Damned if I do// d11 train 98th

"Don’t you ever forget, you’re a god-damn survivor.”

“I left dog tied up to the post right outside ol’ Barnie’s place…could ya watch him for me?”

My sister, Irena laughed and nodded her head.

“I’ll figure it out, I always do.”

I crossed my fingers behind my back as I promised to do my best. Two years ago, and I would have gone down swinging. Now I stood here wondering was the stupid dream I built up in my mind worth crawling my way out of a grave by tooth and nail?

+ + +

It had all gone down faster than the blink of the eye. My sisters and mother hugging me one last time goodbye. Irena staying back for a short moment before she was pulled out screaming and kicking by the peacekeepers. She had more bite than I ever had. When we were younger, she’d always be getting into trouble just because she could.

I went out looking for trouble because it reminded me of my older sister.

A smile on my naïve face unknowing of the dangers and heartbreak of the world. I wanted to save them all and before I knew it; I was the one needing saving. Too kind for a cruel world, too caring…maybe I was always doomed.

As the train doors opened, the peacekeeper behind me shoved me forwards into a world of luxury that was beyond the grasps of my imagination. There was one thing I recognized, a universal truth amongst the rich and poor.

Alcohol.

There was only one real distinct difference. If you were poor and drank; you were trash. If you were rich; then who gave a damn if you wasted your liver…just buy a new one, I guess.

Glasses made from crystal reflected an array of rainbows in the sunlight as it passed through the coach. Delicate glass bottles containing booze laid out neatly at a bar with no one to tend to it. Force of habit, I guess. It did not take long for me to find my way around creating two drinks it too beautiful of glasses for the morbid ordeal we found ourselves in.

Drinks in hand I made my way over to where Harbinger Rhodes was sitting, pretending we were in that ‘ol dive bar I considered home. This could have been any other day; it could have been any other situation. There was no exchange of money and frankly he did not ask for a drink, but I didn’t care. If I was going to do this, it was going to be done my way.

With a smile and something that will burn the pain away.

Placing one drink in front of him and one in front of me, I bore the chipper smile of someone with everything to lose.

“Do you drink? If I were you, I’d be a drinking man” I did not know a single thing about him other than he shared a last name with Marcus. I didn’t bring him up but wondered if he had sat in this seat the same as me. “Tsiuri.” I held up my glass pretending I was having a conversation with an old friend instead of the person who is supposedly here to teach me how to survive these death games. “So tell me, how the hell am I getting out of this alive?”