Chapter 1

“Blaine Anderson!”

He heard the scream over and over again in his head, but he just couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t believe this was actually happening.  He was in denial.  His name wasn’t called by that evil woman on the platform.  How could it be? It was his last year.  He’d made it so far.  There was no way this was happening now. He was supposed to be safe.

But he wasn’t.  He would die soon, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Blaine was sitting in the visiting room waiting for his family to walk through the door.  He didn’t want to see his younger brother walk through the door, teary-eyed and worrying.  He didn’t want his mother to cry and hug him until she had to leave.  He didn’t want to see his father’s stony expression and hear his harsh, clipped advice.  But all of that would happen, and then he’d be gone. Gone. Probably to never return.

When Cooper’s little blonde head poked around the door, it took all of Blaine’s willpower to hold his tears back.  Cooper ran in and grabbed him around the middle, slurring out an incoherent train of words.

“Shh, It’s okay, Coop, everything’s going to be okay.”

Sniffling, Cooper replied, “No it’s not.  I’m going to lose you. That’s not okay.”

“You won’t lose me, I’ll come back. I’m going to win, for you, and Mom…and Dad.”

At this, Cooper stood back and looked up at Blaine, “Are you sure? You’d better be sure. I can’t lose you, Blaine.”

“I’ll try,” Blaine managed to say. The truth was he wasn’t sure at all. The only thing he was sure of was that he had to try. Had to try for the little golden eyes (so much like his own) staring in to his.  If that wasn’t motivation enough, he didn’t know what was. “Can you make me a promise?”

“Anything.”

“Can you promise me that you won’t worry? No matter what happens, I want you to stay strong for me, okay?”

“I’ll try.” Then Cooper fell back into his arms, and they just sat there, until they were told Cooper had to leave.  He left with one last glance at Blaine and Blaine forced a slight smile in his direction.  Cooper smiled, sadly back.

When his mother arrived, Blaine just held her as she cried and mumbled meaningless words. She was asking what she would do when he was gone.  How would she get through to Cooper? He was the only one who could do that.  Blaine just allowed her to cry, trying to soothe her when it seemed appropriate.

He bid her good bye with one final hug and awaited the arrival of his father.

His father walked in and the first thing he said was “You need to watch your back.” It wasn’t that Blaine was surprised, actually it was quite the opposite. He was expecting this.  His father had always been like this. Not really caring, but still authoritative.  His father had trained kids for the Hunger Games almost his entire life, and watching them leave only to die had hardened him.  He knew exactly what to expect out there, although he’d never experienced it himself.  Blaine knew that somewhere in there he cared that his son would probably die soon, not that he made it apparent. 

“Get whatever supplies you can find. Avoid fighting if you can, and try to stay hidden.  If possible, make allies, but not too many and don’t get attached. They will die or you will have to kill them when it comes down to it.” He stared at Blaine. “I think you know the rest. You’ve trained for this.”

“I do.”

“Good.” He reached out, awkwardly, and patted him on the shoulder.

“Dad?”

“What?” he asked, as if surprised there was more to say.

“You’ll take care of Mom and Coop?”

“Of course.”

“Okay.”

“Okay,” he turned around, ready to leave, long before their allotted time was out. “Oh, and Blaine.  Stay alive.” Then he left.

A few hours later, Blaine and the girl tribute, a 13-year-old named Cindy, were on the train to Panem.  It was a long train ride and they would have to sleep on the way, but Cindy didn’t talk much and Blaine needed the silence. 

He was beginning to come to terms with the whole ordeal.  He realized that there wasn’t much he could do but try to win and above all else, get back home to his family.  The chances of that ever happening though were slim to none. 

He had grown up watching the teenagers leave for the games, always wondering what it would feel like, but never wanting it to happen.  As the years went on, he became more and more confident that he wouldn’t get chosen. After all, there were a lot of kids in District 3.  But, obviously, he had been very, very wrong. 

The lady, he thought her name was Caesara, who pulled their names from the bowl came in to their compartment a few minutes later and sat down across from the pair. 

“Hi, my name is Caesara and I will be helping you along through the more commercial parts of this little adventure. Blaine and…Cindy, am I correct?” she asked, pointing to them in turn.

“Right,” Blaine gritted out. He wasn’t necessarily angry with her; she hadn’t done anything wrong, yet. He was angry with everything. Everyone. Panem, for taking him from his family.  Everyone back in District 3, for not doing anything about anything. He knew it was never an option to do anything, but the whole situation still just put him on edge. 

“Well, okay then! We’re going to have fun!” Never mind, he didn’t like her, at all.

He grunted in response as she got up and closed the door behind her.  “Fun” was the last word he would use to describe what the next few days or weeks would be like.

It wasn’t for another five minutes or so that he realized that Cindy was crying next to him.  The first thing he could think to do was slide his arm around her- at risk of looking creepy, he didn’t know her very well- and whisper “It’s going to be okay,” just like he’d told his brother.  She didn’t pull away, or even respond at all, really.  She just cried. 

Finally, he didn’t know how long it had been, she looked up at him, and said simply, “No it won’t, and we both know that.”

He wasn’t going to lie and he knew that every word she had just said was the complete truth, so he just remained silent.

 The train ride was boring for the most part, a lot of talking about what would go on once they arrived in Panem and what to expect from the people. 

When they finally arrived though, things began to excel.  Blaine found himself in a large room surrounded by women who looked around thirty years old, though it was hard to tell with the extravagant make-up.  They were smiling grimly as they tugged him into a chair and soaked his head in a sink full of water.  Suddenly, they were pulling at his hair, admiring the dark curls, and poking at his face.

It was all too much and it was giving him a headache.  When they force him to take his clothes off, he wants to scream and knock them all out, but he knows that wouldn’t be a good idea, so he obliges.  Luckily, he’s a male and the extent of their badgering isn’t too horrible, but it’s still painful.  All of the scrubbing is so unfamiliar.

 After the women are done, they give him a robe and leave.  His stylist arrives a few moments later and tells him of the plans for his attire.  He and Cindy will be wearing corresponding outfits fit with electrical wires to give it a “little spark.” The outfits are supposed to fit the trade of District 3, electronics.

He met Cindy in the room where they would board their chariot.  Cindy is wearing a ball gown covered in a glowing pattern of computer wires. She looks scared, but there’s a slight girlish gleam to her eye.  She’s excited to be wearing a dress for, what he is sure is, the first time in her life.  They board the chariot and before he has a chance to think about what’s about to happen, they are pulling into the city. 

It’s all so overwhelming. The cheers of the people, as the tributes pull out.  There are so many people and they’re everywhere. Above him, below him.  He simply waves and tries to remain calm, even though it’s hard to ignore the lump forming in his stomach.  He looks at the screen at the other tributes.  Everyone looks the same, but different. They all look scared, but are obviously trying to make a good impression. 

It isn’t until the camera finishes its round to all of the tributes, that he sees District 1.  It’s a boy and a girl, nothing strange there. They are dressed in sparkling garments, meant to symbolize the gems of their district, but that isn’t what gets Blaine’s attention.  It’s the boy in the chariot.

Striking blue eyes and pale skin.  Perfectly coiffed light brown hair and a confident look in his gaze. These things catch Blaine’s attention.  He doesn’t understand why, not at all.  But they do, and Blaine can only think one thing before the camera shifts to District 2: He will find out more about that boy.