Dance Beneath the Water {Oliver/Sable Train Thread}

"I fell to the bottom of the ocean"
~

The reaping was a mix of chaos and confusion for me. After I finished with my goodbye visits in the Justice Building, everything just moved far too quickly. It's like it's all a blur, now, the Peacekeepers escorting me out of the Justice Building as soon as my final visitor had departed, bringing me to the train that would take me away from the home I called District Eight for maybe the last time. It was quite likely I'd never see those I'd just said goodbye to ever again. I just really didn't want to think about that fact. When it crossed my mind that the hugs and kisses exchanged may have been my last, I had to use all of my strength to hold back the tears that wanted to pour from my eyes.

I held back my tears because I couldn't let anyone else see me as weak as long as the Games were going on. If how damaged I was was obvious, I'd be targeted and taken out right away. No one was likely to have even the slightest desire to help someone who can't help themselves when it comes to the Hunger Games. At least, that's what it always looked like to me when I saw it on the television.

Everyone just wanted to win so that they themselves could survive, with the occasional exception of those who didn't want to make it home alive for one reason or another. I wasn't going to one of those exceptions. I was going to make sure I survived if I could. I would try because I wanted to, and the reason I wanted to try to survive was so that I could make it home to Jory and to my family. They were more important to me than I was to myself, but that was enough reason to stay alive. I didn't want to lose them.

~

When I boarded the train, my District partner was there. My memories of the reaping tell me that her name was Sable Delamore. Quietly and politely, I took a seat across from her, giving a friendly smile. Even though it was likely that she already knew my name from the reaping (unless she was in too much shock to recall in), I decided to introduce myself, regardless.

"Hey, Sable, right?" I said to her in a gentle tone. "I'm Oliver."

I extended my hand in greeting to her.

"I'm sorry that we both have to be here," I continued. "We're strong, though, right?"

~

415 words

~
"I dove in after my pride"