hang your suspicion at the door [train blitz]

In the silence that follows the slam of the train doors, Kahinta tries to breathe through the renewed blossom of cold anger and pain that has taken root in her chest. It feels tight as she tries to draw air, following behind Mace, Saffron, and Ansgar, and-

Well, she doesn’t remember his name. She’d been too busy wishing she could launch herself through the camera lens that had captured her in its thrall to hear them call out for her district partner into the sea of wide eyes and quiet murmurs. In truth, she barely remembers walking up onto the stage or being escorted back into the Justice Building. All she can focus on is that cold feeling, sinking deeper and deeper as their escort Blue, paradoxically dressed in yellow this year, slips past her with a hand too familiar to be kind pressing between her shoulder blades as he makes his way beyond them to a car farther up the line to speak with the conductor.

They’re trying to be rid of her, and her hands clench and unclench in her sweater pockets as her shoulders slump forward some small amount now that she’s away from the crowd, away from ma and pa, from Temple. Her eyes narrow at the table as she steps up, removing her hand to run a carefully extended finger feather-light over the decorative gold inlay on one of the dishes set out.

Disgusting.

Keeping her eyes down, Kahinta carefully lowers herself into the seat, drawing her sweater close around her and crossing her arms tight around her middle, trying to draw warmth to her core to no avail. There is no warmth to be found on this train, nor in where it will take her. Not in the Capitol or its people, nor the victors who sit before her, nor her fellow tribute. There is no warmth in this, and Kahinta cannot help the shuttered feeling inside of her from taking hold as she falls into habits formed over her years of wearing Salus’s face in the dark. She needs information. She intends to get it.

Kahinta raises her head, eyes cold as she blinks at the three victors in turn.

“Well, now that we’re all here… Thoughts on the Quell?”