In Your Hands: The Thirtieth Hunger Games SYOT

Chapter 14

Estrella Vasquez POV

I don't have to mentor, since One has plenty of Victors. I get to mentor. The only way to come close to the thrill of winning the Games is giving other girls a chance. I keep my eye on the Academy, so I knew to expect Emmy. Honestly, I didn't have the high hopes I often had. She was a fighter, but she didn't act like a warrior. She was far more polite than most of my mentees, though.

"It's really cool to have you for a mentor. Your Games were awesome," she said. She was right, and a little flattery can't hurt.

"Thanks, princess," I said. She frowned and folded her arms.

"Don't call me princess," she said forcefully. Maybe she was a warrior after all.

Pray Jager POV

They want me to work with that?

Avariella- "Ava", as she preferred- weighed less than I did. That wouldn't necessarily be a problem, but she was four inches taller than me and I was trim. No wonder she used a dagger.

"Do they... do they feed you at home?" I asked. It took a lot to get a reaction from me. I've torn a man apart and I'd do it again, but this was sickening.

"Of course," she said. Like most people I knew, she seemed scared I was going to jump her. She kept peeking at my claws.

It won't happen this year, I thought. This girl can't take care of herself, much less anyone else. She's easy prey. It would be a challenge, though. Maybe a break from the boredom. I'll do everything I can.

I rang for an Avox and ordered a plate of pasta with red sauce. When it came, I had her place it before Ava. She stared at it like it was the size of Panem.

"The first thing you're going to do is eat."

Acee Hal POV

Cordin was one of those Tributes who's going to haunt me. It's like the Reapings are rigged to send me the sweetest children in Three. Hailey and her stories, Gram with his bottle glasse... why don't I ever get a big jerk? When everyone voted for the Quell, they sent me a tragic boy and a little girl who didn't know computers. Four and Twelve got psychos.

"Did you have a strategy in mind?" I asked Cordin as he marveled at a bowl of hard candies.

"I guess I can use electricity," he said. Abigail was looking out the window and tracking our progress. I would help her too, of course, but she volunteered. She probably had more idea what she was doing.

"That's a good plan if you can make it work. If you're in an Arena without access to civilization, you'll have to rely on sponsors to send you components. I suggest you play up the cuteness factor," I said. That wouldn't be hard at all.

Jonah Breaker POV

"You ready to kill?" I asked Shogo. I'd seen his brother at the Reaping. That was tough. Even a saint would do what he had to to get back to him.

Shogo looked at the train walls and held his hands around his mouth. He leaned in and whispered.

"Kanu doesn't know. He thinks I'm here to be an actor," he said. I kept a straight face. Time for the role of a century.

"You must be Shogo Hara!" I said with a mouth-breaking grin. "We've been going nuts waiting for you. The Capitol demands your presence! We'll start filming your first hit immediately. It's called... Last Man Standing, and you're going to be the star!"

Soleil Pere POV

I don't want Gordon to win. It's easy for people like him to hide, but I've been in the Games. I've looked the Careers in the eye and seen which ones wanted to win and which wanted to kill. I knew what he was.

Things didn't look good for Five. Skyler was a dreamer. Dreams don't go far in Panem. She was looking all around the train like it was one big party. Gordon was looking ahead at the wall in front of him. He wasn't scared or angry. He was something worse. I'm going to be alone again next year.

Toby Cash POV

Don't cry in front of the Tributes. Don't let them know.

Lyte was thirteen. He was a little boy and I was going to watch him die. Even if he was the only one, it would be too much. I wanted to scoop him up and throw him off the train. He could run away and live free in the woods. It was a wonderful, impossible dream.

Hadley was my only hope. She volunteered. Maybe she had a plan. She looked as capable as I was in my Games. Maybe this year I would finally get a partner.

Please come back. I need you. Don't leave me alone. Please don't die.

Sequoia Wilson POV

I might be looking at a Victor. Reiner was strong and capable. He knew how to fight. The only problem was how obviously gentle he was. He looked like a soldier, but he was a father inside.

"Do you know what you have to do?" I asked him.

"I know," he said. His expression didn't change.

"No, do you really know?" I asked again. Images of the children my hatchet had killed flashed in front of me. Reiner's gaze softened and I saw the pain that told me he truly knew. Maybe he had a chance.

