memory bubbles up in my mind.

'Don't refuse anything they give you,' I remember Bearl saying.  'Try and gain as much weight as you possibly can.'

So I order an attendant to take me to my room and I find that I have the majority of a single car to myself.  It's filled to the brim with soft, cushy furniture and gadgets that I've never even dreamed of.  I notice a button to summon a Capitol attendant and push it.  Within seconds, a green-haired woman appears at my doorway.

"Yes, Mister Bolster?" she asks politely.

"I'd like some food," I say.

She looks at me for a moment and then says, "Your lunch will be served in about ten min-"

"Yeah?  Well, I want some now," I demand.  I'm going to go all out with this eating thing.

"Of course, I apologize," she squeaks.  "Anything in particular?"

"Beef," I say.

She nods and scuffles away quickly.  I look into my closet and find a huge variety of clothes.  I pull on a silky blue tunic and thin black pants.  I just put on some extremely comfortable slippers when the woman with green hair appears again with a silver platter in her hands.

"Where would you like it?" she asks.  Her tone is still polite, but it wavers slightly.  I laugh and jerk my finger to the night stand.  She comes into my room tentatively, sets the platter down and heads out, eyes trained downward the entire time.

I lift the lid by its ornate handle and then a wave of steam hits my face.  As it clears, a large tray of delicious-looking roasted beef sits in front of me, sliced and decorated with sprigs of parsley.  I devour half of it before Mina Fowl knocks on my open door.  I look up at her, a chunk of the succulent beef sticking out of my mouth.  She seems taken aback at first, but then warps her chubby little face into a huge grin and pipes, "Lunch time, dear!"

I nod and then follow her to the dining car.  Mace and Faxon sit at a long table filled with trays, bowls, and plates that match the platter in my room.  I take my spot next to Faxon and immediately start piling food onto my plate.  Salad with berries in it and a pink dressing, some sort of grilled fish in a spicy sauce.  I can't name half of the dishes here at my disposal, but I try all of it.  However, I focus mostly on meat for protein.  Even if I can only put on a few more ounces of muscle before the Games, I want it.

Mina's checking her wristwatch almost nonstop and asks Mace where Gowan is.  Mace simply shrugs, so Mina asks an attendant to get him.  I focus on my food once more, and after three more plates I sit back, totally stuffed.

Just then, the attendant that Mina sent in search of Gowan returns in a frenzy.  She looks us all over, and then bursts into tears.  "He's dead!  On the floor in his room!  Heart gave out on him!"

Mina Fowl's reaction is the same as the attendant's.  She runs over to her and they embrace each other, wailing.

Mace and I exchange glances.  People die all of the time.  The Capitol sees more of it than any of us, so I don't know why it's such a huge deal to them.  Of course he was a Victor, but isn't that a reason not to be sad?  Gowan Rhodes won the biggest honor that anyone could possibly ask for.  There's no need to mourn someone who has had all that life has to offer.

Faxon merely smirks and says, "Well that's an inconvenience.  I guess I'll be managing both of you."  He looks at Mace.  "Is that a problem?"

"No," she says.  She means it, too.  I'm sure she knows that Faxon will know more about how to keep us alive, since his Games were so recent.  Gowan was outdated.

We all dismiss ourselves from the table and leave Mina and the attendant to themselves.  Their wailing has lessened into small bursts of sobs, but it was clear that everyone was annoyed by it.

As we move to the next car, Mace goes to open the door to her room, but Faxon stops her.  "Don't bother.  We'll be there in a few minutes.  Come on."

We both follow him to the last car on the train.  It is covered completely in glass, so we're able to see in every direction.  We're coming up to another mountain, and the train suddenly swerves around it.  We're going up a steep hill, and Faxon looks anxiously out of the side of the car.

"This is the last stretch," he smiles.  "It's right over this hill."

I'm up against the glass as soon as he finishes.  I can make out the front of the train beginning to make it to the summit, and I feel Mace next to me.  When the car reaches the top of the hill, the Capitol opens up below us.  I can't help but to gasp a little bit.  I've seen it on television all my life, and yet, it couldn't have prepared me for this.  It is beautiful.  As we head toward the massive city, I take in the brightly colored buildings that twist and curve toward the sky, the sleek automobiles that move slowly through the streets filled with odd-looking people.

"Don't forget to smile," Faxon says, breaking both Mace and I out of our daze.  This simple instruction brings me back to what I'm in this magnificent city for.  So I can win over every one of these people to make my life easier in the arena.  Just another hoop to leap through so I can win the Games.

My face breaks into a smile as we get within view of the Capitol citizens.  The sight of the train is enough to stop everyone in their tracks.  I begin to wave, and everyone who sees returns it with a point, a smile, or another wave.  One girl with bleached white skin faints, breaking some of the plastic ornaments on her skirt.  Another man tries to run along with the train, but gives up when the heel of his shoe snaps off.

Only two districts arrive on the day before the Opening Ceremonies.  Only one can elicit this pandemonium from a crowd.  They know that the District Two tributes have arrived.