Quell
Five
Aphrodite Sunburst leads Theo and me to a car, which takes us to a train station. Although I've built parts of both of those vehicles, I've never been inside either of them. The car moves remarkably fast.
I'm so glad I only cried for a few minutes. There are cameras swarming the train station.
Theo and I stand in the doorway for the train for several minutes while the cameras capture images of our faces. Finally we are allowed to retreat into the safety of the train. How ironic that the train taking me to my death is a safe place for me right now.
I am fascinated by the train's interior. It's sleek and elegant, with mahogany furniture and velvet, velvet everywhere. I touch everything.
There is a loud whistle and I sit down immediately. I know trains. A single loud whistle means that it's about to start moving. And start moving it does. I am slightly taken aback by the speed at which we are moving. District 6 is gone, rushing away before I can take a final look at my home.
"Brenna!"
I turn and see Theo running towards me, his thin face lit up.
"Hey," I say.
"Can you believe how fast we're going? Capitol trains average 250 miles per hour, you know. We'll get to the Capitol in approximately 6.2 hours," he tells me excitedly. I try to smile, but I can't. Theo is the other tribute. Theo. He's my best friend. For me to survive, he is going to have to die.
"Yeah. Should be exciting," I reply glumly. Theo bites his lip, then sighs.
"Brenna, look. I don't have a chance in these Games. I'm not sure why our district chose me to go."
"They chose you because you're smart!" I say angrily. And it's true. Theo is one of the smartest kids in our district. He works with the senior engineers to design sleeker, faster, better trains and hovercraft.
"Okay, I'm smart, but I have no chance against District 2. Or anyone else, for that matter. I'm skinny and weak and not good-looking or charismatic enough to get sponsors. So I'm going to enjoy the Capitol while I can. And I'm going to die on my own terms," he says.
"Theo," I begin.
"Brenna," he says mockingly. "Stop worrying about me and think about yourself. You've fought off thugs in dark alleyways. Catch the eyes of some sponsors and you might have a shot. You're smart too, and you're strong from working in the Wheel House. And you're fast. Okay?" I try to swallow around the lump in my throat.
"Thanks, Theo. But for the record, I'm not letting you die, okay?" Then I walk away before he can say anything else.
He's right, I suppose. I am strong, and I am fast, and I know how to fight. You have to, if you're a girl in District 6. There are a lot of bad people who lurk in our alleys and spring on you when you're least expecting it. So maybe I do have a bit of a chance.
But the odds still aren't in my favor.
I'm so glad I only cried for a few minutes. There are cameras swarming the train station.
Theo and I stand in the doorway for the train for several minutes while the cameras capture images of our faces. Finally we are allowed to retreat into the safety of the train. How ironic that the train taking me to my death is a safe place for me right now.
I am fascinated by the train's interior. It's sleek and elegant, with mahogany furniture and velvet, velvet everywhere. I touch everything.
There is a loud whistle and I sit down immediately. I know trains. A single loud whistle means that it's about to start moving. And start moving it does. I am slightly taken aback by the speed at which we are moving. District 6 is gone, rushing away before I can take a final look at my home.
"Brenna!"
I turn and see Theo running towards me, his thin face lit up.
"Hey," I say.
"Can you believe how fast we're going? Capitol trains average 250 miles per hour, you know. We'll get to the Capitol in approximately 6.2 hours," he tells me excitedly. I try to smile, but I can't. Theo is the other tribute. Theo. He's my best friend. For me to survive, he is going to have to die.
"Yeah. Should be exciting," I reply glumly. Theo bites his lip, then sighs.
"Brenna, look. I don't have a chance in these Games. I'm not sure why our district chose me to go."
"They chose you because you're smart!" I say angrily. And it's true. Theo is one of the smartest kids in our district. He works with the senior engineers to design sleeker, faster, better trains and hovercraft.
"Okay, I'm smart, but I have no chance against District 2. Or anyone else, for that matter. I'm skinny and weak and not good-looking or charismatic enough to get sponsors. So I'm going to enjoy the Capitol while I can. And I'm going to die on my own terms," he says.
"Theo," I begin.
"Brenna," he says mockingly. "Stop worrying about me and think about yourself. You've fought off thugs in dark alleyways. Catch the eyes of some sponsors and you might have a shot. You're smart too, and you're strong from working in the Wheel House. And you're fast. Okay?" I try to swallow around the lump in my throat.
"Thanks, Theo. But for the record, I'm not letting you die, okay?" Then I walk away before he can say anything else.
He's right, I suppose. I am strong, and I am fast, and I know how to fight. You have to, if you're a girl in District 6. There are a lot of bad people who lurk in our alleys and spring on you when you're least expecting it. So maybe I do have a bit of a chance.
But the odds still aren't in my favor.