Table Test

I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said, I'll never let you go
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said, Don't leave me here alone

As I sat in the Justice Building, I knew I was alone. I knew no one was coming to see me, and I was okay with that. It gave me fuel. Gave me time to think. Time to strategize. While Surge was probably crying with a family that's not dead, I was alone. Alone alone alone. And it's not because no one likes me, because I don't know if they do or not, I've just never partook in any extreme social interactions, maybe the occasional fake smile as I bought something from the cafe but that's about it.

The couch was leather, brown and dried up. It was stiff like my body. Realization hadn't set in, and I had begun to fear that it never would. That I wouldn't realize what had happened until a knife was in eye, body mangled. I could feel a tear toss itself out of me and slip down my face, around my lips and down my neck. There were bookshelves all around me, dusty and ancient, and I wondered about how many tributes had sat exactly where I was, in the same situation. Alone without realization, with their mind a mess. I wondered if their feet bounced again and again as mine did, if they had mousy brown hair and bulky cracked glasses.

But then I wondered if any of them thought they had a chance. And I know there's a few that had to have, but I know that the majority didn't. Hopeless. And when someone's hopeless, why would they try? Maybe that's the reason District 3 isn't a career district, because we're too smart to realize that having a 1/24 chance of being victorious isn't enough to try.

As the Peacekeepers verbally dragged me out of the room, I picked my head up. I had things worth fighting for, even if they were invisible to everyone else.

The Peacekeepers' white uniforms surrounded me, 3 in front of me, 2 to each side, and 3 behind me, as if to ensure that I wouldn't run away. But on the way to the tribute train, we passed behind many buildings, Surge in an identical human cage behind me. We're meant to eliminate all contact from the rest of our District until 1. we're physically dead or 2. we're emotionally dead.

As I step on the train (it's relatively short, but it's obviously made in the Capitol) I'm greeted with an orange-y smell but red everything (minus the walls and lights). Red carpet, red sofas, red artwork, red. Sparky sits on the couch with his legs crossed. He blinks as the door closes behind Surge and I and he says hello.

"Hi," I say. I try to focus on keeping my head up. I turn to Surge and slip out a "Tell me about you." I'm heartless enough that I won't let it get to me, but I'm not sure about him. If he gets to like me, he'll never see me coming.