Ashlyn seemed to realize her fate as well. There was a placidity about her that suggested she would do what she could, but she knew she would most likely die. I couldn't tell her otherwise. Nothing's hopeless in the Games, but she wasn't counting on it.

Drone POV

I couldn't believe it. James actually wanted to be in the Games. My Games were so early we still couldn't imagine them. I guess time dulls everything. I'd never have guessed it from looking at him. He was polite to the Avoxes and seemed friendly as a puppy. His excitement came from idealism, not cruelty. He'd find out soon enough.

Tillo took one step on the train and asked for a pair of pants. When she came back, she sat slumped forward and relaxed, like she was used to sitting primly straight. She would do big things in the Games, whether or not she won.

"What kind of weapon should I use?" James asked.

"You're small, so maybe something lightweight and simple, like a knife. Start training when we get to the Capitol," I said.

"Do you think I could use a sword?" Tillo asked. "I know I don't have any training, so I couldn't get too good, but maybe a short sword that's light enough for me to use," she said.

"It would be best for neither of you to pck fights, but you do need to be able to defend yourself. It's not unreasonable for you to use a sword, but don't put your trust in it," I said. Maybe one of these kids would kill enough others to live. Only time would tell.

Mink POV

Demetria was such a baby. She was trying to stop crying as she sat on the other side of the carriage. Two Avoxes were fussing over her. I hoped she enjoyed her time while she could, because I was going to win this thing. I didn't really want to kill her, since there was no sport in that, but she'd probably die in the Bloodbath. It wasn't right, but the Careers would hopefully at least kill her quick.

Nine didn't have any Victors... yet. Next year will be different, as long as I don't screw things up. It wouldn't do to get overconfident. I didn't have to kill everyone, just anyone who tried to kill me.

Cornflower Fields POV

Calvary was missing three teeth. She kept pressing her hand to her jaw like it hurt.

"Do you eat a lot of fruit?" I asked her.

"We can't afford it," she said.

"You have scurvy," I said. "You need to eat some citrus fruit." I looked at Fluvius and he sent for some lemonade.

Other than that, Calvary was already more capable than I was in my Games. I wouldn't have to do much mentoring this year. That would be nice. Lately I've had this urge to scream and pound on the walls. That wouldn't do, so I didn't do it, but it was hard to stay in public where I couldn't do it if I really had to.

"Is there a kitchen on the train?" Felix asked. Kitchen, kitchen, kitchen.

"It's two cars down," Fluvius said. "It's not really for Tributes, though. We have people to cook for you."

"Can I check?" Felix pressed. Fluvius shrugged, so Felix left. The room felt scarier without him. He was so much less intense than Calvary. I hoped they both did well.

Peppermint Wilson POV

I watched the Reaping like everyone else, so I saw Willow get chosen. I couldn't blame her for the way she reacted. She didn't have a chance.

"You're going to have to fight, you know," I said. She hadn't gotten over her shock yet, so she was silent.

"With you, we need the longest range possible. The only problem is I'm not sure you're strong enough to throw a spear or draw a bow. This is going to be difficult. Maybe throwing knives, I thought, but that wasn't an option. Not after Venus and Apollo. Any time I went to Two I made sure to dance on her grave.

"So, who's Shaw?" I asked Caleb. He didn't seem like a Victor either, but I'll do my best.

"He's my boyfriend," he said.

"Aw, that's cute. Hope you see him again," I said. He was a little young for that, but he probably wouldn't get another chance. It was just as well.

Demi POV

I refused to sit with that awful tramp. Jamie can sit with me, but Mary Sue goes in the back. Jamie may not have had the best manners, but he was a sweet enough boy.

"I'm pretty fast. I should run into the Cornucopia and get some supplies. I'm not big enough to fight the Careers, but I can get some food and stuff," he said between mouthfuls of dinner rolls.

"Try to grab a blanket. It gets cold in there," I said. He was so thin. Didn't they know how to eat in Twelve?

"Do you think I'll get any sponsors?" he asked.

"I'll be sure to get some for you," I said. It wouldn't be hard for a cute little boy to get sponsors. Mary Sue sure wasn't getting anything, even if people begged. Between the two of us, we'd get Jamie home.

Thejokkeriscoming asked if I wanted to do a joint STOY with her, and that sounds like a blast, so I'll be putting up some info soon. I'd be nervous about doing two at once, but most people write slower than I do so I'll have time. It will be called "Caught in the Rain".